Maybe you’re new to the world of essential oils, or maybe you’ve been using them for year. Either way, how much do you know about what they’re made of at the chemical level? One of the key compounds in essential oils is sesquiterpenes.
Sesquiterpenes are generally colorless, insoluble in water, and are more aromatic and less volatile than monoterpenes (another compound found in essential oils). These carbon compounds act as powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents. Both Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine use sesquiterpene-rich essential oils for their calming and soothing properties.
Essentique carries numerous essential oils that are rich in sesquiterpenes. These include our Atlas cedarwood (40%), blue chamomile (50%), ginger (40%), and ylang ylang (40%) essential oils. If you’re looking for one of Essentique’s unique blends, try Muse or Solace.
Muse contains vetiver, Australian sandalwood, wild rose musk, myrrh, and Atlas cedarwood, all sesquiterpene-rich oils, and helps enhance meditation. Solace surrounds you with comforting scents reminiscent of home, and also contains essential oils with high amounts of sesquiterpenes, such as Atlas cedarwood, patchouli, and myrrh.
Next time you come into Essentique, use your new knowledge of essential oils to pick one out that’s rich in sesquiterpenes. Then, diffuse it, and get ready to enjoy the calming effects!
- Essential oils with sesquiterpenes we carry
- German chamomile (blue in store)
- Clove (clove bud)
- Lavender (not spike lavender)
- Ylang ylang
- Cedarwood (atlas cedarwood)
- Ginger
- Rose (bulgarian rose otto)
- Sandalwood (australian sandalwood)
- Muse – myrrh, vetiver, cedarwood, sandalwood, rose
- Solace – cedarwood, patchouli, myrrh
- General therapeutic actions of sqpns
- Powerful anti-inflammatory
- Antispasmodic
- Calming and soothing to the nervous system
- Ayurveda medicine (sqpn rich eos)
- Cooling and soothing to nervous system
- For vata anxiety, excess pitta emotional and/or physical conditions
- Roots would be grounding and hence useful for vata
- TCM (sqpn rich eos)
- Calming to shen, cooling to liver heat, relaxing to liver chi stagnation, etc.