Vetiver

Vetiveria zizanoides (couscous, hash-has, bubbler)

Indian vetiver is an outwardly unremarkable plant from the cereal family. It grows wild in India, Burma, Ceylon, and is cultivated in Indonesia, China, Brazil, Reunion, Haiti and Java. Essential oil with a deep, lasting scent of valuable wood is found in numerous thin roots that surround the main root of the plant.

Vetiver roots have been used as incense in the East for a long time. In India and Sri Lanka, the oil from this plant is called “oil of peace.”

It has long been noticed that the smell of vetiver uplifts the mood and inspires optimism. This is probably why the plant was given such a playful name in India - couscous, or hass-has, which means “laughter, joke” in Hindi.

The pleasant smoky aroma helps to withstand extreme heat. From the roots of vetiver, which reach a length of 1-3 m, thin rugs for the floor and curtains for windows are woven. During hot hours they are moisturized. The water, gradually evaporating, refreshes the home well, filling it with a delicate aroma.

In Reunion, fans are made from vetiver, which spread fragrance at the slightest movement of air.

Indian vetiver essential oil has not been studied enough. It contains more than 150 different components, but it is still unknown which substances create the unique aroma. Since the mid-19th century, vetiver oil has become an indispensable component of the most prestigious perfumes: Parfum Hermé, Eau sauvage Dior. The impetus for the creation of eau de toilette for menVetiver was inspired by the following circumstance in the life of Jean-Paul Guermain: “At the edge of the forest I met a man who told me about his love for the earth and the duality of nature. During our conversation, I felt a light breeze of the forest and a barely noticeable smell of tobacco emanating from my interlocutor, enhanced by the fumes of freshly plowed earth. Inspiration was born within me.”

Medicinal properties

1. Used for inhalation for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
2. Regulates metabolism.
3. Renews and rejuvenates the body.
4. Relieves muscle tension.
5. Helps with arthritis, rheumatism, muscle pain.
6. Removes toxins from the body.
7. In folk medicine it is used as an antiseptic and tonic for various types of inflammation, as well as a diuretic, laxative and diaphoretic.
8. Has a calming and strengthening effect on the nervous system. Improves mood, eliminates insomnia. Effective for neuroses and depression.
9. Recommended for the care of aging skin. Rejuvenates, gives it elasticity, cleanses it of dead cells. Has anti-inflammatory and regenerating effects.

Dosage

Massage: 1-3 k. per 10 ml of transport oil.

Inhalations: 2-3 k.

Contraindications. Individual intolerance.

Note. Has a strong relaxing effect. Do not exceed the dosage.

Use internally only on the recommendation of a doctor.