
Aromatherapy is the practice of burning essential oils to help achieve emotional states and as an alternative health practice. One essential oil that is said to help with health is cedarwood oil.
Overview of cedarwood oil
Cedarwood oil is known as Juniperus virginiana. It is extracted from the wood of the red cedar tree. To extract the cedarwood oil, wood chips and sawdust from the cedar tree are subjected to a regime of steaming and cooling, to achieve condensation. The chemical composition of cedarwood oil is made up of a and b-cedrene, thujopsene, cedrol, widdrol and other sesquiterpenes. It is described as having a pencil-like smell and is a pale yellow to orange in colour.
History of cedarwood oil
The cedar tree grows abundantly in North America and can reach heights of close to 100 feet. The tree can live up to 1,000 years. The legend is that the cedar tree was used by Solomon to build the Temple of Jerusalem.
The Egyptians used the oil extensively in their culture. Cedarwood was used when mummifying the dead, was found in cosmetics and used, like citronella, as an insect repellent. Native Americans used cedarwood oil for spiritual purposes and in medicine.
Therapeutic uses of cedarwood oil
Cedarwood oil is used in the treatment of itching conditions such as dandruff, acne, and itchy skin. It also is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections and for chest conditions. Its most common use is as a sedative, as it has properties to help soothe nerves and calm people. Cedarwood oil is also used as a dietary aid. When using cedarwood oil, the user will experience frequent urination, which leads to excess toxins being flushed from the body.
Application Techniques
Cedarwood oil is generally applied in one of three ways, depending on what is being treated. Using a vaporizer, the oil can be used in the treatment of chronic respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and also interestingly enough as an insect repellent.
The oil can also be mixed with water and sprayed directly onto the skin, and it will act as insect repellent. When applied as a massage oil or in a hot bath, it benefits arthritis sufferers, respiratory chest infections, joint pain, and skin conditions like dandruff, acne, and oily skin. When applied as a cream, cedarwood oil is good for treating dandruff, psoriasis, dermatitis and oily skin.
Cedarwood oil blends well with jasmine, juniper, geranium, lavender, rose, rosemary, chamomile and frankincense.
Giveaway
Win a bottle of cedarwood oil, enter below for your chance. Good luck
Win cedarwood oil
I love the way cedarwood smells, be gorgeous to Massage with xx
Good time to do a competition to win cedarwood oil, before moths become too widespread. Cedar keeps them away.
this would be lovely!
This would be lovely, thank you
I would love to win
Sounds great, would love to win.
This would be fantastic to win, and I love the smell.
This looks great
love the sound of this
My mum-in-law has arthritis so this would be great for her. Might help keep the midges away too when I’m camping in the north of Scotland.
Fab giveaway, I love the scent of cedarwood
Thank you for the chance to win this useful gift
This looks really useful
I have a lot of mohair bears in my house so definitely need this
I love the scent of Cedarwood. It reminds me of North Africa. I’d use it in a fragrancer
I love the smell of cedarwood. I’ve got my fingers crossed.
I’m wondering how it helps with uti, something to research
Apart from the therapeutic benefits, this oil just smells fabuous and reminds me of walks through forests. Lovely!
I love learning about essential oils, so many and all do different things.
A really great giveaway, really useful one too
So nice for Christmas too
Annoyingly I get more spots now than when I was a teenager so would like to try out this oil
Cool giveaway love it give for the gym in the hot room.
I didn’t realise cedarwood oil had so many different uses, I would love to try this.
smells great and useful too!
Love trying new things, always use essential oils around the home x
This would be great for my home
Hubby suffers quite badly with itchy skin. Nothing from the doctors has much effect. Would love to win this for him
fabulous! id love this
This would be fab to win. Fingers crossed
I would love some essential oils for my home
cedarwood smells lovely
would love to try
would be nice to try
Cedarwood smells so lovely and helps keep away insects much more effectively than chemical products.
This would be great to try. Thanks for the competition.
This would be great to try out. I love oils.
Great prize – I love cedar wood