With the effectiveness of aromatherapy being proved every coming day, the popularity of the therapy and essential oils is rising continuously. Aromatherapy basically addresses patients’ relaxation issues and stress, which are the most common causes of today’s most health problems. Therefore, it is aimed towards promoting overall health, though it can also address specific health issues as required.
Aromatherapy makes use of oils, like lavender oil, peppermint oil and lemongrass oil, that are extracted from plant parts like flowers, leaves, fruits, seeds, twigs and roots that have specific effects on our various body parts including nervous system, circulatory systems etc. They are supposed to bring about health benefits by working harmoniously with the body.
Because they are extracted directly from plant parts, essential oils have a complex structure because of which it’s almost impossible to produce them outside of nature.
Health Benefits of Essential Oils
Take a deep breath. If you smell fresh flowers, you will realize that it has immediately put you in a good mood. If you smell food, you feel hungry and your mouth starts watering. If you get a filthy smell, you feel disgusting.
This means that your sense of smell has a great impact on your feelings. This sense of smell is highly powerful in us. We can distinguish around 10,000 different smells. Aromatherapy is based on our power of smelling, but it’s not limited to that. It also offers health benefits by applying the essential oils to our body. The health benefits include:
- Stress relief and relaxation
- Mood elevation, balanced mind and sense of well-being
- Boosting respiratory, immune and circulatory health
The use of essential oils in aromatherapy can be a great complementary, natural health treatment in various situations. You need to find out smells of which essential oils appeal to you based on which you can make your health better by using those essential oils. There are many combinations of essential oils too that can bring the desired health effects.
Blending Essential Oils
Various essential oils can be blended together to obtain a synergy. This means that the particular powers of these oils change when they are blended with other essential oils and their energy is enhanced. Recipes of mixing these oils should be followed exactly and the oils must be left for aging for at least a week before adding them to carrier oils.
Dilution of Essential Oils
Once you choose your essential oils, you can add them to base products to enhance the beneficial qualities of your favorite health and beauty products. You can dilute the essential oils by simply adding them to hand and body lotions, unscented bath oils, shower gels and massage lotions.
Carrier Oils for Essential Oils
Essential oils need to be mixed with carrier oils because their healing scent can evaporate soon. Carrier oils are typically extracted from the fatty parts of plants and help maintain the scent of essential oils for longer. Some carrier oils are:
- Olive oil
- Almond oil
- Coconut oil
- Jojoba oil
- Avocado oil
- Grapeseed oil
Benefits of Various Essential Oils
Various fascinating myths and tales are associated to essential oils and aromatherapy. Essential oils like lavender essential oil, ginger oil, eucalyptus oil and more are the fragrant liquids derived from aromatic plants and are the key ingredients of aromatherapy treatments. There are numerous essential oils including herbs, fruit extracts, florals and spices, each having unique scents and qualities for numerous different conditions.
Some popular essential oils and their benefits and uses are as follows:
Lavender: Lavender oil is used in baths, oils, lotions, sprays and more. It promotes a feeling of relaxation.
Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is often used in topical preparations and is invigorating and purifying.
Ginger: Ginger can stimulate appetite and treat cough and cold.
Sage: Only a drop of sage oil is enough to make you enjoy the pleasant effects of camphor scent.
Rosemary: Rosemary is a purifying scent and is usually used in household soaps, shampoos and sprays.
Peppermint: Peppermint oil is cooling and refreshing and has invigorating effects.
Spearmint: Spearmint oil is a cooling and refreshing oil that can freshen up your skin if you add some drops of it to your bathwater.
Ylang Ylang: Native to the Philippines, the Ylang Ylang plant has soon become famous all over the world due to its extremely pleasant smell and lovely appearance. Its essential oil is used to relax body and mind.
Tea Tree: Tea tree oil is beneficial for the health of immune system.
Lemon: Lemon oil is refreshing and mood-elevating; but it should be highly diluted if you want to apply it to your skin.
Using Essential Oils for the Health of Skin and Hair
Body Spray: Mix 5 to 10 drops of an essential oil and 4 ounces of water in a spray bottle and shake. If the oil is citrus, be careful while applying it on or near your face. Citrus oils can make your skin prone to sunburn.
Shampoo: Add a few drops of lavender, basil or cedarwood oil to your shampoo for the health of your scalp. If you want your hair to become thick and voluminous, add rosemary oil to your shampoo.
Skin Cream: Add two drops of rosemary or rose oil to your skin cream to get an anti-aging effect.
How to Use an Essential Oil Diffuser?
One of the most effective and popular ways of enjoying aromatherapy benefits is to diffuse the essential oils. If you are new to diffusing essential oils, here’s how you can do that.
An ultrasonic diffuser is the most used type of essential oil diffuser. It uses water and ultrasonic waves to diffuse the essential oils in the air. It is widely available in several shapes, sizes and price ranges.
- Choose a room having a solid surface or tabletop and an electric outlet to plug in the diffuser. Also, keep a towel or place mat at hand if the surface is wooden since water will be used. To make the most of a diffuser, keep it out of sun or near a fan.
- Fill your diffuser with tap water at room temperature up to the fill line of its water reservoir. Most diffusers feature a fill line on the inner side of the water reservoir or come with a measuring cup to add water to the diffuser. Refer to the manual to know the recommended amount of water. Make sure you don’t overfill your diffuser or it won’t run properly.
- Now, add 5-10 drops of essential oils to the water. A single essential oil such as lavender can be use or you can use a blend of essential oils. Switch on the diffuser.
You can experiment with the number of drops of the oils to find out how many of them are desirable to you.
Consider adding aromatherapy to your health and beauty routine and you will be surprised to see how relaxed, calm, pleasant and healthy you feel!