There are so many great patchouli essential oil uses. From skincare to chakra work, patchouli is a small plant with a big personality.
I have a confession to make. I did not like patchouli until I began studying essential oils. Patchouli can be polarizing. People either like or it really, really don’t like it. For me, it turns out that I don’t like synthetic patchouli scent, but the essential oil has quickly grown on me and is now one of my favourite oils.
Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), is so much more than a fragrance. It has some great therapeutic properties, including skin healing, scalp health and stress relief. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the many uses of patchouli essential oil.
It is a small a shrub which you can grow yourself. If you live in a colder climate, plant your patchouli in a pot and bring it inside when the weather begins to get cold. Patchouli essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves. It has a deep, earthy aroma which provides a sense of comfort. Let’s explore the best uses of this amazing oil.
Solutions for the Skin
Patchouli essential oil can be used in skincare recipes for all skin types. It is an anti-inflammatory oil, which can soothe redness, itching and irritated skin. Patchouli can be effective when working with skin concerns such as dermatitis, and eczema.
Patchouli’s skin-healing properties make it an option for addressing dry, cracked skin, and promoting scar and wound healing processes. Its ability to soothe and nourish dry skin makes it a valuable addition to moisturizing formulations, restoring suppleness and hydration to parched areas, in particular for mature skin.
If you have acne-prone skin, patchouli’s antibacterial qualities come to the rescue. It regulates sebum production and combats acne-causing bacteria, which can help minimize breakouts and promote clearer, healthier skin.
Looking for a solution to cellulite? Use patchouli together with grapefruit and cedarwood essential oils.
Patchouli can be a solution for many skin concerns and provide a sense of tranquility and rejuvenation to skincare rituals.
Hair and Scalp Health
Dry skin may extend to dry scalp and dandruff. Patchouli can be beneficial in helping alleviate dry scalp, and provide nourishment to hair follicles. Encourage healthier hair and scalp with patchouli.
Finding Calm With Patchouli
Patchouli essential oil’s soothing and stress-relieving properties make it one of my go-to oils for relaxation and emotional well-being. I find it to be quite a good sedative, capable of promoting restful sleep, making it a favourite companion for unwinding after a long day.
Encourage a sense of peacefulness at night as you transition to bedtime. Cultivating a nighttime ritual including patchouli can bring on a sense of calm, helping to bring about a restorative night’s sleep.
In addition, patchouli’s ability to reduce stress and anxiety offers a stress relieving getaway from the demands of daily life, providing a moment of tranquility amidst the chaos. Take advantage of its muscle-relaxing qualities to alleviating tension and discomfort, particularly in the lower back. Incorporating patchouli into a relaxing bath ritual can be effective in soothing tired muscles and comforting the body. Give yourself a holistic approach to stress relief and rejuvenation with this amazing oil.
Fragrant Insect Repellent
There is some evidence that patchouli essential oil can be used as an insect repellent. If you love patchouli, try using it in your closet to protect clothing, or in a drawer. Just add a drop of the essential oil onto a cotton pad and place it with your clothes.
With it’s powerful skincare benefits, you can also use it on insect bites for relief of redness and itching.
Love patchouli? Check out our Patchouli Rose Goat Milk Saop!
Natural Deodorant
Natural deodorants provide relief from products containing aluminum, BHT, and unnecessary ingredients. Patchouli’s antibacterial properties can make it a helpful ingredient in your deodorant, keeping odour at bay. If you are interested in trying natural deodorant with patchouli, my Patchouli deodorant may be the solution you are looking for! Take a look here!
Grounding and Creative Chakra Work
Patchouli can be a versatile tool for chakra work, particularly in harmonizing the root and sacral chakras. As a grounding oil, it holds special resonance with the root chakra, instilling feelings of stability and security while fostering a deep connection to the earth.
Its sensual nature also makes it a potent aphrodisiac, igniting passion and intimacy, which may enrich your romantic experiences. Also, patchouli’s ability to enhance creativity makes it a great choice for encouraging the flow of inspiration and artistic expression.
Beyond its grounding and creative attributes, patchouli serves as a bridge between the mind, body, and spirit, facilitating alignment and inner harmony. By incorporating patchouli into chakra healing practices, you can tap into clearing the mind, relaxing the body, and bringing about mental clarity. For a chakra healing blend, consider pairing patchouli with elemi or frankincense to amplify its therapeutic effects and deepen the connection to mind, body and spirit.
Patchouli Perfume
Of course, I’ve left using patchouli as a perfume until the end. This has been a very popular use of patchouli for individuals and companies alike. As a base note, patchouli can be used as a fixative in perfume. Make sure that you check out my personal perfume suggestions below.
Dark vs. Light Patchouli
You may see patchouli listed as dark or light. The difference is in the distillation. Dark patchouli has been distilled using an iron still, whereas light patchouli has been distilled using a stainless steel still. Dark patchouli is darker in colour and has a scent that you may find lasts longer in your recipes.
Make Peace with Patchouli
If you are one of the people who doesn’t like patchouli, it may be because you have smelled too much of it. I would recommend buying the essential oil from a reputable company and using it in vey low quantities, if you are interested in its therapeutic properties.
Personal Perfume Blends
Patchouli blends very well with florals. Here are some of my favourite personal perfume blends.
Add the essential oils below to 9.5 ml of fractionated coconut oil in a glass roller bottle or mister. Lightly mix the blend and let it sit for a day or two. You will have a lovely personal perfume roller or mist.
