Gardenia Essential Oil Gardenia Essential Oil

Top 8 Uses & Benefits Of Gardenia Essential Oil

In the world of popular contemporaries like chamomile oil and jasmine oil, the time has come to pave a new path for gardenia essential oil.

Pure essential oils have been taking the health and beauty world by storm for some time now because of their abundant medical properties. An exotic flowery fragrance and a mild caffeine scent fill up your nostrils, a piece of soft music playing in the background and you slowly drift off to sleep.

Well, then hold on, do not click back because the following article can just make you change your mind.

Everything You Need To Know About Gardenia Essential Oil

A. Tidbits About Gardenia Essential Oils!

Gardenia flower essential oil is extracted from gardenia (gardenia jasminoides), one of the most prized flowers according to a horticulturist.

Gardenia is a beautiful evergreen shrub that belongs to the Rubiaceae family. It is native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world like Africa and Southern Asia. However, some species can also be found growing in Australia.

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These white flowers were traditionally considered a symbol of purity, love, devotion, trust, and refinement. Therefore were abundantly used at weddings and on other auspicious occasions. Gardenia’s scent is fresh and cooling with a tinge of woody and exquisite floral fragrance.

Gardenia essential oil is extracted from Gardenia jasminoides, by two processes. One is the traditional one, and the other has a modern touch to it. Steam distillation1 is generally not applied in the extraction process of this oil because the flowers are extremely delicate to handle.

In the traditional approach, the method of enfleurage was employed. Odorless animal fats at room temperature were made to trap the essence of the plant’s compounds. Alcohol is then used to remove the fat leaving behind the pure oil.

Enfleurage 2is an intense process that consumes a lot of time and requires numerous resources. Oil made from this process is extremely pricey.

On the other hand, this essential oil formed by the enfleurage method can be time-consuming. Nowadays it’s produced using solvents, making it absolute in nature. Essential oils formed in this process vary from one this another as different companies used different solvents for oil extraction.

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Most of the time it has been observed that the chemicals used are harsh and allergic when used on human skin. Therefore always make sure to buy the oil from a reputable source to avoid contamination and dangerous chemicals.

So since you now know how it’s made, let us get into the benefits of using gardenia oil.

B. Benefits of using Gardenia Essential Oil

Did you know gardenia jasminoides flowers, roots, and leaves were used in traditional Chinese medicine? And gardenia oil is no exception. All the healing properties of the flower have been retained back in the essential oil. The oil has 100 pure active ingredients 3which help it to fight as an antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, antispasmodic and antiseptic against various diseases.

This essential oil is extensively used in the aromatherapy and health industry because of its abundant medical properties.

So let us get into more details about it.

1. Anti-inflammatory

It’s an effective remedy against inflammatory disorders caused by arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and intestinal disorders.

Geniposide and genipin present in these essential oils are responsible for producing anti-inflammatory actions in the body.

Not only it can reduce inflammation caused by intestinal disorders, but it can also stimulate probiotic activity in the gut. It can enhance digestion and nutrient absorption in the body.

Inflammation caused due to headaches, menstrual cramps, and sports injuries can be effectively ameliorated by this oil. It increases blood circulation to the affected regions and cures them.

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2. Sedative

Gardenia oil is an effective sedative and also helps in subduing seizures. A study was conducted by a reputed health center on mice to check the effects of gardenia oil.

It was observed that when those mice were made to inhale strong gardenia oil fumes, they exhibited sedative, anti-seizure, and hypnotic properties in mice.

3. Antibacterial Properties/Antiviral Properties

Gardenia oil is bestowed with antibacterial properties as well as antiviral properties.

This oil is a great bactericidal agent and can effectively heal bacterial infections like sepsis, tetanus, and others. It also furnishes protection against potentially dangerous bacterial infections caused by Salmonella and E.coli. 

If applied to the body, it can promote faster cell reproduction and thus can avert the worsening of the infection.

It can also alleviate the symptoms caused by jaundice, edema, and hepatic disorders.  It puts up a strong fight against the common cold.

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4. Antioxidant

Being abundant in antioxidants, this oil can inhibit the formation of free radicals in the body. It can effectively reduce oxidative stress.

It has been scientifically proven that this oil can curtail the risk of cancer by expunging the damage-inducing toxins from the body.

Gardenia Oil has the ability to eradicate the free radicals formed by pollution, smoking, and other environmental factors. It improves skin elasticity and makes it look even and youthful.

Slowing down the signs of premature aging, gardenia essential oil can make your skin look radiant and rejuvenated. It also prevents hair from breakage and drying.

5. Treats Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic condition that causes uncomfortable bladder pain, bladder pressure, and pelvic pain. It is part of a spectrum of diseases known as painful bladder syndrome. The condition of the disease can range from mild discomfort to unbearable pain.

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Although there is no proper cure for treating interstitial cystitis4, however, it has been found that gardenia essential oil can be beneficial against it. It curtails the bladder and pelvic pain and also reduces inflammation helping your body to relax.

6. Antidepressant

Gardenia Essential Oil is extensively used in aromatherapy. It is a popular component in lotions, perfumes, and scented candles because oil from rich gardenia lessens anxiety, improves mood, and also incites a calming effect on the body.

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According to a study conducted on 20 individuals suffering from mild depression, it was observed that gardenia oil acted as an anti-depressive for 20 hours on them.

It triggered some chemical reactions in the body, which helped the body to relax and helped instantly lift the mood, reducing distress significantly.

7. Reducing Weight

If you are looking for an oil that can help you to lose weight, then gardenia oil is your answer.

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Gardenia Essential Oil has compounds present in them that when inhaled can accelerate the metabolism of the body and streamline the liver’s fat-burning ability. It has been scientifically proven that gardenia essential oil can regulate and prevent obesity.

GLP-1 present in Gardenia Essential Oil can decrease appetite and produce a full feeling in the body. Inhale gardenia oil fumes before a meal, and it will suppress your cravings. It will help you to control your meal proportions and also reduce your weight in the long run.

8. Aphrodisiac

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Want to spice up things in the bedroom, then consider giving your partner a gardenia oil massage. Or you can add a few drops to a bath and then see the magic. Gardenia oil is considered to be a purported aphrodisiac5 and helps in increasing passion between partners.

C. How to Use?

Rich fragrance oils are concentrated extractions from plants and therefore should never be directly used on the skin as they may lead to allergic reactions. Always dilute the pure essential oils with the help of carrier oils in your regular skin care products, and then the application should proceed.

You can use it through a lot of means, like:

  • Bath
  • Massage
  • Facial steam
  • Perfume
  • Soap
  • Potpourri
  • Candle Making

Some of the ways by which you can use gardenia essential oil are-

  1. Add a small amount of the oil to an oil diffuser and use it during yoga and aromatherapy sessions. It will lift your mood and decrease stress levels. You can also use it as a room freshness to make any room smell better.
  2. If you want to use it as a massage oil, then mix a few drops of pure essential oil with carrier oil in a bowl. Carrier oil like coconut oil can be used. Heat it lightly for ten to fifteen seconds and then apply it to your body.
  3. To reduce a wound, mix the oil with fractionated coconut oil and directly apply it to wounds and scrapes. Cover it up with a bandage to quicken the healing process.
  4. Add a few drops of the oil to a bowl of hot water and use it as a steam treatment for your face. It can help you to get rid of all the clogged pores and blackheads. Furthermore, you can mix it with your favorite moisturizer and a rich carrier oil like olive oil and include it in your moisturizing routine.
  5. If you want to give your body a luxurious treatment, mix the oil directly into your bath and relax and give yourself a treat.

D. Potential Side Effects

Gardenia oil is considered very safe to be used by all. However, some negative side effects have been observed in some people such as:

  • It creates negative side effects when used on pregnant women.
  • People with sensitive skin experienced skin rashes and irritation when gardenia oil was applied to them.
  • Absolute gardenia oil should not be used for aromatherapy as it has been noticed that the solvents used could be harmful and dangerous to health.

Last Word

As you can see, the benefits outweigh the side effects, but as they say, prevention is always better than cure. Gardenia essential oil is safe to be used by young and old alike. However, before usage, consult a dermatologist or a professional for proper guidance, and upon encountering any side effects, a doctor should be immediately called for.

So go on, what are you waiting for? The time has come to add gardenia essential oil to your cabinet and reap all the benefits of it.

FAQs

1. Is it true that the oil from gardenia promotes hair growth?

  • It has a lot of healthy elements including fatty acids and vitamin E. Because of its characteristics, it is particularly good for hair and skin, making it a favorite cosmetic option among celebrities. However, argan oil advantages are not limited to the wealthy and famous; anybody may profit from it.

2. Does gardenia essential oil benefit the skin?

  • The antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral components in this flower’s essential oil can provide an extra layer of protection for your skin and internal system against infections, irritants, and other external chemicals that might cause harm.
6 Lesser-Known Essential Oils With Surprising Benefits
Icy Health
  1. Masango, Phineas. “Cleaner production of essential oils by steam distillation.” Journal of Cleaner Production 13.8 (2005): 833-839. ↩︎
  2. Eltz, Thomas, et al. “Enfleurage, lipid recycling and the origin of perfume collection in orchid bees.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 274.1627 (2007): 2843-2848. ↩︎
  3. Cai, Xiaoshuang, et al. “Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of gardenia fruit oil with bioactive components and their identification and quantification by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS 2.” Food & function 6.7 (2015): 2194-2204. ↩︎
  4. Chancellor, Michael B., and Naoki Yoshimura. “Treatment of interstitial cystitis.” Urology 63.3 (2004): 85-92. ↩︎
  5. Abdulhamid, Zakir, et al. “Aphrodisiac Evaluation of Gardenia aqualla (stapf and hutch) Root Extract and fractions in Normal Male Rats.” J Pharmaceut Dev and Indust Pharm 4.1 (2022). ↩︎

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