If there is something we all need a little more of at the moment, it’s balance. Whether you’re feeling flustered, burnt out, or suffering from stress or lethargy, restoring a little balance can really help us feel ourselves again. With incredible properties for balancing mind and body, but also skin, Geranium is a great harmonising oil which can be used in a variety of ways.
The Geranium plant has vibrant green, hairy leaves with small delicate pink-purple flowers. Surprisingly, Geranium essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves, while the aroma is distinctly and intensely floral. You only need to touch the leaves to release the rosy scent! There are many scented varieties of Geranium – over 200 in fact – and some have minty or citrus undertones. Generally, it provides a very dominant, unmistakable aroma when in a blend. Our Geranium essential oil – Pelargonium graveolens – has the classic ‘rosy’ Geranium aroma.
Originally from South Africa, Geranium plants first came to Europe in the 17th century. However, they now grow abundantly across the globe – some wild, some cultivated. Geranium is not mentioned much in herbal history, and the first documented distillation of the leaves took place in France around the start of the 18th Century by a French Chemist. It was quickly adopted by the perfume industry as a floral addition to many perfumes. It seems that the first use of the essential oil was by an Italian Dr who used it to help patients cope with anxiety.
What can it be used for?
Once recognised as a therapeutic essential oil, Geranium grew to establish a long-standing, strong association with supporting hormonal balance, particularly for women around the menstrual cycle. Its sweet, floral aroma can bring comfort and reassurance, which can be helpful for all stages of a woman’s hormonal journey from puberty right through to Menopause. Even without hormonal imbalance, Geranium is helpful for both men and women in soothing emotional upset and can be useful for states of frustration, emotional exhaustion and anxiety.
Geranium can also be used as a wonderful skin oil as it has properties that can soothe congestion, including acne, eczema, or inflamed skin. If the skin flares up from hormonal changes, Geranium can be useful in restoring harmony. It’s a true all-rounder.
Geranium blends well with many other essential oils, but particularly the lemon Aldehydes, like May Chang and Lemongrass, the broader Citrus family, like Orange and Grapefruit, and the fresher wood oils like Cypress and Frankincense.
You can experience Geranium expertly blended in our award-winning Total De-Stress blend, alongside Orange and Nutmeg. Or try these alternative balancing blends below to help soothe and comfort your mind and body when you need it most:
Diffuser blend to ease emotional stress
Add the following essential oils to the water in your Aroma Spa Diffuser:
3 drops of Geranium – Pelargonium graveolens
4 drops of May Chang – Litsea cubeba
1 drop of Vetiver –Vetiveria zizanoides
This blend is floral and zesty with a hint of soothing Vetiver to relieve emotional anxiety.
Top Tip: By nature, Vetiver is a very thick oil. If you’re struggling to get it out of your bottle, try warming the bottle in warm water for a few minutes to loosen it up a little.
Bath blend for a calming, soothing, end of day wind down
Add the following essential oils to 20ml of Blending Oil like Sweet Almond or Jojoba:
- 3 drops of Geranium – Pelargonium graveolens
- 1 drop of Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia
- 1 drop of Chamomile Roman – Anthemis nobilis
This relaxing bathtime blend would be perfect just before bed to help aid a good night’s sleep. Add a small amount of the blend to the bath just before getting in, swirl around, lie back and relax!
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