Aromatic Astrology - Libra

Libra is the next sign of the Zodiac and is generally considered to fall between 23rd September to 22nd October.
Ruling Plant: Venus
Element: Cardinal air
Symbol: The Scales
Polarity:Masculine
Physical: Kidneys and lower back
Crystals: Quartz, Opal, Jade, Emerald, Sapphire
Flowers: Rose, pansy, foxglove, daisy, hydrangea
Herbs: Catnip, elderberry; thyme, iris, lillies, moneywort, ivy, St John's wort, bergamot, lemon balm
Colors: Pink, Blue, Lavender
Essential Oils: Geranium its signature oil; Rose; Spearmint; Thyme; Vanilla; Violet Leaf

As it's considered to be the signature oil for Libra by Patricia Davis, I'm going to use Geranium as my anchor for both blends. Geranium is a great balancing oil and Libra is the sign of balance, justice and fairness.

For Lady Libra I'm blending Geranium with Rose and Violet Leaf. In Spiritual PhytoEssencing, Rose has the theme of Romantic Love. Rose is the oil for Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, and Libra's Ruling Planet. Violet Leaf is considered to evoke sweet and loving feelings and supports the emotions and the heart.

For Lord Libra I'm blending Geranium with Vanilla and Thyme. Vanilla for its warming and soothing properties, promoting a feeling of safety and well-being and Thyme for its properties of promoting self-confidence and courage.

Lord Libra
Geranium 2 drops
Thyme 1 drop
Vanilla 3 drops

Lady Libra
Geranium 4 drops
Rose 1 drop
Violet Leaf 1 drop

A few quotes from famous Libras:

"The Truth is perfect like the vastness of space, With nothing wanting, nothing superfluous." Hsin-hsin ming

"Today is absolutely today. Today is not yesterday. Today is not tomorrow." - Ogui

"Do not conquer the world with force, force only causes resistance. Years of misery follow a great victory." Lao Tze

"When we return to the root, we gain the meaning. When we pursue the external objects, we lose the purpose. The moment we are enlightened within, We go beyond the voidness of a world confronting us." Hsin-hsin ming

Have fun blending.

Aromatherapy and Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition and is seen as an inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead or eyelid. It may show up as redness, prominent spider-like blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne.

The cause is generally unknown but it can develop between the ages of 30 and 50 in those who are fair skinned.

The symptoms can show up in a number of ways including:

• Redness of the face in discrete areas of covering the entire face.
• A tendency to flush or blush easily
• Increased spider-like veins
• A red, bulbous nose
• Acne-like skin eruptions
• A burning or stinging sensation of the face
• Irritated, bloodshot, water eyes.
• 
  

As there is no known cure for rosacea, the best method of controlling this is to identify what triggers the flare-ups and then avoid those as much as possible.

Things that have been identified as triggers include:

• Exposure to the sun
• Prolonged exertion in hot weather
• Stress
• Spicy foods
• Alcohol
• Hot beverages
• Chocolate

What actually triggers a flare up will vary from one person to another so it is important to find out what the specific triggers are for the individual and then find ways to avoid them. Keeping this condition under control requires a two prong approach: 1) avoiding the known triggers and 2) alleviating the symptoms as much as possible. This is where the use of essential oils and hydrosols come in.

Essential oils that have been found to be helpful in keeping Rosacea under control include Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), Neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara flos.) Rock Rose (Cistus ladaniflerus), German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) and Rosewood (Ariba roseodora). As the oils will be used on the face and the skin is already sensitive only use in 1 % or less dilution. Also skin test a small area before applying your final choice as sometimes the essential oils can trigger a reaction. However even if this is the case, the hydrosols being so much gentler can bring great relief.

Hydrosols can be used in conjunction with essential oils or on their own. They are wonderful in compresses and in spray bottles. The compresses can be really soothing and having a spray bottle handy can time a trigger causes a flare up in flushing can be very effective. My personal favorite hydrosol for this is Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) but Roman Chamomile, Neroli, Rock Rose, Lavender and Rose could also be helpful. Peppermint is a great one to use if you are suffering from a menopausal hot flash as it really helps to cool things down.

If you are thinking about making a simple face product there are lots of fun and easy recipes to be found in my e-Book Aromatic Gifts for all ages and for all seasons.

Special diffuser blend for the day: Orange 4, Sandalwood 2, Cypress 1

Essential Oil Safety - Skin Irritation and Sensitization

There are two different types of skin reactions that can occur when using essential oils topically. They are quite different and are often initiated by different chemical components in an essential oil.

Skin irritations will sometimes occur in one individual and not in another and this is because the skin of one might be sensitive to a particular component in the essential oil. Skin irritation happens on the first exposure to the irritation, the reaction is rapid and the severity will depend on the concentration of the irritant present. The skin responds with an inflammatory reaction. So when you see an essential oil with the caution that it may be a skin irritant use it with caution on people with sensitive skins.

Skin sensitization is a type of allergic reaction. The oil may not produce any reaction on the first contact, however once the allergen has penetrated the skin, the body’s immune system reacts to fight off the invader causing a rash on the skin. Sensitization reactions can also take the form of inflammation, breathlessness, nausea or headache. It is actually possible to become sensitized to any essential oil.

Whenever you feel there is a possibility of skin irritation or skin sensitization patch test first.

To patch test a particular oil:

• Place one drop of carrier oil or lotion on your breastbone, or behind your ear.
  
• Leave for 12 hours.
  
• If there is no adverse reaction, dilute one drop of the essential oil in half a teaspoon of the carrier oil or lotion, and rub the mix on your breastbone or behind your ear.
• Allow 12 hours for any reaction to show.

If there is an adverse skin reaction:

• Wash the skin gently with unperfumed soap to remove most of the oils that are on the
  surface of the skin.
• Expose the skin to air (but not strong sunlight) to encourage the evaporation of the essential oils.
• Essential oils of Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) have been found to counter irritation and sensitisation reactions. They should always be properly diluted in a carrier before application.
  

My diffuser blend for today: 5 drops grapefruit; 1 drop rose.

Patchouli - Pogostemon cablin

Patchouli was used for centuries by people in China, India, Japan and Malasia. It was used to fight infection and cool fevers. They used it to tone the skin and the body, as well as an antidote for insect and snake bites. Did you know that the characteristic smell of Indian Ink comes from a combination of patchouli and camphor?

During the Victoria era, because authentic handmade cashmere shawls from India had a lingering aroma of patchouli, British manufactures of machine-made cashmere shawls imported patchouli oil to fragrance their shawls in the hopes that buyers would not be able to tell the difference. Patchouli sachets have been used in India to protect clothing against insects and to scent them.

There is a mini article on Patchouli on my website with more detail on its uses.

On a subtle level, Patchouli grounds and strengthens the will to live. It is very grounding and taps into the energies of Mother Earth. Patchouli can spiritualize sexuality and facilitate the enjoyment of the senses as well as awaken creativity. It can relax an over active intellect. It allows the chakras in the feet to connect with the earth and draw energy from it. Patchouli can help one to define who one is and then how to express this in the world. Patchouli is used in money, sex and physical energy blends. Patchouli can help us to recognize and appreciate the sacredness of life.

Generally considered non-toxic, non-irritating, non-sensitizing and non-phototoxic. It may curb the appetite. Do not use on anyone allergic to spicy foods and use cautiously on anyone with known allergies to perfumes and cosmetics.