Ways of use
Skin application
Applied on the skin, usually in herbal formulations or diluted in base oils and other substances, they can effectively treat many conditions, from bacterial infections, to eczema and burns.
Massage
Massage can be an excellent means of treatment that operates in two ways: on the one hand, EOs are absorbed by the skin and enter the blood stream triggering desirable cellular processes; on the other, through smell that has a direct impact on our central nervous system, they can also affect our physiology, emotions and psychological state. Massage has the extra benefit of touch, which is healing by itself.
Baths – Washes
Essential oils are great to use in the bath and they are also good for skin washes (e.g. compresses & lotions). Thus, they will help successfully with relaxation or back problems in a bath, and a wash will equally comfort irritated skin.
Inhalation-Vaporization
Inhaling essential oils is also an effective means of triggering desired responses. The sense of smell is the most basic instinct and therefore crucial. EOs are important in complementing treatment whether to treat a cold, nausea, insomnia or fight depression. Inhalation is a well-established form of using them, whether in a burner, directly from the bottle, or as steam inhalation.
Ingestion
As already clarified, ingestion can be a potent but risky means of treatment and should be avoided for self-use at home. Even though EOs are approved as culinary substances, and a drop can give taste to food and drink preparations, ingesting them in everyday life is not advisable, and in some cases it can be particularly dangerous. It is appropriate only in specific circumstances and should take place only under professional advice.
Beauty
The skin is our second biggest organ. Through it we feed our body with substances that can be either health or malady factors. Vegetable oils and EOs are amazing for skin and hair care. There’s nothing like immerging into the beneficial sense and the aroma of good quality aromatic oils that can support our health and beauty. Their use can be very successful as part of a general health (and therefore beauty) care programme.
EOs for home use
Although to take advantage of EOs full therapeutic spectrum is as complex as they are, they are easy, safe and most of them cheap to use at home as first aid and to improve our well-being. An aromatherapist will certainly help you with specific conditions and is absolutely necessary for serious concerns, however, it’s worth learning a bit more about how to use them and incorporate them in your everyday life. Here follow some typical examples:
- Lavandula officinalis: one of the rare EOs that can be applied neat on the skin. It’s very helpful to burns and insect bites, whereas inhalation can help with insomnia. Back pain, arthritis but also cuts and wounds are also among the many conditions that lavender oil can be very helpful with.
- Citrus Limon: good antiseptic for skin problems and an immune booster, it helps circulation and relative difficulties, excellent for home cleaning, a very refreshing flavouring and aroma agent.
- Pinus sylvestris: good for poor circulation and arthritic problems, muscular pain, the genito-urinary and respiratory systems, it helps with colds and nervous exhaustion. In a burner/diffuser it clears the atmosphere of the house.
- Eucalyptus globulus:an effective antiseptic for skin infections and the respiratory system, one of the best for asthma, coughs, sinusitis or throat infections. It helps circulation, and relieves muscles and joints.
- Origanum vulgare:it helps with some eczema, psoriasis and fungi conditions, digestive upsets and bronchitis, rheumatic and back pains. Try a few drops on your home cleaning cloth.
The list of aromatic plants is huge and we know only a small percentage of them. There’s nothing like the pleasure of a beautiful aroma filling our existence, nothing like the feeling of being able to look after ourselves even if just for basic self-care. Exploring and experimenting with EOs is, indeed, a very rewarding process!