Profile
- Latin name：Pelargonium graveolens
- Family：Geraniaceae / geranium family
- Extraction：distillation
- Note：middle note
Before use, see where dilution percentages, phototoxicity notes, and notes for children or pregnancy belong. Aroma science.
Opening scene
Does your skin often swing between too oily and too dry, never settling? Or does your mood rise and fall — irritable, then low — as if an inner rhythm had been thrown off? Then you need a gentle gardener, to bring everything back to the place that is just right.
That gardener is geranium. Its complex scent, rose and green leaf together, seems to tell you: “Don’t rush. Everything can return to the place that is just right.”
Its past and present: the “rose of ordinary people” on the balcony
Geranium (Geranium) is not a true rose, yet because its sweet flower scent so closely resembles rose, it has been called the rose of ordinary people. In the Victorian nineteenth century it was one of Europe’s favorite windowsill plants. People used it to dress the home, and they also set its leaves in a bowl no bigger than a thimble, so guests could clean their fingers after a meal and enjoy a scent that was balanced and clean. This inborn gift of harmonizing made it an indispensable master of balance in aromatherapy.
Familiar magic: a “wise regulator” of oil and water in the skin
Geranium’s name in skincare comes from a remarkable two-way balance. It seems to read what the skin needs. When sebum runs high, it helps to astringe. When the skin is dry and short of water, it can encourage sebum, and so moisturize. Oily, dry, or combination: geranium can help you find the most comfortable point of balance.
An aesthetic of balanced skin
- “All-rounder” facial massage oil: Into 10ml of jojoba oil, add 2 drops of geranium, 1 drop of lavender, and 1 drop of frankincense. This blend can condition the skin overall, balance oil and water, and brighten the tone. It suits daily care of the face.
- “A walk in the garden” steam: Drop 2 to 3 drops of geranium oil into a basin of hot water, cover the head with a towel, and steam the face. It can cleanse pores in depth, and let the skin recover balance and light in a floral steam.
- Comfort for spots before the cycle: When spots flare before a period, dilute 1 drop of geranium oil in aloe gel and dot it on the spot. It can ease inflammation and speed healing.
An unexpected talent: a “hormone harmonizer” for women
Geranium’s pursuit of balance does not stop at the skin. It can reach the female endocrine system. It has an estrogen-like action and can help regulate hormones. For the irritability and puffiness of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and for mood swings and hot flushes in menopause, it offers real comfort and improvement.
Care through the female cycle
- “Gentle comfort” massage oil for the cycle: Blend 4 drops of geranium, 3 drops of clary sage, and 3 drops of lavender into 15ml of carrier oil. In the week before the period and during it, massage the abdomen and the lower back clockwise. It can ease a heavy, dragging belly and swings of mood.
- A scent to balance mood: When the mood will not stay level, diffuse geranium. Like a gentle friend, it can help you settle and find inner harmony again.
The strength of the soul: nourishing, holding, and healing
Geranium’s energy is nourishment, holding, and healing. It corresponds to the heart center. It can help us smooth inner wounds, especially the tiredness and loss that come from giving too much and not knowing how to refuse. It encourages us to love ourselves as we love others, to find balance between giving and receiving, and to rebuild an inner sense of safety.
Finding inner balance again
When body and mind are worn out, or a relationship feels out of balance, place 1 drop of geranium oil in the palm, rub the hands warm, and hold them at the chest while you breathe deeply. Imagine its scent as a pink light of healing, filling the hollow inside, so you feel whole again, and able to love yourself.
A whisper from a small universe
A rich scent: Geranium is sweet and intense. Some people find it too rich. Start with a small amount, or blend it with other oils (such as citrus) so the scent has more layers.
Care in pregnancy: Because it acts on hormones, use it with care in pregnancy, or under the guidance of a professional aromatherapist.
Geranium, this artist of balance for body and mind, uses a force as gentle and steady as a rose to remind us: however the outside changes, we can, through care of ourselves, find the inner rhythm that is most harmonious and most our own.