When you finish reading an Aromahead Institute blog post I want you have a new idea or new information that will actually mean something to you.

I love blogging. When I write, I imagine you on the other end reading the post. I feel the connection with you out there on the World Wide Web! I actually feel as if I have spent time with you while I write, especially those of you who comment! I think of the people who comment when I write new posts, and I consider your comments on my future blog posts.

When I started writing this blog I wondered if  I could possibly feel connected via the Internet, by writing. I was surprised to find that I do feel connected. I have made new friends, learned from your ideas, recipes and thoughts.

I value your feedback.  Can you help me shape the way I connect with you at the Aromahead Blog?

• What do you enjoy reading about?
• What do you want to hear more about?
• What makes you look forward to reading each new Aromahead blog post?
• Do you prefer certain types of posts to others?

Thank you for being on the other end of these words, and thank you for taking the time to comment!

What is so great about geraniol?

1. It is cooling. When you make a spray with an oil high in geraniol (try palmarosa) and spray it on the back of you neck on a hot summer day, the relief comes fast! You can also try a cool palmarosa lotion after your shower.
2. It is antifungal. I know that fungus is not as much fun to talk about as palmarosa lotion, but if you are dealing with a fungus, palmarosa is your oil. Not only will it help to calm the fungus but it will nourish the skin around the fungus too.
3. It is anti-inflammatory. We all know that when you reduce inflammation, you reduce pain. Enough said?

Do you have a favorite palmarosa recipe you can share?

Here are some natural measures that may help:

Diffusing Lavender Essential Oil: I use the spa mist diffuser on my nightstand.  About thirty minutes before bedtime, I add five drops of Lavender and turn it on.  When I head to bed, the entire room has a comforting, relaxing lavender aroma.  In a pinch, I’ll just drop one or two drops right onto the side of the mattress near my pillow.  A cotton ball works just as well.

Essential Oil Blends for Sleep: When blending for sleep, use your nose and your instincts.  You’ve got many great choices.  I try to keep it simple using unscented lotion or jojoba oil as the carrier.  I apply the lotion to the back of my neck and wrists.  Oils like Rosewood, Roman Chamomile and Lavender work beautifully in sleep blends.

Here are some additional sleep tips that help me:

• Consider removing your television set from the bedroom.
• Eliminate indoor allergens whenever possible.  (By cleaning the sheets often, avoiding curtains, using an air purifier and a room spray with essential oils.)
• Have a comfortable temperature in the room.  This may mean more or less clothing, thinner or thicker comforters, or opening the windows.
• Keep it dark.  If you have trouble sleeping, even an overly-bright clock can keep you up.
• If you’re getting lost in your thoughts, just get up and do something soothing for a while, like reading a favorite magazine.
• Avoid caffeine, at least in the late afternoons and evenings.
• Tell yourself sweet stories and remember what was great about your day!

Here are a few of my favorite carrier oils:

Avocado oil (Laurus persea or Persea gratissima) is highly penetrating.  It deeply nourishes and softens dry skin. It prevents chapping, cracks and stretch marks. It promotes cell regeneration (great with Helichrysum essential oil), is used for skin inflammation and used to clean the skin. I like to wash my face with warm water and a small amount of Avocado oil. It is also used as a carrier for arthritis pain blends. Avocado oil adds a vibrant green color to your blend!


Baobab oil (Adansonia digitata). The Baobab Tree is a traditional African tree whose seeds make an oil that is luscious and has a wonderful nutty aroma. The oil is  deeply nourishing and softens dry skin. It is known to restore and re-moisturize the epidermis. I like to use it in blends for relieving Eczema and Psoriasis. Alleviates pain from burns and regenerates epithelial tissue quickly, especially when you add Lavender essential oil to it.


Cocoa butter (Theobroma nucifera) Cocoa butter is a beautiful, hard, solid aromatic butter pressed from the roasted seeds of the Cacao tree  in West Africa  It is highly protective of our skin and adds an incredibly silky texture to body butters. It contains about 5 IU of vitamin E per ounce and improves skin flexibility and health. Cocoa butter is particularly praised for its antioxidant properties. It is commonly used to treat wrinkles around the eyes and corners of the mouth.


Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) has a fresh coconut aroma. It is moisturizing and serves as a protective layer, helping to retain the moisture in your skin. Coconut oil is mild and generally safe for people with inflamed, irritated and sensitive skin. It is used for nail and cuticle treatment, fungus treatment and for healing for dry, itchy skin. It adds a tropical aroma to your body butters, and blends beautifully with Cocoa Butter.


Kombo butter (Pycnanthus anglensis) offers many wonderful benefits for our skin. I like to melt it with other butters like shea butter and cocoa butter for a rich, aromatic, healing body butter. Kombo butter is anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and antiseptic. It is used with essential oils for aching joints and muscles and for dry or irritated skin conditions. Kombo butter is high in Myristoleic acid. Myristoleic acid is used to treat pain in the muscles and joints for arthritis and gout.


Kpangnan butter (Pentadesma butyracea) is pronounced “Panya.” I have found this butter to be even more moisturizing than shea butter and has a slight warming effect on the skin when applied. Studies have found that Kpangnan contains a high amount of stigmasterol, an unsaturated plant sterol that contains anti-inflammatory and pain relieving agents. For a solid butter the texture is softer than expected and it adds a luscious feel to body butters. The aroma is gentle and nutty.


Marula oil (Sclerocarya birrea) is a wonderful golden carrier oil with a very light aroma (nice for people who do not want a strong aroma). It can be used on its own for massage or as a great base for essential oils or butter blends. It protects and nourishes the skin and is good for oily skin and hair. Relieves dermatitis, eczema and Psoriasis. It helps heal sunburns and heals chapped/irritated skin.


West African Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii) is obtained by cold pressing of the fruit of the Karite tree. Shea butter is known as an excellent moisturizer. It assist dryness, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and burns. Shea is used as a lip balm, salve base, and moisturizer for all dry skin conditions. It is also used for sun-damaged skin and for long-term health of the skin.


Tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum), extracted from the fruit of the tree, is renowned for its remarkable skin healing properties. It greatly aids wound healing of severe cuts and burns. It acts as an effective germicide to kill or prevent infection. It is used for shingles and skin ulcers. Tamanu oil’s ability to heal damaged skin is well researched. Tamanu oil promotes new tissue formation, accelerating healing and healthy skin growth. It is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal.


Palm kernel oil (Elaeis guineensis) is amazing. The aroma alone is rich, nutty, and unique. It lends a smooth texture to all body butters, soaps and salves. It is wonderfully emollient and has cooling properties. It prevents dry hair and lips and us used as a nail and cuticle treatment. Good for healing for dry, itchy skin. It softens and lubricates the skin.


Please note: Be sure to buy raw, organic, unrefined and non-deodorized carriers and butters. The refining/deodorizing process uses heat and or solvents and can strip the butter/carrier of its natural vitamins and minerals. All these butters and carriers can be purchased through Aromatics International.

What are some of your favorite carrier oils and butters? Do you have some great recipes you can share?

• Terpinen-4-ol works by suppressing inflammatory mediator production by activating human monocytes. Monocytes are a type of white blood cell, part of the human body’s immune system. Monocytes have two main functions in the immune system: (1) replenish resident macrophages and dendritic cells under normal states, and (2) in response to inflammation signals, monocytes can move quickly to sites of infection in the tissues and divide/differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells to elicit an immune response.

What does this mean exactly?  Basically, terpinen-4-ol gives your body a boost when it comes to fighting infections and illnesses.  Oils rich in this component amplify blends for the flu, colds, and even digestive issues.  Keep it in your back pocket as we approach the cold and flu season.

After three generations of farming in Tarai, Guroo Farms officially began in 2005 for cultivation of lemongrass and production of lemongrass oil.

Guroo Farm’s essential oils are certified organic, and their philosophy is to undertake agriculture in an environmentally-friendly way. Their products have been produced without the use of any harmful chemicals. The farm and the processing facilities are certified for NNOP, NOP and EEC standards.

The main essential oils produced by this farm are lemongrass, peppermint and citronella. Their two chemotypes of lemongrass are derived by steam distillation of cymbopogon citratus. The peppermint is derived from steam distillation of Mentha Arvensis, and the Citronella is steam distillation of Cymbopogon nardus grass. They also work with other local farmers to distribute vetiver and other spice oils such as basil and rosemary.

One of Guroo farm’s research projects has led to the development of a variety of lemongrass, which is rich in geraniol and citronellol (collectively called “rhodinol”).  The aroma is similar geranium, with a rosy note.  This new lemongrass chemotype has become a favorite for many Aromatherapists.

Guroo farm is concerned with quality control and can provide the GC reports for each batch of oil from their local university. If you are interested in importing essential oils, these distillers are great to work with. They have a USA office that allows door to door delivery without customs hassles. Please let them know you read about them on Aromahead Institute’s blog.

To contact Guroo Farms Distillery:

Distiller: Gurpreet Singh
Email: info@guroofarms.com
Website: Guroo Farms

There are many wonderful carrier oils that can nourish the skin and speed the healing of a burn on your skin. Baobab oil, Shea butter and Tamanu oil are three of my current favorites.

Baobab: The oil is made from the fruit of the Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) by cold pressing the seed of the fruit. Baobab oil is highly penetrating, deeply nourishing and softens dry skin. It is known to restore and remoisturize the epidermis. Baobab oil has a high content of essential fatty acids.

Shea: Shea butter is extracted from the the Karite tree (Butyrospermum parkii), most often found in the tropical regions of West Africa. Shea is known to be an excellent moisturizer.  It is used as a lip balm, salve base, in body butters and in many skin care preparations. Used for sun-damaged skin and for long-term health of the skin.


Tamanu : The oil is made from the Calophyllum inophyllum tree. The harvested fruits are crushed to extract the nuts. The nuts are then sun-dried for eight weeks. During this time, the nuts turn brown and lose a third of their original weight. Inside their oil content becomes very high. Tamanu Oil does not exist in the fruit when it falls from the tree but forms during the drying period. Once dried, the oil is extracted from the nuts by cold pressing. Tamanu oil’s ability to heal damaged skin is well researched. The oil is notable for treating scars, stretch marks (fades stretch marks with great results), minor wounds, skin irritations, rashes, bedsores and many other skin concerns.

Burn Soothing Salve Recipe: In a double boiler melt a 1/2 oz of beeswax and then add 2 oz of Shea butter on a low heat and take of the heat as soon as the two are fully melted.  Mix in 1 oz of Tamanu oil, 1 oz of Baobab oil, and 30 drops of Lavender  essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia). Stir, pour into three 2 oz glass jars, cover and allow to cool. Apply this butter to the burn.

About 2 years ago Cindy and I traveled to Calabria in the south of Italy to visit an organic Bergamot distiller. Distiller Giuseppe Cuzzupi and his sister Elena warmly welcomed us at our hotel with regional bottles of Bergamot aperitifs and Bergamot jam.

We drove along the coast and the rural countryside of the toe of Italy to Giuseppe’s Bergamot production plant. Here we learned how the rinds of the fruit are transformed through an abrasion and pressing process into the bright olive green essential oil we all know and love.

Giuseppe’s grandfather began to grow a few hundred Bergamot Orange trees in 1970. His father continued the tradition, and with Giuseppe’s help the number has grown to 6000 beautiful, organically-grown Bergamot trees. In the past, the family sold their fruit to big corporate producers of essential oils. After realizing that their hard work growing biological (organic) Bergamot fruit was lost on products with no quality control, they decided to produce their own oil. They now operate a small, high quality plant near their grove and use only the fruit they cultivate to produce their essential oil.

Giuseppe Cuzzupi’s Bergamot essential oil is extracted from the peel of the fruit and stored at constant temperature without any further processing. It is 100% pure. The plant’s production capacity is 3000 kilograms of Bergamot essential oil per year, depending on weather conditions.

I asked Giuseppe to write out the steps he takes to produce Bergamot essential oil.

Bergamot Essential Oil Processing

Written by Giuseppe Cuzzupi

1. Fruits are collected from late November to January.

2. The process begins few days after the fruits are collected.

3. The first step of the process is a cleaning bath for the Bergamot fruits in a large basin

4. From the basin, the fruits are sent to the peeling machine by a conveyor belt.

5. The peeling machine is a centrifuge with a coarse basket. The rotation of the basket grates and separates the Bergamot peel from the fruit.

6. Peeled fruits are then ejected by another conveyor belt and used as food for animals.

7. The peels are taken from the peeling machine with a flow of water and filtered to remove the substance of the peel from the water.

8. The filtered water is now full of essential oil. It is conveyed to a machine that we call “separator” that retains the oil of the Bergamots while pushing the water back into the peeling machine.

9. The Bergamot peels remaining in the “separator” are collected into small cotton bags. These bags are then put into a power press. The oil extracted from the power press is much thicker than the oil extracted from the separator.

The therapeutic properties of Bergamot essential oil (Citrus bergamia) are a true natural gift! Bergamot works wonders in massage oils to reduce tension and soothe painfully tight muscles. The essential oil is known to be a powerful antispasmodic and can be effective in reducing and eliminating muscle cramps, abdominal cramps and spastic coughing. Bergamot is emotionally uplifting, combats stress and depression, and is calming for the nervous system. It is one of the most valuable oils I use support emotional health and well being. It is also the oil that gives Earl Grey Tea its enticing citrus aroma!

Try using it in a diffuser—especially for depression—as it offers a light, uplifting and lovely aroma to the room.

Recipe For Muscle Cramps

9 drops Bergamot, Citrus bergamia

3 drops Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia

4 drops Roman Chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile

2 drops Sweet Marjoram, Origanum marjorana

Blend essential oils into 1 oz. of unscented cream or jojoba oil. Massage a capful gently into the cramped muscle area.

Bergamot oranges are gems from nature, providing us with an essential oil filled with sunlight and an extraordinary aroma with the ability to calm our nerves. I give my deepest appreciation to distillers like Giuseppe Cuzzupi who dedicate their lives to producing such a precious essential oil.

To contact Guiseppe to purchase Bergamot essential oil you can email him (in Italian of course!) contacts@italianbergamotessentialoil.eu

*Minimum direct order is 8.5 kilograms—about 19 pounds or 300 ounces.

To purchase Guiseppe’s Bergamot oil in small sizes (1/2 oz.-16 oz.) visit www.aromaticsinternational.com.

For information on other Essential Oil Distillers please visit the International Directory of Essential Oil Distillers

She has also added the hydrosols of lime (sublime), arnica, calendula and clary sage. Check out the Aromatics International hydrosol page to read about each hydrosol. I don’t know about you, but I think I have to have them all!!

In addition to lavender, Hood River’s farms produce pears, nectarines, plums, pluots, apricots, blueberries, grapes and other berries.  Here’s what Joe had to share with us:

What originally turned you on to organic, pesticide-free farming methods?

As a family, we started eating, and growing our own garden organically many years ago. We were concerned about synthetic chemicals we were consuming and discovered what “real” food tastes like. So when we started farming commercially, we knew we had to keep our convictions about the product, the environment and our responsibility to better the land we hand down to our future generations. The challenge to continue this organic farming has become easier the last few years primarily due to the internet and like-minded folks out there who publish information and methods on how to nourish soil and grow its nutrient value in a sustainable way.

Can you tell us a little more about the two varieties of lavender exclusive to your farm?

True lavender produces viable seeds. When you grow over 70 varieties the possible combinations of parent Mother-Father reproduction becomes huge. We will often observe new lavender starts that pop up in our fields to see if the start looks like a new variety and perhaps 1 we want to propagate. The 2 varieties that we have seriously propagated we have named “Mt Hood” and “D’Lucy”. Mt.Hood is a very prolific plant that continues to bloom through out the summer. We have often seen 3-4 bloom periods from this variety. The flowers are a pale blue, on long stems, and although it is a great landscape plant the essential oil is average. “D’Lucy” named after my Wife & her late Grandmother, is a darker flower plant, shorter stem, and more a keen to a True Hidcote or Folgate variety. Because they are both unique to our farm, they are popular with our customers.

What’s your favorite way to use lavender essential oil?

My favorite way to use lavender oil is as a sleep aid and to help calm me down during hectic and stressful situations. I have used lavender oil on pulse points, mostly my temples and forehead, before I lay down at night for years and am still amazed how well it carries me to a relaxed state where sleep is awaiting me.

Can you share a favorite recipes using dried culinary lavender?

My personal favorite recipes are the first 2 recipes on our recipe page, Lavender Shortbread and Lavender Vanilla Honey Shake.

What are some of Hood River Lavender’s most popular products?

Our most popular items are our essential oils and our culinary lavender. Followed closely by our Silk Lotion (which over 20% by volume is our lavender hydrosol), Mega Therapy cream, Shea butter Balm and Lavender Spritzer.

Can you give us an insider’s recommendation on where to say in the Hood River area?

If a Bed & Breakfast is what you like then I would recommend Old Parkdale Inn, Villa Columbia, or you can check with our local B & B directory. For a more conventional stay I would recommend The Hood River Hotel, its a very warm almost European style Hotel in the heart of quaint Hood River.

Visit Hood River Lavender Farms online, and if you stop by, tell them we said hello!