Bunga Raya / Hibiscus

Bunga Raya or the Hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia and Hawaii..

It has medicinal value. It is astringent, has been used for curing ulser, its cooling properties- used to bring down fever. Some drink it as tea - although some say if you want to get pregnant avoid it- hmmm ...

Anyways- Asians use it for hair. The Malays, Indonesians, used the leaves and flowers before the use of commercial shampoo. The white hibiscus said to prevent grey hair.. Indians use the red hibiscus. It is said to be very good to reduce excessive secretion/ oiliness of the hair and scalp, reduce pore clogging and restore acid/alkaline balance of the hair an eliminates toxins, promoting growth ( Nadkarni 1954, Kurump 1970)

Alamak kena tanam banyaklah pokok ni kat rumah. I have only one ..botak pulak nanti.

Recipe No 1

Large handful of hibiscus leaves

water to cover

Crush leaves loosely with hand. Barely cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes and strain

Massage on to hair and rinse

Recipe No2

10 flowers

150-200 coc0nut oil

Boil the above let it stand for 10-12 hours. Strain and use

You may add neem ( daun semambu) now we need a whole new topic on these. or mint to the above recipe.

Spa at Bali Hyatt recommend these essential oils

Dry hair-- geranium, sandalwood, palmarosa, lavender

Damaged-- geranium, lavender, sandalwoond, frankincense

Grey hair-- camomile, sage, lavender , rose

hairloss- rosemary, juniper, lavender

dandruff- eucalyptus,rosemary,cedarwood, tea tree.

Cananga / Ylang Ylang

This sweet yellow flower is common in Malaysia. I have a pot at home and a tree. One was planted in a pot and the flower florishes like anything. Ithot it was too big for the pot and plant on the ground. Now...no flower. it grew and grew with lots of leaves but no flower. Someone told me to cut the leaves, did that, still no flower. I have since bought another and put in a pot. Tak boleh nak manjakan.

I do not wear synthetic perfume as I don't like the smell of them. I usually take a few blossom of jasmine or the kesidang/breadflower or the gardenia and put then on my hair or ehem.. the old fashion 'pocket'. My mum's cananga ( in a pot by the way) always flowering, and I'd always put take one or two. Some people are sensitive to cananga and unfortunately I am one of them. Once I put two in my inner pocket one in each side and - migraine... I thot maybe the fragrant was too much, so the next time I put only one. Still I have migraine. Nowadays I 'd put it further, in a car or room as long as I'm not like a few centimeters away I'm allright.

Facts about Ylang Ylang

1The tree is about 20 meters (60 feet) high with large, tender, fragrant pink, mauve or yellow flowers and is found in Indonesia, Madagascar, Thailand, Malaysia.

2.means 'flower of flowers'. One of the main ingredient in Chanel no 5.

3. The flower petals are strewn upon the bed on wedding nights in Indonesia and the oil was a popular ingredient of hair preparations in Europe and was known as macassar oil. Ylang is probably best known for its reputation as an aphrodisiac and can be used to treat sexual problems,Ylang Ylang works very well with Lavender great for a good quality nights sleep and you may even have some nice dreams. ...

4. The Ylang-ylang oil is extracted from the freshly picked flowers by water or steam distillation.
The first distillation is called Ylang-ylang extra, which is the top grade. An absolute and concrete are also produced by solvent extraction.

5.The main chemical components are linalool, geranyl acetate, caryophyllene, p-cresyl methyl ether, methyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, benzyl benzoate and other sesquiterpenes.

6. The first pressing is called extra, then 1st , 2nd and so on. The extra, being the sweetest odour is not used in aromatherapy, but used in the perfume industry.

7It is classed as a non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing oil, yet could cause sensitivity have been reported and excessive use of it can lead to headaches and nausea.

8.The therapeutic properties of ylang-ylang oil are antidepressant, antiseborrhoeic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, nervine and sedative.

9.Ylang-ylang oil has a euphoric and sedative effect on the nervous system and helps with anxiety, tension, shock, fear and panic while the aphrodisiac qualities is useful for impotence and frigidity. It can also help with reducing high blood pressure and useful for intestinal infections.
On the skin, ylang-ylang oil has a soothing effect and its balancing action sorts out over-dry as well as overly-oily skin by balancing the secretion of sebum, and has a stimulating effect on the scalp which promotes more luxurious hair growth.

Essential oils must not to be used by pregnant women without prior professional advice, people suffering from chronic illness, young children, or babies. Use this oil with caution as Ylang Ylang can cause nausea & headaches if used in high concentration.

Recipes

( some of the recipes below eg: preventing hepatitis, curing malaria or asthma are traditionally used in Indonesia - I have no idea if it is effective)

Treating Malaria

3 dried canaga flowers. Pour a glass of hot water, close tightly. Let it cool and drink.

For comfinement mothers

As above but add in honey and kencur /cekur (Kaempferia galanga )

For blocked nose and sore throat.

4 canaga flowers

1 slice of ginger

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup water

Direction Boiled ingredients- reduce to half a cup and drink

Treating wounds ( antiseptic)

50g cananga

20cc hot coconut oil

Put together, apply when cool.

Preventing hepatitis

Boil 3 gram cananga , 20g temulawak, 15gm bangle ( bonglai bukit- Zingiber cassumunar ROXB)with 600cc water , reduce to 300cc, Strain let cool and drink

Mask

Ingredient

:5 cananga flowers

5 jlice rimpang temugiring

1 limau purut skin :

Temugiring is widely used in Indonesia to tone skin

Limau purut act as astringent

Blend all ingredient and strain. Pat on face and leave a few minutes. Caution: Please do this at night, as the lime contain vit C and citrus fruit usually make skin photo sensitive.

Lavender

The Botanical name Lavandula comes from Latin lavare, meaning "to wash". It has been used in Persia, Greece and Rome to disinfect hospitals and sick rooms. It was use during the Plague and ecognized in British Pharmacopceia for over 200 years. During the War the French used the oil for surgical purposes. Essential of Lavender has antiseptic and anti inflammatory properties. The flowers are used in cooking to flavour sugar, as tea and in vinegar.


Species



There are many species of Lavender



The non English Lavenders ( Lavendula Stoechas)



Yellow, Spanish and French



Yellow- Pineapple shaped ,lemon coloured. Yellow green leaves


Spanish- Dark Purple pineapple shaped with dark green leaves


French-- Gray leaves with serrated edges

Photo taken from http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/lavendercareandtips.htm

English Lavenders ( Lavendula Angustifolia)

Left to right - Vera, Munstead, Hidcote , Jean Davis

Large leaved and tall. Vera is thought to be the true English Lavender. Called True or Fine Lavender. Best quality comes from altitutes of2500 and 4500 feet.

Lavandin ( Lavendula x intermedia)

The Botanical name of Lavendins is Lavendula x Intermedia. It is a cross between augustifolia and latifolia. Long Gray leaves, twice or more the size of augustofolias. Much larger and faster. France produce thousand tons of this oil. Most of it to distiller in Grasse.

Spike Lavender ( Lavendula Latifolia)







Dr Rene- maurice Gattefosse reported that during a lab experiment he seriously burned his hand and immediately immersed the hand into a bowl of liquid on a table near him. The pain went quickly away and heal in a short time without scarring.


Beneficial Effects
Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, pain relieving,diuretic,healing, insect repellent.



Improve the following conditions:
Burns, wounds, eczemas, dermatitis, boils, abscesses, herpes, headache, yeast infections, athele's foot, influenza, insomia,nervousness, stress, depression, anger, irritability, anxiety, nausea, dizziness




Mind and Spirit
Balancing, Cleansing, Calming


Skin
Deodorizing, balancing, circulation stimulant, detoxifying,tonic, all skin type, acne


Hair
Hair loss, Dandruff



Lavender Hydrosol

Lavender hydrosol is gentle, balancing for all skin types, cooling , soothing sunburns, healing irritation, gently tones oily, dry and mature skin, cleanses gently and safely. Lavender has always been recommended for fragile or damaged skin. The hydrosol makes a wonderful ingredient for face masks for all skin types, a gentle toner or cleanser; and a great mister to ease sunburn or windburn.

Emotionally, Lavender Water is relaxing and revitalizing. It can ease stress and reduce mental fatigue. Lavender is an "adaptor," adapting itself to your body and your psyche's needs, soothing or revitalizing as needed. Jeanne Rose recommends it as a remedy to jet lag.