In a market that seems almost oversaturated with personal health and beauty wellness products, essential oils seem to keep popping up in conversation. Whether as a solo offering or as part of other (and most) personal care and wellness products, essential oils have taken the market almost by force. But what is so irresistible about them?
Well, despite the popularity of essential oils, thanks in no small part to their heavy marketing, one might be surprised to know that essential oils are actually distillates of aromatic compounds from plants. Most oils are obtained through the extraction process using steam distillation, while some citrus essential oils are also made using mechanical pressing. This means that each of these oils has a characteristic chemical composition and, when used correctly, offers a wide range of solutions for daily skin care and wellbeing.
Also read: Here’s how to hydrate your skin from the inside out
What exactly are these advantages? From aromatherapy to the cosmetic industry, essential oils are used extensively in each of these areas. Note, however, that essential oils must be used in small amounts as they can be very powerful. They are generally mixed with carrier oils and then used. It is best to carefully check the quality of an essential oil before using it as a regular part of your personal hygiene routine.
Another important thing to remember is the type of effects you should expect from essential oils. While arguably the best-selling ingredient in personal wellness and beauty products, and offering a seemingly endless variety of benefits, they must be used with other elements as well to get a complete and healthy beauty and wellness regimen. Even when used on its own, one must always try to use therapeutic grade essential oils to get the desired effect.
Here is a compact list of some of their most popular uses:
Healing massages (use peppermint oil for headaches)
Anxiety / stress / insomnia (use lavender oil)
Skin care (acne: tea tree oil; radiance: lavender oil)
Hair care (dandruff, itching: tea tree oil)
Homecare (lemongrass oil for cleaning surfaces)
Insect, lice and mosquito repellent (eucalyptus oil)
Toothache (clove oil)
Antiseptic and medicinal baths (eucalyptus oil)
Decongestant nasal spray (peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus)
As with all good things in the world, however, there are a few things to watch out for with essential oils. Here are some tips to avoid harm from using essential oils as part of daily treatment: Always purchase therapeutic-grade essential oils that are solvent-free or steam distilled; Always do a patch test before applying essential oils to your skin. dilute the essential oil (delicate) with a carrier oil according to the manufacturer’s instructions before applying it to your skin; If you have pets, read about their sensitivity to essential oils before buying. And most importantly, anything that is too much is always harmful. So use it wisely and as recommended.
The author is a co-founder of Speaking Herbs.
