New Tension Relief Oil! An Ayurvedic Topical Remedy for Sore Muscles, Aches & Pains

A chief component in our Tension Relief Oil, Mahanarayan oil is a traditional herbal oil in Ayurvedic medicine. This prized formulation has a base of sesame oil with over 20 different herbs infused into it, including anantamul, arjuna, ashwagandha, bala, bhumyamalaki, calamus, clove, camphor, cardamom, dashamula, fennel, ginger, guduchi, licorice, manjistha, musta, mineral salt, neem, punarnava, shatavari, turmeric and vidanga. In Ayurvedic body treatments, mahanarayan oil is applied to sore muscles and joints due to its warming, soothing and penetrating actions. Mahanarayan oil is particularly beneficial in nourishing vata dosha.

As its name suggests, sunflower seed oil is extracted from the seeds of sunflowers. A great source of vitamin E, sunflower oil has emollient properties that help the skin to retain its moisture. This oil contains Vitamins A & E and is also high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can help soothe heat or inflammation in the body. Sunflower oil is cooling in nature, having a particular affinity for helping to calm the heat associated with excess pitta dosha.

Wintergreen essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the wintergreen plant, from which two species, Gaultheria fragrantissima and Gaultheria procumbens, are used. With its robust, minty scent, wintergreen is a key note in our Tension Relief Oil’s aroma. Wintergreen has been used in herbalism for centuries due to its pain-relieving (analgesic) and anti-inflammatory properties. The active ingredient that delivers analgesic properties within wintergreen is called methyl salicylate. Native Americans traditionally used wintergreen in teas, decoctions and topical poultices to heal ailments like colds, headaches, rheumatism, aches, pains and wound healing. Interestingly, wintergreen is tridoshic in nature (balancing to all doshas) due to its simultaneous cooling and warming effects, which you can feel in our Tension Relief Oil.

Although vastly known for its sweet and calming aromatherapeutic benefits, lavender is also a fantastic plant ally to address sore muscles, aches and pains. This is because lavender can reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation, and ease any tension or stress that could impede healing. Lavender is considered tridoshic and has a particular affinity for balancing vata and pitta doshas.

With a woody, leathery, slightly sweet and rich aroma, rosewood buddhawood is a resinous essential oil derived from the Buddhawood tree. This native Australian oil contains a unique terpene called sesquiterpene that relieves s pain for sore muscles and joints and imparts a reddish hue to our Tension Relief Oil. Rosewood buddhawood is also revered for reducing stress and calming the mind through its soothing and healing properties, making it an excellent plant ally for balancing vata and pitta doshas.

A common culinary herb, marjoram is a lighter, more citrusy alternative to oregano. Marjoram’s uses are not isolated to the kitchen, however. When pain, tension and inflammation arise, marjoram is an excellent essential oil for comfort and ease. It is also used to relieve cramps, including menstrual cramps. Due to its ability to stimulate menstruation, this essential oil is not advised while pregnant. Like oregano, marjoram is warming in nature, making it best for kapha and vata doshas.

A part of the olive family, osmanthus is also known as sweet olive and is used widely in Chinese medicine for various ailments. In our Tension Relief Oil, osmanthus penetrates deeply to rejuvenate sore muscles, aches and pains and support optimal movement of the joints. This herbal remedy also clears stagnation and congestion from the joint tissue. Osmanthus is balancing to all three doshas (tridoshic).

Blue in color and known as Moroccan Blue Chamomile, you might expect blue tansy essential oil to be derived from a blue flower, but surprisingly, its petals are yellow! During the steam distillation process, which extracts the essential oil from blue tansy’s petals, the chemical compound chamazulene is released, imparting a blue tone to the oil. Studies show that chamazulene and two other major components of blue tansy, camphor and sabinene, help to reduce excess heat associated with sore joints and muscles. Blue tansy is most balancing to pitta dosha.

Peppermint brings a lovely, cooling sensation when applied topically, thanks to a chemical compound called menthol. Menthol relieves pain for sore muscles and achy joints and acts as an antispasmodic. Antispasmodic herbs like peppermint help to ease muscle cramps, menstrual cramps and tension in the body. Peppermint also helps to increase circulation, which can help hasten healing and recovery for overworked muscles and joints. Cooling in nature, peppermint is especially balancing to fiery pitta dosha. At the same time, its stimulating properties help to reduce excess kapha dosha and its analgesic properties can relieve pain, which is associated with excess vata. 

Derived from the flowers of Cananga odorata genuina, ylang ylang has a rich floral aroma and a pale yellow color derived from an active component called isoeugenol. Isoeugenol imparts color to this essential oil and provides analgesic relief to tired, achy muscles. Further, ylang ylang also contains anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used to relieve arthritic joint pain. This oil is balancing to the three doshas but is mainly utilized to balance both pitta and vata. 

Also called German chamomile, blue chamomile has a deep blue color due to the natural azulene released during the steam distillation process. In a 2015 randomized controlled clinical trial, blue chamomile proved to relieve osteoarthritic knee pain and reduce the need for pain medication when applied topically three times per day. Blue chamomile also quells inflammation and heals swollen joints. With its cooling properties, this revered essential oil helps balance pitta dosha and provides healing benefits to vata and kapha doshas. 

Helichrysum, also known as Immortelle, is a part of the sunflower family. It is an ideal topical remedy thanks to its ability to heal the skin quickly, reduce inflammation and relieve pain. It also increases the rate at which healthy, new skin cells form and may help reduce irregularities on the skin caused by scarring. Even more, helichrysum encourages lymphatic drainage, thus aiding the body in removing ama or toxic build-up. Helichrysum is considered tridoshic in nature.

Steam distilled from the chipped wood, stumps and branches of the camphor tree, camphor essential oil is extremely powerful, and a little goes a long way! Its beneficial actions include helping to heal ligament sprains, eradicating inflammation, improving circulation, reducing soreness and easing muscle aches, spasms and pains. Camphor is light, drying and cooling in nature, making it beneficial for both pitta and kapha doshas; however, due to its ability to ease pain, when combined with other warming herbs, it can also be used to balance vata dosha.

We hope you have enjoyed getting to know the key herbal ingredients that formulate our new Tension Relief Oil and the immense benefits they each provide to naturally and intuitively relieve discomfort in the muscles and joints. May this topical herbal oil be your Ayurvedic go-to for soothing relief.