Guide to essential oils

Essential oil of Provencal cypress

Provençal Cypress essential oil has long been known for its exceptional tonic and circulatory qualities. A regulator, Provençal Cypress essential oil is also traditionally reputed to reduce excessive perspiration. Its soothing action makes Provençal Cypress essential oil a must for calming coughs.

How to use

  • Skin application and massage

    Skin application and massage

    Suitable

  • Aromatherapy bath

    Aromatherapy bath

    Appropriate

  • Food grade

    Food grade

    Possible but not recommended

  • Diffusion

    Diffusion

    Possible but not recommended

  • Cosmetic active ingredient

    Cosmetic active ingredient

    Appropriate

Features

Properties and uses

Precautions

Find out more

Features

Production process

Complete steam distillation

Part of the plant used

Leaves, twigs and branches

Botanical name

Cupressus sempervirens

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

Provençal Cypress essential oil is traditionally used for: Couperose, rosacea, perspiration, hemorrhoids, heavy legs, varicose veins, menopause.

Health

Find out more

Properties

For health, Provençal Cypress essential oil is recognised for the following properties:

  • Venous, lymphatic and prostate decongestant

  • Cough suppressant, antispasmodic

  • Sweat regulator

  • Estrogen mimetic action

  • Studies show interesting activity against the herpes labialis virus (HS-I)

  • General nerve balancer

Uses

It is traditionally used to improve the following issues:

  • Venous congestion: varicose veins, heavy legs, haemorrhoids, venous stasis, etc.

  • Asthenia, mental fatigue

  • Excessive perspiration

  • Prostate congestion

  • Respiratory infections, coughs

  • Enuresis

  • Menopause and menopausal syndrome

Synergies

  • Helps stop minor bleeding: Gum Rockrose essential oil

  • Regenerating, soothing: Spike Lavender essential oil

  • Helps prostate health: Mastic Tree essential oil

  • Tonic: Ravintsara essential oil

  • Helps regulate sweating: Clary sage essential oil

In practice

Tonic, lighter legs : mix in your oil blend. Massage or rub the mixture into the affected areas.

Respiratory comfort: blend into your oil blend. Massage or rub your blend into the chest and upper back.

Revitalised, light legs: Mix into your dispersible bath preparation. Pour the blend into the hot bath water. Breathe in and relax.

Precautions

  • Do not use in pregnant or breastfeeding women, or in children.

  • No prolonged use without medical advice.

  • Due to a possible oestrogen-like effect, not recommended in cases of mastopathy or hormone-dependent cancers (breast, ovary, endometrium).

  • Keep out of reach of children.

  • Avoid all contact with eyes.

  • Some natural compounds in this essential oil may pose an allergy risk to sensitive individuals when incorporated into cosmetic formulations (according to the 7th Amendment of the European Cosmetics Directive (2003/15/EC)): limonene, linalool.

  • As a general rule, always perform a patch test of your mixture in the crease of the elbow at least 48 hours before use.

  • For use as a cosmetic ingredient, please refer to specific precautions.

Find out more

An iconic example of Mediterranean flora, Cypress trees appear in many legends as a symbol of eternal life. The Persians saw cypress as a symbol of death, and popes were buried in cypress coffins, but the trees were also used as the guardian of estates.

Thanks to their long roots, they can draw water from deep within the soil, and their narrow leaves with tightly-packed scales limit evaporation. The Mediterranean Cypress is therefore able to keep its brilliant green colour all year long!

Aromatherapy recipes from the bibliography

EO = Essential Oil VO = Carrier Oil or Macerated Oil

Couperose (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingSkin problems

  • 2 drops of Provençal Cypress essential oil
  • 1 drop of Helichrysum Italicum essential oil (Helichrysum)
  • 2 drops of Gum Rockrose essential oil
  • 4 drops of Rose Geranium CV Egypt essential oil
  • 4 drops of tamanu carrier oil

Block text for Aromatherapy recipes from the Bibliography

Use: Apply 3 drops of the mixture topically in the morning and evening until you see a noticeable improvement.

Varicose eczema (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingSkin problems

  • 0.5 ml Mentha piperita essential oil (peppermint)
  • 1 ml Pistacia lentiscus (mastic tree) essential oil
  • 4 ml Eucalyptus citriodora (lemon eucalyptus) essential oil
  • 2 ml Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress) essential oil
  • 2 ml Laurus nobilis (bay laurel) essential oil
  • 2 ml Thymus vulgaris CT thujanol essential oil (can be replaced by thujanol marjoram essential oil)
  • 4 ml Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil
  • 10 ml Calophyllum Inophylum (tamanu) carrier oil
  • add up to 100 ml extra Triticum vulgare (wheat germ) carrier oil as required for product optimisation

Use: If accompanied by itching, add 0.5 ml of Tanacetum annuum (blue tansy). Apply 2 to 3 times a day, locally to the eczema. As a supplement to oral administration of tamanu oil

.

Spasmodic cough (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingRespiratory problems

  • 2 ml of Tarragon essential oil
  • 3 ml Mediterranean cypress essential oil
  • 1 ml Seville orange essential oil

Use: 6 drops of the mixture 4 times a day on the chest and upper back for 5 days, or 2 drops 3 times a day on 1/4 lump of white sugar.

Dry, spasmodic cough (Aroma news - Nard)

Health & wellbeingRespiratory problems

  • 3 ml Cupressus sempervirens essential oil (Mediterranean Cypress)
  • 1 ml of Artemisia dracunculus essential oil (Tarragon)
  • 1 ml Cananga odorata essential oil (Ylang-Ylang Complete)
  • 2 ml Melaleuca quinquenervia CT cineole essential oil (Niaouli Cineole)
  • 1 ml Myrtus communis CT cineole essential oil (Myrtle Cineole)

Directions for use: 8 drops on the chest and 8 drops on the back 3 to 5 times a day as required.

Haemorrhoids (D. Baudoux)

Health & wellbeingCirculatory disorders

  • 1 drop of Gum Rockrose essential oil
  • 1 drop of Mediterranean Cypress essential oil
  • 1 drop of Scented Geranium essential oil
  • 20 drops of St John's wort carrier oil

Use: Apply topically.

Varicose veins (on medical advice) (P. Franchomme)

Health & wellbeingCirculatory disorders

  • 1 ml Pistacia lentiscus (mastic tree) essential oil
  • 1 ml Helichrysum italicum essential oil (Immortelle)
  • 2 ml Melaleuca quinquenervia CT cineole essential oil (Niaouli)
  • 3 ml Cupressus sempervirens essential oil (Mediterranean Cypress)
  • 5 ml Calophyllum Inophylum oil (tamanu)
  • Supplement with 100 g Gel

Directions for use: 2 to 3 applications per day locally for 20 days.

Varicose veins (on medical advice) (D. Festy)

Health & wellbeingCirculatory disorders

  • 2 drops Cypress essential oil
  • 2 drops of Niaouli essential oil
  • 1 drop of peppermint essential oil
  • 2 drops Juniper essential oil
  • 1 drop of Mastic Tree essential oil
  • 1 drop Patchouli essential oil
  • 1 teaspoon of tamanu carrier oil

Directions for use: Massage into the legs morning and evening, working upwards from the ankles.

Hot flushes (D. Festy)

Health & wellbeingHormonal and metabolic disorders

  • 1 drop of Cypress essential oil
  • 1 drop of Helichrysum essential oil
  • 1 drop of Mastic Tree essential oil
  • 1 drop of Clary sage essential oil
  • 1 teaspoon of tamanu carrier oil

Directions for use: Massage the solar plexus and lower back with this mixture, 2 to 3 times a day, 20 days a month.

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.

Bibliography

1

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

Dominique Baudoux

2

Aromatherapy

Dr Jean Valnet - Éditions Maloine

3

"L'Aromathérapie exactement"

P. Franchomme and Dr D. Pénoël

4

'La Bible de l'aromathérapie'

Nerys Purchon

5

"ABC des huiles essentielles"

Dr Telphon

6

Aromatherapy

Nelly Grosjean

7

'Les huiles essentielles pour votre santé'

G. Roulier

8

'Les cahiers pratiques de l'aromathérapie française - Pédiatrie'

Dominique Baudoux - Editions Amyris

9

Aroma-News newsletters

NARD Association

10

'Aromatherapy - Healing with essential oils'

Dominique Baudoux - Editions Amyris