Description
A tender and aromatic herb which has small white or pink flowers. Basil is an annual herb with green leaves. The oil is often used in perfumery and is used in many skin, mind and body remedies.
Characteristics
Basil has sweet green herbaceous top notes and a spicy - liquorice / aniseed like undertones.
Oils to Blend with
Basil blends well with most other herb based essential oils and also with lavender, geranium, bergamot, lime, lemon, frankincense and pine.

Latin Name
Ocimum basilicum

Plant Family
Labiate or Lamiacaeae

Extraction Method
The oils is steam distilled from the leaves and the flowering tops.

Country of Origin
Egypt

Chemical Constituents
Linalool (Alcohol), Borneone, Camphor, Cineole (Ketones), Methylchavicol, Eugeneol (Phenols), Ocimene, Pinene, Slyvestrene (Terpenes).

Precautions
Usually stimulating but has a stupefying effect when used in excess. An emmenagogue so best to avoid in pregnancy (at naturallythinking we have a policy of avoiding all essential oils during pregnancy). Basil can also irritate people with very sensitive skin.