Jasmine, beautiful sweet relaxing Jasmine…!
The very word Jasmine summons up a warm, exotic and mysterious feeling. And when you experience the aroma, whether it is drifting gently downwind on a warm Mediterranean evening or in the intensity of the fragrance direct from a bottle, it transports you in milliseconds of delight to a place which is pleasant and relaxing, euphoric even.
There is something infinitely gentle, comforting and liberating about Jasmine. Perhaps its ‘releasing, relaxing’ energy works equally on the spirit, the heart, and our need for physical pleasure and comfort. Somehow it slows down time in the exquisite delight of the moment. It is no wonder the fragrance is favoured in so many perfumes.
Therapeutically, the sweet, euphorising quality of jasmine commends its use for psychological and emotional conditions. It calms nerves, relaxes the mind and releases mental tension and anxiety. This is certainly a factor in its use for its aphrodisiac qualities, as a sexual tonic and for feelings of inadequacy.
Use it in massage blends, or direct inhalation.
Blending: Jasmine blends beautifully with sandalwood, patchouli, rose geranium and citrus oils.
Oshadhi offers a selection of different Jasmine Absolutes:
Jasmine Absolute (Egypt) organic, Jasminium grandiflorum (1640) – Soft, warm, rounded, feminine, voluptuous, with an interesting fruity, vanilla fragrance but remains floral.
Jasmine Absolute (India), Jasminium grandiflorum (1630) – Simple, light, straightforward, pure elegance.
Jasmine Sambac Absolute, Jasminium sambac (1635) – Grounding and earthy, warm, smoky, comforting, penetrating, mysterious.
Jasmine Sambac CO2, Jasminium sambac (1638) – True to the flower, an early evening walk, light, bright, direct, more ‘in your head’.
Jasmine auriculatum Absolute, Jasminium ariculatum (1645) – Incredibly gentle with a soft top note reminiscent of sandalwood, powdery, light.
Jasmine Absolute (Morocco), Jasminium grandiflorum (1650) – The sweetest Jasmine, heady, a floral rush.
Jasmine Sambac
Jasminium sambac
Production: Jasmine is almost always extracted, not distilled, yielding an absolute rather than an essential oil.
The plant: From the olive family growing to 30 feet.
Plant part: Blossoms
Biochemical: Over 100 compounds including linalol, benzyl alcohol, methyl jasmonate, indol, geraniol, eugenol, phenylacetic acid, benzyl acetate.
Origin: Egypt, Morocco, India, China
Excerpts from Malte Hozzel’s essay on Jasmine Sambac
Paradise regained for moments of bliss
The ‘Queen of the night’, as the Indians call the snow white star-blossoms of Jasmine, carries age-old memories of celestial worlds in its overwhelmingly rich floral fragrance. Jasmine is one of the prime rescue oils and can be extremely helpful with sudden shock. It uplifts and euphorises, acting against depression and anxiety, and providing spiritual upliftment.
There are more than 200 species of jasmine, the most usual being the common jasmine (jasminum officinale), the royal or Indian jasmine (jasminum grandiflorum) and the Arabian jasmine (jasminum sambac) are the most widely known.
1000 kg of flowers (8 million blossoms) normally yield less than 1 kg of the absolute. Opening their blossoms only after sunset, jasmine flowers are preferably picked at dawn when the tiny petals are tightly closed and will not waste their fragrance. After harvesting, the blossoms are dispersed on a cotton cloth soaked for several days in olive oil, a procedure which by organic solvent extraction enables the creation of the ‘concrete’, which is then reduced with alcohol to the costly jasmine absolute.
The oil works mainly ‘through the nose’, and can be added in small quantities to other therapeutic blends. Jasmine has a subtle, powerful angelic nature which cools the blood, strengthens the lymphatic system, alleviates fever, and purifies the female organs. It is a hormonal balancer and dispeller of uterine disorders. If applied on the chest it helps against catarrh and coughing. It is a marvellous additive to personal skin care, especially useful against dry, greasy, irritated and sensitive skin. Its highly sweet floral fragrance indicates its capacity to cool hot temperaments and to balance anger and irritation. Jasmine oil is of major help in cases of chronic depression, particularly when caused by nervous exhaustion or stress. Its euphorizing energy awakens optimism and confidence and adds to its praised aphrodisiac properties. Jasmine enhances creativity and joy and relaxes our emotions. Spiritually it fills the heart with friendliness and compassion, and reconciles the mind with strokes of fate and adversity. Jasmine is definitely a healer of the higher spirit inviting to live, laugh and love.
— Dr Malte Hozzel, Founder of Oshadhi
Our gratitude to Oshadhi.co.uk for their Original article