Essential Oils

From The Land Down Under Comes Honey Myrtle Essential Oil

Essential oils usage is becoming widespread for their medicinal and therapeutic values. Some of the more rare essential oils contain the honey myrtle plants of Austrailia. Honey myrtle essential oil is obtained from the marsh honey myrtle which has the scientific name of melaleuca teretifolia. This tree is typically found in the rain forested regions of Australia, and is indigenous to the region. This tree is quite small and only grows to a height of about twenty feet. The honey myrtle is a cousin of the trees known as paperbarks. They have wonderful purple flowers.

The aroma of honey myrtle essential oil is slightly sweet and citrus like which makes it quite hard to differentiate from the lemon myrtle essential oil. The lemon myrtle essential oil has a more lemony scent with some spicy elements. The official term used to describe the aroma of the honey myrtle essential oil is citral. Citral is the smell typically associated with lemongrass and is a combination of neral and geranial compounds. Both essential oils are used in similar ways.

Honey Myrtle Used In Deodorizing

Honey myrtle essential oil may be used to help brighten up the aroma of your home by using a diffuser, burner, or spray. Traditionally used in aromatherapy burners, honey myrtle essential oil is now also available in a body and home spray as well. Essential oil sprays are typically much less intense smelling than the oil product itself. In a spray, several oils may be combined and are suspended typically in the hydrosol. Hydrosol is a byproduct of the distillation process used to extract the essential oil.

Honey myrtle essential oil is produced using a steam distillation process that starts with elements of the marsh honey myrtle tree. As essential oils are mostly insoluble in water they are easily separated out and collected as the vapors condense. The remaining distilled water has traces of the honey myrtle essential oil, as a very small amount will dissolve or remain suspended in solution. This remaining liquid is called the hydrosol. As the concentrations of oils in this liquid are very small they can be very gentle and soothing on the skin. The hydrosol is used in similar ways to flower water which is a byproduct from the making of perfumes.

Honey Myrtle Used As An Antibacterial Agent

Herbalists and other medicinal botanists believe that honey myrtle essential oil has some uses as an antibacterial agent. Indeed scientific studies have shown that essential oils can be very effective when topically applied; however, they may be toxic if actually consumed in the same concentrations. In the concentrated form this may be found to be correct, however, the honey myrtle essential oil hydrosol is itself subject to contamination, as it is a fresh product with a mild PH and should be kept refrigerated or it will break down.

While honey myrtle essential oil may not be the least expensive oil, it is certainly affordable when compared to some of the other essential oils. It has a sweet, citrus smell that is welcome in almost any setting. On top of that, it makes an excellent antibacterial agent.