Patchouli oil is deeply woodsy, musky, spicy and strong. A few drops put on the skin tend to stay on, even through bathing. This is an oil where you get plenty for your buck.
Though patchouli can be mixed quite nicely with other essential oils, it is very powerful and so should be used lightly in a blend to let the other aromas come through.
Being so earthy and long-lasting, patchouli essential oil makes an excellent deodorant. It blends quite well with body, taking the punch out and adding some spice. Right now I’ve been using a salve made with patchouli and geranium essential oils and it works quite well to keep odor at bay.
Patchouli oil comes from the tree Pogostemon cablin and is native to India, where it has been used to scent clothing for centuries. It is extracted though steam distillation of dried and fermented leaves. Generally, the cost of organic patchouli oil is low relative to other essential oils. This is because the leaves are used to make the oil and so can be easily harvested without damaging the tree in any way.
Patchouli comes from the Tamil word, paccilai which means “green leaf” and is called puchapat in India.
Uses and Properties of Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli is warm and sweet energetically. It is also grounding, and is able to bring the energy out of a restless mind and back down to the rich sweet Earth. It helps us to stay firmly rooted in our bodies.
For the skin, patchouli oil is antifungal and antiseptic and has been used for fungal and yeast infections and to help heal wounds. Additional uses are for the treatment of skin conditions including acne, dermatitis, and eczema. It is known to tone loose, sagging skin, making it useful for mature skin.
As a base note aromatically, it is used as a natural fixative for organic perfumes. A fixative stabilizes the other, more delicate floral notes in a perfume blend.
I really love this oil. I have used it on its own and as a perfume, in sugar scrubs and body oils and as a deodorant. It is one of the few essential oils that gets more complex and refined over time.