Chamomile, German, CO2 SELECT
Matricaria recutita (syn Matricaria chamomilla), ethically farmed, CO2 Select extracted in Germany.
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| SELECT German Chamomile Green and pourable |
But for the anti-inflammatory effects that we so often reach for German Chamomile...to sooth a burn, to ease the pain of an inflamed joint, there is nothing like this SELECT German Chamomile CO2. The secret of its efficacy lies in its chemistry. Matricine, which normally occurs in the herb and is 10 times as powerful as chamazulene, remains in this CO2 SELECT extract. (In the distilled version matricine is turned into chamazulene, which gives distilled German Chamomile its inky blue color, but lessens its anti-inflammatory properties.) In addition, there is a rare, healing sesquiterpine called alpha-bisabolol. This component is present at less than one percent in our distilled oil but is present in an unprecedented 43+% in the CO2 extract.
Among other things, a-bisabolol has a sweet floral aroma, making this healing extract an aromatic delight. More than that, a-bisabolol is known to be an anti-irritant, protecting skin from weathering and environmental damage; is believed to support and stimulate the skin’s own healing process; is said to moisturize and restore suppleness to damaged skin; acts as an anti-oxidant; is both an analgesic and relaxant; reduces sunburn; and is effective against some bacteria.When our current batch of Baby Bottom Balm is finished, we are going to substitute this German Chamomile Select for the distilled oil we currently use, and we are adding it to our Sunburn Soother, and any other product which needs a superb anti-oxidant.
I do not remember when I have been as excited about a new product, as I am this German Chamomile Select CO2 extract!
Chamomile, German, CO2 TOTAL
Matricaria recutita (syn Matricaria chamomilla), organically produced, CO2 extracted flowers, Germany.
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| German Chamomile Blossoms. |
The CO2 extracted oil has even stronger anti-inflammatory qualities than the steam distilled EO, and has a more natural, fruity odor. I do know that it doesn’t take over the scent of my skin care blends the way traditional Matricaria does. Please note, the producer of this amazing extract recommends using it at a level of 0.1 to 0.3%. It is amazingly effective at this low dilution.
A must for treating rosacea and/or couperose, an essential ingredient in our anti acne blend, also you might blend with Lavender for treating sun and wind burn.
The extreme effectiveness of this CO2 extraction comes from its high level of matricin (the precursor of the deep blue chamazulene that gives the traditional steam distilled blue oils their efficacy). Research has shown that the matricin is far more active than the chamazulene. This specific CO2 extract is also very high in the sesquiterpine alcohol alpha-bisabolol, another powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
We have also had success treating skin ulcers that seemed to resist every other treatment, by diluting German Chamomile CO2 in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil and applying several times daily.
Please note, this marvelously healing extract is difficult to work with. It is extraordinarily thick and viscous because of the plant waxes contained in the CO2 Total. To blend it in a carrier both the CO2 and the carrier oil must be heated to body temperature. It is the plant waxes that make this far more effective than either the distilled oil or the CO2 Select extract for wound healing. The waxes are almost magical in their effect and not found in other extracts.
Chili CO2
CO2 extraction of Capsicum frutescens (otherwise known as Tabasco Pepper or Cayenne Pepper.) |
| Cayenne Peppers. CAREFUL! |
For years we had avoided bringing in this extremely potent extract for reasons of safety. However, Madeleine Kerkhof teaches it in her CO2 course, and it is in her book, so we decided it should be available. Available full strength, undiluted, by special order only. We are not comfortable making the undiluted extract available to the general public. If you have a use for it, or would prefer to dilute your own, please contact us. We are marking it Out of Stock in our shopping cart. It is not out of stock, but it also is not an oil for the casual user. Contact us if you wish to purchase. We'll make it happen.
Of all our offerings, Chili CO2 needs using with the most caution. We do not recommend inhalation, or any sort of internal use. Topical use only. For prolonged topical use on adults we recommend using at a 0.1% dilution. For very temporary use on a small local area and for just a few days you might be able to go up to a 0.5% (one half of one percent) dilution. A reminder, if you measure by the drop, a 0.5% dilution would be THREE drops of CO2 extract to one fluid ounce of carrier oil. A 0.1% dilution would use three drops of CO2 extracts to FIVE fluid ounces of carrier oil.
When blending we urge the use of gloves, goggles, and facial mask to protect your mouth. Jim wore all of the above while measuring it in, and will probably pour it outside, to protect all of us from its fumes. Also, the manufacturer recommends warming the Chili CO2 extract to 104 ° Farenheit before using, to totally blend the components.
Why would anyone offer an oil with such obvious risks? Because, in proper dilution, Chili CO2 is an amazing remedy for localized neuropathic pain. It is a powerful skin irritant and needs use with caution, but in cases of nerve pain it may bring ease when nothing else does.
Side note, this extract is also available “decolorized” but we thought its angry red color might help remind you of its power, and the naturally occurring beta-carotene might help protect the skin.
Avoid use with children and during pregnancy. EXTREME skin irritant. DEFINITELY keep way from children, pets, anyone curious and unaware of its potency.
We are offering this potent extract in a 0.5% dilution in Fractionated Coconut oil. For long term use or for use on sensitive skin or larger portions of the body, please further dilute. One part of this Diluted CO2 to FOUR parts of your chosen carrier oil. Yes, it is this potent, and we want you to be safe.
Cinnamon Bark CO2
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| Cinnamon Bark |
How can something so dangerous to use topically smell so WONDERFUL? This new CO2 extracted Cinnamon Bark oil smells absolutely delicious. Sweet, fruity, spicy, like no cinnamon oil I have ever experienced. Better than the cinnamon sticks in my pantry.
Yes... this exquisite extract is more costly than our distilled oil. But one breath of its aroma, and you will see why I had to make it available. It is truly an aromatic treasure. Stored tightly sealed, away from heat and light, it should have a shelf life in excess of five years.
This CO2 has all of the uses of our distilled cinnamon oil, and all the safety warnings. This sparkling spice is a severe skin irritant and sensitizer and has a maximum dermal use of 0.05% in most product types. It should be avoided in pregnancy and when breast feeding. Caution: it may affect diabetes.
Cinnamon Bark oil is a superb anti-bacterial and anti-fungal oil, great for cleaning the air and diffusing to battle winter’s germs. When inhaled it is a respiratory and circulatory stimulant, and an antiseptic. Add to inhaler blends for bronchitis and other respiratory issues. When you are chilled, inhaling Cinnamon Bark can help raise your body temperature (by stimulating circulation) as can Black Pepper oil.
Emotionally, Cinnamon Bark is said to be helpful for emotional and/or mental fatigue and for inability to concentrate.
Cinnamon Bark Burmanii CO2
Cinnamon Burmanii CO2 Total
Cinnamomum burmannii extracted from bark, organically grown and dried in Indonesia. CO2 Total organically produced in Germany
Sweeter aromatically than either of our two Cinnamon Bark offerings this smells like the cinnamon aroma in an apple pie, or your favorite cinnamon rolls, a memory from my childhood. We poured it in production today and the aroma is lingering, sweet and tempting. Much gentler, aromatically, than our other Cinnamon oils. (Please don't be fooled by its sweet aroma, this one, like every cinnamon oil, comes with safety warnings.My mentor Madeleine Kerkhof recommends using this Cinnamon for emotional purposes. She says that it is a wonderful oil for anyone feeling cold on all levels. She calls it “a wonderfully warming, comforting and soul nurturing oil.”
Madeleine recommends all Cinnamon Oils, but especially this sweetly scented specimen, for coldness and exhaustion on all levels, and lack of support. It may also help keep anger and frustration under control.
Like all Cinnamon oils, it is very high in cinnamon aldehyde (over 80%) and we truly don’t recommend it for topical use.
SAFETY: Avoid use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It may inhibit blood clotting so should not be used if you are facing surgery, or are already on blood thinners. Cinnamon Bark is both a strong sensitizer and an irritant. It really has NO use in skin care products or toiletries, and should not be used in massage blends. If it IS the appropriate oil to use in a therapeutic blend please keep the dilution extremely low (0.1% the equivalent of ONE DROP in 30 - 40 mls. 1 fl oz is roughly 30 mls, so at the very most, one drop per ounce of carrier. Less than that for lotion or gel.)
Clove Bud CO2
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| Clove Bud CO2 Select Extract |
Aromatically softer and sweeter than its distilled cousin, this new CO2 Select extract is an aromatic delight. Less assertive aromatically than the distilled oil, I think it will be wonderful in blends.... playing well with other oils, rather than trying to move in and take over.
The CO2 extracted oil is higher in anti-oxidants than is the distilled oil, because of the higher level of eugenol acetate. I am reminded by Mark Webb, of Aromamedix.com, that the CO2 Select Clove Bud Extraction will be milder and less aggressive if used topically than its steam distilled counterpart because of its much higher level of the anti-inflammatory component beta - caryophyllene. If one were to use clove in a blend for oral care, this would obviously be a superior pain reliever.
Clove makes a wonderful addition to a germ-killing diffuser blend or room spray. It has traditionally been used *very cautiously* to numb the pain of a toothache.
For topical use, it should be used at very low dilutions, below 0.75%. It is a severe skin and mucous membrane irritant. It will bring both antibacterial and anti-oxidant power to tooth paste mixtures but should be used at extremely weak dilutions. In food flavoring its recommended level is 20 parts per million.
Avoid use during pregnancy or lactation, do not use on children.
Cocoa CO2 Extract
Theobroma cacao Solvent-free, food-grade extraction of (cocoa butter cold-pressed from cocoa beans). Rich dark chocolate aroma.
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| Cocoa Beans |
A creamy, semisolid, butterscotch colored essence of dark chocolate. At cool room temperature this Chocolate CO2 extract is the texture of firm shea butter. You can cut it with a knife, but not scoop it with a spoon. Heat the bottle in warm water to 40 degrees C or 104 degrees F, and it liquifies, ready to blend into your favorite body oil, lotion, lip balm base. We have tried diluting it in warmed carrier oil, both Jojoba and Fractionated Coconut Oil. A 10% dilution in Jojoba thickens to a “slushy” texture at room temperature, while in Fractionated Coconut oil it remains liquid, but has a tendency to separate. A quick shake re-blends the dilution.
Not for use in diffusers since the major components are fatty acids, primarily palmitic, stearic, and oleic.
In addition to the fatty acids described above, it contains the flavor and aroma compounds that give dark chocolate its taste and aroma, some esters and aldehydes, less than 5% caffeine, and traces of theophylline and theobromine.
How to use? We will leave this to your imagination. We may add the dilutions that we experimented with to a lip balm base. Michelle wants to make a body scrub, either Shea Butter or Virgin Coconut Oil or your favorite body oil, with a touch of Cocoa CO2 and some sugar or salt. A chocolate after bath lotion? A chocolate hand cream? Add a few drips to some Bliss Bath?
Therapeutic benefits? It’s CHOCOLATE... it doesn’t need any!
Blends With: what compliments chocolate? Coffee Essential Oil for a mocha? Sweet Orange? We were measuring in a new batch of Organic Peppermint oil today, while melting some of the Cocoa... chocolate peppermint? Our long-awaited Cognac essential oil for a very sophisticated Truffle? Virgin Coconut Oil for a coconut candy scrub?
This extract carried a kosher seal and is prepared for the food industry, as an intense bitter chocolate flavour. We are not certified or licensed as resellers for food products, so are offering this delicious extract for fragrancing use only. (I am wondering what would happen if I add a drop to the basket of ground coffee in the morning, however!)
Coffee CO2
Coffea arabica, organically grown, and roasted in Italy, CO2 extracted in Germany.
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| Coffee beans |
Rich robust aroma of freshly ground and brewed gourmet coffee. Delightful as a food flavoring, or when you are craving some coffee! We’ve not had time to blend with it, but I am envisioning it added to a solid perfume with some Cocoa Butter or Virgin Coconut Cream. A “foodie’s delight.”
One of our customers, who would like to remain anonymous, has been playing with a Coffee Sugar Scrub. She used approximately an ounce to an ounce and a half of raw sugar, with a quarter ounce of Hazelnut Carrier Oil, and perhaps five to ten drops of the Coffee Oil. Next time she’s going to add a bit of vanilla to it and see how it works.
Coriander CO2
Coriandrum sativum, ethically cultivated, seeds grown and harvested in Ukraine, CO2 Select extracted in Germany.
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| Coriander Seeds |
Coriander Essential Oil can stimulate appetite, ease indigestion, and relieve neuralgia. It is useful as both an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory, a gentle addition to rubs for aching muscles. It is more gently stimulating than most spice oils. Shirley Price recommends it in anti-flu blends, says that it is anti-bacterial. I think it would be a nice addition to a “chest rub.”
Mark Webb, of Aromamedix.com recommends the use of Coriander CO2 as stomachic and carminative, ideal for gently easing indigestion or an upset stomach.
In early autumn I tend to blend it with orange for the lamp. It heralds the change of seasons for me. Coriander, Basil, Vetiver, and Orange make a wonderful daytime perfume blend.
Battaglia recommends Coriander for treating arthritis, gout, muscular aches and pains and rheumatism, as well as digestive disorders.
I often add a few drops to the aroma lamp, blended with some Mandarin. In our house it relaxes and seems to remove irritation and snappishness. A wonderfully calming and soothing oil without sedating. Good at the end of a hard day.
BLENDS WELL WITH: All other spice oils, Citrus Oils, Cypress, Frankincense, Jasmine, Juniper, Petitgrain, Pine, Sandalwood.
CUMIN SEED TOTAL CO2
Cuminum cyminum, ethically cultivated, CO2 total, extracted from seeds in Germany.
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| Cumin Seeds |
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh... an essential for any masculine blend, this Cumin extract is... spice, sultry, and cool, at the same time... strong, vibrant, yet nurturing at the same time. Most of the masculine oils are base notes, deep and rooted, this Cumin, on the other hand, is a fullbodied heart note.
Most therapeutic recommendations for Cumin Oil are based on traditional herbal uses. I have seen cumin recommended for muscular pain and rheumatism (I think its gentle warming would be helpful in a blend for joint pain, as an alternative to Black Pepper or Ginger) and for moving fluid in the body, whether for poor circulation, lymphatic congestion, or swollen glands. (I need to try blending it with Cistus for lymphatic drainage.)
Mark Webb, of Aromamedix.com recommends Cumin Seed CO2 as a carminative against stomach trouble and colics. (I would hesitate to use for colic in an infant, however! But adults can occasionally experience the terrible intestinal cramping that we label "colic" in a baby. Until now, the remedy I knew was Sweet Fennel seed CO2 or oil, it is good to have an alternative.
Emotionally Cumin Seed Oil is reputed to be reviving and stimulating. (Based on some of my staff members reactions, I have to also assume it’s an aphrodisiac.) Years ago Annie said that she wants her man to smell like this... strong, vibrant, yet nurturing at the same time. Today when Cindy smelled a sample she said, “Temptation!” “What?” I asked? “That Cumin is exotic, sensual, and quite frankly smells like temptation.” Okay. I am not going to argue. Remember, reactions to fragrance are very subjective and individual. I do not guarantee that you, or the woman in your life, will agree with the above. Jim was smiling when he brought the scent strip for us to evaluate it. He really likes it.
Please remember that this CO2 total extract contains both the Cumin Seed essential oils (approximately 25%) as well as fixed oil found in the seeds, normally extracted by cold pressing. As a Total extract it is also high in oleic and linoleic acids. It will blend easily with any fixed oils for massage blends or a solid perfume blend.
Cumin Seed Oil is said to blend beautifully with Galbanum, Lavender, Rosemary, Rosewood, Oakmoss. Used with a light hand it will deepen and add depth to spice notes, add texture and depth to the sweet wood oils.
WARNING: Photosensitizer. Do not expose skin to sunlight or ultraviolet light after applying. This is an oil with no extensive safety testing, please avoid using with babies or small children. It is GRAS for food flavoring.
See our articles about the CO2 LIPIDS (fixed/carrier oils) here and here.
Go back to the start of this series on CO2 Aromatics here.
