Geranium essential oil is extracted from a plant with the scientific name Pelargonium graveolens. It is prepared from the leaves and flowers of this plant and widely used in aromatherapy. It is known to be rich in citronellol, geraniol and other bioactive compounds. The geranium essential oil is said to provide a number of important health benefits.
Geranium oil is especially popular in alternative medicine practices such as aromatherapy. It is part of holistic therapies that not only aim to improve physical health, but to restore mental and emotional balance as well. It has been known for a very long time as a cosmetic for the skin and was used for this purpose by ancient Egyptians. Today, it is applied on the skin to treat acne and skin inflammation. The pleasant smell of this oil can balance hormones, decrease fatigue, fight anxiety and improve your mood.
The geranium oil can't be extracted by pressing the plant and is produced after a process of steam distillation that uses leaves and stems as raw material. The properties of the geranium oil actually change based on the plant's age. If distilled from green leaves it has a fresh lemon fragrance, while the one extracted from older plants resembles the scent of a rose.
The geranium oil is mainly known for its astringent effect. An agent is considered to be astringent when it causes various body parts to contract. Geranium oil has this effect on blood vessels, as well as gums, muscles, intestines, skin and various other tissues. There are many applications of this property, for example if your abdominal muscles contract, you will look toner and healthier. If applied inside the mouth, the geranium oil makes gums contract and prevents teeth from becoming loose. On the skin, the astringency can lift saggy folds and muscles. The geranium oil makes skin face tighter, hiding wrinkles and reducing the effects of aging.
Astringent compounds are good in general to contract various parts of the human body. This is especially useful when the oil is used as a face cosmetic, since it makes any problems less visible and delays skin aging. The easiest way to use the geranium oil is to add a few drops to your normal face lotion and use it twice every day. The effect should be visible after one or two weeks, when some wrinkles will disappear.
Like many other essential plant oils, geranium oil also has strong antiseptic properties. If applied on wounds, it kills many types of bacteria and germs and prevents infection. This also helps the immune system, which is free to combat other internal problems and become more effective, if some of the threats on the skin are eliminated by the geranium oil.
This property of geranium oil also boosts the healing rate of cuts and wounds, as well as the speed of recovery after surgery. For this reason, it is considered to be a vulnerary compound. The oil is well-known to also act as an antimicrobial, hemostatic, cytophylactic, styptic and antibacterial, all of which contribute to its vulnerary properties.
The look of skin is considered to be very important by many people who are concerned with their looks. Nobody likes scars and marks left by boils, surgery, pox, fat-cracks or acne. Many cosmetic treatments are available today, some of them very expensive, but not all are effective. Geranium oil is a cheap natural alternative that can be surprisingly powerful. It speeds up the healing and recovery of wounds and scars, acting as a cicatrisant. It also improves skin tone by spreading the skin pigment melanin uniformly and boosts blood circulation, which can improve the rate of skin healing.
The geranium oil is also very popular because of its very attractive smell. It is usually described as a mix of mint and various floral aromas, so it can even be used as a natural deodorant to hide unpleasant odours. It causes no side effects when applied on the skin and the scent persists for a long time. Bad body odours are actually caused by bacteria that develop in our sweat, so geranium oil helps by killing them. A very interesting aspect of this oil is that we don't eliminate it by exhaling. It is removed through perspiration, so it reaches exactly the location where its effects are needed. As a result, if you do sports or physical activity after a session of aromatherapy, your sweat will actually have the pleasant smell of geranium oil.
As a natural antiseptic, this essential oil can protect you from the pathogens that live on your skin. This prevents the infection of wounds and cuts because it stops germs from entering your body. You just need to place one or two drops of geranium oil on a wound and protect it with gauze, about twice every day until complete healing.
Many types of skin infections can be cured with geranium oil, which makes the immune system more effective by allowing it to focus on other threats. One example is athlete's foot, which is a common type of fungal infection. A simple cure is to do a foot bath twice per day in warm water with sea salt and a few drops of geranium oil.
Similar to some other plant essential oils, geranium oil is also a natural way to repel insects. It achieves the same result as the chemical commercial products, without their negative side effects. Just spray your body with a diluted solution of geranium oil and many bugs will stay away. If you want a stronger effect, add a bit of baking soda into the mix. The oil also relieves inflammation and itching if you have already been bitten.
