Archive for the 'Lavender Essential Oil' Category
Technology may have allowed us to do things in a faster way but it has also led us to be more and more tired with trying to keep up with technology’s own pace. Because of this, most people have found it hard to really focus on taking care of their skin. If you are one of them, then we have a solution for you – your very own sugar scrub.
In order to create your own sugar scrub, you need to have with you half a 
cup of sugar, lemon juice (from one lemon), and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. If you want to go funky about it, you can have food coloring.
Once you have all the items, mix them in a clean bowl, except for the coloring which you can add only when the mixture is already consistent.
Another way to go about having your own sugar scrub is to add to a cup of sugar a teaspoon of glycerin and half a teaspoon of vitamin E oil. You can then sprinkle a few drops of your favorite aromatherapy essential oil like Lavender, Chamomile, Sandalwood, Grapefruit, Vanilla, and Geranium.
If you would not be able to consume all of your sugar scrub, make sure that you store them n a glass container with a tight lid. Avoid using plastic ones as essential oils can be easily absorbed by plastic.
Ever wonder what are some of the most must-have aromatherapy essential oils that your cabinet should never be without? Well, here they are:
- Lavender – the soothing scent of the lavender essential oil has been proven to work miracles against fungus and other harmful microorganisms. It can also be used as a natural disinfectant for your home and can be sprinkled into your diffuser to create a calming effect.
- Chamomile – This aromatherapy essential oil has been around for more than two thousand years and is quite popular for its ability to soothe upset stomach. It is also a great way to relieve baby’s teething pain and can be depended upon against fever, acne and insect bites.
- Patchouli – said to be an aphrodisiac, the Patchouli is also a good way for treating minor wounds.
- Rose – Want to look and feel young? Then the Rose essential oil is for you. This essential oils is known for working wonders when it comes to rejuvenating aging skin and soothing eczema.
- Ylang-Ylang - The sweet floral scent of the Ylang-Ylang essential oils is known to be an aphrodisiac and is a good way to lift depression. It can also be used for soothing and healing cracked skin and treating certain hair problems.
- Peppermint – Many people are unaware that the peppermint essential oil can actually be used to soothe upset stomach and clear indigestion. It is much more known for its ability to sweeten breath. It can also be depended upon to energize and refresh tired muscles.
You might have noticed that the smell of lavender can induce a calming effect on you. But what you might not have realized is that our body has a biological response to the smell of lavender, and the health benefits can be quite amazing.
Using lavender essential oil can have the following positive effects:
-Stress relief. Lavender has an overall calming effect on our nervous systems, meaning it can help you relax enough to sleep, banish your persistent headaches, or even diminish the effects of anxiety and depression.
-Pain relief: Lavender has also been shown to relieve the pain associated with minor muscle aches or sprains.
-Improved skin: Shown to help heal scars or blemishes, lavender can also slow the appearances of wrinkles and stem acne outbreaks.
-Circulation: Increasing your body’s circulation, lavender (in conjunction with proper diet and medication) can lower blood pressure.
-Immunity: Helping increase your body’s overall immune system, lavender can be an excellent addition to your everyday routine. You might just be surprised to find you’re the only one in the office that isn’t hacking and sneezing.
In today’s world, looking presentable is a must. One way of ensuring this is by taking care of your skin, the largest organ in your body. Here are some tips to keep in mind to make sure that your skin is supple and free from dryness:
- As much as possible, avoid drinking alcohol and caffeinated products. Caffeinated and alcoholic products are diuretics and could contribute even more to the dryness of your skin.
- A few drops of certain essential oils along with your bath can help rejuvenate dry skin. These essential oils include chamomile, geranium, hyssop, lavender, patchouli, rose, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang.
- Getting enough sleep and regularly indulging in exercise can result to a more suppler skin.
- A good homemade skin pack is mashed ripe banana. You can spread it to your face and neck area. Leave it on ten to fifteen minutes and then rinse off using lukewarm water.
- A weekly herbal facial sauna consisting of chamomile, lavender and peppermint can do wonders for your dry skin.
They should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and should be kept in amber, or any dark-colored, bottles with tight lid. This prevents oxidation as well as contamination from taking place thus, preventing oil deterioration. These oils should not be stored in plastic bottles or be capped with rubber lids as pure essential oils can dissolve plastic. Just like any other type of oil, they are affected, or degraded, by extreme temperatures. Keep in mind also that essential oils are highly flammable so it is a good idea to store them away from other materials that could easily catch fire as well as from children.
Citrus oils should not be kept more than 6 months. They have a tendency to go rancid over time. Patchouli oils and sandalwood, on the other hand, get better as time passes by. Once your essential oils have become cloudy, the consistency has thickened or they started giving off a rancid smell, you have to dispose it.
Essential oils can help us stay healthy and for those times that we do get sick, they can help us get better faster. Our immune system is what keeps us from getting sick from every germ, virus or bacteria that comes along. Factors like stress, fatigue, and poor diet can lower our immune system’s ability to fight off invaders. We can support our immune system through the use of essential oils. The use of essential oils while we are healthy will help prevent illness in the first place. For those times when something does get passed our defenses, essential oils can shorten our recovery time.
Picture this: you’re in front of your computer. You are currently working on the financial statement your boss badly needs for his meeting in about two hours. You are about 80% through verifying all the numbers when suddenly…power shortage!
If you are the Dalai Lama, you would be able to handle this with a deep sense of serenity and calmness. Unfortunately, your not. Situations like these can lead to stress. Soon you’d have a headache, hypertension, anxiety and irritability. So what do you do?
- When you start feeling stressed out, shut off outside noise by turning to white noise. Examples of white noise are relaxing music as well as the sound of flowing water.
- Make use of essential oils. You can either have a few drops of them in your bath or on your handkerchief. You can also use them with a diffuser.
- Indulge in some hand and foot massage. Many eastern medicine advocates believe that the soles of the foot correspond to a specific area in your body. A good for massage can, therefore, help ease muscle pains associated with stress.
- Learn to delegate. Superwoman you ain’t so if you feel like you have bitten off more than you can chew, delegate. There will always be people who would be willing to help you.
- Talk. Sometimes having someone to listen to your rants can provide you with a sense of catharsis so don’t bottle things up inside you.
Many people relate essential oils and aromatherapy with massages, soothing baths, and oil-based perfumes. Little do people know that, aside from their calming effect, essential oils are now also being used for inducing birth as well as lessening the labor pains.
As with the stages of pregnancy, labor is also divided into three parts with the first part divided into three phases – the early phase, the active phase, and the transitional phase. The early phase is characterized by the start of mild contractions. During this phase, the use of Neroli and Lavender can help you to relax and free yourself from apprehensions. The active phase, on the other hand, is characterized by longer and more frequent contractions. A combination of Lavender oil, Neroli oil and Rose oil can effectively bring you relaxation especially when massaged on the chest and the neck. During the third phase, you will experience intense and fast contractions. In order to ready yourself for childbirth, you can massage your back with a combination of Lavender, Clary Sage and Peppermint. Clary Sage Oil can strengthen your respiratory and muscular systems. It also helps lessen tension as well as pain. A combination of Peppermint and Rosemary can also give you enough strength for that final push.
Catch Part 2 in a few days…
While the concept of aromatherapy has been around for about 100 years there are an increasingly large number of people who absolutely swear by essential oils. They claim that they are not only a pleasant addition to the home, but they also can improve a person’s mood and health. In particular, people seem to praise lavender essential oil. This scent has been cited as one of the best for inducing relaxation and alleviating headaches.
If you’ve tried everything else and want to try a somewhat unconventional method, consider looking into essential oils. Add a dab or two of the essential oil to a damp washcloth and apply to your forehead while lying down in the dark. The combination of low lights, soft bed, and soothing essential oils has been a successful combination for many migraine sufferers.