Black Pepper, piper nigrum, is a flowering vine plant that produces peppercorn fruits. The peppercorns are dried and steam distilled to produce an essential oil. Warm, spicy and woody in its aroma it’s a great essential oil to add to your collection. So, what is black pepper essential oil is good for?
Its familiar ‘peppery’ smell comes from a particular aromatic chemical that is found in the peppercorn, rotundone, which is also found in Marjoram, Basil and Thyme to name a few other essential oils. But also in some red wine grapes, hence the ’peppery’ note that you often hear about when wine is described. Black Pepper essential oil will not however make you sneeze!
Like other spice essential oils, it started life in the Middle to Far East, travelling to the rest of the world via the spice routes. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, mentioned in Ayurvedic texts to clear congestion from the body and improve circulation. It was considered so valuable a commodity that it was used as currency.
Our Black Pepper essential oil comes from Sri Lanka and we’ve recently used it in our wonderful new uplifting Mandarin and May Chang Nature’s Spa blend. Black Pepper blends well with the other spice essential oils, the citrus and wood families and brings a wonderful, warm rounded note to the floral essential oils. It is a useful essential oil as it blends well with so many others.
In Aromatherapy it is used to warm the body by increasing local circulation, bringing relief to tired achy muscles. Helpful for boosting immunity and lifting emotions. It’s a good essential oil for the winter months, both emotionally and physically, and as it is more of a get up and go’ essential oil, it’s not ideal to use before bedtime.
Here are some blends for you to try at home
Emotionally Supportive Blend
Add the following essential oils to the water in your Aroma Spa Diffuser:
3 drops of Black Pepper – Piper nigrum
4 drops of Lemon – Citrus limonum
1 drop of Rose Absolute – Rosa damascena
Gently stimulating with a floral sweet note, perfect for a gentle January ‘pick me up’.
Immune Support Blend
At the first sign of a cold add the following essential oils to the water in your Aroma Spa Diffuser:
3 drops of Black Pepper – Piper nigrum
2 drops of Tea Tree – Melaleuca alternifolia
3 drops of Bergamot – Citrus bergamia
An easy way to support your immunity through the winter months.
Massage Blend to Ease Achy Muscles
Add the following essential oil to 20ml of blending oil
3 drops of Black Pepper – Piper nigrum
4 drops of French Marjoram – Origanum marjorana
3 drops of Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia
Massage into sore muscles to relive aches
DO NOT USE THIS BLEND ON THE FACE
About Jo Kellett
Our essential oil expert, Jo Kellett TIDHA MIFPA CIMI, graduated from the Tisserand Institute of Holistic Aromatherapy in 1996. She returned to the college in 1999 as Essential Oil Therapeutics Tutor, where she taught until the college closed. Jo runs a successful private Aromatherapy practice in Brighton, specialising in Women’s health. Jo is also an internationally published author and has lectured on the subject of Aromatherapy both in the UK and abroad.
For more information on Jo Kellett, check out her website or Instagram.
