11 Incredible Benefits of Cypress Essential Oil

by Meenakshi Nagdeve last updated -

The health benefits of cypress essential oil can be attributed to its properties as an astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic, deodorant, diuretic, hemostatic, hepatic, styptic, sudorific, vasodilator, respiratory tonic, and a sedative substance.

What is Cypress Essential Oil?

Cypress essential oil is obtained through steam distillation of young cypress twigs, stems, and needles. Cypress is a needle bearing tree of coniferous and deciduous regions, which bears the scientific name Cupressus sempervirens. [1]

The essential oils extracted from cypress may contain components like alpha pinene, beta pinene, alpha-terpinene, bornyl acetate, carene, camphene, cedrol, cadinene, sabinene, myrcene, terpinolene, and linalool, which contribute to its medicinal properties. [2]

Cypress Essential Oil Health Benefits

Although the cypress tree may often be linked with death and is commonly found in and around cemeteries, the essential oil obtained from this tree can save you from many illnesses. Let’s explore the various health benefits of cypress essential oil.

May Tighten Skin & Muscles

Cypress essential oil may help strengthen your gums and tighten your muscles throughout the body. The main function associated with astringency is a contraction, so cypress oil may make your gums, skin, muscles, and hair follicles contract and prevent teeth and hair from falling out. It may also tightens up loose skin and muscles.

May Heal Wounds

The antiseptic properties of cypress oil may make it a good choice for treating both external and internal wounds. It is a common ingredient in antiseptic lotions and creams. This quality is specifically due to the presence of camphene in the essential oil.

A bottle of cypress essential oil with fresh green cypress flowers on a wooden table

Cypress oil supports the health of the skin and hair. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

May Treat Spasms

Cypress oil may be helpful in curing all types of spasms and the problems associated with it. It might efficiently relieve spasms in the respiratory system and intestines as well as muscular spasms in the limbs. It may also help reduce convulsions, muscle pulls, cramps, and spasmodic cholera which can be dangerous.

May Increase Urination

Cypress oil may stimulate urination, both in frequency and in quantity. This is highly beneficial for health. When you urinate, fats make up almost 4% of the volume of urine. Therefore, the more you urinate, the more fat you lose.
The most important role played by urine is that it removes excess water and toxins from the body. Furthermore, it may also reduce blood pressure and help clean out the kidneys. Many of the mainstream medications for lowering blood pressure are based on this aspect of urination.

May Regulate Blood Flow

Cypress oil may be both a hemostatic and a styptic agent. Although the following two properties are similar in meaning, they differ slightly. While hemostatic means an agent that can stop blood flow and promote its clotting, styptic primarily means having the properties of an astringent, while also preventing excessive loss of blood through contraction of the blood vessels. Both of these properties are very important in their own areas of application.

If someone is bleeding profusely, they might need a hemostatic agent to speed up the clotting of blood and stop its flow to save their life. Likewise, being an astringent/styptic may help in a different way. It might promote the contraction of gums, hair follicles, muscles, skin, and blood vessels, thereby stimulating the flow of blood through the blood vessels. Both of these properties can be life-saving.

May Tone Respiratory System

Cypress oil might tone up the respiratory system and increase the efficiency of the lungs. It may help eliminate the phlegm accumulated in the respiratory tracts and lungs. In this way, it may clear up congestion and make breathing easier when one is suffering from cough and cold.

May Promote Sweating

Cypress oil may be considered to be a very powerful sudorific substance. A sudorific substance is something which can cause sweating or perspiration. Periodic sweating may make you feel lighter, fitter and may help remove toxins, excess salt, and water from the body. This might help clean the skin pores as well as the openings of the sweat and sebum glands while keeping away acne and other skin diseases.

May Eliminate Odor

Cypress oil may have a spicy and masculine fragrance that can easily replace synthetic deodorants which boast a similar natural and distinct aroma.

May Maintain Liver Health

Cypress oil may be good for the liver and ensures its optimal health by regulating a proper discharge of bile from that organ. It might also protect the liver from contracting various infections.

May Relieve Stress

It may induce a calming, relaxing, and sedative effect on both the mind and body by relieving nervous stress and anxiety. It might also stimulate a happy feeling in case of anger or sadness. This property can be helpful in pacifying people who have suffered a serious shock, trauma, or major setback in life. [3]

May Prevent Excess Bleeding

Cypress oil may cause blood vessels to contract. This can be beneficial in cases of excess bleeding.

Other Benefits

In addition to stimulating perspiration, it may also curb excessive sweating, heavy menstruation and bleeding. It is anti-rheumatic and anti-arthritic, so it can also be used in the treatment of varicose veins, cellulite, asthma, bronchitis, and diarrhea.

Word of Caution: There is no active warning for using cypress essential oil, except that it should be avoided during pregnancy.

Blending: Cypress oil forms great blends with essential oils of all citrus fruits such as Lime, Lemon, and Orange as well as with Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Juniper, Lavender, Marjoram, Pine, Rosemary, and Sandalwood essential oils.

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About the Author

Meenakshi Nagdeve, Co-Founder, Organic Facts is a health and wellness enthusiast and is responsible for managing it. She has completed the Nutrition And Healthy Living Cornell Certificate Program, Cornell University, US. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Bangalore and B. Tech in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science from IIT Bombay. Prior to this, she worked for a few years in IT and Financial services. An ardent follower of naturopathy, she believes in healing with foods. In her free time, she loves to travel and taste different types of teas.

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