Who doesn’t like the smell of pumpkin spice. Or I also consider apple spice… or maybe just fall spice. But these “scents” don’t just smell nice. In the form of therapeutic essential oils they also have some benefits. First I want to state that this blend is not safe for children or those who are pregnant. Based on my research it is safe to put in a diffusor for dogs , however not if you have cats in your home.

For Fall I am offering a pumpkin Spice Oil blend to be used in the massages. Just ask in October and November. It contains, vanilla, clove bud, and cinnamon. I have ginger if you want a bit of warming added to your session. You can also nutmeg, ginger, or allspice to your own personal blend at home. However for reasons you will see below I do not have nutmeg or allspice in my collection.

Vanilla

Let’s start with vanilla which is considered a boosted extract. This is a challenging oil since it is not in all books which makes me curious about the truth when I google benefits of vanilla essential oil. So I will start with saying there are some studies to show that just smelling vanilla is very relaxing. There are also some studies that show it has anti-inflammatory benefits. That is just for vanilla beans and extract and the oil will be much more concentrated.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is well known for it’s antibacterial and fungal which is why it is in the popular blend called thieves. It is very nice is a very nice blend for cleaning. It also has some benefits for the muscles as it is antispasmodic. Although it feels like a warming spice eating cinnamon has been shown to cool the body 2 degrees. The contraindications are for children and if you are pregnant. It can be a skin irritate for always dilute and be cautious if you have sensitive skin. It is also not recommended if you are on anticoagulant. This does not include aspirin because that is a antiplatelet blood thinner.

Clove

This is another essential oil in the thieves blend because of it’s antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It also has a strong analgesic benefit which means it is great as a numbing effect. That is great for muscles aches and tooth aches. It also has an anti-nausea and immunostimulant properties that are great if you are feeling under the weather. However it is too irritating to use in a bath so best used topically or in a diffusor (as long as you don’t have cats). It is another oil that can cause skin irritation so don’t use a strong amount in your blends. Dilute Dilute Dilute!!! This is also another oil not for children or if you are pregnant.

Ginger

This is a lovely warming oil which is great for digestion including nausea. It is also great for the joints in issues such as rheumatism and arthritis. It is also great addition to any cold and flu blends. And this one unlike the others can be put into a soothing bath. It can cause irritation in sensitive skin, but is safe for those who are pregnant or for kids. It should not be diffused if you have cats.

Allspice

This is another warming oil. Any warming spice can help sooth joints. I could not find very much information except the company I purchase from and aromaweb.com. They suggests it can help depression, nervous exhaustion, tension, neuralgia and stress. This oil is a membrane mucous irritant so use a very small amount. It is a skin irritant so do not use in a bath. There are also suggestions that it can affect blood clotting. However I am not sure in what way. Although it does not say so I would not use something so irritating with kids or if a client was pregnant.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is our final oil that is a little more uncommon. It is a lot of blends but isn’t in all books or sites. When I was first debating to buy a blend from a company I purchase from which contained cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg and I was going to add clove. Then as I was researching nutmeg and there are some interesting suggestions that it has a chemical that is a possible carcinogenic. Also it is not recommended for people for liver problems. Of course it has the basic not good for children or if you are pregnant. Keep in mind this is for the essential oil and not the spice. An essential oil is much higher concentration than the sprinkle of nutmeg we put in our pies.

This information comes from a collection of sources including the class I have taken from Natural options aromatherapy, from natural formulations where I by my essential oils, from aromaweb.com, and the book essential aromatherapy by susuan worwood and valerie ann worwood. I get my information on pet safety from https://www.gerrardlarriett.com/