Liz Seal Holistic Massage
In each of my ‘spotlight’ blogs, I focus on an oil I use in my treatment room and in bespoke blends for my clients. I find the traditional uses and folklore fascinating. Often the traditional uses are proven by the science we have available to us today! So, let me introduce you to today’s spotlight: ‘Jasmine’…
Jasmine (Jasminium grandiflora or officiniale) is a hardy evergreen shrub or vine with bright green leaves and beautifully fragranced star-shaped white or yellow flowers. It is native to Northern India, Persia and China and is now also cultivated widely throughout the Mediterranean and Northern Africa. The aroma will be familiar to many of us due to its widespread use in the perfume and cosmetics industries. However, it is one of the most expensive oils used therapeutically and, as such, one of the most often adulterated.
Jasmine flowers have been revered for centuries in the East both as a medicine and as a perfume. In India it is called ‘Queen of the night’ as its fragrance is strongest after sunset and just before dawn. In China the flowers are used to treat genito-urinary conditions while in other traditions the roots are used to treat headaches, joint pain and insomnia. In the West, the most common use for Jasmine has been to ease the pain and distress of labour, and as an aphrodisiac. The flowers of one genus of jasmine (J. sambac) is used to scent and flavour black tea, giving us Jasmine tea.
Most Jasmine used in aromatherapy is not strictly speaking an essential oil. It is usually produced by solvent extraction, rather than steam distillation as most oils are. Jasmine, along with some other luxury oils such as Rose and Neroli, release very small amounts of aromatic oil making them costly, but invaluable for a range of conditions.
Jasmine is anti-inflammatory, mildly analgesic and wound healing. It is used for the relief of irritated or sensitive skin, for muscular aches and pains, catarrh, coughs and laryngitis, and a wide variety of genito-urinary conditions. As a tonic for the nervous system, Jasmine is used for depression, nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions.
The Jasmine oil which I use for my clients is a pre- blended product where the essential oil is diluted with a carrier oil. This makes the cost a little more reasonable allowing me to incorporate this wonderful and powerful oil into a blend for my clients.
If you would like to know more about the oils I use or to book a treatment, please contact me.