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Virginian Cedarwood Essential Oil Benefits and Uses in Aromatherapy

Some essential oils called cedarwood are scientifically junipers (members of the genus Juniperus) rather than true cedars (members of the genus Cedrus, which includes atlas cedarwood and Himalayan cedarwood). One of the junipers is Virginian cedarwood essential oil (Juniperus virginiana).

Aromatherapy supplies and a Virginian cedarwood with the words Guide to Virginian Cedarwood Essential Oil Benefits and Uses.

Buy Virginian Cedarwood Essential Oil

The cedarwood oils share many benefits but each one has specific strengths. Notable Virginian cedarwood essential oil benefits include the oil's uses for skin care, respiratory support, and repelling insects.

Basic Virginian Cedarwood Facts

Also called red cedar and Eastern red cedar.

Plant family: Cupressaceae.

Production: Steam distilled from the wood of the tree.

Aroma: Warm, woody, balsamic, sweet.

Perfume/Aromatic note: Base to middle.

Is Virginian cedarwood safe to use during pregnancy? No, according to The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. However, no research supports this claim, according to other sources. Consult a professional.

Is Virginian cedarwood safe for children? Yes. The oil has a softer scent and gentler nature than atlas cedarwood, making Virginian cedarwood a great choice for children, according to The Heart of Aromatherapy.

Cautions: May irritate highly sensitive skin. Patch testing recommended.

Main components:

alpha-cedrene 21.1–38.0%
thujopsene 21.3–23.4%
cedrol 12.3–22.2%

Source: Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Ed.

Virginian Cedarwood Essential Oil Benefits

Often-reported benefits of Virginian cedarwood essential oil include:

Daily skin care—especially beneficial for skin that's oily, prone to acne or couperose, or has dilated pores
Soothing damaged or irritated skin, including dermatitis
Reducing dandruff and nourishing oily hair
Relaxing and soothing the nervous system, including helping relieve nervous tension and stress-related disorders
Relieving arthritis pain
Repelling insects
Supporting the respiratory system, including helping relieve coughs and clear mucus and congestion
Freshening closets and drawers (and cleaning in general)

In respiratory blends, you can use this essential oil as a substitute for eucalyptus or tea tree essential oil.

Sources:

Virginian Cedarwood Mental and Emotional Benefits

Mentally, Virginian cedarwood oil is grounding and helps create mental focus and may be useful in dealing with ADHD, according to The Essential Guide to Aromatherapy and Vibrational Healing.

Emotionally, the oil helps you reclaim your balance through nature. Let this oil encourage you to spend time outdoors to release emotional challenges. While in nature, use the oil to imagine emotional toxins draining from the soles of your feet into the ground. Also use the oil to calm your nerves and help reduce stress and anxiety.

Virginian Cedarwood Spiritual and Energetic Benefits

Use Virginian cedarwood in synergistic blends to help clear away negativity (especially good to blend with sage), according to The Essential Guide to Aromatherapy and Vibrational Healing. This essential oil is helpful for meditation and prayer and deepens your spiritual practice and rituals. Use the oil to ground a visualization practice or help bring about prophetic visions.

This essential oil offers an energetic strength and fortitude, while being grounding, calming, centering, and balancing, according to Stillpoint Aromatics. This oil brings depth and meaning when you feel a bit lost or confused. Use this essential oil to support the first chakra.

Virginian cedarwood strengthens psychic abilities, stimulates dreamwork, offers psychic protection, and supports clairvoyance, element magic, and divination, according to Mixing Essential Oils for Magic.

Ayurveda and Aromatherapy:

The rasa (taste) of Virginian cedarwood is bitter, sweet, pungent; the vipaka (aftertaste) is pungent; and the virya (energy) is heating and drying.
The oil increases vata, decreases kapha, and balances pitta.
Tissues most affected by the oil are urinary, skin, and scalp.
Indications for this essential oil include bronchitis, fear, nervous tension, aggression, psychological disconnectedness, oily hair, and hair loss.

Virginian Cedarwood Essential Oil Uses and Blends

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Essential Oils suggests the following blends:

To help balance moods, dispel anger, or release nervous tension, diffuse equal amounts of Virginian cedarwood and juniper berry.
To consecrate an altar or meditation space, combine Virginian cedarwood and sandalwood.
For arthritis pain relief, make a massage oil by blending 5 drops Virginian cedarwood, 3 drops fir needle, and 4 drops cypress in 1 tablespoon carrier oil.

Closet Freshening Spray

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) distilled water
10 drops Virginian cedarwood
8 drops juniper berry or cypress essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a two-ounce spray bottle and shake well. Spray lightly in closets and wardrobes, or use as a room freshener.

Source: Cheryl Murphy, Certified Aromatherapist. "The Cupressaceae Family." Autumn 2016.3, NAHA Aromatherapy Journal, p. 25.

Insect Repellent

2 ounces unscented lotion
14 drops Virginian cedarwood
11 drops patchouli essential oil
7 drops palo santo essential oil
4 drops kunzea essential oil
2-ounce (60-ml) glass jar

For kids use the following essential oils in 2 ounces unscented lotion:

7 drops Virginian cedarwood
3 drops patchouli essential oil
2 drops palo santo essential oil

Source: Heart of Aromatherapy

Pulse Point Perfumes

In a little dish, mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras.

To open your upper chakras:

2 drops Virginian cedarwood
1 drop mandarin essential oil
9 to 12 drops carrier oil

To cleanse and refresh your attitude:

1 drop Virginian cedarwood
1 drop lemon essential oil
1 drop rose geranium essential oil
9 to 12 drops carrier oil

Source: Suzanne Banks

About the Author

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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