|
PALMAROSA
Plant/Part: Grass/Leaves (Source: India)
Latin Name: Cymbopogon Martini
Family: Gramineae
Extraction: Steam Distillation
AROMA: Sweet, floral slightly dry with a hint of rose.
PROPERTIES: Light, lovely floral aroma which is uplifting. Makes a wonderful skin care oil when mixed with Sweet Almond. It is said to stimulate cellular regeneration and it moisturises making it particularly good for mature skin care and acne. Has a calming yet uplifting effect on the emotions. Also said to be able to refresh and clarify the mind. Acts as a tonic to the digestive system and said to have a beneficial effect on pathogens in the intestinal flora. Could therefore be useful in dysentery and it also has a strengthening effect on stomach muscles. Stimulates the appetite and may be helpful to people suffering from anorexia nervosa. Restores water balance and stimulates natural secretion of sebum which is a useful oil for dry skin. It also helps in skin regrowth by aiding cell regeneration.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: High in Geraniol, with Citronellal, Citral, Farnesol, Limonene, Dipentene, citral, Geranyl acetate,
MAJOR PROPERTIES: Antifungal, antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal, cicatrisant, digestive, febrifuge, hydrating, stimulant (circulatory and digestive), tonic.
BLENDS: Geranium, Orange, Citronella.
Digestive: antiseptic, stimulates and aids digestion, improves appetite, restores healthy intestinal flora; used for anorexia, digestive atonia and intestinal infections
Circulatory: stimulates circulation.
Skin/hair: antiseptic, moisturizes the skin, stimulates the regeneration of skin cells, regulates the production of sebum, soothes inflammation, discourages wrinkles, helps wounds and sores to heal. according to roberta wilson, "with regular application, it can fade old acne scars". used for dermatitis, minor skin infections, scars, broken capillaries.
Emotions/mind: soothes nervous exhaustion, relieves stress. Calms and uplifts the emotions while refreshing the mind and clarifying thoughts.
It is a wild growing, herbaceous green and straw-colored grass, with long slender stems, terminal flowering tops and fragrant grassy leaves. It is harvested before the flowers appear and the highest yield is obtained when the grass is fully dried - about one week after it has been cut. Palmarosa oil is extracted from the dried grass harvested before it flowers by steam distillation. The yield is 1 - 1.5 %.
Once known as Indian or Turkish Geranium oil it used to be shipped from Bombay to ports of the Red Sea and transported, partly by land, to Constantinople and Bulgaria, where the oil was often used for adulteration of Rose oil. Used as a fragrance ingredient in soaps and cosmetics. Used in traditional Indian medicine for fevers and infectious diseases.
Palmarosa (Cymbopogon Martini) is a scented grass of the same family as LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon Citratus) and CITRONELLA (Cymbopogon Nardus). The whole family might well be regarded as nature's copycats, for they all contain a number of elements which are found in rarer and more costly plants and which give them their characteristic odour, and are often used to adulterate the essential oils of these in commerce. Where the last two mimic the scent of lemon, Palmarosa contains a high proportion of geraniol and has a gentle perfume somewhere between that of GERANIUM and ROSE, and is found as an adulterant in rose oil.
In its own right, Palmarosa is a valuable SKIN CARE oil, especially when used in dilution with ALMOND OIL (SWEET) . It is a hydrating and stimulating oil, and helps to re-establish the balance of sebum production. Like Lavender and Neroli, Palmarosa stimulates cellular regeneration. Its use in skin treatments is enhanced by the fact that Palmarosa is also very antiseptic, and so useful for many minor skin infections.
Palmarosa oil calms the mind, yet has an uplifting effect, while clearing muddled thinking. It is used to counter physical and nervous exhaustion, stress-related problems and nervousness. It is most useful during convalescence and cools the body of fever, while aiding the digestive system, helping to clear intestinal infection, digestive atonia and anorexia nervosa. It is effective in relieving sore, stiff muscles. Stress, nervous tension. Poor circulation. Bronchitis, otitis, sinusitis. Digestive atonia, intestinal infections, poor appetite. Cystitis, vaginitis. Acne, athlete's foot, broken capillaries, dermatitis, dry skin, inflamed skin, insect repellent, scalp conditioner, scars, minor skin infections.
It is said to help stimulate and hydrate the skin while balancing the production of SEBUM. Palmarosa may help to boost cellular regeneration in the skin (not unlike Neroli and Lavender) which may help smooth wrinkles and may even tone up crepey skin on the neck . Valuable for all types of treatment for the face, hands, feet, neck and lips.
Palmarosa oil could be used with good effect on the skin, for nervous and stress-related problems and for the digestive system.
- Burners and vaporizers
- In vapor therapy, palmarosa oil can help during convalescence. It relieves fatigue, nervousness, exhaustion and stress, while having an uplifting effect on the mind and clearing muddled thoughts.
- Blended massage oil or in the bath
- In a blended massage oil or diluted in the bath, palmarosa oil can be used on convalescent patients, to fight exhaustion, fatigue, nervousness, stress, bolstering the digestive system, while boosting the health of the skin.
- Wash, lotions and creams and used neat
- Palmarosa oil can help clear up infections and prevent scarring when added to the water used to wash the wound. When included in creams and lotions, it has a moisturizing and hydrating effect on the skin, which is great to fight wrinkles. It also balances the natural secretion of sebum, which keeps the skin supple and elastic.
- On cellular level, it helps with the formation of new tissue and for that reason is great for rejuvenating and regenerating the skin. It is most useful when fighting a dry skin and to sort out skin infections. Some people find that they have great results when applying palmarosa oil neat to the affected area of athlete's foot - but please keep in mind that we do not advocate the use of neat essential oils on the skin.
There are two varieties of grass from which the oil can be extracted - motia and sofia. It is often used as an ingredient of soaps, perfumes and cosmetics, and is also used in the flavoring of tobacco.
Palmarosa oil has no known contra indications and is considered a non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing essential oil.
Back to the top of the page
|
|
|