Essential oil - Organic Wintergreen

• INCI name: Gaultheria fragrantissima leaf oil
• Botanical name: Gaultheria fragrantissima
• Part of the plant extracted: Leaves
• Extraction process: Steam distillation

Culture & Origin

Wintergreen originates from the high mountains of Nepal. It grows up to 1500 meters above sea level, on the slopes and decomposed ancient glacial moraines. It is a particularly hardy plant, as it can survive temperatures as low as -10 °C! It thrives even without light, but still requires moist soil.
Well known to Native Americans, wintergreen was traditionally used to combat pain and fever.

Wintergreen essential oil is produced by distilling the leaves of the plant. Approximately 150kg of leaves are needed to obtain 1kg of essential oil.

Health Properties

Helps soothe joint and muscle tension :

• Organic wintergreen essential oil is very well known for its numerous therapeutic properties, particularly in the context of an inflammatory reaction. Indeed, it contains a significant amount of methyl salicylate: a molecule that inhibits the enzymes responsible for inflammation. This is why it is often used as a support to help soothe joint problems of all types. Organic wintergreen essential oil is also effective in calming muscle tension such as cramps and aches.

Promotes digestion :

• Wintergreen essential oil is also used to calm certain digestive disorders and to naturally support the liver.
  It also has the ability to act on blood vessels thanks to its vasodilatory action, which helps maintain a normal blood pressure level.

Contributes to mental well-being :

• While wintergreen essential oil is primarily used for its beneficial properties on joint and muscle tension, it can also provide natural support for mental well-being.
  Applied along the spine diluted in a vegetable oil, it promotes relaxation. It is particularly recommended in cases of mood disorders, irritability, or lack of concentration. It is also known to promote conviviality.

Cosmetic Properties

In cosmetics, organic wintergreen essential oil will mainly be incorporated into recipes for soothing and relaxing oils and treatments. It does not have any particular properties for skin care.
A very popular essential oil among athletes, it allows you to warm up muscles before exercise, and facilitate recovery after a sports session.

Usage Tips

Soothing, warming, and relaxing, organic wintergreen essential oil is widely used for its anti-inflammatory, calming, and relaxing properties. Applied topically, it helps soothe inflammatory joint tension and is effective in limiting and reducing all types of cramps, aches, or contractures. Organic wintergreen essential oil is recommended for athletes to prepare muscles for exertion or to relax after more or less intense physical exercise.
In cosmetics, it is appreciated for its relaxing effects, especially when used as a massage oil. In aerial diffusion, the oil is not very interesting, except for its calming virtues for the mind.
Organic wintergreen essential oil can be used alone or in synergy with other essential oils. To reinforce its relaxing properties on muscles and joints, it can be combined without problems with lemon eucalyptus, black pepper, or peppermint essential oils.
It should be noted that this essential oil is not recommended for internal use, inhalation, or diffusion. On the skin, it must always be diluted beforehand in a vegetable oil to avoid any risk of irritation, and on small areas for a limited time.