Glossary of Aromatherapy Terms
Understanding Essential Oil Properties....
Why include a glossary....?
To make life a whole lot easier.......I hope!!
It can be a minefield trying to understand all the properties of the different essential oils, especially when all you want to do is get going and make that aromatherapy massage blend or simple aromatherapy recipe.
When I first discovered aromatherapy I certainly hadn't heard of some of the words used to describe essential oils......you just don't come across them in everyday life.
However, it is important to get to 'know' your aromatherapy oils, so understanding some of the technical terms really is necessary, and this glossary is here to help you.
So what exactly is a glossary?
It is an alphabetical list of terms, in this case aromatherapy terms, with their definitions.
I have tried to include as many of the more common terms that you are likely to come across as I can, but please be sure to contact me if you find that I have left any out.....and that way we can ensure that the glossary is as comprehensive as possible.
I have also included some essential oils that have the following properties......but the list is not exhaustive!
Let's get started..........
Aromatherapy Glossary
- Analgesic - Pain relieving - usually applied locally bergamot, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary
- Anaphrodisiac - Diminishes sexual desire marjoram
- Anticonvulsive - Stops convulsions chamomile, clary sage, lavender
- Antidepressant - Uplifting to the mind and spirit, alleviates depression basil, bergamot, chamomile, geranium, jasmine, lavender, patchouli, rose, ylang-ylang
- Anti-fungal - Helps destroy fungus lavender, myrrh, tea-tree
- Anti-inflammatory - Reduces inflammation basil, chamomile, frankincense
- Antiseptic - Helps prevent the growth of bacteria All essential oils are antiseptic to a certain degree, with probably the most effective being bergamot, eucalyptus, juniper
- Antispasmodic - Calms down muscle spasms basil, bergamot, black pepper, chamomile, eucalyptus, juniper, lavender, peppermint, rose, rosemary
- Antitoxic - Works against poisoning black pepper, juniper, lavender
- Antiviral - Counteracts the effects of viruses cinnamon, eucalyptus, lavender, tea-tree
- Aphrodisiac - Stimulates sexual desire black pepper, jasmine, juniper, patchouli, rose, ylang-ylang
- Astringent - Causes skin tissue to contract, so good for toning skin frankincense, geranium, juniper, peppermint, rose, rosemary
- Bactericidal - Helps destroy bacteria clary sage, clove, lemon, oregano, tea-tree
- Carminative - Helps ease griping pains and gets rid of gas from the digestive tract basil, benzoin, bergamot, black pepper, clary sage, fennel, juniper, lavender, peppermint, lavender, rosemary
- Cephalic - Stimulating for the head and mind basil, peppermint, rosemary
- Cicatrisant - Promotes the formation of scar tissue, so good for helping wounds to heal bergamot, chamomile, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, juniper, lavender, rosemary
- Cordial - This is a heart tonic benzoin, lavender, melissa, neroli, peppermint, rose, rosemary
- Cytophylactic - encourages the growth of skin cells, promoting rapid healing and preventing scarring frankincense, lavender, myrrh, patchouli, rosemary, sandalwood
- Decongestant - Relieves congestion - especially from mucous black pepper, eucalyptus, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, tea-tree, thyme
- Deodorant - Works against and masks body odour benzoin, bergamot, eucalyptus, lavender, patchouli
- Detoxicant - Helps eliminate or reduce toxic substances black pepper, juniper
- Digestive - Helps digestion basil, bergamot, black pepper, chamomile, fennel, frankincense, peppermint, rosemary
- Diuretic - Helps increase the production of urine black pepper, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, juniper, lavender, rosemary
- Emmenagogue - Increases the flow of blood and assists menstruation basil, chamomile, clary sage, fennel, hyssop, juniper, lavender, marjoram, myrrh, peppermint, rose, rosemary
- Expectorant - Helps get rid of catarrah, phlegm and mucous basil, bergamot, eucalyptus, peppermint
- Febrifuge - Cools and reduces fever black pepper, chamomile, eucalyptus, peppermint
- Haemostatic - Helps stop bleeding from wounds geranium, rose
- Hepatic - A tonic for the liver chamomile, peppermint, rose, rosemary
- Hypertensor - Raises blood pressure rosemary
- Hypotensor - Lowers blood pressure clary sage, lavender, melissa, ylang-ylang
- Laxative - Mildly promotes evacuation of the bowels black pepper, fennel, peppermint, ginger, rosemary
- Nervine - Acts on the nervous system - often as a tonic, so good for nervous disorders basil, chamomile, clary sage, juniper, lavender, peppermint, rosemary
- Regulating - Balances the body's systems geranium, lavender, ylang-ylang
- Rubefacient - Stimulates circulation locally and so causes redness of the skin black pepper, eucalyptus, juniper, rosemary
- Sedative - Has a soothing and calming effect bergamot, chamomile, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender, patchouli, rose, ylang-ylang
- Splenetic - A tonic for the spleen black pepper, chamomile, fennel, lavender, fennel, rose
- Stimulant - Has a invigorating action on the body and circulation black pepper, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, tea-tree
- Stomachic - A tonic of the stomach - helps digestion and improves appetite basil, black pepper, chamomile, fennel, juniper, peppermint, rose, rosemary
- Sudorific - Causes or increases perspiration basil, chamomile, ginger, hyssop, juniper, lavender, melissa, peppermint, rosemary
- Tonic - Tones the body generally, or in one area. Can be mildly stimulating and has a restorative effect black pepper, chamomile, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender, patchouli, peppermint, rose, rosemary, tea-tree
- Uterine - A tonic of the uterus clary sage, frankincense, jasmine, rose
- Vascoconstrictor - When applied locally causes constriction of the blood vessels chamomile, peppermint
- Vulnerary - When applied externally heals cuts, sores and open wounds. benzoin, bergamot, chamomile, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, juniper, lavender, rosemary, tea-tree
Remember, please contact me if you think of another word that should be added to this glossary.