I love falling asleep to the scent of lavender on my pillow. It’s so soothing, especially while I’m travelling. Other scents like citrus and mint are refreshing. Somehow having a fresh scent around us changes our mood and even our atmosphere. This may be why the cologne and perfume business is booming. But perfume doesn’t usually have an ingredient list, so do you know what is getting sprayed onto your skin or inhaled into your lungs? I don’t. So years ago I got hooked on my favourite Top 5 essential oils.
Before we get to the list, let’s talk about what essential oils are. Some essential oils come from seeds while many others are extracted from the leaves of plants. They’re usually extracted by distillation or steam. Since essential oils are so concentrated it takes lots of plants to make one oil. They’re very powerful due to this high concentration, so a little bit goes a long way.
Essential oils date back to the ancient Egyptians who used aromatic essential oils daily. Pure essential oils were valuable and saved for priests and royalty. The Bible and other historical books talk about the use of essential oils. The Chinese, Greeks and Romans also used essential oils and herbs for aromatherapy, ailments, and personal hygiene.
There are several ways to use essential oils including diffusing, adding to water to spray, adding to almond oil (or other carrier oils) for massages, adding to moisturizer to absorb into skin, or simply inhaling from the bottle.
Onto the list…
Lavender
This oil is extracted from the lavender plant and is gentle on the skin. Lavender reduces anxiety and emotional stress, heals burns and wounds, improves sleep, alleviates headaches, restores skin complexion and reduces acne. It also can slow skin aging and improve eczema and psoriasis due to powerful antioxidants. I like to dab some behind my ears to bring a little calm with me every day.
Lemon
Lemon essential oil is a natural detoxifier and skin toner. It can be used for oral health and freshness, aid in digestion and abdominal pain, relieve coughs, calm nausea, improve digestion. It’s also a natural disinfectant so it can replace hand sanitizer. I add it to my night cream to help lighten and brighten my skin.
Peppermint
Peppermint has long been used in toothpaste and mouthwash to clean teeth and freshen bad breath. It also has strong anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties that aid in the relief of digestive issues. Breathing it in improves energy, mental focus and even clears the respiratory tract. When added to a massage oil, it is very effective in releasing tight muscles. I love using it mixed with water as a natural air freshener.
Tea Tree
The medical community has seen the powerful antimicrobial effects of tea tree for a number of years. It can be used to effectively treat bacterial infections, fungal infections, insect bites, sores and sunburns. The list of other common conditions it helps includes acne, chickenpox, cold sores, congestion, earaches, head lice and others. The powerful, fresh scent is a good reminder to dilute when using.
Frankincense
Frankincense is known for its ability to boost cell regeneration. Mix it into a cream to help decrease the appearance of scars, reduce blemish spots, stretch marks and eczema. Breathe in the aroma of frankincense oil to treat a respiratory infection or rub a small amount into a carrier oil to help clear lungs or soothe inflamed muscles or joints. Frankincense can even help calm conditions like arthritis, digestive disorders and asthma.
If you look at your medicine cabinet unsure of adverse reactions to medications, give essential oils a try. Using natural substances to treat health conditions can replace many traditional treatments. You’ll also feel peace of mind knowing that your body is absorbing natural plant extracts. And you’ll smell lovely!
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Blessings,
Sheila
