Composition
Fennel oil, rosemary oil, geranium oil, sage oil, lavender oil, chamomile oil, green pepper oil, yarrow oil.
The plants and the oils
Fennel oil is steam-distilled from the seeds of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare); its main components include anethole, limonene, fenchone and estragole.[2]
Rosemary oil comes in chemotypes of different composition: the camphor type smells much more camphorous than others.[3]
Sage oil, usually Dalmatian sage oil, is also distilled with steam, from the dried leaves of Salvia officinalis; it is distinct from Spanish sage and clary sage oils, which come from other Salvia species.[4]
Lavender oil comes from lavender: its freshly cut flowering tops are distilled with steam.[4]
Chamomile oil comes in more than one kind. German chamomile oil is steam-distilled from the flowers of Matricaria chamomilla; its main components include bisabolol, farnesol and azulene, which colours the oil blue.[5][4]
Green pepper oil comes from the pepper plant (Piper nigrum); it is steam-distilled from green, unripe peppercorns.[6]
Yarrow oil is distilled in the same way, from the leaves and flowers of yarrow (Achillea millefolium); sabinene and chamazulene are among its main components.[7]
Scent
- Fennel: sweet, peppery and like anise or liquorice.[2]
- Rosemary: fresh, herbaceous, sweet and slightly medicinal.[3]
- Geranium: floral, fresh, sweet and slightly fruity.[8]
- Sage: fresh and strong, warm-spicy, herbaceous and camphor-like.[4]
- German chamomile: sweet, fruity and herbaceous.[5]
- Green pepper: crisp, fruity and peppery.[6]
- Yarrow: sharp, woody, herbaceous, fruity and somewhat sweet.[7]
How to use
Scent a room or use the blend in the Vivasan car diffuser.
Massage. Add 3 to 5 drops to a massage oil.
Bath. Add 8 to 10 drops to a little milk and stir it into the bath water.
Precautions
- do not swallow the oil;[9]
- keep it away from the eyes;[10]
- keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[10]
- Do not use this blend in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, or for children under 5. These are contraindications for fennel oil, as are endometriosis and oestrogen-dependent cancers.[2]
- Sage oil (Salvia officinalis) is one of the essential oils to avoid throughout pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding.[10]
- Fennel oil may interact with medicines and may inhibit blood clotting.[2] German chamomile and yarrow oils may interact with drugs broken down by the liver enzyme CYP2D6.[5][7] People who take medicines regularly should ask a doctor before use.
- German chamomile oil may cause dermatitis in some people.[5] Do not use fennel oil on the skin once it has oxidised, because skin allergy is then more likely.[2]
- People with asthma should try the scent carefully at first: fragrances, natural ones included, can make the condition worse.[11]
- The oil burns easily: keep it away from candles and flames.[10]
Sources
- ↑ Vivasan, product packaging of I Am Strong, oil mixture “Fire” (E 132).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 AromaWeb, Fennel Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 AromaWeb, Rosemary Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Chamomile Oil, “German”; Lavender Oil; Sage Oil, Dalmatian.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 AromaWeb, German Chamomile Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 NHR Organic Oils, Organic Green Pepper Essential Oil (Piper nigrum). Product page (supplier), retrieved 24 October 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 AromaWeb, Yarrow Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ AromaWeb, Geranium Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ Robert Tisserand, Proof of Safety: Challenges Facing Essential Oil Therapy. AIA Conference 2007.