People either love patchouli or hate it. This distinct heavy, earthy, musty scent is rarely reacted to with indifference. It is important in perfumery and in potpourri making, being used extensively as a base note for mossy, woody and rooty undertones. It is also an exceptionally long lasting scent, giving it uses as a fixative. As this thick, amber-brown oil improves with oxidation, it gets better and sweeter with age.
It was a popular scent in the early nineteenth century, due much to the fact that textiles and scarves coming from India were packed in patchouli leaves to protect them from insects. The scent would saturate the fabrics and it became a sign of authenticity for wool scarves to smell of patchouli. It arose again in popularity in the 1960s and became forever tied in many people’s minds with the hippies of that era.
Patchouli is a member of the mint family, Labiatae, and is native to Malaysia. It is a bushy plant, up to three feet tall, with leave slightly reminiscent of the mint family. The smell of the plant is not impressive; the scent we are familiar with is obtained by fermentation. The fresh plant is crushed and allowed to ferment lightly before distillation by steam. The best quality patchouli oils are allowed to mature and age in order to reduce the sharp green and wet earth tones. It is cultivated in tropical climates such as Southeast Asia, Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil and Paraguay.
It is useful in skin care and for the treatment of skin disorders, being anti-inflammatory, emollient, antiseptic, cell regenerative, and fungicidal. It is used to treat acne, cracked skin, some eczemas, fungal infections, sores, scars and dandruff. Cosmetically it is used for skin that is rough, tired, aging, wrinkled, inflamed or oily.
Patchouli has mild sedative and pain-relieving qualities, and it is used for headaches, muscle spasms, colic and angina. It can also be useful for insomnia, anxiety, agitation and depression. It is helpful to some people for weight loss and is considered an aphrodisiac. It is a venous and lymphatic decongestant, making it useful for varicose veins, hemorrhoids and congestive pelvic conditions.
Patchouli helps to ground and integrate energy, particularly useful if you are feeling spacy and “ungrounded.” It is good in massage, but some people consider it unpleasant, so check with the person before applying it. It is often used in blends in small proportions.