Cassia essential oil taught me a lesson that I will never forget, and I am making sure to pass on the wisdom. When I first started our business in August of 2010, I had gone on a workshop tour with my business partner Tammy. Although I was only a few weeks old in the business, I already had a fair bit of essential oil knowledge from using them for quite some time, but was still unfamiliar with several and looking to learn.
Tammy and I were in Seattle together and I had a planned an early morning breakfast with my aunt, uncle, cousin, and sister to share with them what I was doing, answer any questions they had and get them started on their own essential oil journey.
Unfortunately, I was running late so I jumped in the shower, and as I jumped out I realized I had left my deodorant at home. No problem, I thought. “This is an easy fix! I have essential oils” so I grabbed cassia and thought, “This will be a lift to the drizzly morning and pick me up.”. Pick me up indeed! I was on FIRE! My mind was running wild and I had to find a way to calm the burning sensation, so I took a washcloth and tried to wash it off.
#1 Thing To know About Cassia Essential Oil
Cassia is a hot oil. What does this mean? Bottom line: It's hot to the skin and requires diluting. Water is a driver, If you are diluting or trying to “wash it out” use milk to give the oil something “fatty” to hold onto, as pure essential oils are “lipophilic”. In simple terms… fat loving. To dilute and not drive the oil deeper into the skin, add coconut oil, sweet almond, jojoba or olive oil to the palm of your hand, add in your “hot oil” before applying to your lovely skin.Now, back to me feeling like I was on fire. To make matters worse… I needed to wash my face, so I took another washcloth and began using my creamy skincare with water to get my face ready for the day. Big mistake! Cassia was still lingering. So here I am in my hotel room with my face beet-red and burning, my armpits are on fire and I have a meeting that I need to be at. This newbie needed a solution! Tammy gave me fractionated coconut oil to dilute the mess I had created. I smelled like a cinnamon stick and made it to my appointment very alert and shared my message about using oils. I added my crazy morning story and with all that, my family became essential oil users in the right way. I share this with you for two reasons:- We all start somewhere. You don't need to feel intimidated or scared to use essential oils, you just need to jump in and start (but maybe take a minute to read some tips on each oil ;) )
- Be careful with "hot" oils! One quick search and I would have known that my idea was a silly one and would have saved some face (literally)!
Cassia Details
Properties: Antibacterial, helps fight against unwanted bacteria or pathogens, and naturally cleansing.
Yes, like cinnamon bark, it is effective in helping to maintain an already healthy blood sugar level and boost the immune system. The difference is that cinnamon is more powerful and tastes different. Though often confused with cinnamon bark and only thought of as a spice-- it has been used to support the immune system and body with colds, colic, flatulent dyspepsia, diarrhea, nausea, rheumatism, and kidney and reproductive complaints too.
As stated above, this oil can be extremely sensitizing to the skin. It can also provide powerful support to blends when used in very small quantities.
Application:
Dilute heavily with a carrier oil or blend with simple essential oils that are mild. Apply to forehead, muscles, reflex points, and/or directly on the area of concern.
Great for the pancreas. Dilute the cassia in a carrier oil and apply with a warm compress on top over pancreas to help calm an aggravated gut.
Diffuse with caution: it will irritate the nasal membranes if it is inhaled directly from the diffuser.
Use as a flavoring in cooking (similar to cinnamon but has a stronger, more intense flavor). We like adding it to our basaltic rice, curry dishes or snickerdoodle cookies. Remember, one drop goes a LONG way. Err on the side of less.
Oxo
I would love to hear more about how you use this essential oil. Share your story below!