by Keliegh Dyche

Created on: July 06, 2009   Last Updated: July 07, 2009

Geranium essential oil is extracted through steam distillation from the geraniums leaves, stalk and flowers. This plant comes from the Geramiaceae family and often seen in gardens having small pink flowers with pointed leaves growing to about two feet tall. The Latin name for geranium is pelargonium odorantissimum or graveolens.

The geranium has a strong, fresh and powerful scent, with a sweet rose and floral minty aroma. This particular essential oil has a medium to high odour intensity. Geranium can be used as a perfume it has anti depressant qualities with an uplifting feel to it helping you to feel better about yourself. It gives a refreshing, soothing, warming and balanced feel. Geranium can be used as a tonic for the mind, helping to lift your spirits relieving anxiety and depression bring balance and reducing stress.

Geranium essential oil can also be used for skin care, the circulatory system, respiratory system and nervous system along with helping the reproductive and endocrine system. Aromatherapy skin care using geranium can be used for an oily complexion along with helping to prevent acne as it is a good cleanser with astringent properties. It can be used to help relieve bruises and broken capillaries whilst helping to balance sebum. It has good healing properties aiding burns and cuts with its anti hemorrhagic quality. Having antiseptic and cicatrizant qualities helps with wounds prevent infection and aiding the formation of scar tissue. Geranium also has fungicidal properties which are good for skin infections like ringworm, dermatitis and eczema.

Geranium helps to stimulate the adrenal cortex aiding the adrenocortical glands also aiding the reproductive system helping with menopausal problems. Looking at the circulation, geranium essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties which helps to aid cellulitis which is the inflammation of tissue beneath the skin. It also aids oedema and poor circulation. Geranium can be beneficial to the respiratory system by relieving sore throats along with aiding tonsillitis. The nervous system is also assisted by this essential oil, helping to relieve nervous tension and stress related conditions, along with aiding neuralgia.

There are safety precautions which come with the use of geranium essential oil. Although geranium is a non-toxic and a non-irritant product, if it comes into contact with hypersensitive people especially those suffering from dermatitis, geranium could make the condition very irritable and not be beneficial in any way. It is imperative that the labels of essential oils are always read, because although they are from a natural source they can still irritate certain conditions and skin types.

Learn more about this author, Keliegh Dyche.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.