Category: Essential Oils

The uses of essential oils in the home are endless and can be easily incorporated into everyday living in a variety of different ways.

Whether you would like to enjoy a relaxing bath, create a beautifully scented, natural air freshener or lavish a rich moisturising oil all over your body, essential oils offer the perfect opportunity to create your own lotions and potions.

Here are 5 popular ways to use essential oils at home.

1. In the Bath

This is probably the easiest and most effective way to implement aromatherapy into your lifestyle and is a perfect place for beginners to start.

The relaxing warm water complements the oil and can provide relief from;

1. Stress-related conditions
2. Tension and anxiety
3. Muscle pain and stiffness
4. Restlessness

Keep in mind though, essential oils do not dissolve in water and should therefore be mixed with a carrier oil or a small amount of unperfumed soap or shower gel.

To use essential oils in the bath;

1. Run a hot bath (but not too hot) and close all doors and windows (to contain the scent).
2. Add appropriate drops of essential oil to 10mls of carrier oil.
3. Add the blend to the water. Use your hand, to swirl the water around to disperse the oils.
4. Sit back, soak and relax.

2. Massage

Massage in its own right offers many fantastic benefits to both our body and mind, but when you throw essential oils into the mix, these benefits are dramatically enhanced.

An aromatherapy massage is effective in;

1. Promoting a good night’s sleep
2. Reducing stress and tension in the body
3. Improving circulation which in turn eliminates toxins from the body at a faster rate
4. Reducing inflammation
5. Soothing dry, itchy, irritated skin
6. Helping to fight signs of ageing

The essential oils should be blended with a carrier oil and while some dilutions will contain less or more essential oils, the following dilutions can be used as a guideline;

Treatment Area	No. of Drops of Essential Oil	Quantity of Carrier Oil
Skin Care (Face & Neck Massage)	4 – 10	15ml (1 tablespoon)
Specific Area, e.g. hand or elbow	4 – 10	15ml (1 tablespoon)
Full Body Massage	10 – 20	30 ml (2 tablespoons)

3. Compress

A compress is a piece of material, typically a muslin cloth or a soft face cloth, that is soaked in either hot or cold water and applied directly to a specific part of the body.

A cold compress is traditionally used to treat localised swelling, joint sprains, headaches and insect bites.

A hot compress is more suitable for muscular aches and pains, earaches, toothaches and menstrual cramps.

To make a compress;

1. Fill a bowl with 200 ml of hot or cold water.
2. Add 5 – 8 drops of the chosen essential oil.
3. Soak the muslin/face cloth in the bowl of water for approximately 60 seconds. Make sure the material is completely saturated.
4. Remove the material, squeeze out any excess water and apply over the affected area.
5. Hold the compress in place by using either your hand or wrapping a bandage or cling film around it.
6. Leave in place for approximately 2 hours.
7. Remove and repeat as often as necessary.

4. Inhalation

Adding essential oils to a bowl of steaming water is a potent way to treat upper respiratory tract disorders such as colds, flu, sinusitis or blocked nose. This is not recommended for asthmatics.

It is also an effective way to treat oily skin, helping to unclog pores, remove excess sebum from the skin and brighten the complexion.

To make a stream inhalation;

1. Fill a large bowl with boiling water.
2. Add 4 – 8 drops of your chosen oil.
3. Lean over the bowl with a towel covering your head in such a way that the sides are closed over (this helps to seal the aroma). Do not lean too close as you could burn yourself.
4. Close your eyes and breathe through your nose for 4 – 5 minutes. Take deep, slow breaths.

5. Vaporiser

Vaporising or Diffusing essential oils involves vaporising the oils in a variety of devices into the surrounding air.

One of the most popular devices is a ceramic vaporizer or burner. At the top of the burner, there is a small bowl (for water and essential oils) and at the bottom, there is an area where you place a small candle.

The heat from the candle evaporates the water above, creating an aroma that dissipates around the room.

Burners can be used to;

1. Relax and calm
2. Uplift

Vaporising or diffusing essential oils can be a great way to create mental clarity. By vaporising the oil into the air using a ceramic vaporizer or burner, you are able to easily release the oils’ natural aromatic compounds into your environment. The heat from the candle below evaporates the water in the bowl at the top of

1. Strengthen focus and concentration
2. Act as an insect repellent

Other popular methods of vaporising include using a plug-in diffuser, using a light bulb ring or a warm radiator (place 2 drops of essential oil on a cotton pad and place on the radiator).

Shop for our range of top-quality essential oils here.

Choosing the finest pure essential oils is an extremely important factor in determining how effective your aromatherapy blend or treatment will be.

With the large selection of essential oils available on the market along with a growing number of suppliers, this task can be a daunting one.

Before choosing an essential oil brand, it is important to carry out an adequate amount of research first, taking into account the following considerations;

1. Purity
2. Quality
3. Price
4. Storage

Purity

Choose oils that are 100% essential oils, ones that are not synthetics, dilutions or adulterations.

Avoid terms such as “nature-identical”, “fragrance oil” or “perfume oil” as these types of oils will often have chemical or artificial ingredients added to them.

Additives and adulteration (meaning adjusting or altering the oil in some way) have the potential to be harmful to the body and they also create weak, ineffective results in aromatherapy.

Quality

The quality of essential oil is determined by a number of factors including;

1. The plant species
2. The quality of the soil
3. The weather conditions/temperature
4. Where the plants are grown – indoors or outdoors
5. The extraction method used

The actual bottle of essential oil will not provide this information so this is where proper research comes into play.

A reputable brand should be aware of the production of its oils from start to finish and provide the general public with information on how this process is carried out.

Always look at the company’s website and any literature they provide.

Price

The price of an essential oil varies enormously and depends on how difficult or easy it is to extract the oil from the plant.

For example, 2 million rose petals are needed to make just 1 ounce of Rose essential oil, making it one of the most expensive essential oils on the market.

Alternatively, it takes approximately 30kg of eucalyptus leaves to make 1 litre of Eucalyptus oil, making it one of the lesser expensive oils.

When choosing, make sure the oils are not unusually cheap, especially the more expensive ones like Rose, Melissa, Neroli or Jasmine.

This could mean they may not be pure or of good quality. It is a good idea to compare different brands to get an overall idea of how much your chosen essential oils should cost.

Storage

Essential oils are precious and expensive. It is therefore vital that they are stored correctly to ensure both their longevity and effectiveness.

When you are purchasing oils or creating a blend at home, the following factors should be adhered to, to ensure you get the most from your oils;

• Make sure they are contained within dark amber, dark green or cobalt blue bottles. Sunlight can have a detrimental effect on the chemistry of essential oils causing them to deteriorate rapidly and lose their therapeutic benefits. Dark-coloured glass bottles offer protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

• Ensure the bottles are tightly sealed. Any prolonged contact with the air will cause essential oils to lose their composition and evaporate.

• Keep essential oils stored in a cool, dry place. Do not store them in an area where they will be subject to extreme changes in temperature. The heat will evaporate the oil whereas the cold will cause it to lose its composition.

• When purchasing essential or carrier oils, never buy oils that have dust on the cap or bottle This is a sure sign that they have been sitting there for some time. Don’t be afraid to ask the retailer when the oils arrived at the shop.

• Avoid aluminium or plastic bottles as the molecular structure of the oil will be affected.

Most essential oils have a shelf life of at least 2 years, particularly ones that have gone through steam distillation.

There are some exceptions to this, so make sure you do some research first (Tea Tree oil normally lasts for approximately 12 to 18 months). Citrus oils like Lemon, Orange, Bergamot, Mandarin or Neroli have the shortest shelf life of around 9 to 12 months.

It is important to note that carrier oils should be treated with as much careful consideration.

They will go rancid very quickly if not stored properly.

Most carrier oils have a shelf life of up to 2 years, with the exception of borage oil and flaxseed oil – these are very delicate and have a shelf life of about 6 months.

Coconut and jojoba oils last for about 4 years and are often added to other carrier oils to extend the shelf life of a blend.

Use the following checklist as a guide when purchasing your essential oils:

• Is the Latin name of the plant provided? This will ensure you are getting the correct variation of a particular oil, for example, there are several varieties of eucalyptus.

• Where is the oil from? Sometimes quality can vary between countries.

• What is the purity of the oil? It should be 100% essential oil. Avoid terms like “nature-identical”, “fragrance oil” and “perfume oil”

• Is the essential oil stored in a dark amber, dark green or cobalt blue glass container?

• Are the bottles sealed tightly? If the seals have been broken, the oil could be compromised so avoid it.

• Where are the oils stored? Are they away from heaters or radiators? Are they away from direct sunlight?

• How long has the oil been in stock?

• How has the essential oil been extracted? This will give you an indication as to its shelf life.

• Are the prices comparable to other brands? If they are unusually cheap, they could be dilutions so be careful.

Did you know, our essential oils tick all of these boxes? Shop here.

Essential Oils are made from a process called Extraction.

There are several different methods of Extraction and in this video, we will cover 3 of them.

Steam Distillation

Steam Distillation is the most popular method used to extract and isolate essential oils from plants for use in natural products. This happens when the steam vaporises the plant material’s volatile compounds, which eventually go through a condensation and collection process.

Steam Distillation Process

• A large container called a Still, which is usually made of stainless steel, containing the plant material has steam added to it.

• Through an inlet, steam is injected through the plant material containing the desired oils, releasing the plant’s aromatic molecules and turning them into vapour.

• The vaporized plant compounds travel to the condensation flask or the Condenser. Here, two separate pipes make it possible for hot water to exit and for cold water to enter the Condenser. This makes the vapour cool back into liquid form.

• The aromatic liquid by-product drops from the Condenser and collects inside a receptacle underneath it, which is called a Separator. Because water and oil do not mix, the essential oil floats on top of the water. From here, it is siphoned off. (Some essential oils are heavier than water, such as clove essential oil, so they are found at the bottom of the Separator.)

Cold Compression

This method is also called Cold Press, Expression or Scarification and it is used specifically for citrus peels.

Cold Press Process

• The whole fruit is placed in a device that mechanically pierces it to rupture the essential oil sacs, which are located on the underside of the rind. The essential oil and pigments run down into the device’s collection area.

• The whole fruit is pressed to squeeze out the juice and the oil.

• The oil and juice that are produced still contain solids from the fruits, such as the peel, and must be centrifuged to filter the solids from the liquids.

• The oil separates from the juice layer and is siphoned off into another receptacle.

C02 Extraction

C02 is colourless, and odourless, and can be easily and completely removed by releasing the pressure in the extraction chamber.

This absence of potentially harmful solvents in C02 extraction means neither the human body nor the environment is polluted.

C02 Extraction Process

• Pressurised carbon dioxide becomes liquid while remaining in a gaseous state, which means it is now “supercritical.” In this state, it is pumped into a chamber filled with plant matter.

• Because of the liquid properties of the gas, CO2 functions as a solvent on the natural plant matter, pulling the oils and other substances such as pigment and resin from the plant matter. The essential oil content then dissolves into the liquid CO2.

• The CO2 is brought back to natural pressure and evaporates back into its gaseous state, while what is left is the resulting oil.

To learn more about essential oils make sure you check out our other videos.

Purchase top-quality essential oils here.

Sources:

https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/blog/articles/how-essential-oils-are-made.html

1. Buy One or Two Aromatherapy Books
   
   Choose just one or two books to start your aromatherapy library. Select books that are general resources, which will give you some basic information and help you discover the areas in which you have the most interest.
   
2. Join Aromatherapy Discussion Forums
   
   Facebook Groups, Instagram pages and other forums are great resources for aromatherapy newbies. Read past discussions, ask questions, and learn from others.
   
3. Choose Five or Ten Essential Oils to Start
   
   Though you may be tempted to buy more, try to begin with just five or ten different essential oils. Essential oils can be expensive, so you may want to experiment with a few at first and then invest in more if you decide to pursue aromatherapy.
   
4. Make Sure to Buy 100%, Pure, Unadulterated Essential Oils
   
   When you buy essential oils, choose a well-known and reputable manufacturer. Synthetic, fragrance, and perfume oils are not essential oils; they contain man-made chemicals and have no aromatherapeutic value.
   
5. Buy at Least One Carrier of Oil
   
   For nearly all topical aromatherapy applications, you must dilute essential oils into a carrier oil. Good all-purpose carrier oils include sweet almonds, sunflower, and grapeseed. Buy cosmetic grade carrier oils, and use only a few drops of essential oil(s) per ounce of carrier oil.
   
6. Store Your Oils Properly
   
   Essential oils should be stored only in dark glass containers. Since essential oils are volatile, keep the lids tightly closed. Essential oils and carrier oils should be stored away from heat and light. Carrier oils will go rancid eventually, so it’s best to buy smaller quantities.
   
7. Learn How to Do a Patch Test
   
   Essential oils can cause adverse reactions, due to allergy or due to sensitisation over time. A patch test helps to determine whether you might react to a particular essential oil. Learn how to perform a skin patch test on yourself with each new oil you want to use topically.
   
8. Don’t Use Aromatherapy with Children or Pets
   
   Until you are thoroughly familiar with essential oils and associated safety issues, don’t use them on children or pets, or while pregnant or breastfeeding. Cats, in particular, may be adversely affected by essential oils. Make sure essential oils are kept out of reach of children.
   
9. Don’t Ingest Essential Oils
   
   Though you will read conflicting information about taking essential oils internally, you should avoid doing this. Some essential oils that are relatively safe to use topically may be toxic if taken internally. In addition, some essential oils may interact with prescription or over-the-counter drugs. As you experiment with and learn more about aromatherapy, you will become more content using essential oils. There is so much to explore, so be safe and have.

Shop for top-quality essential oils here