Some time ago a research paper that looked at the brains of perfumers caught my curiosity. I knew that smelling essential oils could have a profound impact on our psychological wellbeing, and I wanted to see if there are actual, physiological changes that happen in...
Research
Cognitive Health and Essential Oil Research: an Interview with Mark Moss
When reading research papers we have realized that very often there is a gap, sometimes even a chasm, between how scientists understand the use of essential oils and how the oils are actually used. To address this we wanted to communicate directly with the researchers...
Michael Leon on Olfactory Enrichment and Aromatherapy
When reading research papers we have realized that very often there is a gap, sometimes even a chasm, between how scientists understand the use of essential oils and how the oils are actually used. To address this we wanted to communicate directly with the researchers...
Mosquitoes and essential oils – all you need to know
“If you feel like you are insignificant, try spending a night with a mosquito in the room.” ~various They are hard to avoid, in nature and in the news, and they are a cause of annoyance at best, and of a serious health caution at worst. Mosquitoes, or to be more...
Immortelle oil – to coagulate or not to coagulate?
I know I am not the only one puzzled by two seemingly contradictory properties that are claimed for Immortelle oil (Helichrysum italicum). Side note: you may know this as Helichrysum oil, but I am averse to co-opting a botanical name when there are several really...
Does Frankincense oil contain boswellic acid?
There are several boswellic acids (BAs) found in some Frankincense species (notably Boswellia serrata and B. sacra), and the BAs are credited with possessing, among others, antitumoral properties, with 11-keto-β-boswellic acid being one of the most useful...
Seville Lavender Oil
Among the many different species of Lavender, and one of the most interesting, is Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri (Rozeira) Rozeira, which is found only in Portugal and southwest Spain, and is often referred to as Seville Lavender. It is similar in appearance to...
The human volatilome – a molecular tour
Volatile compounds, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous. They are in plants, the air we breathe, everything we eat and drink, and every fluid and tissue in our body. Volatile compounds are used for either same-species or cross-species communication by...
Olfactory Training and Recovery of Smell Loss
Personal note: I’ve been working on this article on and off since 2016 when I first came across the concept of smell training as a treatment for smell loss. And while the work has been delayed, at the same time I witnessed the evolution of a clinically approved and...
Can Lavender oil cause breast growth in children?
The claim that Lavender essential oil has been linked to pre-pubertal breast growth in children has been making the rounds since 2007. The most recent publication of cases, in 2019, catapulted this claim back into the spotlight, unfortunately with more sensationalism...
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