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Newsletter - April 2007
In this issue
Spring is in the air at last, so this month we show you how aromatherapy can help to revitalise, cleanse and detoxify your whole body. This should come in really handy after all that chocolate bingeing that is going to take place over the Easter holidays!
In this months special Aromatherapy Detox feature, we reveal how to spring clean and tune-up your body with a whole chart-full of detoxifying and purifying essential oils. Plus we bring you simple tips on how to flush out those built-up toxins using methods that won't leave you feeling deprived and fed up. Start using our easy detox program today, and you will be cleansed and energised in time for summer!
For the 3rd year in a row, we have received a prestigious award from the Natural Health magazine Beauty Awards 2007. Quinessence were amongst the top 20 companies to have natural products voted as leaders in their field, and we are honoured and of course, delighted. You can read the full story below.
This months Essential Oil Profile is all about zesty, refreshing and enlivening Grapefruit, which we think creates just the right mood for the arrival of the new season. Geoff investigates its historical background and explains it's many benefits in aromatherapy.
April Special Offer
Detox Kit Offer
This Aromatherapy Detox Kit includes the following items:
• Black Pepper 5ml
• Cardamon 5ml
• Cypress 5ml
• Fennel Sweet
• Geranium 5ml
• Grapefruit 5ml
• Juniper Needle 5ml
• Rosemary 5ml
• Bath dispersant 100ml
• Marinal Mask 100ml
PLUS FREE
Bath & Shower Set and Chinese Loofah Mit
Aromatherapy Detox Kit Offer!
Deep cleanse, revitalise and rebalance your body ready for the summer sunshine, with this fantastic Aromatherapy Detox Kit!
Incorporating 8 highly effective Essential Oils to encourage the elimination of toxins, a gentle Dispersant to safely add them to your bath or shower, and a Marinal Masque containing a rich harvest of marine phyto-nutrients combined with purifying natural clay to lift impurities, revitalise and tone the skin.
And best of all, - when you buy this Detox Kit online throughout April for only £ 47.50 you will receive a Bath & Shower Set plus a Chinese Loofah Mit worth £ 11.84 - absolutely FREE!
Included in the free Bath & Shower Set is a net complexion sponge to gently lather up soaps and gels, mini loofah, invigorating body brush and a natural-bristle nailbrush. The action of regular, vigorous massage with the free Chinese Loofah Mit helps eliminate toxins from the skin and can even help prevent the formation of cellulite.
And that's not all - when you order your Detox Kit online this month the price even includes delivery to your door! This Home Fragrancing Kit offer includes:-
• Black Pepper oil 5ml
• Cardamon oil 5ml
• Cypress oil 5ml
• Fennel Sweet oil 5ml
• Geranium oil 5ml
• Grapefruit oil 5ml
• Juniper Needle oil 5ml
• Rosemary oil 5ml
• Bath Dispersant 100ml (more info)
• Marinal Masque Base100ml (more info)
• FREE Chinese Loofah Mit (more info)
• FREE Bath and Shower Set
• Price includes delivery
But you had better hurry - this Special Offer is strictly limited to the first 100 customers who place an order. Order your Aromatherapy Detox Kit today and claim your FREE Chinese Loofah Mit and Bath & Shower Set - before stocks run out!
Spring Detox
Did you know?
In a modern home today you are exposed to cigarette smoke, air fresheners, aerosol sprays, paints and solvents, - all of which can do you more harm than living next door to a chemical plant, according to one US Environmental Protection Agency study.
Hardly surprising then that we need detoxifying from time to time!
Cleansing Foods
Cleansing foods include raw vegetables, steamed vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, juices and filtered water.
On the other hand, foods to avoid include meat, milk products, bread, refined sugar and carbohydrate products which cause an increase in mucus production.
These foods should be avoided during your cleansing and revitalising program.
Also cut down on all types of stimulants like caffeine and alcohol and replace them with herbal teas.
Brush that body!
The skin is the biggest organ of the body and it plays a major role in eliminating toxins.
The simple technique of skin brushing is a highly effective strategy in your battle against toxins.
It stimulates the circulation and superficial glands, thereby improving lymph drainage, helping to flush out those toxins.
Using a natural thistle brush or loofah mit, start at your toes and gently brush upwards towards your heart using quick sweeping motions.
A long handled brush is best since it enables you to reach further, but don't worry about the areas that you can't reach.
Detox bath
For an effective detox bath, mix a blend of 2 drops Juniper Berry, 1 drop Cypress, 1 drop Black Pepper and 1 drop Ginger.
Using our chart, select any 3 essential oils ensuring that at least one is a circulatory stimulant, and one is a lymph accelerant. This way you will obtain the very best results possible.
Aromatherapy Detox
Increasingly today, more and more people have chosen to include their internal body systems along with their home when it comes to the annual ritual of spring cleaning. And this makes perfect sense to me.
Many ancient systems of medicine such as Traditional Chinese, believe that spring is the best time of the year to detoxify the body and cleanse the mind because it increases lifeforce (Chi). The importance and benefits of preparation, in readiness for the growth of all things both spiritual and material, has been understood for aeons.
Seasonal cycles are therefore very important to our holistic health, and if we harmonise our bodies with these cycles we can benefit tremendously. Aromatherapy is a highly effective tool to help renew vitality, eliminate toxins and restore the balance to your body's efficiency. And this is the perfect time of year to do just that.
Toxic build up
Providing we are in good health and not already suffering from the effects of toxicity, our body transforms, neutralises or eliminates toxins very efficiently. Toxicity begins to build up in our bodies when we take in more than our body can use or eliminate, or when we are run-down. Modern lifestyles also mean that most of us do not take enough exercise, and in combination with stressful lifestyles and unhealthy diet this all contributes to lymphatic congestion and a build-up of toxins.
The lymphatic system is not a separate system of the body, it is actually part of the circulatory system. It consists of a network of tubes, called the lymphatic vessels; these drain excess liquid called 'lymph' from your body tissues into your bloodstream. Lymph filters into the lymphatic vessels through their thin-walled endings, called lymphatic capillaries.
The lymph then travels to lymph nodes where it is cleansed of toxins, bacteria and other waste products before re-entering the bloodstream. Symptoms caused by a build up of toxins include gastrointestinal conditions such as constipation and bloating, aches and pains, coughs, fatigue, headaches, catarrh, skin problems and a breakdown in the immune system.
Process of elimination
The liver is the main organ responsible for detoxification in the body due to its many metabolic functions, although the kidneys play an important role as well. The colon is responsible for the elimination of toxins, and an effective cleansing treatment will need to tackle both of these body systems.
The ideal detox treatment encourages the body to deal with toxins in a natural way, without putting the body under any strain. Effective detox treatments include exercise, fasting, skin brushing, colonic irrigation and of course, aromatherapy using detoxifying and stimulating essential oils. In my experience, incorporating 2 or more of these methods into one detox routine produces the very best results - especially when one of them is aromatherapy.
Exercise, fasting and food
If you are the energetic type then exercise is a great way to start your detox since it steps up the body's metabolic rate. Just 15 minutes on a rebounder helps to stimulate the lymph nodes which drain the lymphatic system.
Amazingly, during exercise the lymph can drain about 20mls of waste per minute, whereas at rest this figure falls to only 1-2mls per minute. Swimming, jogging, circuit training and even just brisk walking really help to increase your metabolic rate and boost your circulatory system.
Fasting has always been the traditional way to detoxify the body, but for many busy people these days it is just too extreme and simply not practical in today's busy world. Fortunately, you need not deprive yourself of all your favourite foods since a cleansing diet can be very helpful in the elimination of toxins and much easier to stick to!
And I know you've heard it all before, but the single most important and effective detoxifier of all is water, which should be taken during every type of detox program - and continued beyond. Ideally, during your detox routine you should drink up to 10 glasses of water a day to help the body flush out those nasty toxins. Drink up now!
Essential detoxifying oils
Aromatherapy is such a tremendous method of detoxifying because essential oils can stimulate poor lymphatic drainage, which is vital for the efficient elimination of toxins. The essential oils on the list below help to cleanse the body either by accelerating lymph and tissue circulation or by stimulating the circulatory system.
If you have sensitive skin, be sure to dilute your essential oils or add a small amount to a Bath Dispersant to your bathwater first. This way you will be certain that they will be dissolved and dispersed equally in the bathwater, thereby avoiding any skin irritation.
Essential Oil |
Action or effect |
||
|---|---|---|---|
• |
Angelica root | • |
Detoxifying and diuretic |
• |
Black Pepper | • |
Circulatory stimulant, diuretic |
• |
Cardamon | • |
Diuretic, lymphatic accelerant, anti-catarrhal |
• |
Cypress | • |
Diuretic, blood decongestant |
• |
Fennel Sweet | • |
Diuretic, lymphatic decongestant |
• |
Geranium | • |
Lymphatic accelerant/balancer |
• |
Ginger | • |
Circulatory stimulant, tonic |
• |
Grapefruit | • |
Lymphatic accelerant, diuretic |
• |
Helichrysum | • |
Hepatic and diuretic |
• |
Juniper | • |
Diuretic, detoxifying, lymphatic decongestant, depurative |
• |
Lemon | • |
Circulatory tonic, depurative |
• |
Rose | • | Liver & kidney tonic, circulatory stimulant |
• |
Rosemary | • | Circulatory stimulant, liver tonic |
• |
Thyme | • | Circulatory stimulant, diuretic |
Massage and baths
Massage offers the most benefits in an aromatherapy detox routine due to the beneficial effects on the circulatory system. Choose any 3 of the essential oils from the above chart and you will have a potent detox massage blend that will be sure to bring you positive results.
For a really powerful detoxifying treatment, mix 2 drops of Juniper, 1 drop of Fennel, 1 drop of Grapefruit and 1 drop of Cypress into 10mls of carrier oil. For the very best results this should be massaged on to the back, abdomen and legs.
Ideally, you should try to have at least 2 massage treatments every week, and to achieve the maximum results you should also have a bath treatment using a different combination of essential oils on the other days. Practice and persistence, is the key to detoxifying your body!
Use your aromatherapy detox routine regularly for 3 or 4 weeks and you should be cleansed, energised and ready for the summer!
Take care until next time.
p.s. If you do not have many of the essential oils mentioned in this article, be sure to see this months Detox Kit Special Offer.
Natural Health Awards
Award-winning Cream
Aroma-botanicals® Vitamin E Cream received the 'Highly Commended' award under the 'Best Moisturiser' category.
The Aroma-botanicals® skin care range was also voted 'Highly Commended' in the Best Value for Money category.
Natural Health & Beauty Awards - Double success for Quinessence!
Whilst Helen Mirren was busy collecting her Oscar in Hollywood, we were celebrating our own industry successes recently when Quinessence were awarded two prestigious awards in the Natural Health and Beauty Awards 2007.
The Awards, published in Natural Health magazine's March issue, recognised the key selling points of the Quinessence Aroma-botanicals brand - an all-natural range without the usual hefty price tag.
In the category of 'Best Moisturiser' we fought off stiff competition to scoop the 'Highly Commended' award for our Aroma-botanicals® Vitamin E Cream. This innovative cream contains a unique blend of nourishing botanicals including Aloe Vera, Rosehip and Safflower infused with the finest organic Neroli essential oil to provide exceptional moisturising qualities.
This rich and super-moisturising cream is perfect for banishing wrinkles too because vitamin E is well known to be one of nature's finest anti-oxidants, packed with anti-ageing and skin softening properties. And of the three products finalised in that category it was the Aroma-botanicals® Vitamin E Cream proved to be the bargain of the bunch, with a price tag just a fraction of the cost of the other two products.
We take pride in our reputation of providing natural skincare products that are affordable for women everywhere - a fact that helped seal our second winning entry under the 'Best Value for Money' skin care range category. That's precisely what we strive for - a high quality range that doesn't rely on harsh chemical compounds or an inflated price tag.
All of the products in the Aroma-botanicals range are competitively priced meaning that it's even easier to live a chemical-free lifestyle. There are no harmful ingredients, colours, fragrances or harsh preservatives to be found in the range. Instead it is all about natural, pure ingredients that care for your skin from head to toe.
More about Aroma-botanicals®.
Tasty trio
Above - Ripe grapefruits (Citrus paradisi var. Duncan) ready for picking.
Origin - Argentina
Sour grapes?
In 1814, the botanist John Lunan was the first Englishman to write about the grapefruit. In his book 'Hortus Jamaicensis' where he describes the horticulture of Jamaica, he wrote;-
'There is a variety known by the name of grape-fruit, on account of its resemblance in flavour to the grape; this fruit is not near so large as the shaddock'.
The Jamaicans either had a poor sense of taste or grapefruits must have been very different in those days!
Did you know?
The United States produces more than 60% of the worlds grapefruit crop, with Florida alone producing a staggering 2.5 million tonnes!
Above - Aerial photograph of a grapefruit orchard in Florida, USA.
Did you know
A trace constituent of grapefruit oil called thioterpineol is the most powerful odorous substance known.
If 10 grams of thioterpineol were evenly distributed throughout the atmosphere, the aroma would overpower the entire population of the planet!
Oil Profile - Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)
Grapefruit is one of the most popular citrus oils, with a fresh and tangy fragrance that never fails to give a welcome boost to the senses. Like all citrus fruits, the grapefruit belongs to the Rutaceae family, which are a large family of shrubs, trees and occasionally herbs.
This botanical family is of great economic importance and provides a wide range of citrus crops to the world of commerce - grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges and tangerines, as well as some ornamental species. After the orange, the grapefruit is the second most important citrus fruit worldwide.
Historical background
The grapefruit was first described in 1750 by the reverend Griffith Hughes who called it the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados. Later in 1789, Patrick Browne reported it as growing in most parts of Jamaica and he referred to it as "forbidden fruit" or "smaller shaddock".
The shaddock (C. maxima, also known as a pummelo) is a giant citrus fruit that can reach 10-11 inches in diameter, with a firm flesh and less juice than a grapefruit. It is thought to have been named after Captain Shaddock of the East India Company who introduced the tree to the West Indies.
Fruity hybrid
The grapefruit is believed by botanists today to be an accidental hybrid of the shaddock and the sweet orange. It was James MacFayden, in his Flora of Jamaica in 1837 who separated the grapefruit from the pummelo, giving it the botanical name, Citrus paradisi Macf.
It was introduced to the United States in the mid 1800's and at first it was grown only as a novelty in Florida. Over the next 100 years it was cultivated throughout many different states, and by 1910 the grapefruit had become an important crop in the Rio Grande Valley, Arizona and California. Today, It is also cultivated for the production of essential oils in Asia, Israel, Jamaica, South Africa, South America and Spain.
Physical description
The grapefruit tree bears ovate evergreen leaves and reaches a height of 4 to 6 metres (13 to 19 feet) although some trees may attain 13 metres (42 ft) with great age. It has white, 4-petalled flowers, and the fruit is round or slightly pear shaped growing in clusters of up to 6, although this figure varies greatly.
Citrus paradisi thrives in a warm sub-tropical climate and the humidity affects the thickness of the peel; in arid conditions the peel is thicker and subsequently the juice content is lower. A large tree can produce as much as 500 to 700 fruit per annum.
Harvesting and extraction
At one time grapefruits were harvested by using picking hooks which often caused damage to the fruit. The modern method is to pick them by hand, using ladders to reach for the higher branches. Some mechanised methods which shake the tree are sometimes employed, and although this can be 3 times faster than hand-picking it can cause damage to the tree.
The essential oil is extracted by cold expression of the peel, yielding a pale yellow or golden yellow coloured oil with an odour characteristic of the fruit and very similar to orange, but with a bitter aspect. The oil glands in grapefruit are located deeper in the peel than with other citrus fruits, which makes it more difficult to procure the oil. Compared to orange or lemon, the grapefruit produces far less oil and this is why it is more expensive.
Aromatherapy uses
Grapefruit oil has a very wide range of uses due to its uplifting, stimulating and cleansing properties. It is highly effective when used in massage blends to treat cellulite and the elimination of toxins, because it helps to stimulate the lymphatic system.
In skincare it helps to relieve oily and congested skin and has an all-round toning effect on dull skin. Add just 1 drop to 10mls of carrier lotion or a fragrance free cream base to give your skin a real tonic.
In common with most citrus oils, grapefruit has an antiseptic and antiviral action that can be used to protect against chills and colds. Vaporise it to help kill airborne bacteria and prevent the bugs from spreading throughout the family or at work. At the same time as offering protection it will help keep you alert too - its a great oil to use in the car whilst driving for this very reason.
On the emotional system, it has a cleansing and balancing effect that really lifts the spirits when you are either just feeling down or heading for nervous exhaustion and depressive states. If you are feeling stressed-out it is one of the first oils you should utilise, where it can be blended with other emotionally stimulating oils such as sweet basil or litsea cubeba.
Like all other citrus oils, grapefruit blends easily with many oils, making a pleasing accord with black pepper, cardamon (and most other spice oils), coriander, cypress, geranium, juniper berry, lavender, neroli, palmarosa, petitgrain, pine and rosemary.
Grapefruit is also great in blends to take the sweet, heady edge off oils such as ylang ylang, jasmine, geranium, tuberose etc. It not only smells great when blended with jasmine, but it also helps when used to improve confidence and resolve.
Until next time, happy blending.
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