Soap Scents: Peace, Love and Patchouli
Aromatherapy is one of the primary benefits of using natural skincare products made with essential oils. In the time it takes for a routine bath or shower, you gain bonus benefits based on the properties of the essential oil(s) used in a soap, scrub or lotion. Our Soap Scents Series explores specific essential oils used in skincare and introduces related handcrafted products.
Many know patchouli as the popular incense scent from the Sixties, when it seemed to be every flower child’s favorite perfume. The scent is slightly musty, earthy and pungent, and is used as a fixative for other scents or to mask more objectionable scents. In natural soap and other skin care products, Patchouli is traditionally known for properties beneficial for healing inflammation and dermatitis. The name “patchouli” comes from the Hindustan words for “leaf” and “green.”
Peterman Brook Herb Farm Scrubby Patchouli Soap
Like a fine wine, patchouli improves with age, mellowing and becoming sweeter. Its smooth scent is used for aromatherapy, massage and romance.
LuSa Organics Sandalwood Patchouli Organic Soap
The furry-leafed patchouli shrub grows to about four feet in its native Malaysia, but can be grown as a houseplant throughout the world if you avoid the cold. Over the centuries, patchouli has had numerous medicinal uses.
Among the conditions Patchouli has been used for are dysentery, diarrhea, colds without fevers, vomiting, and nausea. The essential oil is used to treat acne, dry skin, fungal infections, dermatitis, dandruff and eczema.
More Information About Patchouli
Sources
Botanical.com accessed at http://botanical.com/products/learn/p/patchouli_leaf-p.html on February 1, 2011.
Foster, Steven and Johnson, Rebecca L. (2008). National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine. National Geographic
3 Responses to “Patchouli Essential Oil in Natural Skincare”
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Very interesting! I will definitely be trying this oil/soap for my poor itchy head. This is the stuff of a good blog – useful info in a chatty format
LS
Wow – that is so cool! I love herbs and aromatherapy and had not heard about this helping with eczema! Our son has very sensitive skin but thankfully his eczema is nearly gone now that he has been taking his Belly Boost children’s chewable probiotics. They have been a huge blessing and miracle for us and even though his skin now looks great – we are still really careful! Will have to look into patchouli soaps and oils for him! Thanks
Hi – I’m sorry for the delay in replying to your post. So glad to hear your son’s eczema is nearly gone – that truly is good news! For me, patchouli has always been mainly about the scent, of which I’m a fan. Preparing this blog post has been a great opportunity to learn more about its properties. Thanks for posting!