Is a synergy blend better than just one essential oil?
Synergy comes from the Greek word “sunergos”, meaning “to work together.”
Traditional Copper Still for steam distillation
Synergy in nature: This happens all the time in the natural world. We see it when we use one plant for several uses that seem, sometimes, unrelated. Lavender an excellent example. You can use it to treat several conditions like burns and inflammations of the skin while also being a great cleaning ingredient and general linen freshener!
This seemingly endless list of uses comes from the many chemical components that make up the Lavander plant and the oil extracted from it. Hundreds of constituents combine to produce protective and nourishing parts for the plant. It can help it repel predators, attract pollinators, or even send messages to others in the area to warn them of danger. When humans extract the essential oil of a plant, these components are still present and can work in similar ways as they do in the plant.
Aromatherapy Blending
In aromatherapy, you always look at a plant’s chemical components and choose the ones that best suit your intended purpose. Sometimes an oil can be beneficial on paper but is disagreeable to the person using it, they might not like the smell of it, or it might be associated with an unpleasant memory. In that case, knowing the chemistry of a plant is very useful because you can make informed substitutions that are effective.
Most essential oils can be useful on their own; however, in some cases, a blend can be much more effective and gives you a much more range of uses. Not to mention that you can adjust the aroma of a blend to be both pleasant and functional, which can sometimes be tricky when using certain ingredients.
Powerhouse blends: Mixing Tea Tree oil and Manuka oil is an excellent example of synergy blending in aromatherapy. Individually they are both high anti-fungal and anti-viral, but studies show that when combined, that effect is amplified several fold. They work in synergy with each other to rise above their separate abilities.
Too much of a good thing is bad. That applies to anything in life when you think about it. A pinch of salt in hot cocoa can bring out the sweetness of the chocolate beans and give it a layer of depth that lifts a regular cup to a fantastic treat, but put too much salt, rendering it undrinkable!
Adding oils to a synergy: When creating a blend, the person using it is always considered. Sometimes adding a specific oil that smells pleasant is all it takes to round off a mix and make it more enjoyable to use. Even if that extra oil has no useful chemical components, it can still be used if it helps in other ways, even if it’s just emotions getting affected.