Description
Basil essential oil is steam distilled from the flowering tops and leaves of Ocimum basilicum, sweet basil, one of the most popular culinary herbs in the world. Basil is native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia and has been cultivated in the Mediterranean for thousands of years. There are numerous chemotypes of basil essential oil with significantly different aromatic and chemical profiles.
Sweet basil essential oil (the most common variety in aromatherapy) has a warm, fresh, herbal, and slightly sweet aroma with clean, slightly anise-like and spicy notes. The main aromatic constituents in sweet basil (linalool chemotype) include linalool, methyl chavicol (estragole), and eugenol. The linalool-rich variety is the preferred choice for aromatherapy due to its smoother, less medicinal character compared to the methyl chavicol-dominant variety.
In aromatherapy, basil essential oil is used in mentally stimulating and focus-supporting diffuser blends. It is a classic addition to blends for mental fatigue, lack of concentration, and nervous exhaustion. In massage preparations, diluted basil oil is used for its warming, stimulating properties. Basil blends well with lavender, bergamot, geranium, lemon, rosemary, and other herb and citrus oils.
Basil essential oil should not be used during pregnancy due to its estragole content in some varieties. Always dilute before skin application and use at appropriate concentrations. This 10ml bottle is suitable for use in diffusers, oil burners, and diluted blends. Not for internal use.
