Composition
Ho leaf oil, lavender oil, valerian oil, neroli oil.
The plants and the oils
Ho leaf oil comes from the camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), from which several oils of different chemistry are distilled, so the chemotype matters.[2] The ho leaf oil of perfumery is steam-distilled from the leaves of the Ho-Sho variety, grown in Taiwan and Japan; rectified ho leaf oil smells so cleanly of linalool that no other essential oil comes closer to it.[3]
Lavender oil is steam-distilled from the freshly cut flowering tops of lavender.[3] Its main components include linalyl acetate and linalool.[4]
Valerian oil is steam-distilled from the roots of valerian (Valeriana officinalis). Its main components include valerianol, bornyl acetate and valeranone.[5]
Neroli oil is distilled from the flowers of the cultivated bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium subsp. amara). It keeps poorly: unless it is stored cool, dark and well sealed, its scent loses its freshness within a few months.[3]
Scent
- Lavender: floral, fresh, sweet and herbal, sometimes slightly fruity or camphorous.[4]
- Ho leaf: clean, sweet, floral-woody and delicate.[3]
- Neroli: intensely floral, citrusy, sweet and exotic.[6]
- Valerian: warm, woody, balsamic and long-lasting; some valerian oils smell unpleasant, but at low dilution with other oils such as lavender the scent softens greatly.[5]
Where it sits in a blend. Lavender is a top to middle note.[4] Neroli is a strong middle note, and a little goes a long way.[6] Valerian is a strong base note.[5]
How to use
- Lavender oil is traditionally used to relieve mild symptoms of mental stress and exhaustion and to aid sleep. This rests on long use: the studies so far had too few patients to establish an effect.[7] It is unclear whether aromatherapy with lavender oil helps sleep quality or insomnia.[8]
- A 2021 review of 16 studies suggested that aromatherapy helped improve sleep quality in people with insomnia, but the researchers said larger and more rigorous studies are needed.[9]
- Clinical trials of valerian have had inconsistent results, and its value for insomnia has not been shown.[9] In aromatherapy, valerian oil is used for insomnia, restlessness and nervous tension,[5] and neroli oil is recommended for the same sleep problems and for states of anxiety.[6]
In the air. Use it to scent a room, for example the bedroom before you go to sleep. Air the room regularly: breathing a lot of vapour for an hour or more can cause headaches, dizziness and nausea.[10]
Massage. Add 3-5 drops to a massage oil, for example a carrier oil such as jojoba oil. Never put the blend on the skin undiluted.[10]
Before the first use. Test a little of the blend on a small patch of skin. Apply it only to unbroken skin. If the skin reacts, stop and apply a little vegetable oil or cream.[10]
In the bath. Add 8-10 drops to some milk and stir this into the bath water; essential oil does not mix with water on its own.[11] A full bath with lavender oil is not suitable for people with open wounds, skin problems, a high fever, a severe infection or a serious heart or circulation problem.[7]
Storage. Store at room temperature (15-25 °C).
Precautions
- do not swallow the oil;[12]
- keep it away from the eyes;[10]
- keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[10]
- Topical products containing lavender may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.[8]
- Oils rich in linalool can become sensitising when they oxidise (change through contact with air), so do not use oil that has oxidised.[2]
- Lavender might interact with some sedative medicines or herbs.[8] Valerian may prolong sleep caused by barbiturates (strong sleeping medicines), so the two should not be used together.[5] People who take any medicine should talk to a doctor before using lavender or other herbal products.[8]
- Aromatherapy with lavender oil may cause headache or coughing.[8]
- Young children are more sensitive to essential oils than adults.[10]
- Women who may be pregnant or are trying to become pregnant should use essential oils with caution.[10]
- The oil is highly flammable: keep it away from candles and open flames.[10]
Sources
- ↑ Vivasan, product packaging of Sleep Well, oil mixture “Earth” (E 130).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 AromaWeb, Ho Wood Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Ho Leaf Oil; Lavender Oil; Neroli Oil.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 AromaWeb, Lavender Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 AromaWeb, Valerian Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 AromaWeb, Neroli Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 European Medicines Agency, Lavandulae aetheroleum: herbal medicinal product. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Lavender. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Sleep Disorders and Complementary Health Approaches. Last updated May 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ Tisserand Institute, Safety guidelines. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.