Therapeutic and Skin Care Uses of Plant-Extracted Oils
The Many Benefits of Essential Oils
When I used to think about essential oils, I only thought about how
they were used to achieve pleasant scents and evoke certain
emotions in people. I thought they were sort of a “hippie”
alternative to chemical perfumes and scented products. I never
knew that they had benefits beyond pleasing our olfactory senses.
However, the many essential oils that can be extracted from plants now are actually
therapeutic for the human body in so many ways other than just “aromatherapy”.
While their role in aromatherapy is undeniably important, there are actually certain
properties to the oils themselves that are bioactive when applied to the skin and
absorbed into our blood stream, which carries them throughout the body.
Inhaling lavender has actually proven to change the way the brain behaves. It
relaxes tension and promotes calming brain activity. Lavender also has many
applications topically.
It is used as an antiseptic and anti spasmodic, and has potent antibacterial and
antimicrobial properties, which is what makes it perfect for our lemongrass, tea tree
and lavender acne soap. Many even have powerful antioxidants in them.
Essential oils of caraway, lavender, carrot seed and cardamom are all muscle
relaxants. There are even essential oils that increase circulation and are good for
those with poor circulation, or even for those that want to help treat cellulite afflicted
areas. These oils include copaiba balsam, ajowan, and cumin.
Many essential oils act as anti-inflammatories for the skin, and they can also help to
condition the skin and soften it. This makes them excellent additions to soothing skin
creams, lotions and salves for abrasions or scars that are still healing.
These oils include cypress (which has a wonderful woodsy scent, and is a key natural
deodorizer in our all natural deodorant), labdanum, lemongrass (which is a key
ingredient in our anti inflammatory acne soap), mandarin and myrtle. They have the
effect of working as a toning agent for the skin as well as an antiseptic, without
drying like certain types of alcohol can do.
Ylang-ylang, which is a potent perfume-smelling essential oil that you tend to either
love or hate, is good for relieving stress and tension, including muscle tension.
Zanthoxylum is another essential oil that relieves stress and tension.
Just as essential oils can be very therapeutic, misusing them or over using them must
also be avoided. Some essential oils, such as bergamot for example, should be used
in small quantities in any preparations that are applied to and stay on the skin, such
as lotions. It has a really pleasant citrus scent to it, and it comes from unripened
orange-like fruits.
It can be phototoxic when applied to the skin, meaning it makes you more
susceptible to UV burning by the sun, and it can also have toxic effects if over applied
to the body, so it must be used with care. Fennel essential oil works as a muscle
relaxant and antiseptic, however this is another essential oil that has definite
benefits but also must be used in moderation to avoid toxicity.
Essential oils are most often diluted in what is called a “carrier oil”. Carrier oils are
the term used for oils that are best suited to combine with essential oils. Jojoba is a
very popular one, as well as fractionated coconut oil, which is liquefied coconut oil
that contains none of the scent the solid form does.
When they are mixed with these carrier oils, it makes them easy to apply, and dilutes
them to a safe percentage of active oil. We use several essential oils in our all
natural deodorant formula due to their naturally antibacterial nature. It is bacteria
that causes underarm odor, and these plant oils naturally neutralize any odor.
Essential oils have many other uses as well. They can be used in solutions that work
as surface cleaners that are nontoxic to your family, massage oils, and even natural
insect repellants.
they were used to achieve pleasant scents and evoke certain
emotions in people. I thought they were sort of a “hippie”
alternative to chemical perfumes and scented products. I never
knew that they had benefits beyond pleasing our olfactory senses.
However, the many essential oils that can be extracted from plants now are actually
therapeutic for the human body in so many ways other than just “aromatherapy”.
While their role in aromatherapy is undeniably important, there are actually certain
properties to the oils themselves that are bioactive when applied to the skin and
absorbed into our blood stream, which carries them throughout the body.
Inhaling lavender has actually proven to change the way the brain behaves. It
relaxes tension and promotes calming brain activity. Lavender also has many
applications topically.
It is used as an antiseptic and anti spasmodic, and has potent antibacterial and
antimicrobial properties, which is what makes it perfect for our lemongrass, tea tree
and lavender acne soap. Many even have powerful antioxidants in them.
Essential oils of caraway, lavender, carrot seed and cardamom are all muscle
relaxants. There are even essential oils that increase circulation and are good for
those with poor circulation, or even for those that want to help treat cellulite afflicted
areas. These oils include copaiba balsam, ajowan, and cumin.
Many essential oils act as anti-inflammatories for the skin, and they can also help to
condition the skin and soften it. This makes them excellent additions to soothing skin
creams, lotions and salves for abrasions or scars that are still healing.
These oils include cypress (which has a wonderful woodsy scent, and is a key natural
deodorizer in our all natural deodorant), labdanum, lemongrass (which is a key
ingredient in our anti inflammatory acne soap), mandarin and myrtle. They have the
effect of working as a toning agent for the skin as well as an antiseptic, without
drying like certain types of alcohol can do.
Ylang-ylang, which is a potent perfume-smelling essential oil that you tend to either
love or hate, is good for relieving stress and tension, including muscle tension.
Zanthoxylum is another essential oil that relieves stress and tension.
Just as essential oils can be very therapeutic, misusing them or over using them must
also be avoided. Some essential oils, such as bergamot for example, should be used
in small quantities in any preparations that are applied to and stay on the skin, such
as lotions. It has a really pleasant citrus scent to it, and it comes from unripened
orange-like fruits.
It can be phototoxic when applied to the skin, meaning it makes you more
susceptible to UV burning by the sun, and it can also have toxic effects if over applied
to the body, so it must be used with care. Fennel essential oil works as a muscle
relaxant and antiseptic, however this is another essential oil that has definite
benefits but also must be used in moderation to avoid toxicity.
Essential oils are most often diluted in what is called a “carrier oil”. Carrier oils are
the term used for oils that are best suited to combine with essential oils. Jojoba is a
very popular one, as well as fractionated coconut oil, which is liquefied coconut oil
that contains none of the scent the solid form does.
When they are mixed with these carrier oils, it makes them easy to apply, and dilutes
them to a safe percentage of active oil. We use several essential oils in our all
natural deodorant formula due to their naturally antibacterial nature. It is bacteria
that causes underarm odor, and these plant oils naturally neutralize any odor.
Essential oils have many other uses as well. They can be used in solutions that work
as surface cleaners that are nontoxic to your family, massage oils, and even natural
insect repellants.
| Essential oils are an important ingredient in most of our products, including our shine shampoo, body and face soaps and natural deodorant. |
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| Sweet orange oil is among the most pleasing to the senses, which is why we scent our body lotions with this delicate, sunny and uplifting note. |
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