Fennel
Foeniculum Vulgare
Fennel Oil is a spicy and aromatic oil which is used mostly in skincare and beauty due to its soothing properties. It can be used as a natural cleanser and toner, as well as blending with other oils in aromatherapy to create a calming blend to reduce anxiety and stress.
History of Fennel Oil
Fennel Oil is extracted via steam distillation from the seeds of Foeniculum vulgare, commonly known as fennel. Fennel is a well known and important medicinal and aromatic plant belonging to the family Apiaceae, widely known as the celery, carrot, or parsley family. Fennel is considered indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. However, it’s become naturalised in many parts of the world, including northern Europe, the United States, southern Canada, and much of Asia and Australia. Fennel is popularly used as a carminative, digestive, and diuretic as well as in treating respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders.
Fennel’s history is quite rich and intriguing. The ancient Egyptians used this flowering plant as a food and medicine, whereas the people of ancient China thought it can be used as a snake bite remedy. The ancient Greeks and Romans prized fennel as well. They used it as a medicine, food, and insect repellant. It was believed that fennel can drive away evil spirits and give courage to warriors prior to battle. In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire back from Zeus in a giant stalk of fennel and restored it to humanity.
Why should I give Fennel Oil a try?
Fennel Oil deserves to be considered because it boasts numerous desirable therapeutic properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and oestrogenic. Fennel Oil can assist with digestive disorders, gastrointestinal spasm, flatulence, nausea, constipation, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), diarrhea, abdominal spasm, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome, menopausal symptoms, cellulite, respiratory issues, bronchitis, and parasitic infections.
Fennel Oil has a sweet, slightly spicy, and faintly peppery aroma with an anise-like note. When diffused or inhaled, Fennel Oil can have an energising, vitalising, and balancing effect. Some aromatherapy practitioners recommend adding Fennel Oil to blends intended to promote mental clarity, focus, and stimulation. In addition to this, Fennel Oil can be included in natural fragrance formulas. It works really well with essential oils within the wood, citrus, spice, and mint families.
Fennel Oil can be used in inhalation blends to support weight loss. It can be helpful by balancing fluid retention and reducing appetite. This gorgeous oil can also help heal wounds (cuts in particular), fight free radical damage, assist with under-eye bags and rosacea, minimise pores, and even out imperfections.
Extracting Fennel Oil
Fennel Oil is steam-distilled from the fully ripened and dried seeds of Foeniculum vulgare, commonly known as fennel. Fennel is an important medicinal and aromatic plant belonging to the family Apiaceae, also known as the celery, carrot, or parsley family. This means that fennel is related to cumin, dill, caraway, and anise. Fennel is considered indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. However, it’s become naturalised in many parts of the world, including northern Europe, the United States, southern Canada, and much of Asia and Australia.
Steam distillation is one of the most popular methods for extracting and isolating essential oils from plants. This process happens when dry steam is passed through the plant material. The steam vaporises the plant material’s volatile compounds, which eventually go through a condensation and collection process. One of the most significant advantages of steam distillation is that it generates organic solvent-free products.
Fennel Oil boasts a sweet, spicy, and peppery aroma with an anise/licorice-like note. Its colour is clear with a faint yellow tinge and its consistency is thin. The strength of its initial scent is medium to strong. Fennel Oil is classified as a middle/top note.
The major chemical components of Fennel Oil are: (E)-anethole, (+)-limonene, fenchone, estragole, and alpha-pinene. Due to its high (E)-anethole content, Fennel Oil should be used carefully.
Can I make Fennel Oil at home?
Since the equipment needed for steam distillation is relatively inexpensive, we believe that trying to extract essential oils at home is a good option. In case you don’t want to invest in steam distillation equipment, you might succeed using a large pot with a lid, distilled water, and, of course, plant material to fill the pot about half full. However, this process might be too time-consuming for some of you and the quality of your product might not be as good as the one of its commercial counterparts. This is why we recommend purchasing 100% Pure Fennel Oil online.
Fennel Oil boasts a sweet, spicy, and peppery aroma with an anise/licorice-like note. Its colour is clear with a faint yellow tinge and its consistency is thin. The strength of its initial scent is medium to strong. Fennel Oil is classified as a middle/top note.
The major chemical components of Fennel Oil are: (E)-anethole, (+)-limonene, fenchone, estragole, and alpha-pinene. Due to its high (E)-anethole content, Fennel Oil should be used carefully.
Can I make Fennel Oil at home?
Since the equipment needed for steam distillation is relatively inexpensive, we believe that trying to extract essential oils at home is a good option. In case you don’t want to invest in steam distillation equipment, you might succeed using a large pot with a lid, distilled water, and, of course, plant material to fill the pot about half full. However, this process might be too time-consuming for some of you and the quality of your product might not be as good as the one of its commercial counterparts. This is why we recommend purchasing 100% Pure Fennel Oil online.
Fennel Oil Oil Varieties
Fennel Oil Varieties
Some experts distinguish two subspecies of fennel: piperitum and vulgare. The former has bitter seeds, while the latter has sweet seeds. Morphological differences between these two subspecies are not always clearly defined. The Fennel Oil variety popularly used in aromatherapy, massage blends, cosmetics, perfumery, and infusion blends is obtained from the seeds of the vulgare subspecies, which have a characteristic anise-like odour. The quality of this essential oil depends upon how well the fennel seeds have been dried. The oil from fully ripened and dried seeds tends to be sweeter and more fragrant.
It’s interesting to know that there is a variety of common fennel known as ‘Purpureum,’ ‘Bronze,’ ‘Rubrum,’ and ‘Smokey’ fennel. Its foliage is purple-bronze and it’s typically grown as a decorative garden plant. In addition to this, there’s Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum) - a cultivar group with inflated leaf bases which form a bulb-like structure. Florence fennel varieties include ‘Trieste’ and ‘Zefa Fino’ - the former has coppery bronze flowers, whereas the latter is a quick-growing variety.
So, how to shop smart when it comes to Fennel Oil?
When shopping for Fennel Oil in a physical or online store, the single most important thing to do is to look for its botanical name on the product label - Foeniculum vulgare. This is how you’ll be completely sure you’re buying real Fennel Oil. To fully experience the beauty of Fennel Oil, we strongly advise you to opt for 100% Pure Fennel Oil. Make sure the product you decide on isn’t an adulterated version of the oil or a blend (unless, of course, you’re looking for a specific combo).
Have you ever used Fennel Oil? What about fennel seeds? Do you like their unique aroma? Which of the two natural products do you prefer? As always, feel free to start a conversation on any essential oil-related topic.
It’s interesting to know that there is a variety of common fennel known as ‘Purpureum,’ ‘Bronze,’ ‘Rubrum,’ and ‘Smokey’ fennel. Its foliage is purple-bronze and it’s typically grown as a decorative garden plant. In addition to this, there’s Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum) - a cultivar group with inflated leaf bases which form a bulb-like structure. Florence fennel varieties include ‘Trieste’ and ‘Zefa Fino’ - the former has coppery bronze flowers, whereas the latter is a quick-growing variety.
So, how to shop smart when it comes to Fennel Oil?
When shopping for Fennel Oil in a physical or online store, the single most important thing to do is to look for its botanical name on the product label - Foeniculum vulgare. This is how you’ll be completely sure you’re buying real Fennel Oil. To fully experience the beauty of Fennel Oil, we strongly advise you to opt for 100% Pure Fennel Oil. Make sure the product you decide on isn’t an adulterated version of the oil or a blend (unless, of course, you’re looking for a specific combo).
Have you ever used Fennel Oil? What about fennel seeds? Do you like their unique aroma? Which of the two natural products do you prefer? As always, feel free to start a conversation on any essential oil-related topic.
Benefits of Fennel Oil
At Essentially Yours, we pride ourselves on doing the necessary research to enrich our understanding of aromatherapy and essential oils in general. This enables us to help you choose the best oils, blends, and methods of application for your wants and needs. We believe that familiarising you with each and every one of our products, the numerous benefits they offer, and the adverse side effects that occur when they aren’t properly used is the least we can do, hence these blog posts. In this particular blog, we are going to dive into some of the many fantastic benefits of Fennel Oil.
Fennel Oil is a spicy essential oil that can:
Relieve digestive problems
It’s reported that Fennel Oil can assist with gastrointestinal spasm, abdominal cramping, flatulence, nausea, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), and diarrhea. Fennel Oil can also relieve constipation and get rid of bloating. To harness this amazing health benefit, dilute a few drops of 100% Pure Fennel Oil with a carrier oil and rub the mixture on your stomach or the bottom of your feet. Do not take Fennel Oil internally without advanced essential oil knowledge or a consultation with a qualified aromatherapy practitioner.
Heal wounds
Thanks to its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory qualities, Fennel Oil can promote wound healing. Diluted Fennel Oil can be a wonderful home remedy for cuts. If you deal with such injuries on a regular basis, adding Fennel Oil to your collection is a smart choice.
Promote skin health
It’s reported that Fennel Oil can soothe, tone, and strengthen the skin. It can reduce puffiness, treat under-eye bags, and even minimise rosacea symptoms. In addition to this, Fennel Oil can be used to minimise pores, even out imperfections, protect the epidermis (the thin, outer layer of the skin that’s visible to the eye) against free radicals, and re-energise the skin.
Help with weight loss
Fennel Oil can be used in inhalation blends to support weight loss. It can be helpful by balancing fluid retention and suppressing appetite. Again, taking Fennel Oil internally without expert advice isn’t advisable. This safety information applies to every other essential oil as well.
Promote relaxation
Fennel Oil boasts a sweet, slightly spicy, and faintly peppery scent with an anise-like note. When diffused or inhaled, Fennel Oil can have an energising, vitalising, and balancing effect. Some aromatherapy practitioners recommend adding Fennel Oil to blends intended to promote relaxation, mental clarity, focus, and stimulation. To calm your anxious mind, consider pairing Fennel Oil with Lavender Oil.
When it comes to using Fennel Oil, it’s important to remember that it’s contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding as well as for patients with endometriosis, estrogen-dependent cancers, and epilepsy. Young children too should steer clear of this oil. Additionally, Fennel Oil shouldn’t be used if it has oxidised. The recommended dermal maximum is 2.5%.
Uses of Fennel Oil
We, the Essentially Yours team, take immense pleasure in learning and sharing our knowledge, tips, and tricks to help you deepen your understanding of aromatherapy and essential oils in general. Whether you are thinking about adding a certain oil or blend to your collection and want to learn its dos and don’ts or you are simply curious about the various methods of oil application - we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we are going to explore some of the most popular ways of using Fennel Oil - an essential oil we can’t stop talking about.
Fennel Oil can be used in many different ways, including:
In a diffuser
Fennel Oil’s sweet, spicy, peppery, and anise-like aroma can have an energising, vitalising, and balancing effect. To promote mental clarity, focus, and stimulation, diffuse 3-4 drops of 100% Pure Fennel Oil. This oil is a great choice when you need an extra push to get things done. To create a relaxing atmosphere, blend a few drops of Fennel Oil with a few drops of Lavender Oil. You can diffuse these two together or dilute them with your favourite carrier oil and rub the mixture on your neck and chest.
In inhalation blends
It’s reported that Fennel Oil can be used in inhalation blends to support weight loss by balancing fluid retention and suppressing appetite. You can mix it with Bergamot Oil, Lemon Oil, Peppermint Oil, and/or Cinnamon Oil. All of these essential oils can help with weight loss. If blends are not exactly your cup of tea, you can put a few drops of Fennel Oil onto a handkerchief and smell the aroma every hour. This can help you keep your food cravings at bay. To keep the scent potent, reapply Fennel Oil to the handkerchief several times a day.
In skincare
Fennel Oil can do wonders for your skin. It can reduce puffiness, treat under-eye bags, assist with rosacea, minimise pores, even out imperfections, and protect the epidermis against free radicals. To reap this benefit, dilute a few drops of the essential oil with a carrier oil (we recommend Coconut Oil) and apply the combo to the desired area. You can also incorporate Fennel Oil in your DIY skincare product recipes.
In massage blends
To take advantage of Fennel Oil’s ability to help relieve gas, bloating and constipation, dilute a few drops of 100% Pure Fennel Oil with a carrier oil and rub the mixture on your belly or the bottom of your feet. Please bear in mind that Fennel Oil shouldn’t be taken internally without advanced essential oil knowledge or a consultation with a qualified aromatherapy practitioner.
In natural fragrances
Fennel Oil’s unique licorice-like aroma makes it a wonderful ingredient in natural perfumes. Since Fennel Oil is classified as a middle to top note, it can be the core of your fragrance.
Blends well with
Fennel Oil is a spicy essential oil that carries antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, oestrogenic, carminative, digestive, and diuretic properties. It blends well with essential oils within the wood, citrus, spice, and mint families. Our picks are Sandalwood, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Black Pepper, and Peppermint. Let’s take a close look at each of them.
Sandalwood Oil
Sandalwood Oil boasts a rich, deep, and sweet yet delicate and woody aroma. Sandalwood Oil is highly valued for its versatility. It can be used in perfumery, skincare, and, of course, aromatherapy. When diffused or inhaled, Sandalwood Oil calms and instills a sense of inner peace. It can help with stress, depression, and low self-esteem. Additionally, Sandalwood Oil can assist with bronchitis, chapped, dry, sensitive, and oily skin, scars, and stretch marks.
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Bergamot Oil
This citrus oil possesses a uniquely complex aroma with underlying bitter and floral characteristics. It’s prized for its ability to both calm and uplift. In addition to this, Bergamot Oil can assist with acne, abscesses, boils, itching, and oily skin. Since both Fennel Oil and Bergamot Oil can promote skin health, they can be powerful ingredients in skincare products.
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Grapefruit Oil
Grapefruit Oil is an orange-tinted essential oil with a pleasantly sweet, tangy aroma. It’s one of the most frequently used oils in aromatherapy. This citrus oil energises without being too strong or overpowering. It can help with acne, oily skin, cellulitis, dull skin, toxin build-up, water retention, and nervous exhaustion. Since Grapefruit Oil is phototoxic (can cause a skin reaction when exposed to the sun), some experts recommend a dermal maximum of 4%.
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Black Pepper Oil
This spicy oil smells fresh, crisp, and somewhat peppery. Black Pepper Oil’s aroma is stimulating and can help enhance alertness and stamina. Black Pepper Oil can also relieve aches and pains, ease the discomfort of constipation, diarrhea, and gas, and encourage circulation. In aromatherapy, Black Pepper Oil works really well with most other essential oils and it can serve as a bridge between fleeting top notes and heavy base notes.
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Peppermint Oil
Peppermint Oil is a popular essential oil with an intense minty scent. At low dilutions, this oil is fresh and quite uplifting. Peppermint Oil is a great choice for blends intended to promote alertness and stimulation. It can also assist with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), flatulence, nausea, asthma, headaches, the common cold, itchy skin, and muscle pain.
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