Natures Table - essential oils part 14 by Annalies Schmaltz

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Natures Table – essential oils page 14

Patchouli.

How remembers the 60's, the Hippie time, the smell that was most
associated with the hippies came from the Patchouli. It has a interesting
and lengthy history and many useful properties.

Patchouli (Pogostemon patchouli or P:cablin) is a bushy herb which
grows to a height of one metre and has soft, hairy, oval-shaped leaves
and spikes of white, purple-tinged flowers. When rubbed, the leaves emit the peculiar, characteristic scent of patchouli. Native to south-east Asia, the shrub
grows wild in Sumatra and Java between altitudes of 900 and 1.800 metres.
It is now cultivated extensively for its oil in India, China, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The leaves and stems are harvested two or three times a year. Most of the plant material is distilled on site because patchouli shrubs are grown in remote areas, in small plots shaded by jungle trees. However, the jungle stills are very primitive, usually consisting of a couple of meal drums, stacked on top of each other and supported by mud and bricks. One of the drums holds the plant material and one is used to boil the water by direct fire. The oil that is produced is dark reddish-brown, due to the presence of iron deposits (harmless to the skin) absorbed from the metal drums. Some connoisseurs of patchouli appreciate this colour and ask for it specifically.

A proportion of the patchouli crop is baled like silage and transported to the main cities where the leaves are distilled in modern, stainless steel tanks. The oil from this is pale yellow with a full-bodied aroma, and labelled “patchouli light”. It's a
little more expensive than the usual patchouli oil because of the additional labour and transportation costs. Patchouli light is usually obtainable only by mail order from specialist aromatherapy suppliers.

There is however a rectified patchouli oil, this is the 'jungle-grade' product which
has been re-distilled to remove the iron deposits. The resulting oil is virtually colourless with a pleasing, earthy aroma. Although perfect for perfumery purposes, the rectified product loses many of the therapeutic components found in the original oil and is not used in aromatherapy.


Scent of Patchouli.

Patchouli is one of the few oils whose aroma improves with age. A young patchouli oil smells rather sour, like raw, damp jungle undergrowth, but as it matures the scent develops an earthy sweetness. It is said to be the strongest aroma in the plant kingdom and one of the longest-lasting base notes used in perfumery. It lingers on
clothes for many weeks, often even after laundering. Patchouli began to be used in Europe in about 1826, as a result of the craze for paisley-patterned Indian shawls. Scottish and French manufacturers machine-made cheaper fakes but were frustrated by the fact that valuable Indian shawls could be identified by a peculiar odour which always clung to them. Eventually, they realized it was patchouli and they began to import the oil to perfume their imitations.

Wherever patchouli is grown, the dried crushed leaves are commonly used to scent linen and discourage insects. Hippies wore patchouli as a perfume in the 60's and 70's and burned it as incense, partly for its reputed aphrodisiac effects and partly because its penetrating odour masks that of marijuana. It is patchouli that
helps give black Indian ink its colour.

Medicine and Patchouli.
For centuries patchouli has been used in traditional medicine in Malaysia, China
and Japan. A word of warning though, the old herbal texts caution that over-use of patchouli causes loss of appetite, insomnia and nervousness.
Patchouli has been credited with anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and
astringent properties. Teas made of the leaves are said to help diarrhoea and fevers, and at as a restorative during convalescence. Applied externally the cooled tea (or diluted oil) heals fungal infections of the skin.

These days patchouli is not a major remedy for physical ailments, although it is valuable for cracked and sore skin conditions, such as athlete's foot, as well as general skin and hair care, especially for oily skin and dandruff. Under the supervision of a qualified aromatherapist, it is also useful for impetigo, ringworm and weeping eczema.

Patchouli reigns supreme in the emotional sphere. It impacts an intriguing nuance to blends intended to help mild depression and nervous exhaustion. Its 'grounding' quality is often helpful for people who 'live in their heads' and are prone to over-thinking and worry.
Used in small quantity it is recorded to be relaxing and restorative whereas higher quantity or concentration, it may excite the nervous system. When used over a prolonged period of time it may have the opposite effect.

Blending advice:

Because of the penetrating aroma of the patchouli it will most probably dominate your blends unless you use it sparingly. In high dilution, a good quality oil will impart a calming, musky sweetness to a variety of blends. Whether used in the bath for massage or in a burner, try just a single drop with a larger quantity of rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, neroli or geranium, heightened with a dash of citrus.
Patchouli also blends well with the refreshing herbaceous scents of clary sage and lavender and with oils from the woody, spicy earthy and resinous (incense-like)groups.
Indonesian sunset massage blend:
(heady and sensuous)

10ml diluted patchouli essential oil
10ml sweet almond oil
2 drops pure ylang ylang
1 drop pure coriander or ginger essential oil
5 drops pure mandarin essential oil

Skin and hair products with the most exotic smelling essential oils:

Patchouli with Honey and Almond bath milk.

Calms the nerves and leaves the skin feeling like satin.
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 tbsp clear honey
200ml organic milk
10 ml diluted patchouli oil
3 drops pure jasmine or ylang ylang essential oil
2 drops pure geranium essential oil

blend in food processor until smooth. Run a warm bath, pour in the bath milk, and lie back and relax for approx. 20 minutes.

Body lotion:
50 ml unperfumed body lotion
3 drops pure patchouli essential oil
3 drops pure rose otto or geranium essential oil
4 drops pure ylang ylang essential oil
3 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
8 drops pure bergamot essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and get the feel of the heady '60's sensuous perfumed reminiscent body lotion to feel relaxed and mysterious!

Bath blends:
5ml diluted patchouli oil
1 drop pure Vetivert essential oil
2 drops pure clary sage essential oil
3 drops pure Cedarwood essential oil
or
5 ml diluted patchouli oil
2 drops pure petitgrain essential oil
3 drops pure sandalwood
Balsamic soap

A wonderful balsamic-scented moisturising bath soap. Grating the
soap is the hardest stage, so take a breather now and again. The result is
worth the effort.

60ml sweet almond oil
125 g Pears Original soap
65ml water
1 tsp clear honey
8 drops pure patchouli essential oil
10 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
8 drops pure frankincense essential oil
12 drops pure lemon essential oil

Lightly grease two metal moulds or ramekin dishes with 5ml of the sweet almond oil. Grate the soap, then place it in a saucepan with the remaining sweet almond oil.
Slowly melt the mixture over a low heat. Add the water and honey, and stir thoroughly. Remove from the heat and cool very slightly before adding the essential oils. (If they are added while the mixture is still very hot, much of the aroma will evaporate before the soap hardens). Press the mixture into the moulds or dishes and leave in a cool place for 12 hours to harden. Remove and wrap in tissue paper until ready to use.
Healing:
Patchouli oil used on the body: is helpful for skin problems such as acne, athlete's foot, ringworm and dandruff. It also helps to boost the immune system during convalescence. Patchouli oil used on the mind: is helpful for nervous exhaustion and an over-active mind. Use it as a grounding oil for restoring emotional balance.

For Acne:
Strong lotion:
10 ml cider vinegar
2 drops pure patchouli essential oil
2 drops pure lemon essential oil
4 drops pure lavender essential oil
2 drops pure geranium essential oil
125 ml distilled water
plastic funnel.

Pour the cider vinegar through a plastic funnel into a dark glass bottle, then add the essential oils and shake well to disperse the oil droplets. Top up with distilled
water and shake again. Shake the bottle before each use, apply with dampened cotton wool.

A less stronger lotion:

10ml cider vinegar
1 drop pure patchouli essential oil
1 drop pure lemon essential oil
2 drops pure lavender essential oil
1 drop pure geranium essential oil
125ml distilled water
plastic funnel

Prepare the mixture as in the stronger lotion and apply with dampened cotton wool

Apply stronger lotion twice a day for 10 days then reduce the strength of the lotion and the condition improves. Occasionally you may need to return to the full strength blend for a few days to keep bacteria at bay.

Immune boosting mineral bath salts

Handful of Dead sea mineral bath salts
5 ml diluted patchouli oil
3 drops pure tea tree essential oil
3 drops pure scots pine essential oil

Fill the bath and add the Dead sea salts. These salts contain precious minerals which have an alkalising effect on the body, promoting perspiration and thus the elimination of acidic wastes from the muscles and joints. As well as easing muscular aches and pains, the bath is helpful for colds and flu, and for relaxing. Once the bath is filled add the oils.

Massage blend for Immune boosting:

25 ml sweet almond oil
3 drops pure patchouli essential oil
2 drops pure clary sage essential oil
2 drops pure lavender essential oil
3 drops pure geranium essential oil

Massage after your bath or shower, especially helpful as a supportive remedy after illness.






Friction rub:
1 tbsp cider vinegar
4 drops pure patchouli essential oil
8 drops pure lemon essential oil
2 drops pure juniper berry essential oil
2 drops pure clary sage essential oil
300 ml distilled water
plastic funnel

Pour the vinegar through a plastic funnel into a dark glass bottle, add the oils and shake well to disperse the oil droplets. Top up with distilled water. Shake the bottle before use.

Stand in bath or shower, pour a little of the tonic into your palms and rub it over your body, including the soles of your feet, but avoiding the sensitive skin of your face. Apply brisk, hand-over-hand strokes towards the heart to improve the circulation.

Use preferably in the morning after bath or shower-especially if someone is feeling depleted after illness or prolonged stress. The cider vinegar, juniper, lemon and the clary sage help to alleviate muscular aches and pains. The smell of the vinegar
quickly evaporates and you are left with a pleasing aroma.

Fill the small bowl of a burner with orange flower water then add one of the two blends. It helps to dispel over-thinking and worry.

Burner blends:
1 drop pure patchouli essential oil
1 drop pure Vetivert essential oil
2 drops pure Cedarwood essential oil
3 drops pure petitgrain essential oil
or
1 drop pure patchouli essential oil
2 drops pure pine essential oil
1 drop pure frankincense essential oil
4 drops pure lemon essential oil