Nutmeg Essential Oil

It’s triple digits today as it was yesterday and the next number of days ahead. There are no cars on the road, no families outside, no break in the hum of air conditioning. But I have nutmeg on my mind because thinking of Canadian Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas, is how I’m getting through this heat. Although Nutmeg finds use in Ayurvedic medicine, isn’t recommended for aromatherapy use. Nutmeg is one indispensable oil in botanical perfumery and is one I have included in our Gingerbread Body Butter, a sweet smelling perfume solid I’ve made every holiday season since ‘Friends’ was a show one watched on Thursday nights. It’s the scent I diffuse in the short winter days and the profile I seek when creating masculine or spicy blends.

Two nutmeg oils live in our apothecary, one from Malaysia and other from Indonesia. Indonesian is sweeter, richer bodied than the Malaysian which is slightly hard, dirty wood notes in both the top note and dryout phase. It has its uses in blends where less sweetness is desired just as the Indonesian has its place in sweeter blends. One notable mention about Nutmeg is its potent meditative or relaxing value when used to ease stress.

Suggested uses: Not often used in aromatherapy as use is not recommended for long periods of time or in high doses. Nutmeg is best suited in natural perfumery applications or to diffuse in a room. Blends with Peru Balsam, Benzoin, Sweet Orange, Cardamom, Oakmoss and Vanilla.