20 Essential oils and Their Uses
Essential oils are a versatile resource for aromatherapy because they have antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are a natural and versatile resource in aromatherapy. They have antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory effects. This makes them beneficial for a variety of purposes.
Essential oils are a derivative of plants, obtained through steam distillation or cold pressing, both of which extract the oil from the respective plant.
They come in a variety of scents and colors. Each type has specific characteristics that determine how we use them. For instance, tea tree essential oil is an antiseptic, while lavender oil is a relaxant.
How to use essential oils for aromatherapy
Some essential oils have specific uses
Some essential oils have specific uses. Peppermint oil, for example, can help with digestion while lemongrass oil can prevent mosquito bites.
Place a few drops of essential oils on a tissue
Place a few drops of essential oils on a tissue or in your hands when using aromatherapy. Then, breathe deeply to absorb the fragrance. Remove the oil and take long, deep breaths of fresh air if you feel overwhelmed by it at first.
Essential oils can also be added to bathwater
You can add Essential oils to bathwater for aromatherapy purposes as well, try adding three drops of lavender oil to a bathtub full of warm water.
Combine different types of essential oils to create blends
Create blends using your favorite oils, which are useful for specific purposes. For instance, you can mix frankincense with orange oil for skincare or lemongrass with lavender oil for bug repellent. For an uplifting effect, add a drop of lemon oil to a blend and for invigorating, try peppermint.
You can apply Essential Oils directly to the skin for certain conditions
In addition to their aromatherapy uses, the essential oil can use with certain skin conditions by applying directly to the skin. For instance, if you suffer from sunburn add lavender oil directly to the burn or add chamomile oil if you have into the water and breathe deeply while enjoying a hot bath.
Other Useful Ways to Use Essential Oils
Essential oils are also useful in a variety of ways: topically (on the skin), aromatically (inhaled through diffusing), or internally (swallowed).
There are also other useful ways you can use essential oils: as an insect repellent, deodorizer for stinky areas like garbage cans or refrigerators, cleaner for oily surfaces such as countertops or cars, conditioner for dry hair, and more.
A Comprehensive Guide to Essential Oil Usage
Essential oils are great to have on hand. As mentioned above they can be useful for a variety of purposes. Here is a list of the most popular oils you will want to have around, and what they can be useful for.
- Lavender oil is one of the most well-known essential oils. It may help you sleep better and provide fast relief when you have a sunburn. It’s also a great oil to have on hand during cold and flu season and even when traveling.
- Peppermint oil may provide you with more energy, relieve pain from headaches, help treat respiratory problems such as the common cold, and even help with heartburn. Peppermint oil can also help soothe sore muscles and relieve bad breath and can be sprinkled around the doors in your home to deter ants from entering.
- Lemon oil is another common essential oil that can be used to clean the home, relieve heartburn, and even help treat sore throats. Lemon oil is a great antibacterial and anti-fungal oil. If you are coming down with a cold, rub it in the palms of your hands and inhale. You can even add several drops to your load of laundry to help disinfect it.
- Rosemary oil may potentially help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels, increase memory retention and focus, provide relief for upset stomachs, and even help you lose weight. It can be used to freshen your home or added to vinegar to clean with.
- Chamomile oil is great for relaxation. Roman chamomile is more gentle than German chamomile, so it can be used for young babies and is often used in homemade diaper spray solutions to soothe diaper rash.
- Eucalyptus oil is great for supporting respiratory health and helps fight against infections. Those suffering from asthma, bronchitis, and even the common cold can benefit from diffusing this or applying it topically in diluted form.
- Frankincense oil is great for the skin and is often used in homemade facial creams. It can be applied topically to swollen areas and used as an anti-inflammatory.
- Cinnamon oil may potentially help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels, increase memory retention and focus, provide relief for upset stomachs, and even help you lose weight. It can be used to freshen your home or added to vinegar to clean with.
- Citrus oils such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit can help induce a state of calmness. They could be used to improve your mood or even just freshen your home with their delightful scent.
- Ginger oil may potentially help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels, increase memory retention and focus, provide relief for upset stomachs, and even help you lose weight. It can be used to freshen your home or added to vinegar to clean with.
- Thyme oil is used for respiratory health and is antibacterial, which makes it great for use when fighting illness or cleaning the kitchen.
- Clary sage oil is great for helping women balance their reproductive hormones and may also help ease the pain from menstrual cramps.
- Cardamom oil is supportive of healthy digestion and may help reduce the discomfort from indigestion.
- Tea tree oil is great to have on hand for adding vinegar and using the mixture to clean your home. It is antiviral, anti-fungal, antiseptic, and antibiotic.
- Clove oil has antiseptic properties and can be used to relieve tooth pain while you are waiting for an emergency dentist appointment.
- Grapefruit oil is a detoxifier and can be diluted and applied to cellulite-laden areas of the body to help release toxins from fat cells.
- Ylang-ylang oil has a beautiful smell and is often used as a natural perfume. It also benefits relaxation and healthy skin.
- Citronella oil is a well-known mosquito repellent, but can also treat fevers and headaches.
- Geranium oil is great for the skin and also helps balance hormones.
- Orange oil helps circulation and can also be used when cleaning your home, as it is not harsh and damaging to surfaces.
If you have a small budget, above are some of the essential oils you can start with.
They promote health, and cleanliness and work together to cover a great variety of everyday needs. Start with a few, and as you use them more and more, add them to your collection.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article,
Peacefully Yours!