The lymphatic system, unlike the circulatory system, it has no pump of its own. Rather it depends on movement, breath, and gentle touch to keep lymph moving through the tissues.
After long periods of sitting, disrupted sleep, travel, or sustained stress, the lymphatic system can slow leaving the body feeling puffy, heavy, and conjested.
Gentle self-massage is one way to support this natural movement and the right body oil creates ritual and therapeutic benefits.
Why violet leaf infused oil?
In Western herbal medicine, violet has long been valued as a traditional lymphatic herb for hot, swollen, congested, or tender tissues.
The infused oil captures oil-soluble compounds from the leaf, including phytosterols that support the skin barrier, violaxanthin for antioxidant protection, and naturally occurring salicylic acid that contributes to violet's traditional analgesic properties.
For this formula I've infused fresh wilted violet leaves in sesame seed oil.
Sesame oil is one of many excellent oils for infusing. It contains lignans, sesamol and sesamin, which benefit the skin and give the oil a long shelf life.
Creating our Lymphatic Body Oil
We start with violet infused sesame seed oil. Below you can see the pale sesame seed oil on its own, and the sesame once infused with violet leaves. With that much pigment transfering into the oil, you can see something is going on!
To our infused violet leaf oil we will add grapeseed oil, black current seed oil, oat oil and meadowfoam.
Grapeseed oil is light and it provides the slip needed for gentle lymphatic massage.
Black currant seed oil contributes gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), fatty acids that help with inflammation. Congested lymphatic tissue is inflamed tissue, making black currant an ideal addition to the blend.
Oat oil adds another soothing layer through its unique avenanthramides while supporting the skin barrier and improving the feel of the oil on the skin.
Meadowfoam seed oil has very-long chain fatty acids which helps prevent oxidation and ads a lovely nourishing element and smooth silky finish.
Meadowofam is used widely in skincare for its skin feel, long shelf life and skin benefits.
Lymphatic Body Oil Recipe
| Ingredient | % | 50ml |
|---|---|---|
Violet leaf-infused sesame oil | 30% | 15ml |
Grapeseed oil | 25% | 12.5ml |
Black currant seed oil | 15% | 7.5ml |
Oat oil | 15% | 7.5ml |
Meadowfoam seed oil | 14% | 7ml |
Mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E) | 1% | 0.5ml |
Total | 100% | 50ml |
USE: Massage a small amount of oil onto clean skin using slow, light strokes. Lymphatic vessels lie just beneath the surface of the skin, so gentle pressure is more effective than deep massage.
Used regularly, this lightweight body oil combines traditional herbal wisdom with carefully selected plant lipids to create a blend that supports both the skin and the massage itself.
What herbal infused oils are you working with this summer? Leave a question or a comment below