A blend of essential oils selected to give relief to swollen and aching feet, to be used also in the bath or for massages.
Essential oils that make up the blend
The footbath blend is composed of essential oils obtained from the following plants: lemon (Citrus limonum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), bergamot (Citrus bergamia), fragrant geranium (Pelargonium graveolens ), Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens).
The plants from which essential oils are obtained
Citrus limonum is a fruit tree belonging to the Rutaceae family and to the genus Citrus (citrus). Genetic studies have convinced scholars that it is a hybrid (like most citrus fruits after all, which all originate from only three species), perhaps the result of a cross between bitter orange and citron. It probably originated in China, but if it arrived relatively late in Europe, it was widespread in Persia (today's Iran), Iraq and Egypt at least since the seventh century. Appearance: usually the height ranges from 3 to 6 meters, the flowers are small and white and the fruits are yellow.
Thymus vulgaris is one of the dozens of species that belong to the genus Thymus of the Lamiaceae family. It is an aromatic plant, so much so that one of the first uses was as incense. It is a small shrub, evergreen and coniferous. Growth is very slow and reaches a height between 10 and 30cm. The leaves are opposite in pairs at right angles to the previous pair. The inflorescences are whorls placed at the end of the stems.
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is one of the many hybrid species of the genus Citrus (citrus fruits) of the Rutaceae family. It looks like a small evergreen tree (not exceeding four meters) with glossy leaves and white flowers, the fruit looks like an orange but is smaller, green before ripening and then yellow. The fragrant geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is a suffruticose perennial herbaceous plant, which means that at the base it becomes woody while the upper part dries up and dies. It can reach one and a half meters in height. Compared to other species of geranium, it has less showy flowers (the color varies from mauve to white), but it is very fragrant.
The common cypress or Mediterranean cypress is a conifer, a large tree that easily reaches 25 meters but can reach up to 50. The scientific name of the species is Cupressus sempervirens, belonging to the Cupressus genus of the Cupressaceae family. The slender shape has made it appreciated as an ornament since ancient times, other distinctive characteristics of the cypress are the extreme hardness of the wood and the aromatic properties.
Properties of the essential oils in the footbath blend
The lemon essential oil has toning and circulation-stimulating properties, which is why it is recommended to combat cellulite and tiredness.
The < strong>thyme essential oil which being very aromatic is known above all as a disinfectant and expectorant, it is also appreciated in massages for its soothing effect. Being a citrus fruit, bergamot is also appreciated above all as an astringent and disinfectant but it also boasts a calming ability appreciated in aromatherapy. Geranium essential oil is a lymphatic and vascular stimulant, it is recommended diluted in massage oil for its draining activity, useful against cellulite but also against swelling. The cypress essential oil as well as for its balsamic properties is appreciated as a circulation stimulant and is recommended in massages to combat cramps and