Basil
Ocimum Basilicum
Basil Oil is a versatile and easy to access essential oil that is commonly used in aromatherapy, as well as natural beauty products to treat skin irritation. It has a sweet yet earthy fragrance, and is popular in aromatherapy to treat headaches, stress and anxiety.
History of Basil Oil
There is no definitive moment in time where Basil Oil was discovered, but it has recorded uses around 800AD in China. Despite it being used in China initially, Basil Oil is associated mostly with India as it grew in popularity for its healing properties as well as using the basil leaf in cooking. Basil Oil cemented itself in multiple religions and cultural practices, and was considered holy and sacred. Whether basil was buried with bodies to help them progress to the afterlife, or hung in households as a symbol of good fortune - its ancient uses are still practiced widely today, as basil is used to form oils, powders, dried herb mixes and used in a lot of modern hygiene products. It’s also easy to grow at home, and accessible for a lot of countries to access in supermarkets should they wish.
There are many varieties of the basil plant, and the type of plant used to create oil varies from country to country, as the basil leaves used in Asia vary from what you would find in europe. Aside from making a versatile and popular essential oil, the basil leaf itself is used in cooking, whether it’s to add depth and flavour to a salad, create a pasta sauce or season meat with
So, why has Basil Oil survived through the ages as a staple for multiple cultures?
It’s survived through the ages because it’s incredibly versatile, and the plant (regardless of the oil) can be grown easily in the comfort of your own home, which makes it attractive to people who don’t have a lot of money to invest in expensive oils or plants. You’ll notice that Basil Oil is popular in aromatherapy as it can help to treat a number of issues, such as soothing headaches and uplifting the mind. Basil Oil has also been used by some as a natural antidepressant and anti-anxiety remedy because of this!
In beauty products, Basil Oil is used. Whether it’s to create a nourishing soap bar, or a soothing facial cream, check the back of your beauty products - you’ll be surprised to see how many of them include Basil in them! It can also be used topically to treat skin irritations, and is popular amongst travellers as a natural insect repellent, whilst soothing small bug bites and rashes!
Extracting Basil Oil
Basil Oil is extracted most popularly by steam distillation from the leaves and flowering tops of the plant. Steam distillation - also known as “steam extraction” involves separating the oil from the plant using steam, and then separating the oil from the water after it has condensed and cooled down completely. This is a gentle way of extracting the essential oil, and is one of the most popular ways to extract from delicate plants, whilst still yielding a substantial amount of oil.
Can I make Basil Oil at home?
Basil plants are very easy to access in a lot of western countries, as the plant can be sold in supermarkets or at garden centres. In other developing countries, growing basil is still considered ‘easy’ as it can grow indoors and needs minimal care in comparison to other plants that may need hotter/cooler temperatures to thrive. Making Basil Oil at home (essential) can only be achieved through steam distillation. This would require you to own or rent a small distiller and follow the instructions to make the oil. With Basil Oil being inexpensive to buy, some may find the DIY approach too time consuming in comparison to how much it costs. However, if you are someone who regularly makes essential oils at home and you already own a distiller - you may love the idea of making Basil Oil at home! All you need is Basil leaves, some water and a glass UV protected bottle to store it in!
What do you think about Basil Oil? Is it a staple in your collection? We’d love to hear your thoughts (as well as how else you have extracted it at home) so feel free to submit it to the Essentially Yours team!
Can I make Basil Oil at home?
Basil plants are very easy to access in a lot of western countries, as the plant can be sold in supermarkets or at garden centres. In other developing countries, growing basil is still considered ‘easy’ as it can grow indoors and needs minimal care in comparison to other plants that may need hotter/cooler temperatures to thrive. Making Basil Oil at home (essential) can only be achieved through steam distillation. This would require you to own or rent a small distiller and follow the instructions to make the oil. With Basil Oil being inexpensive to buy, some may find the DIY approach too time consuming in comparison to how much it costs. However, if you are someone who regularly makes essential oils at home and you already own a distiller - you may love the idea of making Basil Oil at home! All you need is Basil leaves, some water and a glass UV protected bottle to store it in!
What do you think about Basil Oil? Is it a staple in your collection? We’d love to hear your thoughts (as well as how else you have extracted it at home) so feel free to submit it to the Essentially Yours team!
Bergamot Oil Varieties
Basil Oil Varieties
There are over 100 species of Basil, with the potential of in excess of 150. The most common Basil plant used to create essential oil is Sweet Basil, but Thai Basil is used more frequently in asian countries due to its accessibility and popularity not just as an oil, but using the leaves in cooking too. You may also find that Basil Oil can be named “Holy”, “Sweet” and “Tropical” depending on the brand.
So, how do I know which variety of Basil Oil I should be using?
There isn’t a huge difference in outcome when using different varieties of Basil Oil, aside from the scent may be slightly different. Where the oil is so versatile, you’ll find that it can be used from beauty, to aromatherapy and all the way to cleaning in the home. What we recommend is researching what you want to achieve with your Basil Oil and seeing what others are saying about each variety.
Please note that a lot of the benefits of Basil Oil can often be specific to one person, so take the reviews as anecdotal and not factual. As a rule of thumb, we love Sweet Basil Oil because it is commonly found, it’s versatile, and most importantly it’s affordable! It blends beautifully with a number of other essential oils on the market, and can be used to make many DIY products in the home such as soap, sprays and of course to be used in aromatherapy.
What is your favourite variety of Basil Oil? We love hearing your stories. Feel free to submit yours to the Essentially Yours team today!
So, how do I know which variety of Basil Oil I should be using?
There isn’t a huge difference in outcome when using different varieties of Basil Oil, aside from the scent may be slightly different. Where the oil is so versatile, you’ll find that it can be used from beauty, to aromatherapy and all the way to cleaning in the home. What we recommend is researching what you want to achieve with your Basil Oil and seeing what others are saying about each variety.
Please note that a lot of the benefits of Basil Oil can often be specific to one person, so take the reviews as anecdotal and not factual. As a rule of thumb, we love Sweet Basil Oil because it is commonly found, it’s versatile, and most importantly it’s affordable! It blends beautifully with a number of other essential oils on the market, and can be used to make many DIY products in the home such as soap, sprays and of course to be used in aromatherapy.
What is your favourite variety of Basil Oil? We love hearing your stories. Feel free to submit yours to the Essentially Yours team today!
Benefits of Basil Oil
Basil Oil has been around for thousands of years, and originated in China and India as a staple - whether that was using the leaves raw in cooking, or creating herbs and oils to be used as medicine. Today, it is still widely used in a lot of beauty products, as its anti-inflammatory properties and sweet, spicy scent is loved by the cosmetics industry.
So, what are the benefits of using Basil Oil?
Keep insects away
If you aren’t a fan of chemical sprays and lotions, apply a bit of Basil Oil to the skin and you’ll keep insects at bay. Basil Oil is popular amongst travellers for this reason as sometimes shop-bought repellent can be pricey and hard to come by.
Scent fabrics and your home without harsh chemicals
If you want to give your fabrics, upholstery and clothes a refreshing lift, you can create your own water based sprays to eliminate odour that can accumulate on furniture and other fabrics in the home. If you don’t want to spray anything directly, you can also put a few drops of Basil Oil in an electric diffuser which will effortlessly scent the whole home - with very little effort! If you prefer to mix your oils, you can do this too. Lavender and Basil work well, as does Jasmine!
Relieves stress and anxiety
Basil Oil is a natural antidepressant, so is effective in aromatherapy to relieve stress and anxiety, and when combined with other oils such as Lavender, can help to aid restful sleep!
Improved complexion and skin health
When used topically (mixed with a carrier oil or diluted in water) it is a natural toner for the skin, and is gentle on acne prone skin - leaving your complexion feeling and looking plump, hydrated and glowing.
These are just some of the benefits of using Basil Oil, and we wanted to share our ultimate favourites! You’ll see that the oil pairs well with others, and can be used for multiple things (whether that’s beauty or around the home).
Please note that the benefits of using Basil Oil may vary from person to person. It’s all down to how you respond and what types of blends you like to make at home!
Uses of Basil Oil
Basil Oil has been used for thousands of years in alternative medicine, beauty and cooking. Whether it’s soothing an insect bite or relieving yourself from a headache - the versatility of Basil Oil is what has made it so popular even today! Basil Oil is beautifully fragrant and compliments a number of other essential oils, making it a staple for a lot of essential oil users. It is also a plant that can easily be grown in the comfort of your own home, so if the oil is already working wonders for you, you can benefit from drying out the leaves or using them fresh in cooking, too!
Aromatherapy
Basil Oil is popular in aromatherapy as it compliments a number of essential oils as well as performing beautifully on its own. Basil Oil adds an interesting but non-overpowering layer of fragrance whilst working to combat anxiety, stress and headaches.
Air/fabric freshener
Whether it’s in a spray bottle, or an electric diffuser, Basil Oil works perfectly mixed with other oils or on its own to create a fragrance for the home, or to refresh linen and other soft furnishings.
Vapour rub
Apply on to the chest with some carrier oil, and you have a perfect vapour rub!
Skin health and breakouts
You can use Basil Oil as a toner to even out the skin, as well as an acne treatment.
Hair health
Using this with a carrier oil to create a restoring hair mask can help to promote hair growth, as well as act as an anti-bacterial for your scalp and stimulate healthy oil production.
Muscle pain
Whether you dilute this into a bath with epsom salts, or you massage this into your skin after combining it with a carrier oil (we recommend something fast absorbing like Almond), Basil Oil soothes aching muscles and naturally treats the pain.
Blends well with
Here at Essentially Yours, we love sharing with our readers as much information as possible so they can get the most out of their essential oil collection. Whether you want to understand the history behind an oil, find out which variety will work best for you, or, you want to get some DIY tips on how to make the oil at home - all that information will be on our website! In this blog we are going to be talking specifically about Basil Oil, which for some will be a staple in their collection. Popular amongst athletes to help alleviate muscle aches and pains, Basil Oil is popular in aromatherapy as it works beautifully on its own, or blended with others to create an experience for the senses. So, if you want to learn more about which other oils Basil blends well with, keep reading!
Jojoba Oil
A carrier oil rich in moisture and silky when applied on the skin, this works as a perfect companion with Basil Oil and can be used as a moisturiser or as a massage rub to be used over the whole body. As this oil is rich, we recommend applying before bed as it may be too oily to wear during the day (you don’t want it to transfer on to your clothes).
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Coconut Oil
Another popular oil that is used in massage, Coconut Oil is a carrier oil that also works well with Basil Oil and can be used as a moisturiser, for your hair and also to create some other beauty products. Remember, this is an oil that can turn solid at certain room temperatures, so keep this in mind when blending it with Basil Oil.
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Bergamot Oil
Fragrant and full of antibacterial and antioxidant properties, its scent and benefits combined makes it a perfect companion for Basil Oil. Blending the two works well in aromatherapy, or also putting a few drops in your bath of each to create a relaxing haven.
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Grapefruit Oil
Tart and sometimes bitter, like Lemon Oil, Grapefruit has a unique tang to it that works with Basil to create scents that can keep you feeling alert, whilst also alleviating stress. If you like citrus in your home, you can also use some drops of grapefruit oil to create a cleaner, too. One of our favourite DIY candles is using Grapefruit and Basil oil!
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Lavender Oil
Some could argue and say that Lavender Oil is the holy grail of essential oils, because it blends with most others out there! To create a calming and spicy aroma, blend this with Basil and use it as part of your aromatherapy or to aid restful sleep - you can thank us later!
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