Monday, May 7, 2018

CO2 Aromatics - Part 5

(I think I had forgotten how many we really have!)

Roses...  The CO2 extracted Roses are much closer aromatically to a Rose Absolute, than they are to Rose Otto, and are most often preferred.  We know of two.

Rose Oils Uses:

The ultimate woman's oil, Rose Oil is calming, and supportive. In my experience nothing strengthens a woman's spirit as well as true rose oil.  Rose has no parallel in treating grief, hysteria, or depression.

Rose oil is believed by many to help balance female hormones, regulate the menstrual cycle, and ease the discomforts of PMS and menopause. In Europe it is used to treat genito-urinary infections. Sexual difficulties also respond well to Rose's gentle support.  It is helpful to all skin types. 

Blends With:

All the different Roses blend especially well with the Citrus oils, Cedarwoods, Frankincense, Jasmine, Lemongrass, Mandarine, Patchouli, Sandalwood, and Vetiver. Rose and Sandalwood are one of my favorite perfume blends, any proportion works well. Sandalwood with a hint of Rose is lovely for a man's cologne; Rose with a touch of Sandalwood works beautifully for women. Either make a wonderfully romantic massage oil. For emotional healing, for grief, Frankincense and Rose together are unsurpassed, perhaps with a touch of Spikenard.

Rosa Alba (White Rose) CO2

Rosa alba, organically produced, CO2 extracted, Bulgaria

Rose Alba
The rare and precious white rose from Bulgaria’s Valley of the Roses is a direct descendant of the ancient Rosa Gallica, one of the oldest members of the rose family. The Rosa Alba has a much more intense aroma than Rosa Damascena, source of our traditional Rose Otto. A very special luxury indeed.

This total extraction is thick and creamy. We have found that it responds well to gentle warming, and will dilute very easily in slightly warmed Jojoba Oil. We have not had success diluting it in our Fractionated Coconut Oil. The producer has mentioned having success in diluting in other fixed oils, but the ones he mentioned are shorter lived and I would not blend a rare and costly aromatic into a short-lived carrier oil.

It is Rosa Alba that was the heart of our Solace blend,  developed to support those affected directly by the 911 attacks in 2001.

The CO2 extraction method yields a product closer in aroma to the raw botanical…in this case the true white rose…than does the process of distillation. More of the aromatic chemicals come through the process, and yet there are no solvents used as found in our Rose Absolutes. This wonderful CO2 extract may be the ultimate pure and natural rose oil. 

Rosa Damascena CO2

Rosa damascena, organically produced, CO2 extracted, Bulgaria.

This lush, rich CO2 extract is from the same rose harvest that gives us our classic, organic Rose Otto from Bulgaria’s Valley of the Roses.

The CO2 extraction method yields a product closer in aroma to the raw botanical than does the
Rosa Damascena
process of distillation. More of the aromatic chemicals come through the process, and yet there are no solvents used as found in our Rose Absolutes. This wonderful CO2 extract may be the ultimate pure and natural rose oil. Because it contains some of the floral waxes that are not found in distillation, it will require gentle warming to liquify. We suggest warming and diluting upon receipt, since repeated warming are not going to enhance its shelf life.

Because the CO2 process produces more of the precious rose oil than does the process of distillation, this beauty costs a bit less than traditonal Rose Otto. We are delighted to make it available to you. I personally plan to use it in all my rose concoctions, rather than the Rose Otto I have always used.

Sage CO2 Select 

Salvia officinalis CO2 Select, ethically cultivated, Sage leaves, Germany

Sage leaves
From the mint family, Dalmatian Sage, True or Common Sage, has a distinctly strong, herbal aroma.  It grows around the world but is abundant in the Mediterranean and on the coast and islands of the Adriatic Sea. Aromatically it is both herbaceous and camphoric, somewhat “medicinal,” and invigorating.

High in Thujone and Camphor, which makes it an oil to be respected.  Never ever (can’t say this enough) orally ingest this oil for it is a neurotoxin.  (Please don't ingest any oil for that matter, just no!)
With its powerful components, there are so many beneficial uses: inflammation, oily skin, memory and mood enhancement, as an antibacterial, antimicrobial, antibiotic, antimutagenic, antioxidant, and antifungal.  It is also carminative, antiseptic, astringent, and according to some sources, antispasmodic.

Dr. Daniel Penoel recommends it for wound treatment/scarring. (We reach for Helichrysum in Rose Hip Seed for scarring but find his recommendation/experience interesting and want to share it.)
Perhaps most amazing is ongoing research suggesting Salvia officinalis may improve cognition and recall. There is a distinct possibility it could benefit Alzheimer’s patients in the future because it additionally seems to calm agitation as dosage increases.  (Research indicates Salvia officinalis is most effective in a blend with Rosemary officinalis and Melissa officinalis for cognition and memory recall.)  Greek Sage Triloba (Fruticosa) may also be beneficial for memory issues.

According to Robert Tisserand, maximum dermal use is 0.4% for the essential oil.

WARNING: AVOID during PREGNANCY, while Breast-Feeding, with High Blood Pressure and with seizure disorders.  Contraindications:  Should never be taken in oral doses (internally).  Danger of neurotoxicity due to Thujone content.

Sandalwood CO2 

Santalum spicatum, ethically cultivated from Western Australia

This new CO2 extraction is from a harvest of cultivated trees in West Australia. We find it aromatically far superior to the distilled WA Sandalwood we have offered, and have been taught that it offers all the therapeutic benefits.

My Australian colleagues stress the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of Santalum spicatum, effective against a broad range of gram positive and negative bacteria, including both streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as being effective against candida.. In fact, according to Mark Webb, Australian Sandalwood has proven more effective than Tea Tree against staph, and at least as effective as Tea Tree in battling candida. The oil’s high farnesol content has shown it to be useful against acne, as well as the fungi causing ringworm and athlete’s foot.
Sandalwood

In discussing this CO2 Select extraction, Mark said, "The select Co2 also pulls out  the sandalac resinoids from the wood, hence the colour. It has improved uses in wound care a bit like myrrh, but with stronger anti-inflammatory properties."

I would use this delightful extract as a skin care oil for the men in your life; and am thinking how useful it would be added to our Organic Liquid Castile. Aromatically superb and a power germkiller...that’s a hard combination to beat.

In another venue Mark commented, “WA Sandalwood CO2 is a complex, deeply spiritual, psychologically and physically therapeutic aromatic whose constituent chemistry is far more complex than its northern relatives. A fitting example of what the Great Southern Land produces.”

Sandalwood has been considered a "sacred oil" for millennia and is believed to be a wonderful ingredient in any meditative blend, helping to calm the mind and prepare you to enter a meditative state.

Thyme CO2

Thymus vulgaris., CO2 Select extracted from organically grown dried leaves

Christi writes, "For me, Thyme oil is on par with Oregano as a “go-to” oil for fighting infections, particularly of the respiratory type.  Phenol-rich with Thymol as its most abundant and outstanding component, Thyme CO2 is beneficial for numerous physical ailments including: coughs, colds, flu, sinus problems, pleurisy, flatulence, digestion, halitosis, cramps, edema (swelling), improving circulation and as an immune stimulant.

Blossoming Thyme
This reddish Brown Select Extract contains from between 60 and 90% Thyme essential oil, primarily Thymol and Para-cymol, with Carvacrol, Borneol, Linalool, Caryophyllene among others.

Thyme oil is antibacterial, antibiotic, anti-microbial, antiseptic/astringent, antioxidant, anti-catarrhal, anti-infectious, anti-spasmodic, anti-tussive and anti-inflammatory. Additionally, it is powerful against many strains of strep and staph and is a bactericide, as well as highly anti-fungal (candida) and expectorant.

If you are not a fan of the aroma of distilled Thyme thymol, which can be a bit over-powering; Thyme Co2’s fragrance (unlike the steam distilled oil), is more woody and herbaceous than medicinal.  The oil is warming and stimulating mentally.

Regarding the CO2, Author and Educator Madeleine Kerkhof says, “I feel this extract is more intense but milder to the skin and mucosa.”  Kerkhof recommends a 1-1.5% dilution for topical use in adults.  (Reduce for geriatric use.)  Avoid during pregnancy and do not use with children.  Note that Thyme can be a mucous membrane irritant.  It should not ever be used undiluted on the skin.
Tisserand and Kerkhof both advise caution for individuals on any type of blood thinner.

Turmeric CO2 Total

Curcuma longa, CO2 extracted in Germany from organically grown rhizomes grown and dried in India. 

Turmeric Roots
We have all read of Turmeric’s anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This golden yellow oil has a delightful aroma, mildly spicy, sweet and fresh with an earthy note underlying it. When poured into the beaker it appears a deeper gold, but we notice that when we are pouring it out of the beaker, the glass is coated with a bright, fluorescent yellow. Neon yellow. This will stain if you spill it.

We recommend it in pain relief blends, especially for joint pain, arthritis, any sort of pain caused by inflammation. The oil is high in some unique ketones, the turmerones, and may be expected to be anti-inflammatory, calming, and either analgesic or anti-spasmodic. It should also be very effective at respiratory support, and at supporting the health of the gastro-intestinal system. However, because many ketones are not effectively metabolized by the liver, we suggest using caution with this new oil and using it in low dilution.

Less often cited are Turmeric oil’s anti-fungal effects. I came across a research study showing the effect of Turmeric oil against Trichophyton rubrum, the fungus most often cited as the cause of athlete’s foot, nail fungal infections, jock itch, and ringworm. Although the study was done on guinea pigs, a dilution of Turmeric would certainly seem worth trying.

Please note, the extract does contain the curcuminoids found in the powdered spice, but only in trace amounts, so when researching the uses of the oil it is important to clarify whether the research applies to the volatile oil, to the turmerones, or to curcumin.
Safety: Although there are no known safety warnings about this oil I would avoid its use with babies and during pregnancy. Actually the only contraindications I could find were for oral use, for individuals taking anti-diabetes medication.

Javanese Turmeric CO2 

 Curcuma xanthorrhiza, produced from dried roots, organically grown in Indonesia, and produced in Germany. (Sometimes called "Temulawak" or "Indonesian Turmeric.)

A unique CO2 from the Ginger (Zingiberaceae) family, which we are continuing to explore, having
"Temulawak"
recently added some lovely Ginger CO2 extracts, Plai, Fingerroot and Turmeric to our offering of oils, among others such as Cardamom and steam distilled Ginger.

Javanese Turmeric is sometimes known as Javanese Ginger or Temulawak. I have read numerous reports of its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This extract has a delightful aroma, mildly spicy, sweet, and a bit earthy. Interestingly, while a bulk amount appears deep reddish-orange (see pic), when using a pipette, in smaller amounts you see more of a yellow-golden hue, which is what one would expect.
We look forward to trying it out in all our various pain relief blends, especially for joint pain, arthritis, any sort of pain caused by inflammation.

Javanese Turmeric is quite gentle and can be helpful for oral care, when added to mouthwash, toothpaste, breath fresheners or chewing gum. The producer says it is recommended for use against strep/staph mutans or other oral pathogens in the mouth, some of which cause tooth decay. Think of blending it with Myrrh for oral care! Both are bitter tasting, so finding a way to mask the taste would be advisable. It is also helpful in combating bad breath.

We are excited about the future of this exciting oil and others in the ginger family. An article in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, June 2013, outlines research studies with potential uses from anti-inflammatory to possible anti-tumor activity.

Javanese Turmeric’s use in cosmetics, flavoring, and other products is on the rise in this decade as we consider its promising beneficial future.
Also said to be calming and soothing mentally and emotionally.
Madeleine Kerkhof teaches that this Javanese Turmeric extract (which she calls "Temulawak")is highly anti-inflammatory, and recommended for wound healing.

NOTE: The CO2 extract contains close to 80% curcumenes.
Safety: Although there are no known safety warnings about this oil I would avoid its use with babies and during pregnancy.

Vanilla CO2 

Vanilla Beans
Because this CO2 extract of the familiar vanilla bean contains over 12% vanillin it is far richer, sweeter, and more aromatic than any other form of vanilla I have experienced. Sensual, warm and aphrodisiac, this CO2 extraction contains no solvent residues (found in the more familiar Vanilla Absolute). Organically produced.

Emotionally, Vanilla Oil is warming and welcoming, an ideal destressor. It is said to ease stress, anger, and frustration…giving a feel of comfort, perhaps because it recalls warm childhood memories?

Physically, it is said to induce menstruation. I have friends who use it, diluted in honey, in herbal tea to ease menstrual problems. For this reason I would avoid it in the early stages of pregnancy.

Add a drop or two to your favorite carrier oil for a romantic massage base. A dilution in either oil or alcohol will sweeten and smooth any aromatic perfume blend.

Its comforting sweet aroma softens any blend…wonderful with citrus oils, softens the coniferous oils…add a drop to your holiday scents!

Add a drop to a jar of honey for aromatic sweetening for tea or coffee, or add a single drop to your sugar bowl for vanilla sugar. I've added a drop or three to a pound of ground coffee…wonderful. This CO2 Vanilla is safe as a flavoring for internal use…try flavoring your favorite lip balm recipe with a drop.

This exquisite aromatic is VERY intense and requires use in extremely low dilutions for its sweetness to be apparent. Please note that undiluted Vanilla CO2 is very thick. It most likely will not come out of the orifice reducer in the bottle. It may be necessary to remove the orifice reducer and pour or pipette the oil out.  We recommend warming in hot water prior to trying to work with it.

End of the Series on Aromatic CO2 extracts. Go back to Part 4 here.

Still to come: CO2 Herbal Extracts - neither volatiles (like the aromatics) nor lipids (like the fixed/carrier oils) these are some of the most skin-healing CO2 extracts available.

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