Essential oils—I bet you’ve heard of them, right? They’re not exactly a secret in today’s beautified society. But I bet you didn’t know how many great things they can do for your health.
An essential oil is a super concentrated version of the plant it came from, and that can make it incredibly powerful to use in aromatherapy—the practice of using oils to stimulate parts of the brain, affecting the body.
If you don’t believe that they work, it’s okay. I didn’t believe it either until I started researching them and trying them out for myself.
Here’s a beginner’s guide to four common essential oils and how you can use them:
Bergamot Essential Oil: Bergamot is a type of orange. Because it is a cicatrisant, the essential oil helps diminish the look of scars or stretch marks. It is mildly antiseptic, and works as a deodorant. It can also activate secretions of digestive acids, enzymes, and bile, facilitating digestion.
However, I think my favourite property of bergamot essential oil is that it is an antidepressant. Feeling blue? Try drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea. It’s a black tea with bergamot oil in it.
Tea Tree Essential Oil: Extracted through the distillation of twigs and leaves of the tea tree, this essential oil has powerful antimicrobial, antibacterial, and balsamic properties. It can be used as a natural alternative to combat acne, it promotes the absorption of nutrients from food and helps kill diseases, and it can also help reduce scarring on the skin. If suffering from dandruff or hair loss, apply a diluted amount of tea tree essential oil to your scalp. It is a powerful stimulant, helping to grow hair by increasing blood flow to your scalp.
For anyone worried about the upcoming cold and flu season, my favourite way to use it is to put a bit of tea tree essential oil into a humidifier. The antibacterial oil dissolves into the air around you, killing any airborne ailments.
Frankincense Essential Oil: Ever had a day when you just couldn’t concentrate, when you’re in a fog, when your head is in the clouds? Frankincense essential oil is a fantastic tool to help you refocus because it has sedative qualities, reducing anxiety and giving you a sense of peace to be able to move on with your day. Extracted from the gum or resin from the frankincense or olibanum trees, it is an effective antiseptic, so much so that even the smoke or fumes from burning it helps eliminate germs in the space. It can also be used to combat oral problems such as bad breath, mouth sores, or toothaches.
In terms of beauty, it can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, combat acne, strengthen hair roots, and contract muscles. It can also be used to help relieve premenstrual syndrome cramps, but should never be used on someone who is pregnant.
Rose Essential Oil: Need a confidence pick-me-up? Rose essential oil boosts self-esteem, confidence, and mental strength while helping fight depression and reduce anxiety. It helps reduce redness in the skin and inflammation overall, and so it can be used to help with arthritis, fever, and dehydration. Like frankincense, it can be used to treat PMS symptoms, and should not be used on anyone who is pregnant.
It also tones and lifts the skin, reduces scars and helps combat acne, due to its toning and antibacterial properties. Rose essential oil can also purify your blood by removing and neutralizing toxins. Simply put, it is one of the best (and most luxurious) oils to leave your skin looking youthful, glowing, and happy.
Rose essential oil is also a well-known aphrodisiac, so the combined confidence boost/aphrodisiac qualities might make rose oil your go-to essential oil for date night.
Essential oils can make a powerful impact on your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, as well as on your daily beauty routines. These are only four of hundreds of essential oils, which range greatly in price. They range in potency, too, so it’s important to do your research before shopping. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is—cheap products often deliver cheap results.
That being said, essential oils can be found in the products of many cosmetic companies—LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, and The Body Shop to name a couple. You can also find them at any health food store, including Kardish Health Food Centre or The Bulk Barn.
