Description
This semisolid oil is a sweetly smoky, earthy and mysterious base note. It has a touch of rose to the aroma, and years ago it was used to adulterate Rose Otto.
Emotionally the oil is relaxing and calming, a wonderful de-stresser. The tree is called sacred by the natives of Paraguay, so the oil might also be a good addition to a sacred or meditative blend.
Physically it is said to be anti-inflammatory. Some sources recommend Guaiacwood essential oil as a venous or lymphatic decongestant. I would blend it with Cistus for this use. (Come to think of it, aromatically it would complement Cistus as well. The blend would be delightful!) This same decongesting effect would make Guaiacwood useful for treating the pelvic congestion that can accompany or cause PMS.
Other sources recommend using Guaiacwood in blends to treat gout, rheumatism or arthritis pains, as well as simple fluid retention.
Please note that this is a very thick oil. It can easily be spooned out of the bottle, if you have something small enough to do so. If not, the bottle will need to be warmed to turn the solid oil to liquid. It takes quite a bit of warming to do so.
Safety: Robert Tisserand advises that: no known hazards
Certificate of Analysis:
Batch No. PA-48516
Batch No PA-58937
Batch No. PA-59176
BLENDS WITH: Bergamot, Elemi, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Orange Blossom Absolute, Oakmoss, Palma Rosa, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, and Ylangylang.
Guaiacwood was sort of an impulse purchase for me. I can always use anti-inflammatory oils, and how can I not be curious about “sweet, smoky, earthy and mysterious?” It’s full of sesquiterpenols, so it should practically last forever even if I don’t use it much, and I was also picking up cistus, so why not try lymphatic massage on the stubborn lymph nodes that won’t go away after my teenage infection so long ago?
I am trying not to open my oils until I actually use, and my curiosity got me again, so I took my new guaiacwood oil out of my oil fridge. It took some effort to open the jar, and OH MY GOODNESS.
There is this stall that sells sweet potatoes roasted with hardwood burning fire, roasted right on the spot in front of the grocery store we sometimes go to. The smell is so enchanting that it is impossible not to get a bag right there, even if you can buy cheaper sweet potatoes right inside the store and roast it in your oven or fireplace. The sweetness of roasted sweet potato on the verge of charring outside mingles with the wood smoke to create such happy sensation that takes everyone to fireplace inside a snow-covered cottage.
And this guaiacwood is exactly that. Subtle sweetness filled my nostrils along with complex wood-smoke-y aroma that is almost nutty, and oh so very delicious. The smokiness is similar to my muhuhu oil but much more complex. Woodsy part is not strong, and it smells more nutty and not so much “wood,” but it does remind me of woods because the “smokey” is so clean and like burning hardwood.
The only downside is that it’s not an oil I can easily use on-the-go due to being solid, so I can’t just drop make a quick blend to use right away in my diffuser. I think I am going to make a dilution of this in MCT or a solvent/solublizer to thin it and add tiny bits to enhance the aroma of whatever blends that it would fit. I think this oil will blends well not only with citrus or floral oils, but also with spices to add softness and complexity to fragrance.
I didn’t try blending or using it yet, but I didn’t care. The aroma alone won me over. Even if this oil does not offer much therapeutically, and Battaglia’s book says that may be the case, but I am OK with it. And I never buy oils “just for the smell” to use for myself, so this is saying a lot.
[Marge’s comment….some oils are just for joy. Sound like this one is yours.]