Guide to essential oils

Essential oil of Juniper

Juniper essential oil has long been known for its soothing qualities in cases of rheumatism. As a draining agent, Juniper essential oil can be used to reduce the orange-peel appearance of cellulite and encourage the elimination of water. Juniper essential oil also provides strength and courage through its energising action.

How to use

  • Skin application and massage

    Skin application and massage

    Suitable

  • Cosmetic active ingredient

    Cosmetic active ingredient

    Suitable

  • Aromatherapy bath

    Aromatherapy bath

    Suitable

  • Diffusion

    Diffusion

    Appropriate

  • Food grade

    Food grade

    Appropriate

Features

Properties and uses

Precautions

Find out more

Features

Production process

Complete steam distillation

Part of the plant used

Berries

Botanical name

Juniperus communis ssp communis

Warning

The properties, information and methods of use below are quotes from reference books or websites on aromatherapy, hydrolatherapy and phytotherapy. This general information is provided for informative purposes only and in no way constitutes medical guidance. Under no circumstances can this information be used as a substitute for a medical diagnosis, consultation or follow-up, nor can it incur our liability. We recommend that you consult the guide to essential oils before using them, so that you are aware of any precautions that need to be taken. If in doubt, consult a doctor before using essential oils.

Properties and uses

Juniper essential oil is traditionally used for: Cellulite, arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatism

Health

Beauty

Wellness

Kitchen

Find out more

Properties

Juniper essential oil is recognised for its health properties:

  • Renowned in aromatherapy for combating the formation of kidney stones and promoting their disintegration.

  • Diuretic (eliminates water retention problems, promotes slimming).

  • Anti-rheumatic, it promotes the excretion of kidney toxins and uric acid.

  • Anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation).

  • Helps soothe pain when used percutaneously.

  • Intestinalanti-fermentative.

  • Digestivetonic and stimulant.

  • Lung antiseptic, Juniper essential oil has interesting properties in the fight against mycobacteria.

  • Slight antifungal activity .

Uses

It is traditionally used in the following situations:

  • Minor hepatopancreatic insufficiencies (on medical advice)

  • Biliary lithiasis (under medical supervision)

  • Kidney stones

    (under medical supervision)

  • Rheumatism, rheumatic pains

  • Arthritis, polyarthritis, gout, neuritis, osteoarthritis

  • Inflammatory and spasmodic colitis, fermentative enterocolitis

Synergies

  • Joint health, soothing : essential oils of Wintergreen, Lemon Eucalyptus

  • Helps to eliminate water : Lemon, Sea Fennel, Fennel essential oils

In practice

Toning, slimming: Mix into your oil blend. Apply your mixture locally, massaging firmly into the areas concerned.

Precautions

  • Do not use during pregnancy or in children under the age of 6.

  • Do not use in the case of kidney disease.

  • Do not use for prolonged periods without medical advice.

  • Keep out of reach of children.

  • Avoid contact with eyes.

  • Certain natural compounds contained in this essential oil may present a risk of allergy in certain sensitive individuals when the essential oil is incorporated into a cosmetic composition (in accordance with the 7th Amendment to the European Cosmetics Directive (2003/15/EC)): limonene.

  • As a general rule, always carry out a test application of your mixture in the crease of the elbow at least 48 hours before using it.

Find out more

Juniper is a shrub that grows on the slopes of Europe's mountains and has been used for centuries for its purifying and antiseptic properties. In the past, juniper wood was frequently burnt in towns to combat epidemics.Hippocrates is even said to havefought the plague in Athens using these fumigations.

Until the 19th century, juniper berries were burnt in French hospitals to purify the air.

Equivalents

Essential Oils

1 ml = approximately 35 drops (with our Aroma-Zone dropper caps)

Carrier oils

1 pump (Aroma-Zone aluminium pump) = approx. 0.15 ml

Mass / Volume conversion (for a liquid)

Mass (g) = Density x Volume (ml) at 20°C

Further information

1 full teaspoon = between 3 and 4.5 ml

1 full tablespoon = between 7.5 and 10 ml


However, these spoon ratios depend on a number of factors (e.g. viscosity of the liquid, temperature, depth and size of the spoon, rheological behaviour of the liquid), and we strongly advise you to use precise measuring equipment, such as graduated test tubes, graduated pipettes, and precision scales.

Aromatherapy recipes from the bibliography

EO = Essential Oil VO = Carrier Oil or Macerated Oil

Cellulite (L. Bosson)

BeautyBody care

  • Cypress hydrosol: 50 ml

  • Helichrysum italicum Hydrosol: 50 ml

  • Juniper Hydrosol: 50 ml

  • Rosemary verbenone hydrosol: 50 ml

Use: 1 tablespoon in 1 litre of water to be drunk during the day, for 40 days; repeat if necessary External use:

  • Cypress essential oil : 20 drops

  • Vetiver essential oil: 6 drops

  • Lemon zest essential oil: 10 drops

  • Juniper essential oil: 10 drops

  • Rosemary verbenone essential oil: 6 drops

  • Hazelnut oil : 30 ml

Use: Massage locally into the areas to be treated 2 times a day Note Aroma-Zone: Lemon essential oil is photosensitising. Do not expose yourself to the sun after applying this preparation. We advise you to replace it with Lemon essential oil without furocoumarins, which is not photosensitising.

Cellulite (D. Festy)

BeautyBody care

  • Helichrysum italicum essential oil: 2 ml

  • Menthol eucalyptus essential oil: 2 ml

  • Rosemary cineole essential oil: 5 ml

  • Atlas cedar essential oil: 5 ml

  • Green cypress essential oil: 2 ml

  • American wintergreen essential oil: 2 ml

  • Juniper essential oil: 3 ml

  • Linalool thyme essential oil: 2 ml

  • Hazelnut carrier oil: 20 ml

  • Moisturising and firming body lotion: Top up to 100 ml

Use: Apply with light massages morning and evening, just after cleansing.

Happy puffin tonic (H. Baron and T. Chagnoux)

BeautyHair & nail care

For approximately 200 ml of lotion:

  • Filtered water: 140 ml

  • Rosemary hydrosol: 25 ml

  • Cider vinegar: 20 ml

  • Jojoba oil: 5 ml

  • Glycerine: 10 ml

  • Rosemary essential oil: 15 drops

  • Lavender essential oil: 10 drops

  • Juniper essential oil: 8 drops

  • Cedar essential oil: 7 drops

Note: This lotion combines traditionally masculine scents, but you can modify it by adding sandalwood and ylang ylang essential oils.

Procedure: Mix all the ingredients in a sterilised bottle. Leave to stand for a few days before use.

Use: Rub into dry hair, massaging the scalp with your fingertips: massage the temples and the back of the head in circular movements, then move the skin of the head, keeping your hands flat along the skull. This lotion combines traditionally masculine scents, but you can modify it by incorporating sandalwood and ylang ylang essential oils.

Important note from Aroma-Zone: To improve the shelf life of this product, we recommend adding a preservative.

Refining night cream with guarana (S. Macheteau)

BeautyBody care

  • 52 g of Cinnamon bark hydrosol

  • 34 g of Bellis macerate

  • 14 g of Mimosa wax

  • 1 tsp of Guarana powder

  • 10 drops of Cinnamon essential oil

  • 10 drops of Ginger essential oil

  • 10 drops of Juniper essential oil

  • 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract

  • 7 drops of natural vitamin E

Method: For 100 ml of cream: Melt the wax in the macerate in a bain-marie. Once melted, gradually add the hydrosol and whisk until the mixture has cooled. Add the remaining ingredients and emulsify again. Apply every evening for at least one month to the targeted areas. Important note from Aroma-Zone: It's not easy to create a stable emulsion (cream, lotion) using only wax. Since waxes have a low emulsifying power, we recommend adding an emulsifier. You can find all Aroma-Zone emulsifiers by clicking here.

Anti-cellulite oil (N. Purchon)

BeautyBody care

  • Grapeseed oil: 3 tablespoons

  • Sweet almond carrier oil: 2 tablespoons

  • Wheat germ oil: 5 drops

  • Rosemary camphor essential oil: 20 drops

  • Fennel essential oil: 20 drops

  • Juniper essential oil: 15 drops

  • Grapefruit essential oil: 15 drops

  • Rose geranium essential oil: 5 drops

Uses:

- With a natural bristle brush, rub your skin dry, before bathing or showering (always rub in the direction of the heart, making small circular movements). Pour 2 teaspoons of product into the bath water, kneel down and splash onto yourself, massaging the droplets into your body.

- For a body massage after a shower, pour a little of the product in the palm of your hand and massage the still damp skin. The product can also be used for deep massages, kneading the flesh well.

Bibliography

1

Screening of five essential oils for identification of potential inhibitors of IL-1-induced Nf-kappaB activation and NO production in human chondrocytes: characterization of the inhibitory activity of alpha-pinene.

Neves A, Rosa S, Gonçalves J, Rufino A, Judas F, Salgueiro L, Lopes MC, Cavaleiro C, Mendes AF.

2

A comparative study on the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of five Juniperus taxa

Akkol EK, Güvenç A, Yesilada E.

3

Ferreir Myrcene mimics the peripheral analgesic activity of lemongrass tea

Berenice B. Lorenzetti, Glória E.P. Souza, Sílvio J. Sarti, David Santos Filho and Sérgio H.

4

Time-dependent diuretic response in rats treated with juniper berry preparations PTR.

STANIC G.; SAMARZIJA I.; BLAZEVIC N.

5

Antimycobacterial terpenoids

Andréa Y. Gordien, Alexander I. Gray, Scott G. Franzblau and Véronique Seidel

6

Antifungal activity of Juniperus essential oils against dermatophyte, Aspergillus and Candida strains Journal of Applied Microbiology

C. Cavaleiro, E. Pinto, M.J. Gonçalves and L. Salgueiro

7

Antibacterial and antifungal activity of juniper berry oil and its selected components.

Filipowicz N, Kamiński M, Kurlenda J, Asztemborska M, Ochocka JR.

8

Antimicrobial activity of juniper berry essential oil (Juniperus communis L., Cupressaceae)

Pepeljnjak S, Kosalec I, Kalodera Z, Blazević N.

9

'90 recettes de beauté Organic à faire soi-même'

Sophie Macheteau and Vanina Guet

10

'Les meilleures recettes de beauté naturelle'

Rita Stiens

11

"Cosmétiques naturels - Conseils et recettes plaisirs pour préserver sa santé au quotidien"

Tiphaine Chagnoux and Hélène Baron

12

"La bible de l'Aromathérapie"

N. Purchon

13

"Aromatherapy for Energy Healing"

L. Bosson

14

"ABC of essential oils"

Dr. Thierry Telphon

15

'L'aromathérapie exactement'

P. Franchomme and Dr D. Pénoël

16

'Huiles essentielles - 2000 ans de découvertes aromathérapeutiques pour une médecine d'avenir'

Dominique Baudoux

17

"Aromatherapy" by Nelly Grosjean

18

Aroma-News newsletters

NARD Association

19

Aromathérapie Corps et âme

André Bitsas - Editions Amyris

20

Les huiles essentielles culinaires

Ariane Erligmann

21

http://www.cfaitmaison.com/sansgluten/essence.html

22

http://www.email-gourmand.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=994913:la-cuisine-aux-huiles-essentielles&catid=69:gastronomie

23

http://www.rtbf.be/tv/emission/detail_un-gars-un-chef/actualites/article_les-regles-de-la-cuisine-aux-huiles-essentielles?id=8144748&emissionId=5931