Vanilla Essential Oil - Vanilla means memories of childhood with the intensity of seemingly everlasting moments of joy. The dense and exotic sweetness in the aroma is linked to some spicy background notes. The earthy, full presence of the taste of Vanilla is only equalized by chocolate, another famous temptation from the heat flooded lands of the South.

Vanilla essential oil is typically found as an 'absolute' or solvent extract. The CO2 distillation used for these oils produces exceptional quality aromatics with full and soft aromas. To make any vanilla, the green pods of the plant are cured, fermented and dried to make the brown vanilla bean pod we're familiar with. The CO2 process then is employed on the whole pod, with the 'total' extract process creating the most exquisite, complete vanilla oil.

Thanks to its dominating phenyl esters and other enticing compounds Vanilla is a feast for the nose and palate. 'Vanillin' is the chemical constituent that gives Vanilla its unique aroma, with concentrations of this molecule varying from just a few percent in some varieties, to near 27% in the CO2 distillate from Madagascar (the Indian, also a wonderful oil, contains about 12%). In its natural form it may be a tasty enrichment of many deserts, especially those that contain milk or yogurt. With its wonderful white orchid blossom and its dark fruits (the "beans"), soaked with fat and aroma, from which the oil is extracted, Vanilla obeys the first "law of the sun": sweet need hot.

Vanilla essential oil is added in small amounts to many blends to 'round out' the aromas, bringing a balance and smoothness to natural perfumes and aromatic creations. Vanilla seems loved by adults and children alike. It is especially beneficial in massage blends for infants - a simple 1% dilution of Vanilla oil in Hazelnut (a well tolerated carrier oil) brings calm and joy to the very young ones.

A creeper in the jungle, Vanilla oil is the call for earthy and sensual pleasures. It is linked to the glandular/endocrine experience of taste that the mere thought of it will make people dream. Sensitive individuals should however avoid it in the evening, as it has slightly stimulating properties. Vanilla is soothing and harmonizing to the fire element in us; it stabilizes emotions and consoles when sadness or grief seems to overpower us. Delightful sweetness of the tropics with a seductive kiss of the earth.

These are beautiful Vanilla essential oils, with a high vanillin content - the component that gives Vanilla its great unique character. Vanilla is a very flexible aromatic, easily blended and widely enjoyed. The only thing one needs to be careful of is using too much...usually, just a few drops will do!