Find Out How To Use Essential Oils At Home
By Mattie MacDonald
Think of how certain scents can evoke specific memories. The smell of vanilla or cinnamon may remind you of your granny's kitchen while the green scent of freshly mowed grass may remind you of summer. Smell is one of the most powerful senses and if you know how to use essential oils at home, you'll find that it may even help improve your health.
One of the easiest alternative healing methods to practice even without training is aromatherapy. This works on the principle that smells can be used to treat specific ailments. For instance, certain fragrances can relieve pain, stress or depression. Remember though that for serious conditions, it's always best to seek the help of a licensed health professional.
The main ingredient in your aromatherapy tool kit should be a range of essential oils. Every one of these captures the fragrance of a certain plant and it's very concentrated. To get the oil, manufacturers use different methods for different plants. For grapefruit oil, for instance, they'll simply press the skin of the fruit to release the fragrant oil. More often the way to make the oil is through distillation, though.
A simple way to use the essential oil of your choice is by heating it in an aromatherapy burner. This device normally consists of a bowl shape that contains the oil and is heated from below by a small candle to release the fragrant vapors. If you need to study, put some basil, grapefruit or other citrus oil in the burner to help improve your focus. Your house will smell wonderful too.
If you want to use aromatherapy oils on your skin, remember that you normally need to dilute them first. Mix them with a neutral-smelling oil, called a carrier oil. You can also mix them with a bit of fragrance-free body cream. Then simply apply and use to relieve pain or soothe sore muscles. Some skin conditions as well as cuts and burns can be treated with aromatherapy oil too.
When you're suffering from a winter cold, there's a great way to open up clogged sinuses and relieve coughing. Simply add some peppermint and eucalyptus oil to a steam inhaler and let the vapors do their work. If you don't have a steam inhaler, use a bowl of boiling water instead, with a towel over your head to trap the steam. Add some lavender oil too to help you sleep.
A great way to use the different essential oils is to add them to homemade cosmetics, such as hair treatments or face masks. Choose them for their special properties or simply because you like the smell. You can even mix your favorites with some rubbing alcohol or vodka, let it stand for a couple of weeks and then use it as a unique perfume.
The most common essential oils are lavender oil and tea tree oil. These you'll probably find at a normal chain store. For more variety, check the health-food store or the drugstore. You'll also be able to buy most varieties of aromatherapy oil online.
One of the easiest alternative healing methods to practice even without training is aromatherapy. This works on the principle that smells can be used to treat specific ailments. For instance, certain fragrances can relieve pain, stress or depression. Remember though that for serious conditions, it's always best to seek the help of a licensed health professional.
The main ingredient in your aromatherapy tool kit should be a range of essential oils. Every one of these captures the fragrance of a certain plant and it's very concentrated. To get the oil, manufacturers use different methods for different plants. For grapefruit oil, for instance, they'll simply press the skin of the fruit to release the fragrant oil. More often the way to make the oil is through distillation, though.
A simple way to use the essential oil of your choice is by heating it in an aromatherapy burner. This device normally consists of a bowl shape that contains the oil and is heated from below by a small candle to release the fragrant vapors. If you need to study, put some basil, grapefruit or other citrus oil in the burner to help improve your focus. Your house will smell wonderful too.
If you want to use aromatherapy oils on your skin, remember that you normally need to dilute them first. Mix them with a neutral-smelling oil, called a carrier oil. You can also mix them with a bit of fragrance-free body cream. Then simply apply and use to relieve pain or soothe sore muscles. Some skin conditions as well as cuts and burns can be treated with aromatherapy oil too.
When you're suffering from a winter cold, there's a great way to open up clogged sinuses and relieve coughing. Simply add some peppermint and eucalyptus oil to a steam inhaler and let the vapors do their work. If you don't have a steam inhaler, use a bowl of boiling water instead, with a towel over your head to trap the steam. Add some lavender oil too to help you sleep.
A great way to use the different essential oils is to add them to homemade cosmetics, such as hair treatments or face masks. Choose them for their special properties or simply because you like the smell. You can even mix your favorites with some rubbing alcohol or vodka, let it stand for a couple of weeks and then use it as a unique perfume.
The most common essential oils are lavender oil and tea tree oil. These you'll probably find at a normal chain store. For more variety, check the health-food store or the drugstore. You'll also be able to buy most varieties of aromatherapy oil online.