Published in the November 1st edition of Medical Chemistry was a thorough investigation of both Thyme and Lavender essential oils against a series of bacterial strains. 120 strains of bacteria were isolated from hospital patients for testing.

Thyme Herb, Source of Thyme Essential Oil

It was found that Thyme essential oil was highly effective at eradicating nearly all these bacterial strains, and Lavender less so (though Lavender does in fact have antibacterial qualities). While the chemotype (c.t) of Thyme essential oil was not identified, we highly recommend a blend of pure Thyme essential oils called “Benchmark Thyme“, which was developed specifically for potent antimicrobial activity. It has even been show to be the single most effective essential oil at eradicating the MRSA bacteria, a life-threatening infection contracted by many hospital patients with lowered immunity.

While some chemotypes of Thyme essential oil can be irritating to the skin, Thyme c.t. Linalool is safe even for ‘neat’ application. Benchmark Thyme is similar to Thyme Linalool in this respect, and is likely the single most antibacterial essential oil available at the Ananda Apothecary. The strain was developed to have a chemical profile similar to both Thyme AND Tea Tree essential oils.

This Thyme essential oil can also be effective for acne treatment, blended at 5% concentration (1.5ml per ounce of carrier oil…excellent choices being Virgin Coconut, Tamanu, or Jojoba oil).

Here is the abstract of the study performed on these oils:

Title: Antibacterial activity of thyme and lavender essential oils.
Source: Microbiology Department, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
By Sienkiewicz M, Lysakowska M, Ciecwierz J, Denys P, Kowalczyk E.

Strong antiseptic activity of essential oils has been known for a long time. The antibacterial activity of essential oils was tested against clinical bacterial strains of Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia and Pseudomonas genera. The agar diffusion method was used for microbial growth inhibition at various concentrations of the oils from T. vulgaris (Thyme essential oil) and L. angustifolia (Lavender essential oil). Susceptibility testing to antibiotics and chemotherapeutics was carried out using disc-diffusion method. 120 strains of bacteria isolated from patients with infections of oral cavity, respiratory, genitourinary tracts and from hospital environment were investigated. The results of experiments showed that the oil from T. vulgaris exhibited extremely strong activity against all of the clinical strains. Thyme oil demonstrated a good efficacy against antibiotics resistant strains of the tested bacteria. Lavender oil has been less activity against clinical strains of Staphylococcus, Enterococcus and Escherichia genus.

Helichrysum italicum flowers, source of the essential oil.

At The Ananda Apothecary, Helichrysum essential oil is our 2nd best selling oil after Lavender. We use more of it ourselves than any other oil. And for good reason – it has a variety of benefits, unlike no other essential oil.

Helichrysum italicum essential oil is distilled from tiny yellow flowers of plants growing around the Mediterranean. Unique to this essential oil are the regenerative di-ketones it contains. Often, ketones are unsafe, but these are completely safe, and stimulate cellular regeneration. This is why it is an excellent choice for skin care, hair care, scar reduction, and wound-healing formulas.

Helichrysum is also strongly anti-inflammatory as well. This is likely due to the curcuminoids in the oil, related to curcumin, a popular inflammation-reducing supplement extracted from turmeric. (Helichrysum italicum is also known as ‘the curry plant’). Users find the oil reduces pain fairly quickly upon application (it can be used neat if you like), and can prevent bruising and swelling of any impact injury if applied soon enough.

Similarly, it will ease the pain of small burns quickly as well. It’s useful to have handy for small kitchen burns and the like.

To the massage therapists it has been introduced to, they find it extremely useful in their work. They’ll place a few drops on a client’s most painful spots, and come back to those spots after the Helichrysum has been absorbed – and these spots will be much less painful for the client to have worked on.

We use it for injuries of all kinds, and find it very useful for sports injuries. Anywhere that hurts, it can be applied at a 20-100% strength, 3 times per day, until the injury is healed. Our experience is that these injuries heal much faster with the application of Helichrysum.

Here’s a great anti-inflammatory/sports injury recipe. For each one ounce, based in the carrier oil of your choice (you can use our unscented cream base if you like as well).

3 to 6ml Helichrysum
1ml German Chamomile
1ml Frankincense CO2
1ml Ginger CO2

Enjoy!

Cedar Tree - The essential oil is distlled from the tree's heartwood.

Pubmed.gov continues to provide a wealth of information regarding the anti-cancer potential of essential oils. In this study, several species of Cedarwood were evaluated for their efficacy in eradicating the K562 cell line, which is a variety of leukemia. Of the cedarwood oils mentioned, Ananda carriers Moroccan Atlatic Cedarwood, and may carry Himalayan Cedarwood in the future.

While again actual usage protocols are a long ways off (and whether pharmaceutical companies would ever pay to have this research forwarded is another matter :) — it is interesting that the number of essential oils showing anti-cancer properties continues to grow.

These now include, at minimum: Frankincense, Lemongrass, Coriander, Lavender, Sandalwood, and others (should you wish to browse PubMed.gov and search for ‘essential oil cancer’, you can find more of these yourself.

Title: In vitro evaluation of the anti-proliferative activities of the wood essential oils of three Cedrus species against K562 human chronic myelogenous leukaemia cells.
By: Saab AM, Lampronti I, Borgatti M, Finotti A, Harb F, Safi S, Gambari R.
Section of Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Ferrara , Via Fossato di Mortara 74 , 1-44121 Ferrara , Italy.
Published in: Nat Prod Res. 2011 Dec 14

Abstract: There are four kinds of Cedar: Cedrus libani naturally occurring in Lebanon, Syria and Turkey, Cedrus atlantica in Morocco and Algeria, Cedrus brevefolia in Cyprus Island and Cedrus deodara which is distributed in Himalayan Mountains. Wood essential oils obtained from C. libani, C. atlantica and C. deodara were tested for the inhibition of K562 cell proliferation and for the induction of erythroid differentiation. The wood essential oils of C. libani, C. atlantica and C. deodara inhibited the proliferation of the K562 cell line exhibiting IC(50) values 23.38 ± 1.7, 59.37 ± 2.6 and 37.09 ± 1.4 µg mL(-1), respectively. Meanwhile, C. libani wood oils induced a percentage of erythroid differentiation of 15 ± 2% at concentration 5 µg mL(-1). Cedrus deodara wood oil indicated a percentage of erythroid differentiation of 20 ± 2% at concentration 25 µg mL(-1) and C. atlantica wood oils showed a percentage of erythroid differentiation of 12 ± 1.8% at concentration 10 µg mL(-1).

Boswellia Trees, from which Frankincense resin is ethically harvested, and the oil is distilled from this resin.

*Frankincense is the most widely researched essential oil for its anti-cancer properties. There are MANY reports on www.pubmed.gov regarding its efficacy in inducing natural cell death in cancer cells of all sorts of cells from different organ systems, each report noting that at the concentrations tested, Frankincense killed cancer cells, while leaving other healthy cells alone.

This most recently published study focuses on breast cancer. And while it uses a specific species of Frankincense, it’s been shown that both Carteri and Seratta species have produced the same results. While there is still no protocol for usage, the report itself is very interesting. We have had users report successful use of Frankincense CO2 essential oil (this is considered more therapeutic than the regular ‘steam distilled’ varieties, because more of the therapeutic larger molecules from the resin are drawn into the oil using this distillation technique — and Ananda carries both types).

Users have created their own 10% concentration massage oil, and massaged-in on location 1-3 times daily, with very encouraging responses from their doctors.

Other reading on our site can be found here:

• Frankincense and Cancer
• Essential Oils and Cancer
• Lemongrass and Cancer
• And on our Forums, a look at the latest research

The Research Abstract:

Title: Boswellia sacra essential oil induces tumor cell-specific apoptosis and suppresses tumor aggressiveness in cultured human breast cancer cells.
By: Suhail MM, Wu W, Cao A, Mondalek FG, Fung KM, Shih PT, Fang YT, Woolley C, Young G, Lin HK.
From: BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Dec 15;11(1):129.

Background:

Gum resins obtained from trees of Boswellia species (Frankincense, or ‘Olibanum’ trees) are important ingredients in incense and perfumes. Extracts prepared from Boswellia sp. gum resins have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic effects. Essential oil prepared by distillation of the gum resin traditionally used for aromatic therapy has also been shown to have tumor cell-specific anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. The objective of this study was to optimize conditions for preparing Boswellea sacra essential oil with the highest biological activity in inducing tumor cell-specific cytotoxicity and suppressing aggressive tumor phenotypes in human breast cancer cells.

Methods:

Boswellia sacra essential oil was prepared from Omani Hougari grade resins through hydrodistillation at 78 or 100 oC for 12 hours. (Ed. note: Again, this is a steam distillation ,whereas most medical aromatherapists consider the CO2 distillation to be superior. The chemical profile includes ALL the constituents found in hydrop/steam distllation, and then some).  Boswellia sacra essential oil-mediated cell viability and death were studied in established human breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF7, MDA-MB-231) and an immortalized normal human breast cell line (MCF10-2A). Apoptosis was assayed by genomic DNA fragmentation. Anti-invasive and anti-multicellular tumor properties were evaluated by cellular network and spheroid formation models, respectively. Western blot analysis was performed to study Boswellia sacra essential oil-regulated proteins involved in apoptosis, signaling pathways, and cell cycle regulation.

Results:

More abundant high molecular weight compounds, including boswellic acids, were present in Boswellia sacra essential oil prepared at 100 oC hydrodistillation. All three human breast cancer cell lines were sensitive to essential oil treatment with reduced cell viability and elevated cell death, whereas the immortalized normal human breast cell line was more resistant to essential oil treatment. Boswellia sacra essential oil hydrodistilled at 100 oC was more potent than the essential oil prepared at 78 oC in inducing cancer cell death, preventing the cellular network formation on Matrigel (MDA-MB-231 cells), causing the breakdown of multicellular tumor spheroids (T47D cells), and regulating molecules involved in apoptosis, signal transduction, and cell cycle progression.

Conclusion:

Similar to our previous observations in human bladder cancer cells, Boswellia sacra essential oil induces breast cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity. Suppression of cellular network formation and disruption of spheroid development of breast cancer cells by Boswellia sacra essential oils suggest that the essential oil may be effective for treating advanced breast cancer. Consistently, the essential oil represses signaling pathways and cell cycle regulators that have been proposed as therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Future pre-clinical and clinical studies are urgently needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Boswellia sacra essential oil as a therapeutic agent for treating breast cancer.

*The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. No claims are made as to any medicinal value of this oil or any products from The Ananda Apothecary. The information presented here is for educational purposes of traditional uses and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You are responsible for understanding the safe application of these products. If you have any questions, please call or email us for further information.

Rose Essential Oil Shown To Have Anti-Stress Effects

Here’s a new, very interesting study noting that inhalation of Rose essential oil (and implied that ‘inhaling sedative oils in general can produce the same result) can limit stress on the skin, and limit production of stress hormones in general.

Many leaps can be made with these results, as while the direct observation was only made on the skin barrier, the cause was resultant do to lessening of stress-inducing enzymes reduced by inhalation of Rose aroma.

It’s well known that other essential oils will lower stress levels as well. Particularly Lavender, Chamomile, Sandalwood and the like. Further, there are several studies that proclaim that it’s not simple inhalation that causes this anti-stress chemistry within the body, but simply having the oils within the bloodstream (one study had noted that Sandalwood need not be inhaled for sleep improvement – simply having the oils in the bloodstream seems to produce the result).

So here, inhalation of Rose oil inhibited production of stress hormones. More specifically, inhalation of Rose oil significantly lowered the markers of production of these hormones in the bloodstream. The full abstract is below.

The ‘take home message’ is that aromatherapy, even via inhalation, has measurable effects in stress reduction. And it needed be just Rose Otto essential oil. Lavender, Sandalwood, Mandarin, Bergamot, and a host of other ‘relaxing’ aromatics have been shown, or are likely to be shown, to do the same.

Abstract

Effect of “Rose Essential Oil” Inhalation on Stress-Induced Skin-Barrier Disruption in Rats and Humans.

From: Chem Senses. 2011 Dec 13., by Fukada M, Kano E, Miyoshi M, Komaki R, Watanabe T. Division of Integrative Physiology, Department of Functional, Morphological and Regulatory Science, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, 86 Nishi-cho, Yonago, Tottori 683-8503, Japan.

In stressed animals, several brain regions  exhibit neuronal activation, which increases plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and glucocorticoids. Here, we investigated whether rose essential oil inhibits the stress-induced 1) increases in PVN neuronal activity in rats and plasma glucocorticoids (corticosterone [CORT] in rats and cortisol in humans) and 2) skin-barrier disruption in rats and humans. The results showed that in rats subjected to acute restraint stress, rose essential oil inhalation significantly inhibited the increase in plasma CORT and reduced the increases in the number of c-Fos-positive cells in PVN. Inhalation of rose essential oil significantly inhibited the following effects of chronic stress: 1) the elevation of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), an index of the disruption of skin-barrier function, in both rats and humans and 2) the increase in the salivary concentration of cortisol in humans. These results suggest that in rats and humans, chronic stress-induced disruption of the skin barrier can be limited or prevented by rose essential oil inhalation, possibly through its inhibitory effect on the HPA axis.

Lavender Flowers, Source of Lavender Essential Oil

Really, the study verifies the anti-anxiety and sleep supportive nature of Lavender essential oil in general, as lavender oil both diffused and topically applied are absorbed in the bloodstream. Though it’s interesting you don’t have to smell it to work.

Title: Silexan, an orally administered Lavandula oil (lavender essential oil) preparation, is effective in the treatment of ‘subsyndromal’ anxiety disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

Source
International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2010 Sep;25(5):277-87.
Kasper S, Gastpar M, Müller WE, Volz HP, Möller HJ, Dienel A, Schläfke S.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the anxiolytic efficacy of silexan, a new oral lavender oil capsule preparation, in comparison to placebo in primary care. In 27 general and psychiatric practices 221 adults suffering from anxiety disorder not otherwise specified (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders-IV 300.00 or International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth revision F41.9) were randomized to 80 mg/day of a defined, orally administered preparation from Lavandula species or placebo for 10 weeks with visits every 2 weeks. A Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) total score >or=18 and a total score >5 for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were required. The primary outcome measures were HAMA and PSQI total score decrease between baseline and week 10. Secondary efficacy measures included the Clinical Global Impressions scale, the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and the SF-36 Health Survey Questionnaire. Patients treated with silexan showed a total score decrease by 16.0+/-8.3 points (mean+/-SD, 59.3%) for the HAMA and by 5.5+/-4.4 points (44.7%) for the PSQI compared to 9.5+/-9.1 (35.4%) and 3.8+/-4.1 points (30.9%) in the placebo group (P<0.01 one-sided, intention to treat). Silexan was superior to placebo regarding the percentage of responders (76.9 vs. 49.1%, P<0.001) and remitters (60.6 vs. 42.6%, P=0.009). Lavandula oil preparation had a significant beneficial influence on quality and duration of sleep and improved general mental and physical health without causing any unwanted sedative or other drug specific effects. Lavandula oil preparation silexan is both efficacious and safe for the relief of anxiety disorder not otherwise specified. It has a clinically meaningful anxiolytic effect and alleviates anxiety related disturbed sleep.

And who knows what it can do for specified anxiety disorders?

We’re often asked what the “shelf life” of our oils are, or of a particular oil, as well as how best to store essential oils for longevity.

Grapefruit: A cold-pressed citrus oil most sensitive to heat, light, and oxygen.

The shelf life of essential oils is a complicated question. First because each oil has a different shelf life, and much of that has to do with how the oils are stored. Some companies claim their oils do not have a shelf life, and others (like Ananda) try to be more truthful, noting that there is such a thing, even with the highest grade oils available. But answering the question very specifically is tricky, so we’ll do our best to explain it all.

What Does “Shelf Life” Mean for Essential Oils?

First, what does “shelf life” mean for essential oils? The truth is they don’t go “bad” as a carrier oil could (which we’ll get to in a bit). They can, over time, loose a sense of freshness, and could smell “flat” or less lively. But this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve lost their therapeutic value.

For example, the oils which can “go flat” fastest, if not properly cared for, are the cold-pressed citrus oils: Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Bergamot and Mandarin. This is because they’re pressed directly from the fruit, without ever being heated — so they’re in the most natural state of all essential oils. These oils are considered to have a shelf life of anywhere from 6 months to a year, yet this only means they loose some of the freshness in their aroma, not that they “go bad” as the term is commonly understood.

Lavender: One of the few floral oils you should ensure proper storage of if it will be topically applied.

A couple specific oils have been shown to cause skin irritation in a small amount of the population if they’ve oxidized, perhaps over more than a year, again if not properly stored. Scientific examination has shown this can happen with Tea Tree and Lavender, though thus far these are the only ones known to do this. (The study discussed oils that are an ingredient in a cream or other compound, where you can imagine the life of the oil: shipping from the distiller, to the manufacturer, to the store — and at each point the oil could sit for some time). Compare these to Helichrysum for example, which doesn’t necessarily have a shelf life — it’s aroma improves over the first year, and it doesn’t oxidize in a way that causes irritation of any sort.

Boswellia trees, the source of Frankincese...an oil that can improve with age.

As you can see, “shelf life” means different things for different oils. For most oils, it really comes down to their aromas being as fine, bright and potent as they were when they were fresh. Looking at it this way, the cold-pressed citrus oil have the shortest shelf life, then some of the floral oils (though not really Rose or Jasmine), herbal, and conifer needle oils. Then we get to the woods and resins: Cedarwood, Frankincense, Myrrh — these can age quite nicely. And some oils are more highly valued the older they get: Sandalwood and Patchouli are the most renown of this group.

Storage Conditions and Shelf Life

Given all that, the storage conditions of your essential oils makes a huge difference in how long they’ll stay fresh (when we’re talking about oils that don’t necessarily improve with age). Grapefruit, kept in a tightly capped bottle, with as little “air space” as possible, in a dark cabinet, refrigerator, can be kept for at least two years (perhaps longer) without any change in the aroma. Even if not kept “cold”, but still in a dark cool cabinet, it’s likely there would be no detectable change even for a year.

So essentially, if you’re buying oils you plan on using up within a year, there’s really no concern about shelf life at all, should you store your oils properly. And for all oils other than the cold-pressed citrus, this extends to two years or more.

The factors which age an oil are heat, light, and oxygen. Hence the ideal condition being in a cool, dark place, capped tightly. And should you decide to refrigerate your oils, though use them frequently, it would be best to pour yourself a smaller bottle that’s not kept refrigerated, as taking the oil from cool to warm to cool to warm (etc.) isn’t ideal (frequent change in temperature can affect the oils too, and they can collect moisture if this is done often as well).

The bottom line is that as long as you’re storing your oils properly, there’s really no reason to be concerned about their “shelf life”, should you expect to use them within two years of their purchase.

Shelf Life and Carrier Oils

Carrier oils are more like food than essential oils. Some can go rancid, and some do this faster than others. Oils with the most unsaturated fatty acids are the most sensitive. Hempseed, with it’s high amount of omega-3′s, Sunflower, Borage Seed, Rosehip Seed, Avocado, and Evening Primrose oils are best kept refrigerated if they’ll be kept for longer than a month.

At the other end of the spectrum, Jojoba and Fractionated Coconut last for years, without need for keeping them cool. And to extend the life of ALL carrier oils, you can add a few drops per ounce of vitamin E, or even better, Rosemary Antioxidant (it’s more effective because of the way it quenches oxidative radicals). This is a good idea when making blends that may not be used very quickly as well.

We hope this helps you understand about shelf lives and essential oils! It is a complicated subject, because each oil ages differently. At the same time, it’s easy to keep them fresh, simply by with proper storage.

We’ve had may requests for new oils at Ananda, and we’ve discovered some wonderful, therapeutic grade oils that we think are worthy of being part of our collection. We’ve added:

• Roman Chamomile, Organic, Hungary
• Davana, India
• Spearmint, Organic, India
• Peppermint, Organic France
• Red and Yellow Mandarin, Organic, & Green Mandarin, from Italy
• “Spicy” Basil, organic from Southeast Asia
• Bergamot, Italian, Bergaptene-Free (with no photosensitizng effects, for skin care applications).
• Peru Balsam (Balsam of Peru), Wildcrafted

Certified Organic Roman Chamomile from Hungary

Roman Chamomile Flowers

To complement our organic but non-certified USA variety, we’ve added a WONDERFUL certified organic Roman Chamomile from Hungary. It has the most beautifully floral aroma of any Roman Chamomile we’ve tried, and if you’re using this oil for it’s aromatic purposes, this is certainly very highly recommended.

Davana

Davana essential oil was noted by one practitioner to be “one of the most important oils in aromatherapy” due to it’s wide range of benefits…the herb and the oil have been part of the culture of India for ages, and the oil is considered to have exceptionally diverse therapeutic properties. First, as a simple ingredient to natural perfume blends, it had a brilliant fruity and herbaceous aroma that is like no other oil.

The oil is considered an anti-depressant (it’s aroma is certainly uplifting :), to be relaxing, and to lower blood pressure when inhaled. It is also an antiseptic, antiviral, expectorant, and is a tonic for the skin, as well as a ‘vulnerary’, which heals wounds faster (and its these oils that we always recommend for anti-aging skin blends, as the rate of new skin formation is one of the hallmarks of skin aging. Build new cells faster, and you’re skin will look more youthful!)

Certified Organic Spearmint from India

Spearmint Herb

Also to complement our USA variety, we’ve added a certified organic Spearmint from India. Lovely in its floral notes, we’re sure you’ll be impressed by it’s sweet, potent and minty aroma.

Certified Organic Peppermint from France

Along with our organic Indian peppermint, this organic French peppermint essential oil is a softer, more floral variety – also called “Mitcham” peppermint. It has a lower menthol content, so the rest of the notes of the herb shine through. If you love peppermint, this is certainly worth the experience.

Organic Yellow and Red Mandarin, and Green Mandarin, all from Italy

Ripe Red Mandarin

Italy has some of the finest growing conditions for citrus fruit on the planet, and very experienced distillers. We have now an entire gamut of Mandarin oils — the essential oil called “the Children’s Remedy” in France, as it works to both sooth the belly, and to calm children down in general. Red is the most fruity and sweet, followed closely by the yellow. Green (which is unsprayed, but not cert. org) is really wonderful, like green Mandarin candy. An aroma everyone is sure to appreciate!

Basil c.t. Methyl Chavicol, organic from Vietnam

We’ve been pleasantly surprised by many wonderful certified organic oils being distilled in Vietnam, and we’ve added this spicy Basil essential oil to complement our sweet basil linalool. The Methyl Chavicol chemotype is really “spicy basil”, which you may appreciate if you’re a basil lover!

Bergaptene Free Bergamot from Italy

One of the features of true Bergamot oil is that, like other cold-pressed citrus oils (other than Mandarin) is it’s photosensitizing effect. Meaning that it makes your skin more susceptable to damage from UV light rays in sunlight for up to 72 hours after application. By removing the Bergaptene component, the oil can be used freely in blends that will be applied to the skin. The aroma is a little sweeter than our organic variety (with a nice ‘sweet-tart’ scent), though is still very lovely and perfect for skin care formulations.

Peru Balsam, Wildcrafted from the Resin – Distilled in France

Peru Balsam essential oil (also known as Balsam of Peru) has an incredible aroma due to the particular care taken in the distillation process to preserve the delicate notes in the aroma. Aside from its amazing scent, it is an excellent antiseptic and wound healer, skin care ingredient (especially for dry skin, as well as dry eczema) and useful for diffusing for bronchial support for colds and flu symptoms.

New Skin Care Blends for Acne, Acne-Prone Skin, and Reduction of Acne-Scarring

Well, it took long enough :)  We get a lot of requests for what the best essential oils are for acne care, and now we have a blend for a variety of acne-care conditions. One for “aggressive” anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory use, one more gentle for daily care, and one for reduction of appearance of acne scars, where acne breakouts are still a possibility.

Just in time, a scientific report has come out describing a perfect combination of oils that are both active to directly eradicate the P. ancnes bacterium, and reduce the inflammation they cause in the skin. The report (at the bottom of this page) notes the combination of Palmarosa and Thyme high in Thymol (which our “Benchmark” thyme is) addresses two important aspects of acne care — to this we’ve added Myrtle and Lavender essential oils, both considered antseptic and balancing of the hormones of the skin (which can cause an over-production of sebum).

Read more about each formula here: Clearest Skin Acne Care Formulas.

Cedarwood Tree, Similar to those which are the source of our "true" Moroccan cedarwood oil.

More new oils are on the way, and we’ll keep you up do date on the blog. Thanks for reading!

The scientific abstract regarding Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) and Thyme oils.

“Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils from Five Selected Herbs.” Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2011 Oct 7. [Epub ahead of print]Tsai ML, Lin CC, Lin WC, Yang CH. Department of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science.

Abstract

Eucalyptus bridgesiana, Cymbopogon martinii, Thymus vulgaris, Lindernia anagallis, and Pelargonium fragrans are five species of herbs used in Asia. Their essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS, and a total of 36 components were detected. The results of our study indicated that, except for the essential oil of P. fragrans, all of the essential oils demonstrated obvious antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microorganisms. The C. martinii essential oil, which is rich in geraniol, was the most effective antimicrobial additive. All of the essential oils demonstrated antioxidant activities on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay, β-carotene/linoleic acid assay, and nitric oxide radical scavenging assay. Furthermore, the T. vulgaris essential oil, which possesses plentiful thymol, exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. For P. acnes-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the essential oils of P. aeruginosa, C. martinii, and T. vulgaris reduced the TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 secretion levels of THP-1 cells.

Rose, for exquisite care of female skin.

At the end of this month we are releasing our aroma-medicine practitioner’s kits! And we’re having a drawing for a free kit — all you need to do is to look at what’s currently going to be in the kits, and give us your opinion, posting your reply at the bottom of this page (or the one with the listing of the kit ingredients here). These include the following:

• The Home Medicine Chest
• Practitioner’s Kit Level I
• Practitioner’s Kit Level II
• Skin Care Kit Level I
• Skin Care Kit Level II

In exchange for your opinion as to what you really think should be a part of these kits, we’ll enter your email in a drawing for 1 Home Medicine Chest Kit or 1 Therapeutic Skin Care Kit, whichever you prefer.

Lavender, the "Medicine Chest in a Bottle".

The items in each kit as we have them now are listed here. To enter the drawing, submit 5 (five) suggestions as a reply to either this post, or the page where the kits are listed. Let us know 5 things that you’d add, change, or that are already perfect. Should we add an oil, take one away, exchange it for another, include more bottles, less pipettes – whatever you think! We value your opinion! Each kit will come with a booklet all about the oils that are in that kit, and how they can be used. Remember, adding oils to the kits will increase the price, so if you think something should be added, would you be willing to pay for the additional oil?

Chamomile, for soothing what ails you.

The drawing will be held at random at the end of October, when we’ll officially launch The Ananda Apothecary Aroma-Medicine Kits. We’ll notify the winner via email, and ship them their Home Medicine Chest, or Therapeutic Skin Care Kit I, whichever they prefer!

Thanks for reading ~ we can’t wait to hear what you have to say!