What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the extracted, concentrated liquid of a plant, tree, flower, or herb. They are extracted using one of three extraction methods: distillation, expression, or solvent. The source determines the extraction method. They are used for medicinal purposes, fragrances, flavorings, and found in perfume, soap, lotion, and cosmetics. The better quality oils are certified organic and can be used in homemade solutions.

Why Do We Use Them?

The science of using these natural oils is aromatherapy. Learning more about essential oils can provide you with a quick, safe home remedy for common ailments and also as a safe and beneficial fragrances in your home. Some essential oils are beneficial with medicinal properties that improve our health as a natural remedy. While some essential oils share commonalities, they have different medical properties. These beneficial essential oils can be found in health food stores and online.  These oils come in dark bottles because they are fragile, volatile, and need to be stored out of the light. Essential oils are categorized according to their properties.

How Do We Use Them?

The science of using essential oils is known as aromatherapy. Essential oils are experienced in three different ways: inhaled, applied topically, or ingested. There are many ways and purposes for using essentials oils. A few drops of fragrant essential oils can be used in a spray bottle of water to freshen the home instead of commercial air freshener, sprinkled on a cloth and tossed in the dryer as an organic laundry freshener, added to Epsom salts and baking soda for bath salts, and infused in a warmer to provide an incense-like experience. Organic unscented lotions, shampoos, and carrier oils like almond or jojoba oil, highly absorbed oils, can be safely scented with an essential oil and used as chemical-free, natural fragrance personal products. People are less likely to have allergic reactions to essential oils because they are also organic. These are pleasant ways to enjoy the essence of the natural world.

A Few Natural Medicinal Uses for Essential Oils

You may have had an aromatherapy experience in a massage session or experienced aromatic salves used in treating a cold or flu as aromatherapy. The commonly used oils used for medicinal aromatherapy are peppermint, spearmint, lavender, eucalyptus, and tea tree. These oils are applied to the palms, palms rubbed together, and then inhale the fumes to relieve asthma, sinus irritation, cough, and nausea. A few drops can also be sprinkled into warm water and then a towel placed over your head to inhale the essence of the oils as relief for sinus or lung irritations.

Lavender Oil

Has extended properties such as relief from anxiety, burns, chicken pox, depression, sprains, muscle cramps, and headaches. It can be applied directly to the skin for relief and is also anti-bacterial. It’s a super oil! Lavender oil is one of my most frequently used essential oils because of its many uses. Topically, lavender can be rubbed into the soles of the feet for relaxation at bedtime and applied directly to muscle cramps for relief.

Tea Tree Oil

Do you have a mosquito bite that is really irritating you? Apply a drop of tea tree oil directly to the bite, and all irritating sensations stop. Tea Tree oil also has antibacterial properties to aid in healing, in treating boils, warts, a cure for bad diluted in water as a mouth wash, acne treatment, and dandruff. For an extra special treat after washing your hair, especially in warm weather, rub three drops together in your palms and then finger comb them through your hair, applying it to your scalp. The tingle of tea tree oil is a refreshing conditioner that benefits your scalp and leaves you refreshed. The best skin care products are made from organic ingredients and essential oils.

The beneficial properties of essential oils are easy to learn once you begin experiencing them. Information about the properties of essential oils and suggested uses is available and easily accessed online. Two highly recommended books on essential oils are The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless and The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy by Salvatore Battaglia. The natural world has so much to offer for pleasure and healing.

Freelance writer Ashley Monroe is a freelance writer, wife and mother of two (and one fur baby). Having written on topics like pediatric dentistry and aromatherapy in the home and highly recommends www.mysensitiveskincare.com for more information on taking care of your skin. Ashley and her husband love using eco-friendly products in their home and are trying to teach their two young girls how important it is to live life chemical free.