Bay Laurel Essential Oil Benefits and Uses in Aromatherapy

Bay laurel essential oil "is the fragrance of victors and poets, who have each used imagination and inspiration to attain their goals," according to aromatherapist Valerie Ann Worwood in Aromatherapy For the Soul. She says the emotional benefits of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) are to support confidence, inspiration, creativity, and direction.

Basic Bay Laurel Facts

This essential oil may also be called laurel or laurel leaf.

Plant family: Lauraceae.

Production: Steam distilled from the leaves and branches of bay laurel, which is an evergreen shrub or small tree. A small amount of essential oil can be distilled from the berries, but a berry oil is more likely to be a pressed fruit oil rather than an essential oil.

Aroma: Spicy, sweet, fresh, balsamic.

Perfume/Aromatic note: Top to middle.

Is bay laurel safe to use during pregnancy? No, according to The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.

Is bay laurel safe for children? Do not use with children under age 2, according to Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Ed.

Cautions: May irritate sensitive skin. Frequent use on skin may cause sensitization. Too much of the fragrance may cause headaches.

Do not confuse bay laurel essential oil (Laurus nobilis) with bay rum essential oil (Pimenta racemosa). Though they have some broad aromatic similarities, they are different oils.

Main components:

• 1,8-cineole               38.1–43.5%
• alpha-pinene              7.1–15.9%
• alpha-terpinyl acetate    4.5–7.0%
• linalool                    6.2–6.5%

Source: Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Ed.

Bay Laurel Essential Oil Benefits

Essential Oils & Aromatherapy for Dummies: Bay laurel is a warming, stimulating essential oil that can help relieve muscle tension. Use the essential oil in a massage oil to stimulate lymph and blood circulation. The scent may help improve memory, relieve headaches, reduce sinus and lung congestion, and support the immune system.

The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness: This oil helps the digestive system and is tonic for the liver and gallbladder. Used in a massage oil blend, bay laurel can help relieve lymph congestion.

The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (updated edition): Bay laurel oil is useful to help relieve indigestion, flatulence, loss of appetite, scanty periods, colds, and flu.

Essential Oils: All Natural Remedies: Use bay laurel to sooth aches and pains, for colds and flu, and for sleep. The oil is associated with peace, wisdom, and inner confidence.

Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics, Volume 2: Psychologically, laurel promotes emotional renewal, clarity, willpower, courage, and self-confidence. Physically, the essential oil restores hypotonic/weak conditions and relaxes hypertonic/tense conditions.

Bay Laurel in TCM and Ayurveda

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the primary energetic actions of bay laurel are to circulate and regulate Qi and to clear cold phlegm, according to Aromatherapy For Healing the Spirit. The essential oil is indicated for chilly, congested people who lack energy and self confidence.

Aromatica, Vol. 2, lists the following characteristics of laurel:

• Essential function: to tonify the Qi, activate Qi and Blood, and strengthen the Shen.
• Movement: rising and circulating.
• Warmth: neutral to warm.
• Meridian tropism: Lung, Bladder, Spleen, Liver.
• Five-element affinity: metal, earth, wood.

Ayurveda and Aromatherapy:

• The rasa (taste) of bay laurel is pungent, bitter, astringent; the vipaka (aftertaste) is pungent; and the virya (energy) is heating and drying. 
• The oil balances vata and kapha and increases pitta. 
• Tissues most affected by the oil are hair, nails, stomach, and small intestine.
• Indications for this essential oil include respiratory problems, muscle and nerve pain, and scalp dryness.

Bay Laurel Spiritual and Energetic Benefits

Aromatherapy Anointing Oils: Bay laurel can help you release inaccurate and unsupportive thoughts about yourself and open your mind to receive and integrate helpful, uplifting beliefs.

Specific chakra uses:

• Seventh (crown) chakra: helps open you to spirituality and spiritual growth.
• Sixth (third eye) chakra: opens and uplifts your mind to new and changing thoughts and perspectives. Helps clear mental blocks, support intuition and inner visions, and inspire and awaken imagination. Protects from outside negativity.
• Fifth (throat) chakra: promotes confident, and inspired verbal communication.
• Third (solar plexus) chakra: promotes self-esteem, confidence, and motivation.

When to use:

• To help identify and release unsupportive thoughts
• To support affirmations
• To promote and support intuition
• To open your mind to new thoughts and perspectives
• When a new way of thinking would help during times of change
• When you have trouble understanding another's point of view
• When your mind needs uplifting and refreshing
• When you need inspiration

Mixing Essential Oils for Magic: Bay laurel aids in prophetic dreaming, divination, and clairvoyance; increases psychic powers and offers protection during their use; and clears negative energy from the home. The oil is also associated with awareness, inspiration, and intuition.

Bay Laurel Essential Oil Uses and Blends

To make a massage oil, add 5 drops bay laurel essential oil to 2 teaspoons carrier oil. You can use this oil for sore muscles or on your abdomen for digestive problems.

Sore-Muscle Relief Massage Oil

• 4 drops bay laurel
• 4 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 4 drops rosemary essential oil
• 3 drops ylang ylang essential oil
• 1 tablespoon carrier oil
  

Massage Blend for Sleep

• 3 drops bay laurel
• 4 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 4 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 drops petitgrain essential oil
• 1 tablespoon carrier oil

At bedtime, massage the blend into your upper chest, back of the neck, shoulders, and areas of your back you can reach.

Source: AromaSense

To help relieve congestion from cold or flu, use bay laurel in a diffuser blend or in a steam inhalation. For swollen lymph glands, Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential Oil Therapy recommends rubbing a few drops of the essential oil over the glands.

Make a cleansing, uplifting room spray:

• 9 drops bay laurel essential oil
• 4 drops rosemary essential oil 
• 1/2 cup distilled water

Blend ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use.

Make a body scrub that supports the lymphatic system:

• 1 cup fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup jojoba oil
• 12 drops bay laurel
• 7 drops grapefruit essential oil
  

Blend all ingredients in a glass jar. Use as desired for a body scrub.
Source: Floracopeia

Make a forming soap:

• 4 tablespoons liquid castile soap
• 15 drops Laurus nobilis essential oil
• 10 drops orange essential oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil
  

Blend all ingredients in a 2-ounce (60 ml) foam pump bottle.
Source: Aromahead

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Carol Wiley is a retired massage therapist and freelance writer. She uses her deep interest in aromatherapy and essential oils to research their benefits and uses and bring you summaries and blends with links to more resources.

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Photo Credit: Bay leaves by H. Zell [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

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