The aroma families, and how to pick between them
Ginger, cardamom and cinnamon bark head the largest family, the warm spice oils, with coriander, cumin, sweet fennel, black pepper, nutmeg, turmeric and coffee alongside, all warm, sweet and resinous. Peppermint and spearmint bring the cool, bright mints, holy basil a greener, warmer one. Lemon, bergamot, sweet orange and the mandarins run sharp and sweet-tart, while rosemary, sage, marjoram, tarragon, oregano and melissa carry a green, herbaceous, bitter edge. So aroma leads the choice, ginger or cardamom for a warm blend, peppermint or lemon for something brighter. Rosemary comes as two chemotypes, a verbenone and a cineole one, so which version you reach for is part of it too.
Using these oils with care
Every oil here is diluted into a carrier, never neat, and 1 to 5 percent is the usual strength. Cinnamon bark, oregano and bay rum, the most phenol- and aldehyde-rich, ask for the most care. In sunlight, bergamot, bitter orange peel, lemon and lime carry the furanocoumarins that turn reactive, while sweet orange, blood orange, tangerine and the mandarins do not. The citrus and juniper berry oxidize over time, so use them while fresh and keep the bottles cool, dark and closed. Wormwood, sage and hyssop have long been kept out of pregnancy use, so anyone expecting should check with a qualified practitioner. And none of them are for swallowing.
The forms these oils take, and how they're sourced
Several here are CO2 extracts, ginger, cardamom, coriander, cumin, turmeric and coffee among them, while the herbs and mints are usually steam-distilled and the citrus pressed from the peel. Our own blends and formulas, Opu Pono, Malu, Citrus Kiss, Cinnamon Bun, the Digestive Flow and Fat Free formulas, each mix several oils, unlike the single oils, one plant apiece. There are peppermint, melissa and rosemary-verbenone hydrosols, a black seed carrier oil and the Exotic Wood Sampler Set. We use these ourselves, and they come from skilled distillers and farmers, some in small artisan batches, all third-party tested and free of any synthetics or adulterants.
Frequently asked questions
Why are such different essential oils grouped together in this collection?
They share a warm, spicy, culinary aroma family and a long past in the kitchen and the folk apothecary, which is why oils as different as ginger, peppermint, sweet fennel and bergamot sit together. They are grouped by aroma and tradition, not by one plant. That's why you'll also find greener members like lavender, blue chamomile and hops among the spices and mints.
Is peppermint essential oil stronger than spearmint?
Yes, peppermint is the sharper and more intensely cooling of the two, high in menthol, while spearmint is softer, sweeter and more rounded. Both are mint oils, but peppermint reads bolder and spearmint gentler in a blend. Pick peppermint for a brisk, cool mint and spearmint for something softer.
Which of these oils need the most dilution before use on the body?
Oregano, cinnamon bark and bay rum call for the most careful dilution, since they hold more phenols and aldehydes than the rest. Work them into a carrier at a low percentage, and never use them neat. Milder oils here, like sweet fennel or the mandarins, still go into a carrier, just with more room.
Can any of these oils make the body more sensitive to sunlight?
Yes, bitter orange peel, bergamot and the expressed lemon and lime hold enough furanocoumarins to turn reactive in sunlight, so keep them out of direct sun after use. The sweet and blood oranges, tangerine and both mandarins don't hold enough to matter, even though they're pressed the same way. What tips the balance is how much furanocoumarin an oil holds, not the pressing itself.
Are these essential oils meant to be swallowed or added to food or drink?
No, these oils are for aromatic use and diluted use on the body, not to be swallowed and not to be taken by mouth without direction from a qualified practitioner. They're concentrated plant oils, and enjoying them by aroma or well diluted is how they're meant to be used.
What does CO2 extracted mean on oils like ginger and turmeric?
CO2 extraction uses pressurized carbon dioxide instead of heat or steam to draw the oil from the plant, and several oils here are made that way, among them ginger, turmeric, cardamom, coriander and cumin. It tends to give a fuller, rounder aroma, nearer the living plant than steam distillation manages. You still get a concentrated essential oil, just drawn out by a different method.
What is in the blends and formulas in this collection?
The blends and formulas are our own recipes that bring several oils together, among them Opu Pono, Cinnamon Bun, Peppermint Pattie and Swirly Twirly Gumdrops. The single oils, by contrast, are each one plant. So a blend hands you a ready-made aroma, while the single oils leave the mixing to you.
