What Is Ravintsara Essential Oil Good For?

If you’ve recently started using essential oils for health and wellness, you may start encountering new varieties you’ve never heard of before. Beyond the classic staples like lavender and peppermint, there’s a whole world of pure plant extracts that have a variety of uses and benefits.

Ravintsara is a popular essential oil among natural health practitioners, but you may be wondering: what is ravintsara essential oil good for? Is it worth investing in for your health? In this guide, we’ll introduce you to this unique essential oil and look at some of the potential benefits it could have for you whether you’re using it topically, inhaling it, or using it around your home.

What Is Ravintsara Essential Oil?

Ravintsara essential oil comes from the Cinnamomum camphora, or camphor tree. This tree also produces the more widely known camphor oil that is popularly used to relieve congestion and treat topical fungal infections. 

The main difference between camphor oil and ravintsara oil is that camphor is made from the wood of the free, but ravintsara is distilled from the leaves. Ravibtsara oil does not contain camphor, though it has some similar therapeutic uses.

Ravintsara vs Ravensara

With such similar-sounding names, it can be easy to confuse ravintsara with ravensara. Adding to the confusion, they are both distilled from the leaves of two trees commonly cultivated in Madagascar. Both ravintsara and ravensara have antibacterial and antifungal properties, however, the essential oils are very different.

Ravintsara is noted for its similarities to eucalyptus, with its bracingly fresh and slightly spicy aroma. Ravensara has a more delicate sweetness and fruity fragrance.

While ravintsara can be used topically, ravensara is more typically diffused in steam. While precautions should always be taken to properly dilute any essential oils, ravensara usually comes with more warnings, particularly when using with children.

Therapeutic Uses for Ravintsara

While essential oils can be enjoyed simply for their wonderful plant-based fragrances, many people also like to choose essential oils that can benefit their health. 

Ravintsara has a wide range of health benefits that you can enjoy, but please remember to always consult with a medical practitioner to make sure the essential oils you are using won’t worsen any pre-existing conditions or negatively interact with any other treatment.

Remember to always dilute essential oils and test them on a small patch of skin before you start using them on a larger scale. Also, be sure to only purchase from a reliable Ravintsara seller, like Wholesale Botanics, if you are planning to use Ravintsara oil for therapeutic reasons.

Topical Uses for Ravintsara

Ravintsara is noted for its ability to strengthen the immune system, help relieve soreness and inflammation, and prevent or treat infections. Here are a few ideas for harnessing its power topically. Always remember to follow dilution guidelines when using essential oils on your skin and if you are nursing or pregnant consult your doctor first.

• Make an Invigorating Massage Oil: Add ten drops of ravintsara oil to about 4 ounces of your favorite carrier oil and use that oil when massaging sore muscles after a long day. If you feel like you are coming down with a seasonal illness, you can use the oil to massage your neck and chest to help clear congestion and encourage lymph drainage.
• Soak in a Soothing Bath: You can add a few drops of ravintsara essential oil to your favorite bath salts for a refreshing soak that will support your mood and your immune system.
• Soothe Irritated Skin: If you deal with inflammatory skin problems like eczema, you can add a drop of ravintsara to your cleanser to help reduce redness and swelling. You can also dab it onto freshly cleaned skin after diluting it with a carrier oil. Just be careful not to get it in your eyes or mouth.

Inhaling Ravintsara

There are also therapeutic benefits to inhaling and diffusing ravintsara. 

• Clear Congestion: As mentioned above, you can rub diluted ravintsara oil on your chest to help with illness and congestion, but you can also diffuse the oil. If you find the oil irritating topically, or simply can’t apply it for any reason, add it to your diffuser to help throughout the day. You can add a drop or two to a bowl of hot water and place a towel over your head while you inhale as well. The hot steam will also help break up your congestion.
• Relieve Headaches: Ravintsara essential oil can also help relieve pain from headaches or migraines. You can diffuse the oil, or even waft from the bottle to inhale the scent if you feel a headache coming on.
• Improving Mood and Focus: In aromatherapy, ravintsara has been shown to improve mood and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. It can also increase mental clarity and focus. Carry it with you in your bag if you need a pick me up at work. Dab it on a handkerchief or towel so you can inhale the scent as needed.

Household Uses for Ravintsara

You don’t have to wait until you are feeling unwell to enjoy the powerful benefits of ravintsara. The powerful antiviral and antimicrobial properties of the oil can be useful for keeping pesky illnesses at bay.

Always use caution around babies and small children when dealing with essential oils or when using them on an area where food will be prepared.

• Household Cleaner: Add a few drops of ravintsara essential oil to a small spray bottle of water or a mixture of water and white vinegar to use as a surface cleaner in your home. The mixture will help kill bacteria and viruses and will leave behind a fresh scent.
• Hand Sanitizer: Blend a few drops of ravintsara with either water or alcohol and add it to a small bottle to mist onto your hands when on the go. The ravintsara will help kill pathogens and prevent your skin from becoming overly stressed from frequent cleaning.

Harness the Power of Ravintsara

Plant compounds are powerful and versatile and essential oils are growing in popularity as people discover their unique abilities. Ravintsara is a useful tool to have in your all-natural first aid kit thanks to its many different uses.

If you weren’t sure what ravintsara essential oil is good for, we hope this guide has helped you understand some of the benefits that this oil can provide topically, through inhalation, and through use in the home.