Reasons To Use Labdanum Essential Oil

Labdanum essential oil has been used for many centuries as an ingredient in perfumes due to its amazing healing properties. As a gum, it boasts of medicinal properties, which makes it an effective treatment for diarrhea and dysentery. Labdanum is also well known for its rich and regal aroma, which explains its common usage in religious rituals dating back to the Old Testament.

It is commonly used as a sun scent in different spiritual practices that honor the sun and solar deities. This oil is also a favorite choice in meditative practice. Labdanum is regarded as one of the rarest essential oils, and it was used primarily in its purest form, considering that blending oils didn't become popular until recently. It is derived from Cistus ladanifer, a plant known for mixing well with cedarwood, cypress, frankincense, lavender, patchouli, bergamot, angelica, clary sage, vetiver, and pine.

1It Improves Memory

A lot of essential oils contain pinenes, which have been shown to improve cognitive function and boost memory. These effects are made possible by preventing the breakdown of neurotransmitter molecules. This process is induced by acetylcholinesterase.

Acetylcholinesterase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine; this is a process that happens at the synaptic cleft to allow the nerve impulse to be transmitted across the synaptic gap. A similar process occurs in pesticides, particularly the carbamate and organophosphate types, which kill pests by inhibiting their acetylcholinesterase. To experience the brain-boosting effects of labdanum, massage your head with diluted essential oil, or you can diffuse the oil.

2Relieves Stress And Anxiety

Labdanum essential oil also has the extraordinary effect of calming the mind. Many consider it a go-to essential oil for getting rid of anxiety, stress, tension, and emotional trauma. Apply diluted labdanum essential on your skin and massage the area gently, or infuse your room with the healing scent of the oil by using a diffuser.

Stress is the body's natural response to threats or pressure. When you get stressed, you may feel overly tense or nervous. It's worth noting that the stress response is physical as well. Stress causes a spike in adrenaline, a hormone that affects the central nervous system.

3Works As An Emmenagogue

One of the more surprising benefits of labdanum oil is that it serves as an emmenagogue. It boosts blood flow to the pelvic area, which aids in regulating your cycle and produces PMS-relieving benefits. Women who have irregular periods resort to labdanum as an emmenagogue, which also helps them stress out less about their irregular menstrual cycle.

In many women, the reason for their disturbed cycle is stress, which means that using an emmenagogue that also offers stress-relieving effects is doubly useful. This oil has been shown to have analgesic and hormone-balancing effects, making it an excellent option for relieving the symptoms of menstrual cramping and PMS. Apply labdanum essential oil on your abdomen and massage gently to stimulate your period, especially when you go past beyond your due date.

4Treats And Soothes Sunburns

Thanks to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, labdanum essential oil can help in getting rid of the pain associated with sunburns. You should also remember that sunburn can increase the risk of skin cancer, so you will significantly benefit from the cancer-fighting properties of pinenes found in this essential oil. Labdanum is also rich in antioxidants, which helps in preventing cell damage by fighting off the free radicals produced by the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Mix a few drops of the oil with water and shake thoroughly. Spray the mixture on the affected area. You can also add this mixture to chilled aloe vera if you want a more soothing sensation on your sunburned skin.

5Effectively Suppresses Cough

Labdanum essential oil also acts as an antitussive. In case you didn't know, antitussives are usually used in cough medications, particularly those for dry coughs. A dry cough is usually caused by over-sensitized tissues in your airway.

Since labdanum is an antitussive, it serves as an active cough suppressant by stimulating the part of the brain that initiates coughing. The anti-inflammatory properties of the oil also help in healing the inflamed tissues, and the antioxidants help in fighting off infections caused by free radicals. All of these processes happen simultaneously, allowing you to get rid of the symptoms and feel better in no time.

6Helps You Look Younger

If you want to say goodbye to different signs of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, and dull skin, then labdanum may be the answer for you. Labdanum also features astringent properties, which means that it can reduce puffiness and tighten skin tissues. Free radicals that damage the cells are taken care of by antioxidants.

Skin cells that are not affected in any way by free radical damage are better able to do their function optimally, which includes restoring the youthful glow of your skin. It's suggested that you use this oil together with your regular moisturizer. You can also try mixing a few drops with rice bran oil or jojoba oil and then massaging it on the affected area.

7Fights And Combats Infections

If you are dealing with bacterial infections, the pinenes in this essential oil come to the rescue once again. Labdanum is also rich in terpenes, which aids in cleaning wounds. This oil is particularly useful for treating different kinds of infections because of its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving benefits.

For treating wounds, all you need to do is dilute the oil with cool water and then dab the antiseptic solution to your wound using a cotton ball. Make sure that the area is thoroughly cleaned with water first. To keep the wound free from microbes that may cause infection, apply a mixture of labdanum and coconut oil to the area. To make the healing salve last longer, you can melt some beeswax and mix it with the oil.

Some Biblical scholars believe that onycha, the holy incense referred to in the Old Testament, was actually labdanum essential oil. These days, labdanum has increased in popularity, particularly in the perfume industry, because of its similar aroma to the rare ambergris. In many countries, ambergris has been banned because it is derived from sperm whales, which are now endangered species.

From the Old Testament to the present day, labdanum essential oil has been highly valued, thanks to its musky and rich aroma. Our ancestors collected labdanum by combing the fur of sheep and goats that settled on the cistus shrubs. The pharaohs of ancient Egypt took pride in wearing false beards, which were composed of goat's hair held intact firmly by labdanum.