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Newsletter - January 2007
In this issue
The festivities are now over, the washing up has finally been done, and the weather is turning much colder and gloomier, - yes, it's time to start using those wonderful 'winter' oils to help see us through until Spring arrives!
In the first issue of our two-part special 'Winter Wellbeing', our resident aromatherapist, Sue, reveals which are the best essential oils to help keep you warm and protected until that warmer weather finally arrives.
To begin this years series of Oil Profiles, Geoff has chosen to start with an almost unheard of essential oil in aromatherapy known as Yuzu. He has been championing this intriguing oil for many years and wonders why it is not more popular in aromatherapy.
Helping to get the New Year off to a roaring start we have introduced even more additions to our Candle Collection, and as before, these additions are entirely due to requests from customers. Be sure to let us know if there are other styles you would like us to stock, and we will do our best to oblige.
January Special Offer
Stress-Busting Kit
This Aromatherapy Stress-Buster Kit includes:
Aromastone Electric Vaporiser
Sensual Bath Soak 100ml
Stress Body Oil 50ml
PLUS A FREE
Relaxing Essential Oil Synergy 5ml
Stress-Buster Kit Offer!
If you overdid things a little this year during the Christmas holidays, we can help put the stresses and strains of it all behind you with this fantastic Stress-Buster Kit.
This selection of de-stressing products would normally cost you £31.85, but throughout January you can buy it online for only only £26.99 - bringing you a fantastic saving of over 15%!!
All that rushing about doing the shopping, cooking for hordes of relatives and cleaning a mountain of washing-up can really take its toll on you. Now take some time out, relax and pamper yourself - and save money, with this great Special Offer which includes;-
• Blue AromaStone Electric Vaporiser - clean, economical and safe - no burning candle to worry about so it can be left working unattended.
• Sensual Bath Soak 100ml - containing a relaxing and sensuous blend of essential oils from the orient, including Sandalwood, Patchouli and Rose to pamper and spoil yourself!
• Stress Body Massage Oil 50ml - with a soothing and strengthening blend of Basil, Juniper berry & Geranium to help recharge both your mind and body.
• Price Includes Delivery!
And that's not all. Order your Stress-Buster Kit online this month and we will give you a Relaxing Essential Oil Synergy 5ml worth £4.60 - absolutely FREE!
But you must hurry, because this Special Offer is strictly limited to the first 100 customers who place their order. Order yours today to save over 15% on this Aromatherapy Stress-Buster Kit and claim your FREE Relaxing Synergy 5ml - before stocks run out!
Brrrrrrrr . . . . . .
Warming Oils
All of the following essential oils are excellent for keeping you warm during the chilly winter months;-
• Black Pepper
• Cardamon
• Cinnamon
• Clove Bud
• Ginger
• Juniper Berry
• Marjoram Sweet
• Rosemary
Bathtime Bliss
The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all understood and employed the powerful, therapeutic healing properties of bathing.
In fact the Romans developed the art of taking baths into a national pastime by building highly sophisticated public baths known as Thermae.
In each building would be three pools; hot, lukewarm and cold which were respectively known as the caldarium, tepidarium and frigidarium. Sometimes there would also be a steam bath, which was called the sudatorium.
This unique healing art is now being revived thanks to the availability of therapeutic essential oils and other beauty spa products.
Uplifting oils
If the gloomy weather is getting you down, vaporising any of these essential oils is sure to cheer you up.
Use no more than 3 drops of any citrus oils if you decide to use them in a bath;-
• Bergamot
• Geranium
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Mandarin
• Melissa
• Orange Sweet
• Rosemary
Winter Wellbeing
Now that winter is in full swing it is not uncommon to find ourselves wanting to stay in bed that little bit longer to keep snug and warm. I must admit, it's certainly much easier to get out of bed on a bright summers morning than it is when it's cold, dark and raining outside. And on top of all that, the colder weather brings with it the misery of blocked noses, cold feet, aching joints - and summer seems so very, very far away. . . . . .
But help is here at hand because aromatherapy can awaken your dulled senses and help fight off all those winter ailments. Remember, essential oils can be used to help to lift your spirits during the gloomy weather and many of them are antibacterial and antiviral too. That's what makes aromatherapy the perfect tonic for the winter season.
Winter warm-up
Many people with poor circulation suffer from cold feet and cold hands at this time of year, so warming essential oils such as Black Pepper, Cardamon, Clove Bud, Ginger, Juniper Berry, Marjoram and Rosemary are just the thing. Choose 3 oils from this list and add 2 drops of each to 10ml of your chosen carrier oil. Rub your blend vigorously into your frosty fingers or feet and you will soon feel a warm glow spreading throughout your body.
Because these oils are so warming and stimulating, it also makes them highly effective at easing those every-day aches and pains, stiff backs and similar conditions which always seem to feel worse during the winter months. In addition to using them in a massage, these oils can be added to a warm bath which I feel is one of the nicest (and laziest!) ways to enjoy aromatherapy during the cold winter months.
Water works
Aromatherapy baths are perfect for lifting your spirits during the depressing winter months, and so easy to do. Set the scene for a soothing aromatherapy bath with some nice relaxing music and the flicker of candlelight, and you will have created your very own health spa without the hefty high-street cost.
Whilst running your bath brush your skin all over to exfoliate and improve circulation and the flow of lymphatic fluid. Your skin is the biggest organ in the body and it plays a major role in eliminating toxins. Using a natural bristle brush or loofah, start at your toes and gently brush upwards towards your heart using quick sweeping motions.
Choose the essential oils you want according to your mood or needs, and add them to the water after running your bath. Adding your oils too early can be wasteful since a large proportion will evaporate before you even get into the bath. Always add your oils just before stepping in, and make sure you use some type of dispersant to ensure your oils distribute nice and evenly on the surface of the water.
Soothing soak
Try adding two drops each of Ylang Ylang, Lavender and Bergamot to soothe away the stresses, strains and hangovers of the New Year parties! You only need to use a total of 6 or 8 drops of essential oil, since generally speaking, more is not necessarily better in achieving the desired result in aromatherapy.
An equal blend of Geranium, Lavender and Sandalwood is absolutely heavenly, as is Roman Chamomile, Lavender and Bergamot. Any blend containing either Rose, Neroli or Jasmine is bound to be deliciously relaxing, but if you do not have any of these oils there are plenty of other relaxing ones to choose from.
If your legs and tootsies are tired from all the New Year's bargain hunting, then a blend of Sweet Marjoram, Black Pepper and Rosemary will quickly ease them back to normal. Carrying large bags of shopping can play havoc with your shoulders and back, so try a blend of Roman Chamomile, Ginger and Lavender to help lift the load.
Breathe easy
If you suffer with blocked sinuses or congestion during the winter, you will find that using Cypress, Eucalyptus Radiata, Fir Silver, Frankincense, Peppermint, Pine, Ravensara or Tea Tree in your vaporiser can bring tremendous relief. When you have a case of the sniffles or a runny nose remember, these same oils all have highly effective antiviral properties too and are ideal to kill those nasty bugs.
Should you not have a vaporiser or burner, you can also use these oils in a good old-fashioned steam inhalation; simply choose a selection of 3 oils from the above list and add 1 or 2 drops of each to a bowl of steaming hot water. Here are further instructions on preparing and using a steam inhalation. Please note that asthmatics should not use this method because it involves using steam directly over the facial area.
Alternatively, you can massage these oils on to the area above the upper lip, the tip of the nose and on the the cheekbones outwards towards the ears. Use small, circular movements with your fingertips avoiding the eye area, and your stuffy nose should soon begin to clear. Take care to add no more than 3 drops in total of your chosen essential oils to 5ml of carrier oil.
Next month, I will show how you can use aromatherapy as part of your daily beauty routine to nourish and protect your skin throughout the long winter chill, so be sure to drop by.
I look forward to seeing you then.
Yuzu fruit
Top - Ripe yuzu fruit, ready for harvesting.
Above - Yuzu flower in full bloom, just prior to harvest time.
Did you know?
In Japan, yuzu fruit is cultivated primarily for the extraction of the juice, rather than for the essential oil.
This causes the oil to be scarce and therefore quite expensive when compared to other citrus oils.
Yuzu orchard
Yuzu orchard on the island of Shikoku, Japan, during harvesting (October). After picking, the fruit is transported to the distillery (below).
Yuzu distillery
Top - Harvested yuzu fruits, all ready for extraction.
Above - The distiller and Geoff during the extraction process.
Oil Profile - Yuzu (Citrus junos)
To kick off the New Year I thought we would look at an interesting essential oil that offers great potential for use in aromatherapy that is still not yet found in books. It seems that very few therapists or enthusiasts of aromatherapy have ever heard of this particular oil, and very few specialist suppliers actually stock it.
Citrus junos is a small tree that produces yellow-golden coloured citrus fruits resembling small oranges or tangerines. The peel of the fruit produces a delightful citrus fragrance with a floral overtone which is quite unique and difficult to describe. This fruit is known in Japan as Yuzu, and like most citrus fruits will yield an essential oil by cold expression.
I first encountered this unusual fruit whilst lecturing in Japan, and was immediately captivated by its distinctive fragrance. I decided I must learn more about this little-known member of the citrus family and see if it might prove a useful addition to aromatherapy.
Several trips to Japan later, I finally tracked down a producer of this fragrant fruit and arranged to purchase some of the essential oil on a regular basis. Sadly, the essential oil is not produced in very large quantities which therefore makes it quite expensive for a citrus oil, and very difficult to purchase other than directly from source.
Physical description
From the Rutaceae family, Citrus junos bears a physical resemblance to the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium ssp amara), reaching a height of approximately 4 metres (13ft). It has a rounded top of deep green, smooth, oval shaped leaves and attractive white flowers which bloom in early autumn.
In Japan during the late autumn, the small fruits ripen from dark green to a yellow-golden colour, and now resemble oranges which measure about 7.0 cm (2¾ inches) in diameter. The peel is much less smooth than that of an orange, often having a more 'pitted' and 'bumpy' appearance. Interestingly, yuzu is one of the most cold resistant citrus fruits.
Current and traditional uses
Both the fruit-juice and the rind of yuzu are extremely popular as flavouring agents in Japan, imparting an absolutely delicious, lemon-fruity and floral tang wherever it is employed. It is used to make a refreshing lemonade-type beverage, blended in salad dressings, made into marmalade and is even employed in ice-cream (my favourite!). In fact there seems to be no end of ways the Japanese have found to utilise the rind of this delicious fruit!
Traditionally, the fruits were used in a hot bath on the day of the winter solstice (Toji) to ward off a range of winter ills, such as colds and flu. To make a 'Yuzu yu' (Yuzu bath), the whole fruits or just the peel are added to the hot bathtub, and just as in aromatherapy, a nice long relaxing soak would bring about a feeling of wellbeing.
Of course, yuzu baths can be enjoyed at anytime for other conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism and general aches and pains. The oil from the fruit produces a tonic effect that stimulates the circulatory system and digestive system.
Origins
Although Citrus junos grows wild in Tibet and Korea, it is believed to have originated in China and was brought to Japan for cultivation in the 10th century. Due to its popularity here, it is cultivated on a grand commercial scale especially in Kochi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, where large yuzu groves can be found.
Curiously, these other countries do not appear to produce the essential oil in very large commercial quantities, and despite many attempts I have been unable to locate producers of yuzu oil who are interested in exporting the oil. This is a pity, since it would be fascinating to compare the oils produced from the different origins.
Extraction and aromatherapy uses
The essential oil is extracted by cold expression of the rind, producing a pale yellow essential oil with an exquisite citrus aroma. This body of this fragrance exists somewhere between grapefruit and mandarin, with subtle overtones of bergamot and lime. It has a very dry, tangy quality whilst producing an almost floral note that is very appealing.
Used in aromatherapy, we have found that yuzu oil is very similar in action to bergamot, having a refreshing and uplifting effect on the body whilst calming the mind. Also in common with bergamot, this oil has a powerful anti-bacterial action which makes it effective against colds and flu, which would account for its success and popularity in Japanese folk medicine.
It is a very effective oil for use with stress, burn-out, nervous tension or anxiety, where it helps to bring a soothing and calming effect to the emotions. Likewise it gives upliftment to depressive states, frustration, regret and also helps to build confidence.
As you might expect, yuzu blends easily with all citrus oils, although to do so simply dilutes its unique fragrance. Try blending it instead with basil, benzoin, clary sage, chamomile Roman, cypress, frankincense, geranium, ginger, jasmine, juniper berry, lavender, neroli, patchouli, petitgrain, rose (absolute & otto), sandalwood, vetiver and ylang ylang.
I find yuzu a very intriguing and rewarding oil to use, and hope that more will soon be discovered about its therapeutic properties. After a long and stressful day, I find it really gives a welcome boost to both mind and body. Try yuzu yourself, and see if you don't agree it is the king of all citrus oils.
Hope to see you again next month. Happy blending!
New for 2007!
New Products for 2007
In keeping with the New Year we have added even more new products to the Quinessence Aromatherapy Collection for you to choose from. Brand new for 2007 are some lovely new scented candles, plus some interesting new health and beauty product lines.
Sandalwood Candle Range
Enjoy the mysterious, seductive and exotic fragrance of sandalwood with one of these delightful colour-banded candles. The sensual, woody fragrance of Sandalwood is wonderfully relaxing and soothing, helping to settle the emotions and still the mind.
This new range comprises of two Pillar candles featuring a banded colour design, and a pack of 8 Tealight candles in matching banded colours - all with the great fragrance of sandalwood. Each candle is supplied in a clear, protective presentation pack.
Vanilla and Mint Candle
The warm and creamy aroma of vanilla unites with the cool, fresh and uplifting fragrance of mint in this attractive oval candle. Housed in a lovely re-usable glass container, this candle features two wicks to ensure a cleaner, more even burn. Brings pure delight to any room in your home.
Pink Grapefruit Candle
The fragrance of tangy pink grapefruit always awakens the senses, and brings a welcome burst of refreshment right into your home. Just lift the lid off this large jar candle, and light the wick to enjoy the zesty aroma of this most popular of citrus fruits.
Brand New Product Ranges too!
We have also recently added several brand new product ranges to our Collection, including (by popular request!) Relaxing Music CD's, beautifully fragrant Incense Sticks, and Biosun Ear Candles.
And best of all, we have added a selection of really effective Beauty Tools to help you look your best at all times, - plus a handy range of Massage Tools to fight stress and keep your body in tip top condition too. If you have not yet seen these great new ranges be sure to take a look.
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