Description

Cypress essential oil is from Cupressus sempervirens of the Cupressaceae family and is also known as Italian or Mediterranean cypress.

This clear and fresh smelling essential oil is a great boon to use during times of major upheavals and changes in your life, as it restores calm, sooths anger and making your life flow better. It has a positive effect on excess fluids in general, thereby improving circulation, sorting out coughs and bronchitis. It assists with varicose veins and female problems and is definitely an oil to have around.

Oil properties

Cypress oil has a woody, slightly spicy and refreshing masculine smell. The oil is colorless to very pale yellow in color and watery in viscosity.

Origin of Cypress

The tree is a perennial tree, conical-shaped, about 28 meters (80 feet) high and originated from the East, now mostly found in gardens and cemeteries in the Mediterranean region.

It is an evergreen tree with dark green foliage, small flowers and round brown-gray cones with seed nuts inside. The wood is hard and durable, red-yellow in color.

The Phoenicians and Cretans used the wood for building ships and houses, while the Egyptians made sarcophagi from it and the Greeks used it to carve statues of their gods.

The Greek word ‘Sempervirens’, from which the botanical name is derived, means ‘lives forever’ and the tree also gave its name to the island of Cypress, where it used to be worshipped.

The legend says the cross of Jesus had been made of cypress wood and the tree generally seems to be associated with death.

Extraction

Cypress oil is extracted from the needles and twigs of young branches by steam distillation and yields 1.3 – 1.5 %.

Chemical composition

The main components of cypress oil are a-pinene, camphene, sabinene, b-pinene, d-3carene, myrcene, a-terpinene, terpinolene, linalool, bornyl acetate, cedrol and cadinene.

Precautions

The oil is considered non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing but it is best to avoid it during pregnancy. It is also best to do a skin patch test before using it in a massage blend.

Therapeutic Properties

The therapeutic properties of cypress oil are astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic, deodorant, diuretic, haemostatic, hepatic, styptic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, respiratory tonic and sedative.

Uses

Cypress oil has a calming and soothing effect on the irritable, angry and stressed-out person and has a valuable effect as a vasoconstrictor on varicose veins and hemorrhoids.

It is beneficial in conditions of excess fluid, such as bleeding, nosebleeds, heavy menstruation, heavy perspiration, cough and bronchitis, hemorrhages and fluid retention. The antispasmodic action is very useful for asthma, whooping cough, bronchitis, emphysema and influenza.

Furthermore, cypress oil soothes muscular cramps, helps to regulate the menstrual cycle, helps to ease arthritis and rheumatic pain and it is also beneficial to oily as well as congested skin and wounds.

Summary

Cypress oil has a calming and soothing effect on the nerves, is valuable as a vasoconstrictor, useful in the treatment of excessive discharge of fluids and beneficial for the respiratory tract.

• Burners and vaporizers
  • It is useful in vapor therapy for all breathing difficulty, such as asthma, emphysema, whooping cough and bronchitis. It also helps to calm the mind and dispel anger.
• Blended massage oil or in the bath
  • Cypress oil can be used as a massage oil or diluted in the bath for arthritis, asthma, cellulite, cramps, diarrhea, sweaty feet, rheumatism, varicose veins, heavy menstruation and menopause.
• Lotions and creams
  • In a cream base, cypress oil can be used for varicose and broken veins, as well as clearing an oily and congested skin.
• Cold compress
  • Used diluted on a cold compress, it is very effective for a nosebleed.
• Foot bath
  • If it is added to a footbath, it will help control perspiration with it astringent and deodorant properties.

More information about Cypress Oil