May Chang ( Litsea cubeba )
Refreshing and rejuvenating. Stimulating and balancing. Its aroma inspires and brings fresh energy, clears the mind. Popular skin care ingredient for oily, mature and inflamed skin.
May Chang is a beautiful, lemony oil that people sometimes use to complement Lemongrass. It is known to be an effective antifungal, is great for oily skin (used in small doses, and well diluted) and has a cooling effect. It is astringent and can be used in facial toners, again in small doses.
Also great to use when someone has a cold or flu, feels hot and has muscle aches. It has a great antimicrobial effect, kills all sorts of germs, and is cooling and refreshing. May Chang is also a great anti-inflammatory.
May Chang's calming effects are useful if you can't sleep. It is known for dealing with insomnia, try combining it in a blend with Lavender and Roman Chamomile, and drift off to sleep!
Burners
When used in diffusers or vaporizers, may chang creates a cheering atmosphere. using a blend of two parts mandarin to one part may chang as a room freshener and to relax and uplift the moods
Skin Care
Because it has antifungal and antibacterial properties, may chang works well in lotions and soaps. Consider adding the essential oil to homemade or commercial products to treat acne, eczema and other skin conditions.
Insect Repellant
Include may chang essential oil in natural insect-repelling preparations. Blend it into liquid body wash, shampoo and body lotion, and add a drop or two to outdoor candles. The oil may be helpful in warding off mosquitoes, and may even be added to a natural shampoo for dogs, along with other ingredients like honey, lemongrass oil and citronella oil.
Blends well with: Basil, bergamot, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lavender, lemon, neroli, orange, petitgrain, rose, rosemary, rosewood, ylang ylang.
