Description
Jasmine, an ingredient chosen to be part of the elite team ingredients of our natural soaps, is a family of Oleaceae, a family of about 200 members, originating from the tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Like most humans, most of these species grow on other plants. They are grown on a large scale for the special flavours of their flowers. They may be deciduous, with falling leaves, or evergreen, with green leaves all year round. In natural medicine, jasmine has been used since ancient times in disorders of the nervous and circulatory system, but also for aphrodisiac purposes, when the system is more than nervous and thus beneficial to both genders. White or yellow, in rare cases even with a red tinge, the flowers are worn in the hair of proud South Asian and South East Asian women.
History
The plant has a beautiful and long history that begins in antiquity. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians used it as aromatherapy and aphrodisiac. Moreover, leaves and flowers made a paste that they used to wrap their wounds and scars. The Chinese and Indians were also flirting with jasmine and used it as tea for external remedy. For Chinese, the plant was a hit from the beginning, the jasmine tea being mentioned during the Song Dynasty, which had the swan song more than 2,000 years ago. At that time only the crowned heads used it. Later, when the aphrodisiac effect was highlighted, it became universally desirable. For the old Hindus, jasmine was the flower that Kama, the deity of love, gulped most of all the flowers of the earth, being adored for its special scent.
The origin of jasmine is a little blurred of time. Its name comes from a Persian word meaning “perfumed flower”, Persia being the most suspected place as its native land. From Persia, it is said that it would have gone to India and then it would have arrived in China. Another variant would be it comes from India, in the northern parts of the Himalayan valleys. Less important where it comes from, it only matters it arrived.
Properties
The therapeutic reasons for which jasmine boosts the value of natural soaps are multiple. Jasmine flowers are rich in essential oil and have a relaxing, antiseptic, aphrodisiac effect, the tea made from them is rich in antioxidants, with real health benefits. The jasmine flowers are processed into the essential oil of jasmine, one of the most expensive oils in the world. The aroma of jasmine favours the appearance of hormones that increase mood and reduce anxiety. It relaxes the nervous system and favours the regulation of heartbeats, with a slight sedative effect. For an aromatherapeutic effect, put a few drops of essential jasmine oil into the room, in a glass of hot water or a special dish. Jasmine is also used in cosmetics, helping to maintain skin and hair. Due to its effect of regulating the amount of sebum secreted by the skin, jasmine is especially recommended for skins with a tendency to fattening or to treat acne. Jasmine also contributes to the toning of the skin and the maintenance of its elasticity, the massage with jasmine oil being extremely useful when it is desired to relax the contracted muscles or to calm the muscular pains.
