Walk through the entire internet these days, be it for skin secrets, hair care, sleep solutions, or even for anxiety answers, and you will for sure find ‘essential oils’ written under each and all. Coincidence? Um, no. It’s for a reason, actually many. And while you may hear the term making rounds and all over the internet and magazines today, it in fact dates back to centuries ago. Essential oils have been an essential part throughout history. Britannica states the existence of essential oils can be traced back from ancient India, Persia and Egypt.
“So what are these?” “Why are they so…?” “How to use…?” “Which ones though…?” Stop stop, hold on your H and Ws and scroll through for after this read, you’ll have none left.
So let’s slip (since its oily xD) in!
What are essential oils?
Essential oils simply are beneficial plants in liquid forms, or more like the goodness of greens served to you in the purest, most natural form, and with the most beautifully pleasing and delicate aroma.
They are concentrated plant extracts that contain the source’s volatile compounds. They are often colorless and retain strong and characteristic plant fragrance due to the presence of active ingredients present in the plants part: flowers, bark, fruits, seeds, leaves or roots. Basically, the oils capture and carry the essence of the concerned source /plant, hence ‘essential’ oils. Some of the other names they are recognized by are volatile oils or the ethereal oils.
These oils are brought to life by many ways, distillation by water or steam and cold pressing to name a few, and are brought to you in many forms like candles, soaps, lotions, serums, hair conditioners, and many more.
While the benefits of essential oils vary from oil to oil or to say, plant to plant, which you’ll discover as you scroll ahead, an overview of their very many advantages is:
- Smell GREAT!
- Strengthen and aid better skin and hair health
- Ease stress, anxiety and depression
- Have relaxing and calming effects
- Help relief pains and body aches
- Balance hormones
- Promote better mood and sleep
- Ensure smooth functioning and condition of digestive, immune and nervous system
- Help fight infections, PMS, heal wounds and more, (MANY more).
Having listed these and said that essential are great natural ways to address many bodily or health issues, but these are not cures or treatments/solutions or replacement of medicines and a good doctor. Though despite this, they play an ‘essential’ (of course) role for the body and self. Sniffing on good fragrances is anyway no harm. (Also, because you deserve that extra care and luxury indulgence <3 ).
How can you include essential oils in your life?
You can make essential oils an essential part of life in these predominant, widely resorted to ways – apply and inhale.
- Apply: You can simply apply the oils to the skin with your own hands, but make sure to always dilute them with a carrier oil. Other way is via using cosmetic or skincare or hair care products that contain these oils such as toners, serums, lipstick, shampoo, body butter and more. You can even add a few drops of the oil in the water for your long bubble bath kind of Sundays!
Note: Diluting essential oils is important to avoid any side effects or reactions, say irritation or sensitization and promote better absorption. Carrier oils are used for the stated purpose. They act as base oils and carry the essentials to you.
Some common carrier oils you can use for dilution are: Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Olive, Castor Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Sesame Oil, Argon Oil, Avocado Oil and more.
- Inhale: Another great and more effective way is to inhale them. You can opt for a diffuser or reed diffuser sticks, use the dry evaporation method, deep breathe them in via steam, light up your favorite essential oil candle or easily spray it around (like confetti)!
Get to know the Oils
Chances are you have already heard a lot of these names, considering the rage that essential oils are at the moment. But we get easy it is to get lost in the pool of information, oils and products. Worry not. Find below quick answers to your essential oils ‘whichs’ and ‘whys’, and bunch of amazing products you should get your hands on. The only thing we are leaving for you to do is Add to La Cart(e).
Love me some Lavender
Starting with the most popular and adored one, Lavender oil. Derived from the very pretty purple plant, it has a heavenly floral fragrance with a soothing scent and effect. Lavender oil is super versatile and can benefit in more ways than fingers can count.
- Calms the nervous system – help manage stress, anxiety, depression
- Relieves headaches, and migraine symptoms
- Helps you get that perfect beauty sleep
- Helps deal inflammatory skin conditions like wounds, rashes, sunburns, itching, bug and mosquito bites
- Promotes hair growth
- Heals and prevents acne breakouts
- Keeps wrinkles at bay
Handpicked by Hued:
NecessiTEA Tree
This one’s a staple when it comes to nails, skin or hair. Its roots go back to Australia and is extracted from tea tree leaves (too obvious?). It has a strong and powerful scent, is known to be colorless or pale yellow, and is again, evidently, is multi-purpose.
- Gives you that glowing skin and helps both oily skin as well as dry skin
- Fights acne and warts and lessens skin redness or swelling
- Fights and prevents body odor
- Acts as a natural sanitizer
- Prevents dandruff
- Treats nail fungus
Handpicked by Hued:
One of a kind Orange
Derived from the rind of the fruit, Orange oil is sweet, fresh, tangy, all at once. It is citrus, has a zesty and striking scent and has a lot of benefits, largely owing to the high presence of Vitamin C.
- Brightens skin
- Helps deal anxiety and depression
- Assists proper digestion
- Helps treat cold and flu
- Soothes blemishes
- Treats nail fungus
- Reduces pain or inflammation
Handpicked by Hued:
A whole meal, Chamomile
Made out of the very beautiful white flowers of the chamomile plant, Chamomile is another very loved oil. Just as the flower, the oil smells and feels delicate and gently soft and sweet. It is consumed and used in various forms and for a plethora of advantages.
- Promotes sound sleep
- Helps alleviate anxiety
- Encourages healthier and younger looking skin
- Keeps dandruff at bay
- Works as a great makeup remover
- Enhances hair shine and softness
- Supports digestion
Handpicked by Hued:
Ylang Ylang Dang!
Pronounced as ‘ee.lawng ee.lawng’, this oil is extracted from the star shaped absolute sunshine Ylang Ylang flower. The oil has a rich and strong sweet scent with a dash of fruity and flowery.
- Reduces blood pressure
- Helps manage anxiety
- Uplifts the mood
- Escalates sexual desire
- Fosters calming energy
- Said to treat asthma malaria
- Eases muscle tension
Handpicked by Hued:
As you reach here, the very end of the article, we know you must be wondering about the holistic greatness of these oils (we are too!). While these may come off as too good to be true, they are THAT good and guess that is what nature is – an absolute treasure. Nothing transcends it’s power. It is vivacious, giving and awe-inspiring and all that we, in true sense, have got.
