Well-being effects of essential oils, supported by science 

This photo was taken for Moments d'été which brings together the oils whose benefits are described below. 

 

 

Bergamot

 

• Calming, sedative, nervous regulator, stimulant^1,2,3,4
• Improves positive feelings, useful for reducing anxiety and stress.

 

Cinnamon

 

• Tonic, stimulating, warming⁴
• Transforms enslaving attitudes into abundance and freedom.   Helps maintain balanced energy during transitions.  Allows energy to circulate.

 

Cape may

 

• Soothing⁵
• Helps to master emotions, put things into perspective and better perceive and transform past programs that create imbalance, supports courage and determination and mastery. 

 

Cardamom

 

• Stimulating⁶
• Achieve and maintain emotional balance by learning to be motivated by love and compassion. This allows new energies to be gently assimilated and recognizes true love for oneself and others.

 

Atlas Cedar

 

• Tonic⁷
• Stimulates feelings of security and protection, the search for greater clarity and direction, encourages discovery of one's true reality, promotes self-acceptance and self-love.

 

Bergamot mint 

 

• Calming, tonic⁸
• Excellent for states of stress, balance and calm while concentrating the mind. 

 

Black pepper 

 

• Stimulant, tonic⁹
• Helps reduce feelings of imprisonment caused by worry, lack, anxiety and despair in the face of difficult life experiences that make you feel powerless. Helps recognize denial, allowing burdens to be resolved through self-acceptance and compassion. 

 

Black spruce

 

• Tonic¹⁰
• Positivizing, harmonizing, brings energy, motivation and courage.  Helps us connect with nature.

 

Clary sage 

 

• Relaxing, calming^11,12
• Stops the constant chatter of the mind, allowing us to experience the calm of joy. Enables greater clarity and full presence and awareness in the present moment.

 

Coriander  

 

• Calming, relaxing¹³
• Stimulates memory and helps combat mental and physical fatigue. Helps to see things more objectively, to recognize and admit the truth.  

 

Cypress

 

• Positive, tonic¹⁴
• Balances the nerves, calms, helps to go straight to the point, to stay centered, stimulates the will.

 

Galbanum 

 

• Relaxing, invigorating¹⁵
• Helps people who cultivate a victim attitude to become aware of it. Facilitates reconciliation, forgiveness and perspective-taking. Brings a sense of security. Helps overcome feelings of abandonment and hatred of the physical body. Encourages action and a positive attitude.

 

Geranium bourbon 

 

• Tonic¹⁶
• Balances the heart, reminds us that life is magical, brings serenity and softness. 

 

Grapefruit 

 

• Soothing, harmonizing, invigorating¹⁷
• Restores joy and good humor, helps you rediscover your inner child, helps open your heart. Calms the mind, resulting in harmonious assimilation of new energies to create new realities.  

 

Green tangerine  

 

• Calming, relaxing¹⁸
• Give a little boost to the pessimistic mind, raise the psychic energy. 

 

Italian Helichrysum 

 

• Soothing, calming¹⁹
• Repairs childhood wounds, helps to get out of difficult situations, overcome blockages, find a goal. 

 

Jasmine 

 

• Relaxing²⁰
• Calms mind, body and soul. Promotes positive, constructive emotions, combats stress, anger, anxiety and depression. Helps establish a loving atmosphere.

 

Lemongrass 

 

• Soothing, tonic, stimulating^21-22
• Softens rigid mental attitudes, changing a pessimistic view into an optimistic one. Energetically helps to develop patience and confidence.

 

Lemon Myrtle 

 

• Relaxing²³
• Promotes acceptance, enables detachment, encourages self-transcendence, brings flexibility. 

 

Lemon Verbena 

 

• Harmonizing, calming^24-25
• Its fresh scent is invaluable in cases of grief, depression, fear and anxiety.  When anger arises, this soothing, relaxing scent dispels it. It enhances clarity, helps to overcome limits and opens new horizons. 

 

Mimosa

 

• Comforting²⁶
• Helps reduce anxiety, calm nervousness, helps sleep disorders. 

 

Myrrh 

 

• Calming and comforting²⁷
• Promotes inspiration and emotional understanding.

 

Palo Santo 

 

• Calming²⁸
• A real springboard for turning over a new leaf. 

 

Peppermint 

 

• Refreshing, stimulating²⁹
• Soothes memories of terror, hysteria and fear or the unknown that hinder growth by revealing their cause and decreasing their emotional load. Helps to create a new reality base based on inner energy. 

 

Petit grain 

 

• Calming, tonic³⁰
• Helps to understand problems arising from power struggles and the need for control, and from addictions. Generates more self-love and self-acceptance to overcome and fill the lack that lies behind addictions.  

 

Pistachio mastic  

 

• Soothing, calming³¹
• Stimulates self-confidence, helps ward off inner agitation, nervousness.  

 

Rose Geranium

 

• Soothing, rebalancing³²
• Soothes and eases heartache, injustice and overcomes feelings of abandonment and rejection. Transforms a deep sense of shame and unworthiness into love and also enhances self-acceptance to let suffered injustices heal, awakens ingenuity.

 

Rock samphire

 

• Tonic³³
• Promotes relaxation, soothing and psychological well-being.

 

Sandalwood  

 

• Calming, relaxing³⁴
• Combats nervous exhaustion, aggressiveness and selfishness. Helps find peace and serenity.

 

Sweet orange 

 

• Soothing, calming, positive³⁵
• Helps develop a non-judgmental attitude that maintains balance in the face of life's challenges and encourages us to remain centered and true to ourselves. 

 

True lavender

 

• Calming, relaxing³⁶
• Natural sedative, also renowned for relieving anxiety.

 

Ylang-ylang 

 

• Calming, relaxing^37-38-39
• Helps dissipate emotional states, possibly making you feel kinder as the passions of anger and frustration subside. Mental preoccupations are relaxed, allowing us to understand the root causes of fears. 

 

Yarrow 

 

• Soothing⁴⁰
• Helps to remain centered and balanced during periods of change, to adapt to novelty.

 

 

Information sources (bibliography):

 

Dr Aude Maillard -. Le grand guide de l’aromathérapie et des soins de beauté naturels – Date de parution : Février 2017 – Édition : J’ai lu – ISBN 9782290116944 - 670 pages.  

Dr Aude Maillard - Femme essentielle le guide des huiles essentielle au féminin : beauté, santé, spiritualité - Date de parution : novembre 2019 - Édition : TANA - ISBN 9791030102901 - 381 pages.  

Dr Françoise Couic Marinier - Le guide terre vivante des huiles essentielles – Date de parution : Septembre 2017 – Édition : Terre Vivante - ISBN : 9782360982752 – 409 pages.   

Deborah Eidson - Vibrational Healing: Revealing the Essence of Nature through Aromatherapy and Essential Oils – Date de parution : Novembre 2000 – Édition : Frogs book – ISBN 978-1583940310 -  256 pages 

Dr Jean-Pierre Willem – Les huiles essentielles médecine d’avenir - Date de parution: Février 2019 - Édition: Du Dauphin ISBN : 9782716316835 - 311 pages

Dr Jean-Philippe Zahalka – Dictionnaire complet des hydrolats et eaux florales – Date de parution: octobre 2017. Édition: Du Dauphin – 9782716316187 – 256 pages

Suzanne Catty – Hydrosols the next aromatherapy – Date de parution: mars 2001 - Éditions : Healing Arts press – ISBN 0892819464 – 312 pages

 

Study references:

 

1. https://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Solutions/HuilesEssentielles/Fiche.aspx?doc=huile-essentielle-bergamote

2. Han X, Gibson J, Eggett DL, Parker TL. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Essential Oil Inhalation Improves Positive Feelings in the Waiting Room of a Mental Health Treatment Center: A Pilot Study. Phytother Res. 2017 May;31(5):812-816. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5806. Epub 2017 Mar 24. PMID: 28337799; PMCID: PMC5434918.

3. Navarra M, Mannucci C, Delbò M, Calapai G. Citrus bergamia essential oil: from basic research to clinical application. Front Pharmacol. 2015 Mar 2; 6:36. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00036. PMID: 25784877; PMCID: PMC4345801.

4. Geneviève LeBel, Bruno Haas, Andrée-Ann Adam, Marie-Pier Veilleux, Amel Ben Lagha, Daniel Grenier, Effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) bark essential oil on the halitosis-associated bacterium Solobacterium moorei and in vitro cytotoxicity, Archives of Oral Biology, Volume 83, 2017, Pages 97-104, ISSN 0003-9969, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archoralbio.2017.07.005. 

5. Fajinmi OO, Grúz J, Tarkowski P, Kulkarni MG, Finnie JF, Van Staden J. Antifungal and antioxidant activities of Coleonema album and C. pulchellum against skin diseases. Pharm Biol. 2017 Dec;55(1):1249-1255. doi: 10.1080/13880209.2017.1296470. PMID: 28262031; PMCID: PMC6130550. 

5. Misra BB, Dey S. Comparative phytochemical analysis and antibacterial efficacy of in vitro and in vivo extracts from East Indian sandalwood tree (Santalum album L.). Lett Appl Microbiol. 2012 Dec;55(6):476-86. doi: 10.1111/lam.12005. Epub 2012 Oct 26. PMID: 23020220.

6. Souissi M, Azelmat J, Chaieb K, Grenier D. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) extracts: Potential therapeutic benefits for periodontal infections. Anaerobe. 2020 Feb; 61:102089. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2019.102089. Epub 2019 Aug 17. PMID: 31430531.

7. https://www.doctissimo.fr/sante/aromatherapie/guide-huiles-essentielles/huile-essentielle-de-cedre-de-l-atlas

8. Sattayakhom A, Wichit S, Koomhin P. The Effects of Essential Oils on the Nervous System: A Scoping Review. Molecules. 2023 Apr 27;28(9):3771. doi: 10.3390/molecules28093771. PMID: 37175176; PMCID: PMC10180368.

9. Munakata M, Kobayashi K, Niisato-Nezu J, Tanaka S, Kakisaka Y, Ebihara T, Ebihara S, Haginoya K, Tsuchiya S, Onuma A. Olfactory stimulation using black pepper oil facilitates oral feeding in pediatric patients receiving long-term enteral nutrition. Tohoku J Exp Med. 2008 Apr;214(4):327-32. doi: 10.1620/tjem.214.327. PMID: 18441508

10. https://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Solutions/HuilesEssentielles/Fiche.aspx?doc=huile-essentielle-epinette-noire

11. Wong J, Chiang YF, Shih YH, Chiu CH, Chen HY, Shieh TM, Wang KL, Huang TC, Hong YH, Hsia SM. Salvia sclarea L. Essential Oil Extract and Its Antioxidative Phytochemical Sclareol Inhibit Oxytocin-Induced Uterine Hypercontraction Dysmenorrhea Model by Inhibiting the Ca2+-MLCK-MLC20 Signaling Cascade: An Ex Vivo and In Vivo Study. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Oct 14;9(10):991. doi: 10.3390/antiox9100991. PMID: 33066489; PMCID: PMC7602146.

12. Lee, K-B, Cho, E, Kang, Y-S. 2014. Changes in 5-hydroxytryptamine and Cortisol Plasma Levels in Menopausal Women After Inhalation of Clary Sage Oil. Phytotherapy Research 28: 1599–1605

13. Salem MA, Manaa EG, Osama N, Aborehab NM, Ragab MF, Haggag YA, Ibrahim MT, Hamdan DI. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil and oil-loaded nano-formulations as an anti-aging potentiality via TGFβ/SMAD pathway. Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 21;12(1):6578. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-10494-4. PMID: 35449437; PMCID: PMC9023561.

14. https://www.doctissimo.fr/sante/aromatherapie/guide-huiles-essentielles/huile-essentielle-de-cypres

15.  Eizadifard, Fatemeh & Tafrihi, Majid & Mohadjerani, Maryam. (2023). Antioxidant, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potentials of the gum of Ferula gummosa Boiss on PC-3 cells. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine. 13. 10.22038/ajp.2022.21605.

16. https://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Solutions/HuilesEssentielles/Fiche.aspx?doc=huile-essentielle-geranium-bourbon#:~:text=L'huile%20essentielle%20de%20G%C3%A9ranium%20Bourbon%20apaisera%20les%20peaux%20enflamm%C3%A9es,ternes%20ou%20aux%20visages%20bouffis.

17. Weihui Deng, Ke Liu, Shan Cao, Jingyu Sun, Balian Zhong et Jiong Chun. Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Antiproliferative Properties of Grapefruit Essential Oil. Molecules. 2020 Jan; 25(1): 217. Published online 2020 Jan 5. Doi: 10.3390/molecules25010217. PMCID: PMC6982870. PMID: 31948058. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6982870/  

18. Duan, Li, Guo, Long, Dou, Li-Li, Zhou, Chang-Lin, Xu, Feng-Guo, Zheng, Guo-Dong, Li, Ping, Liu, E-Hu. Discrimination of Citrus reticulata Blanco and Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach. Food Chemistry 2016/05/01, VL - 212, DO10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.05.141 

19. Ouzid Djihane and Zerroug Mouhamed Mihoub. Evaluation of in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don essential oil, Scholars Research Library der Pharmacia Lettre, 2016, 8 (4): 41-44. http://dspace.univ-setif.dz:8888/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2583/1/BOUZID%20DJIHANE%202.pdf 

20. Umamaheswari M, Asokkumar K, Rathidevi R, Sivashanmugam AT, Subhadradevi V, Ravi TK. Antiulcer and in vitro antioxidant activities of Jasminum grandiflorum L. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Apr 4;110(3):464-70. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.017. Epub 2006 Oct 21. PMID: 17125945.

21. Mohamed Nadjib Boukhatem, Mohamed Amine Ferhat, Abdelkrim Kameli, Fairouz Saidi, and Hadjer Tchoketch Kebir. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil as a potent anti-inflammatory and antifungal drugs. Libyen J Med. 2014; 9: 10.3402/ljm. v9.25431. Doi:  3402/ljm. v9.25431 PMCID: PMC4170112 PMID: 25242268 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4170112/ 

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23. Yamamoto A, Honda S, Ogura M, Kato M, Tanigawa R, Fujino H, Kawamoto S. Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) Extract and Its Active Compound, Casuarinin, Activate Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 4;14(5):1078. doi: 10.3390/nu14051078. PMID: 35268053; PMCID: PMC8912364. 

24. Mauriz E, Vallejo D, Tuñ ó n MJ, et al. Effects of dietary supplementation with lemon verbena extracts on serum inflammatory markers of multiple sclerosis patients 

25. Boix-Castejón M, Herranz-López M, Pérez Gago A, et al. Hibiscus and lemon verbena polyphenols modulate appetite-related biomarkers in overweight subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Food Funct. 2018;9(6):3173-3184.

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27. https://draxe.com/essential-oils/myrrh-oil/  

28. Flor M. Fon-Fay, Jorge A. Pino, Ivones Hernández, Idania Rodeiro & Miguel D. Fernández (2019) Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Bursera graveolens (Kunth) Triana et Planch essential oil from Manabí, Ecuador, Journal of Essential Oil Research, 31:3, 211-216, DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2018.1564381 

29. Rafieian-Kopaei M, Hasanpour-Dehkordi A, Lorigooini Z, Deris F, Solati K, Mahdiyeh F.   Comparing the Effect of Intranasal Lidocaine 4% with Peppermint Essential Oil Drop 1.5% on Migraine Attacks: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Int J Prev Med. 2019; 10:121. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31404204/ 

30. Khalil Moradi, Hossein Ashtarian, Nicholas Yakubu Danzima, Hamid Saeedi, Behrouz Bijan, Farzaneh Akbari, Mohammad Mehdi Mohammadi. Essential Oil from Citrus aurantium Alleviates Anxiety of Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Chin J Integr Med. 2021 Mar;27(3):177-182.  doi: 10.1007/s11655-020-3266-5. Epub 2020 Jun 22. 

31. Xanthis V, Fitsiou E, Voulgaridou GP, Bogadakis A, Chlichlia K, Galanis A, Pappa A. Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Potential of the Essential Oil Pistacia lentiscus var. chia and Its Major Components Myrcene and α-Pinene. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Jan 18;10(1):127. doi: 10.3390/antiox10010127. PMID: 33477450; PMCID: PMC7830477.

32. Chrysa Androutsopoulou, Spyridoula D. Christopoulou, PanagiotisHahalis, Chrysoula Kotsalou, Fotini N Lamari, Apostolos Vantarakis.  Evaluation of Essential Oils and Extracts of Rose Geranium and Rose Petals as Natural Preservatives in Terms of Toxicity, Antimicrobial, and Antiviral Activity. Pathogens. 19 avril 2021;10(4):494. Doi: 10.3390/pathogens10040494.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33921899/  

33. Felice Senatore, Francesco Napolitano, Musa Ozcan. Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae) growing wild in Turkey. 13 June 2000 https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1026(200005/06)15:3<186: AID-FFJ889>3.0.CO;2-I 

34. Misra BB, Dey S. Comparative phytochemical analysis and antibacterial efficacy of in vitro and in vivo extracts from East Indian sandalwood tree (Santalum album L.). Lett Appl Microbiol. 2012 Dec;55(6):476-86. doi: 10.1111/lam.12005. Epub 2012 Oct 26. PMID: 23020220.

35. Rashidi-Fakari, Fahimeh & Tabatabaeichehr, Mahbubeh & Mortazavi, Hamed. (2015). The effect of aromatherapy by essential oil of orange on anxiety during labor: A randomized clinical trial. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Mid

36. López V, Nielsen B, Solas M, Ramírez MJ, Jäger AK. Exploring Pharmacological Mechanisms of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oil on Central Nervous System Targets. Front Pharmacol. 2017 May 19;8:280. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00280. PMID: 28579958; PMCID: PMC5437114.

37. Zhang N, Zhang L, Feng L, Yao L. Cananga odorata essential oil reverses the anxiety induced by 1-(3-chlorophenyl) piperazine through regulating the MAPK pathway and serotonin system in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2018 Jun 12; 219:23-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.03.013. Epub 2018 Mar 12. PMID: 29545208

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39. Hongratanaworakit T, Buchbauer G. Evaluation of the harmonizing effect of ylang-ylang oil on humans after inhalation. Planta Med. 2004 Jul;70(7):632-6. doi: 10.1055/s-2004-827186. PMID: 15303255.

40.  Candan F, Unlu M, Tepe B, Daferera D, Polissiou M, Sökmen A, Akpulat HA. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and methanol extracts of Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium Afan. (Asteraceae). J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Aug;87(2-3):215-20. doi: 10.1016/s0378-8741(03)00149-1. PMID: 12860311.

 

 

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