Proper Ways To Apply Essential Oils

Proper Ways To Apply Essential Oils

Although essential oils are a mild, natural way to help fight off mental fatigue, stress, sore muscles, and other physical conditions, they are also very potent and need to be applied properly.  After you have purchased the perfect essential oils for your condition, it is important to know how to apply them.  If used without proper direction, they can have a negative effect which can frustrate you.  They may even cause harm if not applied properly.

First, using undiluted essential oils directly on your skin can harm rather than help your condition.  Used directly on the skin, essential oils can sometimes leave a rash or a burn.  The essential oils are powerful solutions to many issues, but used improperly they can cause painful sores when directly applied to the skin.  Diluting the essential oils in cream, or non-greasy oil will keep it from strongly affecting your skin.

Like many creams or lotions, spreading essential oils directly on the skin can cause an overdose.  Essential oils are absorbed by your skin quickly.  If the oil that you are applying isn’t diluted, it can lead to an overdose that will cause a rash, irritation, or skin breakout.  It is also important not to have overexposure to sun especially if you’ve accidentally applied too much.  Essential oils and sun exposure can lead to adverse effects.

Even though essential oils are naturally occurring extracts from plants and trees, they are also powerful therapeutic agents.  It is important to keep them out of the reach of children.  Spreading essential oils undiluted onto a child’s skin can be dangerous and leave a very painful breakout rash.  If ingested, it can be lethal to a child and the caretaker should contact emergency medical personnel immediately.

When applying essential oils be sure to keep it away from your eyes, nose, or ears.  The oils should never be ingested or allowed to enter the internal body.  Keeping the essential oils away from openings on your body can ensure your overall health and remove the possibility of an overdose.  You may even want to use latex gloves so that they are not improperly absorbed on your fingers.

Never ingest essential oils.  They can be harmful or even lethal if swallowed.

Never go into a tanning booth or tan in the sun after using essential oils.  Some oils are incredibly sensitive to sun exposure.  Citrus oils especially fall into this category.  Popular citrus oils to avoid the sun after using are bergamot oil and grapefruit oil.


Before fully using essential oils, make sure to test them on a very small part of your skin.  This includes essential oils that you may use in aromatherapy.  Apply a small dab to your arm and observe any reaction for twenty four hours.  For essential oils that you will apply as a cream, dilute the oil into vegetable oil and apply to the skin.  Observe for any reaction for twenty four hours to make sure they are safe for topical use.

Finally, overuse of essential oils can cause dizziness, headaches, or other side effects.  If you believe you have accidentally overdosed on any essential oil, make sure to contact emergency response personnel immediately.  Although essential oils are mostly therapeutic, using essential oils safely is important for your safety and good health.

Irritability Relief With Essential Oils

Irritability Relief With Essential Oils

Irritability can happen for a number of reasons from negative energy.  Irritability is an emotional issue that escalates from a bad day or even longer.  Some people have the ability to hold in their anger, but sooner or later the emotional irritability caused by negative effects can bubble to the top and cause even the most even tempered person to finally release anger in the form of irritability. 

Irritability stems from a number of issues that occur throughout the day.  Deadlines at work, the pressure of the day’s work, and any other stressful event can cause a person to suffer from irritability.  Using essential oils in aromatherapy can greatly increase your body’s ability to defend and fight back against the emotional negativity of irritability.

Irritability can also stem from home related issues.  Just because you stay at home taking care of kids does not mean you cannot be the subject of irritability issues.  Stay at home moms also suffer from irritability of deadlines, taking care of the kids, and making sure everything in the house hold is perfect.  Although some may not recognize this as a valid cause, irritability can be greatly exacerbated from home caring and child rearing.

Essential oils in aromatherapy can help you resolve your irritability issues and they can help calm you for future work days.  Even as your environment changes, essential oils will help you quell irritability from normal levels that can otherwise cause negative effects.  Once you use essential oils for irritability relief, you will start to notice how your attitude changes.  You may even see how people will respond to you differently once your attitude has changed to a more positive attitude.

Change in living conditions or economic status can also cause irritability.  With poor economic stability, it is hard to hold a positive attitude.  Using essential oils in aromatherapy help you maintain emotional control even when you have legitimate tragedy in your life.  Although tragedy should be nurtured emotionally, it can be a base cause for irritability in your life by taking it out on your family and friends.  The aroma from essential oils can help calm your nerves and bring you a positive attitude even on the low days.

The following essential oils are the perfect way to release stress and bring calm to your irritability.  Chamomile, lavender, and neroli are the three primary essential oils that bring calm to your body and mind.  Although they can be used separately, combine them for an ultimately potent mix of powerful oils that will remove your irritability almost instantly.

Chamomile Maroc

Chamomile maroc is a soothing and relaxing essential oil.  It is the first step in removing the negative effects of the day.  The essential oil is a great way to control your anger and keep your emotional system at a defined balance.  The irritation from the day will seem to disappear as this scent soothes your head and mind.

Lavender French

Lavender French is a popular essential oil to help rejuvenated your otherwise bruised emotional mind.  The essential oil comes from Europe, but it is mostly cultivated from France.  It has been well known to have therapeutic effects that can help increase health and increase your energy.  By removing the tension from your muscles and mind, you can limit the effects of irritability.

Neroli

The Neroli essential oil in combination with the others will follow up their tension release with a relaxing feeling.  It is derived from the bitter orange tree and distilled into a rejuvenating essential oil.  The relaxing effects dispel anger and help to lift your mood from the negative effects from the day.

For each of these essential oils, their effects are revitalizing even without the combination of the others.  However, using them in combination can create a potent effect to help you deal with emotional issues and remove the irritability that can bring more stress into your life.

Increase Your Memory With Essential Oils In Aromatherapy

Increase Your Memory With Essential Oils In Aromatherapy

Our memory is one of the most important functions that should be maintained and carefully exercised.  Your memory can fade or it can be inhibited from stress, environment, or sickness.  Memories can be triggered from certain events as well.  Memory also should be exercised to help you increase your ability to retrieve information from long term memory.  While short term memory only lasts a few seconds, it can still be exercised to increase its abilities.

Essential oils in aromatherapy can help you exercise your mind which will eventually increase your memory.  Using essential oils in your home or office will help you concentrate on your work for the day, revitalize short term memory, and even help your long term memory retrieve information.  Better memory will help you better understand customer needs and even help you listen and deal with your children more effectively.

If you have a poor memory, essential oils in aromatherapy can help improve your memory from only a few days of burning the scent.  The fragrances will stimulate your mind that helps your memory.  Using essential oils in aromatherapy in the office will help you remember important dates, deal with customers better, and help you concentrate better on important documents or work.  You can use the aromatherapy essential oils during the day as a preventative from becoming moody or irritable as well.

Essential oils in aromatherapy for your home are also good for your memory.  Using the essential oils while you are home after a hard day’s work will help you relax and get a better night’s sleep.  A better night’s sleep will help your wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.  The relaxing essential oils help you rest the mind properly at night so that it can concentrate more efficiently during the day.  Resting properly at night stimulates the brain by bringing essential nutrients during a relaxing night.

Using aromatherapy is also good for the college student.  It is hard to juggle classes and homework without suffering from anxiety and low energy levels.  The lost sleep from studying many hours can take a toll on your memory.  Using essential oils during the college years can greatly increase your ability to concentrate, study, and remember what you have read.  The oils can also help you remember lectures from professors when attending classes.

The following list of essential oils will help you relax and ultimately increase your memory.  They will help you sleep soundly which is one of the best ways to increase your long and short term memory.  Whether it is a need to have better memory at school, work, or at home these essential oils will increase your memory almost immediately after using the aromatherapy techniques.  Rosemary is the perfect way to help your mind focus and increase your memory.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a stimulating essential oil that helps you focus and maintain proper concentration to better information retrieval.  Burning rosemary in your home, office, or dorm room can rejuvenate tired muscles and help soothe weary feat from a hard day’s work.  It allows you to think clearly while studying or analyzing paperwork at work.

From just a few days of using the essential oils in aromatherapy during your day’s stressful events will help you immediately lose the stress and continue to focus on the work or study material.  Although memory can fade, the essential oils can help your memory return.  Short term memory and long term memory will slowly return to you.  You will feel sharper and full of energy.

Removing stress from your life is also an important way to help your memory return.  The essential oils in aromatherapy will help remove the stress from your mind and body which is better for your health.  Try using a little rosemary the next time you feel stressed and unable to relax.  You will start to feel refreshed from just a few days of aromatherapy.

How To Make Your Own Essential Oils

How To Make Your Own Essential Oils

Essential oils are homeopathic ways to help mental issues, fatigue, stress, or even physical conditions.  Essential oils are extracts from certain plants or fruits that are distilled and placed in a container.  Packaged essential oils are highly potent and very concentrated.  Below are basic instructions on how to extract, distill, and cultivate your own essential oils.

Buy a Distiller

The first important item you will need to make your own essential oils is to purchase a distiller.  Distillers cost a few hundred dollars, so make sure the one you choose is durable and will do the job well.  Distillers have several components to consider.  The heater is important to properly steam and heat the plants so that you can extract the oils.  The holding tank will decide how much water you will be able to use.  Smaller holding tanks will mean less steam.  The condenser collects the steamed mixture.  The condenser collects the steam and holds it for cooling.  Finally, the separator is used to separate the water from the oil.

Decide what plant you would like to use.  You can also buy the harvested plants or you can choose to grow them yourself.  Some expensive essential oils are only available from other countries such as France.  Africa is also a host of several essential oil plants.  Make sure to research which essential oil is most useful for the illness that you need to alleviate.

When you receive the plant, you need to dry the plant for the distiller.  Drying the plant will dry some of the oil, but it will yield a higher extract product.  Drying is a slow process and it should never be done via sunlight.  Sunlight can damage the oils and render the plant useless.  The distill process should be done immediately after drying is complete.

Add the water to your distiller, and pack the plant material in the container.  You don’t need to cut or break the plants since the distiller will extract from whole plant material.  You can pack the plant matter thickly to make sure you receive enough extract.

Boil the water so that steam starts to form.  Keep an eye on the distiller to make sure it does not overflow.  It is also important to make sure that the water does not run out.  The heat without the water can break your distiller.

You can optionally filter the solutions.  By pouring the solution through a cloth fabric, you can catch some of the small imperfections and contaminates that can cause allergies.  It will also remove dirt from the solution making it more pure.

Store the oil in a container.  The container for essential oils should be dark glass or stainless steel.  Never use clear glass or your product can spoil more quickly.  The essential oils should be kept in a cool, dark place away from contaminates.  Most essential oils have an approximate shelf life of 2 years.

The remaining part of the distillation process that is not the oil is the hydrosol.  It contains some of the oil and fragrance material that also has therapeutic effects.  You can use the water for other uses such as bath water or a light scent.  For others, they prefer not to keep the hydrosol and it is thrown away.

How To Choose Essential Oils

How To Choose Essential Oils

When you decide to use essential oils to help your mood, stress, or physical illness it is hard to decide from the many available products which one is right for you.  Essential oils come in a variety of scents and fragrances and the different extracts act on different components.  Some help your mental fatigue, others relieve stress, and others can be used as topical creams that help you alleviate scars or acne.

The first thing to consider when choosing an essential oil is to inhale the fragrance.  Some scents are very pungent, others are citrus, and others have a flowery smell.  If any of these scents bother you, then the essential oil will not help with the relaxing effects.  Make sure to be familiar with the fragrance before you make your purchase.  When testing the scent, make sure to keep it a few inches away if it is not diluted.  Undiluted essential oils can give you a headache.

When testing scents, make sure to take a break from the testing.  Do not continually inhale too many fragrances or they will ultimately cause you to get dizzy or give you a headache.   You also may not be able to distinguish between the scents after saturating your senses.

Avoid buying essential oils that do not have a variety of prices.  You may ask why that is important.  Some essential oils are rare and expensive.  If a company is selling essential oils at a consistent price, the chances are that the more expensive oils are not authentic.  They may also have been distilled with cheaper methods that leave some of the by-products in the packaging.

If you are sensitive to oily solvents, then avoid using essential oils that are diluted with vegetable oil.  Although this is a recommended way to dilute the extracts, it leaves an oily residue behind.  To test if an essential oil has been diluted this way, place a tiny drop on a piece of paper.  If it leaves behind a residue as the drop slides off the paper then it has likely been diluted with vegetable oil.

When shopping for bottles, use manufacturers that list the Latin name on the bottle. This leaves no confusion on the actual extract that is contained in the bottle.  Some extracts are closely related to the common names that we know, so they are falsely advertised as the real thing.  Also take note of the country. Some essential oils come from exotic places such as Africa while others are native to France.  This will give you an idea if it is authentic as well.

The best essential oils are pure.  Some companies sell synthetic essential oils which can be dangerous.  The synthetic oils do not contain the therapeutic effects that pure essential oils contain.  Also, the synthetic oils can cause allergies or painful headaches.

Choose pure essential oils over synthetic essential oils. Aromatherapy experts prefer pure oils, saying that synthetic oils do not have the same therapeutic properties as pure essential oils. Also, synthetic oils are thought to cause more headaches and allergic reactions.

Containers used to keep essential oils should be dark or navy blue.  Clear bottles allow sunlight to enter the oils and they can spoil the extracts more quickly.  Make sure to keep extracts out of sunlight and in a dry, cool place.

How Essential Oils are Made

How Essential Oils are Made

Essential oils are actually extracts from certain plants, trees, and fruits using a technique called distillation.  Since plants contain such a small amount of extract, several pounds of plants are needed to provide a small bottle to consumers.  The essential oils are then refined and distilled and packaged in containers that help maintain the scent and fragrance for a good amount of time.  The following is a list of treatments and extract procedures that produce the essential oils for our use in aromatherapy or creams.

Steam Distillation

Steam distillation is the most popular and the oldest distillation process available.  Old time, traditional aromatherapy professionals believe this method is the best way to produce the most quality extracts.  This system takes dried or fresh plants and places them into a steam chamber.  The steam is put under pressure and then circulated in and out of the plant material.  The heat from the pressurized steam causes the plant’s cellular structure to open and the essential oils pour into a holding container.  This is a delicate method since the heat must be well balanced to open the plant but not too hot causing destruction of the delicate oil.

After the steam and oil are distilled into a container, the steam returns to a liquid while the oil creates a film at the top of the solution.  Both the liquid and the oil are both therapeutic by-products of the process.  The oils can be packaged as pure essential oil extract.  The water still holds a lot of the oil properties, so it is used by cosmetic companies in toners or skin creams.

Cold Pressing

Extracts from fruits such as bergamot, grapefruit, lemon or limes use different forms of processing.  The essential oils are mainly in the fruit’s peel, so they need to be penetrated.  The fruit’s peel is rolled over a large array of sharp objects that cause the peel to burst and the oils extracted.  Then the fruit is squeezed and the juice contained.  Like steam distillation, the essential oils rise to the top of the juices as a film.  They are separated by centrifugations into containers that are packaged to consumers.

Enfleurage

This method of extraction is used for flowers or plants that are very delicate.  Some plants are too delicate to withstand the heat from steam distillation.  Enfleurage uses animal fat to absorb the essential oils from the delicate flowers.  As the petals are depleted from their oils, more are placed on the animal fats until it is completely saturated with the extract.  After the fat is saturated, the fat is treated with alcohol which solvates the essential oils.  Once the mixture is contained, the alcohol will evaporate leaving behind the essential oil product.

Solvent Extraction

Solvent extraction is the most efficient and affordable way to separate the extract from the plant.  In this method, a solvent is used to saturate the plant and absorb the oils.  After saturation, it is then treated with alcohol.  Like enfleurage, the alcohol eventually evaporates and it leaves only the essential oils for packaging.  This method is especially useful for more expensive extracts where each plant needs to be squeezed for its extract as much as possible.  Although this method is the most cost efficient, it can leave solvent in the product which can cause side effects.

How Do I Choose an Essential Oil? Depending on your needs, you should carefully choose which essential oil is best for you. Essential oils can be used in aromatherapy or even as a diluted topical cream for different skin breakouts. Most mood enhancing essential oils are used in aromatherapy for mental fatigue, stress, and anxiety. If physical uses are the focus of your needs, then using essential oils that help with rashes or acne problems would be more beneficial. It is important to use the proper essential oil or you may find yourself frustrated from inactivity. Before choosing an essential oil that is perfect for you, doing research and reading articles related to several essential oils will help you decide. Some essential oils are better as mood enhancers. If you suffer from depression or low self esteem, certain essential oils will properly help lift your spirits and increase your mood so that you can be more active during the day. You can also ask a professional or qualified consultant to help you choose. A professional can help you choose which essential oil will quickly help your condition with the best efficiency. After you choose an essential oil it is important to test it prior to using it. Essential oils should never be applied without testing a small area of the skin. The oils should also never be used without first diluting the extract. Essential oils are potent, so using them on the skin without diluting can cause a rash or burn. Conversely, dilute a small drop in a few milliliters of vegetable oil. Spread the essential oil cream on a small area of your skin and observe for twenty four hours. If your skin becomes irritated or red, then you may be allergic to that specific oil. Use this method even before burning essential oils for aromatherapy. After checking for allergies, it is time to use the essential oils. There are several different methods that you can use. Below is a list of ways to inhale or apply the essential oils for the different therapeutic effects. It is important to use them the way they are intended for the best benefits. Diffuser A diffuser will allow you to inhale the essential oils. Put a few drops of essential oils into the diffuser with water. Some essential oils can be used just with the heat, so make sure to read the directions. A diffuser will evaporate the essential oils into the air, and most come with a timer so that they can be used while sleeping. Dry Evaporation Dry evaporation is a more simple way to inhale the essential oils. You can place a few drops on a cotton swap or tissue and allow it to evaporate into the air. If you need a quick, strong scent inhale the fragrance directly from the cotton swap. For a less potent effect, allow the essential oils to evaporate on the tissue or cotton swap and leave it in the general vicinity of where you will remain for about an hour. Steam Steam is a simple way to inhale the essential oil aroma. Place a few drops into a steaming bowl of water. The oils will quickly vaporize into the air. Place a towel over your head and place your head close to the steam and inhale. The fresh fragrance of the essential oils will penetrate your senses and help you feel refreshed.

How Do I Choose an Essential Oil?

Depending on your needs, you should carefully choose which essential oil is best for you.  Essential oils can be used in aromatherapy or even as a diluted topical cream for different skin breakouts.  Most mood enhancing essential oils are used in aromatherapy for mental fatigue, stress, and anxiety.  If physical uses are the focus of your needs, then using essential oils that help with rashes or acne problems would be more beneficial.  It is important to use the proper essential oil or you may find yourself frustrated from inactivity.

Before choosing an essential oil that is perfect for you, doing research and reading articles related to several essential oils will help you decide.  Some essential oils are better as mood enhancers.  If you suffer from depression or low self esteem, certain essential oils will properly help lift your spirits and increase your mood so that you can be more active during the day.  You can also ask a professional or qualified consultant to help you choose.  A professional can help you choose which essential oil will quickly help your condition with the best efficiency.

After you choose an essential oil it is important to test it prior to using it.  Essential oils should never be applied without testing a small area of the skin.   The oils should also never be used without first diluting the extract.  Essential oils are potent, so using them on the skin without diluting can cause a rash or burn.  Conversely, dilute a small drop in a few milliliters of vegetable oil.  Spread the essential oil cream on a small area of your skin and observe for twenty four hours.  If your skin becomes irritated or red, then you may be allergic to that specific oil.  Use this method even before burning essential oils for aromatherapy.

After checking for allergies, it is time to use the essential oils.  There are several different methods that you can use.  Below is a list of ways to inhale or apply the essential oils for the different therapeutic effects.  It is important to use them the way they are intended for the best benefits.

Diffuser

A diffuser will allow you to inhale the essential oils.  Put a few drops of essential oils into the diffuser with water.  Some essential oils can be used just with the heat, so make sure to read the directions.  A diffuser will evaporate the essential oils into the air, and most come with a timer so that they can be used while sleeping.

Dry Evaporation

Dry evaporation is a more simple way to inhale the essential oils.  You can place a few drops on a cotton swap or tissue and allow it to evaporate into the air.  If you need a quick, strong scent inhale the fragrance directly from the cotton swap.  For a less potent effect, allow the essential oils to evaporate on the tissue or cotton swap and leave it in the general vicinity of where you will remain for about an hour.

Steam

Steam is a simple way to inhale the essential oil aroma.  Place a few drops into a steaming bowl of water.  The oils will quickly vaporize into the air.  Place a towel over your head and place your head close to the steam and inhale.  The fresh fragrance of the essential oils will penetrate your senses and help you feel refreshed.