Some new fragrances for soap-making, candles, burners, etc.

I'm sorry to mention the 'L' word, but you may have taken up soap or candle-making as good lockdown activities, so we're offering some fragrances for you to use. 

These are:

Lavender (of course)

Lavender & Geranium

Cranberry

Violet

Fresh Mown Grass (a reminder of Summer)

Freesia

Jasmine

Lilac

Cucumber

Orange Blossom (reminiscent of Neroli)

They can be found under Fragrances (surprise suprise) on the menu to the left of the Home Page, selling at £4.95 for 100mls. Click on 'New'. 

Turmeric

We are now stocking the essential oil made from the distillation of this wonderful spice. It has some amazing properties that are set out by Julia Lawless in her Enclyclopaedia of Essential Oils as follows:

Analgesic, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, bactericidal, digestive, diuretc, hypotensive, insecticidal, laxative, rubefacient, stimulant.  Useful for Arthritis, muscular aches and pains, rheumatism, problems with digestive system. 

Quite a list, I think you'll agree. I've always enjoyed Turmeric in curries and added to boiled rice as a cheaper alternative to saffron. It's nice to think that such a delicious food can be so beneficial to our health.

Back by popular demand: a set of six Christmas oils in a beautiful carved wooden box.

The oils we have chosen are: 5mls each of Ginger, Nutmeg, Frankincense, Myrrh, Cinnamon and orange. A few drops of these finest quality fragrances will create a wonderful Yuletide atmosphere in your home. You could start with two or three drops of your favourite oil in your burner, with a teaspoonful of water, then try some combinations of fragrance to produce your own Christmas ambiance. Cinnamon and orange are the obvious ones, but I'm sure you'll be more creative than that!

Additionally, as these are all pure essential oils, they have their own individual therapeutic properties, for post-festive use, so please keep that in mind for the New Year. This is a gift that will last!

The box is beautifully hand-carved, with polished brass banding and inlay, so the whole package would make a superb quality gift.

We are offering these boxes at £25, which includes 10% discount - no price increase for three years - and they can be found in our new Christmas Gift section on the menu to the left of the Home Page.

Testimonial from the Channel Islands

We have recently begun to supply the lovely Stocks Hotel in Sark, Channel Islands www.stockshotel.com Aromatherapy and pampering are on the menu there and the therapist Lynn Bleasdale sent the following email to me after receiving their oils:

Just to say thank you so much. The quality of the oils is superb.

It was so exciting to receive the box of oils today and what a cute and lovely box it is.

The oils I have to say, Are simply the best.

Thanks for all your help.

Lynn

A Christmas card and carol

We Three Kings of Orient Are

Did you know that this was written by an American, the Rev. John Henry Hopkins, in 1867? The lyrics include:

  Frankincense to offer have I

Incense owns a Deity Nigh

 

But beware:

 

 

                     Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom

 

 

 

Have a great Christmas and a peaceful New Year

 

 



A Christmas Box

Here's a new gift idea: a set of six Christmas oils in an ornamental, yet functional carved wooden box.

The oils we have chosen are: Ginger, Nutmeg, Frankincense, Myrrh, Cinnamon and orange. A few drops of these finest quality fragrances will create a wonderful Yuletide atmosphere in your home. You could start with two or three drops of your favourite oil in your burner (some excellent examples of these will soon be found on our homepage), with a teaspoonful of water, then try some combinations of fragrance to produce your own Christmas ambience. Cinnamon and orange are the obvious ones, but I'm sure you'll be more creative than that!

Additionally, as these are all pure essential oils, they have their own individual therapeutic properties, for post-festive use, so please keep that in mind for the New Year. This is a gift that will last!

The box is beautifully hand carved, with banding and inlay in polished brass, so the whole package would make a superb quality gift for a favourite friend or relative.

We are offering these boxes through December at £25, which includes 10% discount, and they can be found in our new Christmas Gift section on the menu to the left of the Home Page.

They're back! Once again we're expanding our range of hydrosols or fragrant waters. We've had Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Rose hydrosols for a long time, and here's a reminder of what Dr Jane said about hydrosols in general:

 Hydrosols are aromatic waters co-distilled, the essential oil having been extracted, and have multiple therapeutic properties, especially for children as they are perceived as completely safe... 

If you follow the link on the Homepage, you can read notes about properties of the three hydrosols we have always stocked. The new kids on the block are Peppermint and Neroli (orange blossom), and here are some brief descriptions:

Peppermint:

A cool, refreshing aroma. Use to combat itching (including genital irritation), allergic reactions, bites and stings. Can be used in cold compresses to alleviate stiff muscles, aches and pains, sprains and strains. Spritz onto face to refresh during hot weather or when tired, or to soothe hot flushes. 


Neroli:

The aroma is much like the wonderful Neroli essential oil. It is fruity and refreshing, with hidden emotional depths. Neroli hydrosol can be used on the skin as a delicious fragrance, or for stress to provide immediate relief. It can be used, diluted, for children to alleviate shock, hysterics and ADHD.  

For prices, and quantities available, please look on the products list to the left of the main page.

Many thanks 

Beautiful boxes

Introducing some lovely new aromatherapy boxes, more ornately decorated than anything we've had before, with polished brass inlay and banding. These boxes are made from sheesham wood, sometimes called Indian rosewood, from sustainable sources. Available in six and twenty four-hole sizes. Here's the 24-hole box:

 and the six-hole box:

Look for 'Containers' on the menu to the left of the Homepage and click on 'Aromatherapy boxes'. The six-hole box is £10 and the 24 hole box £17.

                Hi all - Happy New Year!

We have just received some new specifications from our trusted supplier of Rosehip Oil. I thought it would be good to share it with you:

DATA SHEET ROSEHIP OIL REFINED 
Part Number: 330644

INCI name: Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Synonyms: Dog rose 
Country of Origin: China 
CAS Number: 84696-47-9/ 84603-93-0
EC Number: 283-652-0/

Status: 100% Pure & Natural

General Description: Rosehip is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family. Growing up to 5 metres high, it has small prickles covering the stems. The leaves are pinnate, with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are usually pale pink, but can vary between a deep pink and white. They are 4–6 cm diameter with five petals, and mature into an oval 1.5–2 cm red-orange fruit, or hip. 

Extraction: Rosa Canina Fruit Oil is obtained by cold pressing from Hip Rose, Rosa canina L., Rosaceae.

Common Uses/Applications: Carrier oil used in aromatherapy applications. Component in perfumes, soaps and cosmetic products.

Aromatherapy Actions/Uses: Considered to have the following properties: Hydrating, moisturizing, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory & regenerating. 

Regarded to be helpful for scars, aging skin, burns, stretch marks, dermotoheliosis, hyper or hypo-pigmentation & sun damaged skin.

                      Happy Christmas!

             From all at Phyto Essential Oils

New Product: Comfrey Oil

We have long stocked Comfrey Cream, which is well-known for its properties in aiding recovery of injuries, so much so that its nickname is 'Knitbone'. This is the first time that we have offered Comfrey oil, and here are some of its properties:

1. For skin rashes – Comfrey oil can be very effective in treating rashes. 
2. For bone fractures – Apart from helping treat superficial wounds, comfrey oil has also been applied to fractured bones or torn ligaments in areas of the body where it is not possible to place a cast, such as a rib. It can be applied directly onto your skin or in a poultice, promoting fast healing. It can also help reconstruct torn muscles that might have been injured. 

How Does Comfrey Oil Work?

An folk remedy, comfrey has so many traditional and current uses, mostly focused on skin care and sports injuries It is important to attribute many of these positive impacts to its high amounts of allantoin, a healing substance that causes cell growth. Comfrey is commonly used for healing wounds, preventing scars, and treating existing ones, along with decreasing dryness and flaking of skin. The oil can work as an anti-inflammatory, an analgesic, and an aide in the healing of sprains and broken bones. It also demonstrates effectiveness in treating atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema. Please note that all these potential benefits are obtained through topical application and not ingestion.

Comfrey oil can be blended with essential oils for an aromatherapy massage. Look under Carrier Oils in our main menu.

Fragrant Waters

They're back! Once again we're expanding our range of hydrosols or fragrant waters. We've had Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Rose hydrosols for a long time, and here's a reminder of what Dr Jane said about hydrosols in general:

 Hydrosols are aromatic waters co-distilled, the essential oil having been extracted, and have multiple therapeutic properties, especially for children as they are perceived as completely safe... 

If you follow the link on the Homepage, you can read notes about properties of the three hydrosols we have always stocked. The new kids on the block are Peppermint and Neroli (orange blossom), and here are some brief descriptions:

Peppermint:

A cool, refreshing aroma. Use to combat itching (including genital irritation), allergic reactions, bites and stings. Can be used in cold compresses to alleviate stiff muscles, aches and pains, sprains and strains. Spritz onto face to refresh during hot weather or when tired, or to soothe hot flushes. 


Neroli:

The aroma is much like the wonderful Neroli essential oil. It is fruity and refreshing, with hidden emotional depths. Neroli hydrosol can be used on the skin as a delicious fragrance, or for stress to provide immediate relief. It can be used, diluted, for children to alleviate shock, hysterics and ADHD.  

For prices, and quantities available, please look on the products list to the left of the main page.

Many thanks 

Season's Greetings

I'm sorry the blog has been quiet these last six months, but we have been very busy. Some interesting new products are planned for the New Year so watch this space.

In the meantime, have a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!

Summer Savings

Hi everyone,

This is just  a quick note to point out some price reductions we have put in place over the entire range of essential oils. Look in particular at the higher quantities (50ml and 100ml), there are some fantastic bargains to be had.

I hope we all have a lovely summer. Enjoy! 

Litsea Cubeba (May Chang)

Litsea Cubeba essential oil is distilled from the fragrant fruits of a tree which grows in eastern Asia and is cultivated in Taiwan, Japan and China, where the bulk of the oil is produced. Julia Lawless describes the characteristics of the oil as follows:
'A pale yellow mobile liquid with an intense, lemony, fresh-fruity odour (sweeter than lemongrass but less tenacious).' 

The oil has been used in skin care for 'acne, dermatitis, excessive perspiration, greasy skin, insect repellent and [wait for it] spots [she says without further explanation] '. Furthermore, it is 'extensively used as a fragrance component in air fresheners, soaps, deodorants, colognes, toiletries and perfumes.'

Commonly known as May Chang (which always reminds me of a Chinese actress in the early days of Hollywood silent movies), this versatile oil is very reasonably priced, and great in the burner to freshen the kitchen or bathroom. As part of our on-going and extensive price-reduction policy, May Chang is now just £2.00 for 5mls (down from £2.45), £2.40 for 10mls (was £3.20), £5.63 for 50mls (was £7.20) and £9.66 for 100mls (formerly £11.20). 

More about boxes

We have had a number of enquiries about boxes, so here's the latest news about the 24-hole boxes we have in stock. We now have some beautifully carved hardwood boxes with brass inlay (capacity: 24 x 5ml bottles), which are on the site at £15. I hope you like them, here they are: roll of drums and fanfare - ta da!!

Some old friends return

What about that summer we've just had? I use the past tense because we have now returned to our normal summer, which is indistinguishable from winter. I don't know about you but I love the sunshine, which seems to put everyone in a better mood. I actually heard some people complaining that it was too hot! This is of course a typically British response - we love to complain,  especially about the weather (Ali, as a Canadian,  I know you are far too sensible to indulge in that sort of thing).

Anyway, I was going to mention the fact that we have managed to obtain top-quality supplies of a few items in the creams line that have been missing from our lists for a while. I'm pleased to announce that we now can offer once again the Apricot Kernel Facial Scrub, in which the finely milled apricot kernel shells penetrate the skin, removing dead cells, producing a softening and toning effect. This scub was previously only available in 60ml jars, but now we are able to supply the product in 120ml and 200ml sizes, which are relatively better value. Look out also for Calendula Cream, and base products White Lotion and Cleanser.

Box Clever

This is an photo of our 24 hole aromatherapy box, which can accommodate 5ml and/or 10ml bottles. The price remains at £10.

Sorry, out of stock!

Aloe, aloe, aloe, what's all this 'ere?

The reason I'm going on about this is that we have obtained a fresh supply of top-quality Aloe Vera gel, which we are offering at £4.50 for a 60g jar. We also have Aloe Vera in a moisturising cream base at £5.50 per 60g jar. Both can be found in the menu on the Homepage under Skin Care, creams. The benefits of this remarkable plant are all explained below. The only remaining question is: who is Vera? 

 (Information from www.newhealthguide.org)

Aloe vera truly is a miracle plant. Grown in drier climates such as those of Africa and India, this herbal remedy can provide natural relief for a variety of conditions including dry skin and severe acne. The beneficial part of the aloe vera plant can be found in the clear, sappy substance hidden in its long, thick leaves. 

Benefits of Aloe Vera for the face:

Moisturize	Because aloe vera possesses excellent moisturizing capabilities it is commonly used as a daily skin cream. It is excellent for facial use, especially for women who use makeup frequently, as it effectively cleans and softens the skin. The moisturizing effect works for both men and women.
Treat Acne	The antimicrobial properties of aloe vera also make it an excellent option for acne treatment. Not only will aloe vera help to prevent acne, but it also has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the skin inflammation caused by acne.
Fight Skin Aging	Applying aloe vera gel to your face regularly will help to diminish the lines and wrinkles associated with ageing and loss of elasticity in the skin. This is due to the simple fact that aloe vera contains both vitamin C and E, both of which are known to be vital for healthy skin and also help to improve natural firmness, leaving your skin soft, supple and hydrated.
Treat Sunburn	The healing properties of aloe vera gel can additionally help to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with sunburn. It serves to restore your skin's natural moisture and also acts as a protective barrier against further damage.

Shaving

The razor is a surgical instrument. Up to and including the 18th century, the professions of barber and surgeon were practised by the same person, and the red and white poles seen outside barbers' shops told their own bloody story. The process of shaving removes many of the skin's natural oils along with the unwanted hair, causing dryness,discomfort and sometimes more serious damage, resulting in rashes and sore patches. Our Smooth Shaving Oil contains a combination of frankincense, organic lavender, bergamot, eucalyptus and tea tree oils in a grapeseed carrier, giving a combination which is effective for skin repair, rehydration and anti-sepsis. It smells nice too! A 10ml rollerball bottle is currently £3.50. To order, look under 'Blends' in the menu on the left hand side of the Homepage.