What are they and what are they good for?
Absolutely everything!
Essential oils are compounds that are extracted from plants. Each plant has different compounds which gives each essential oil its characteristics and essence. These oils can be obtained through distillation (via steam and/or water), or mechanical methods such as cold pressing.
“Essential oils have been around for thousands of years. The earliest essential oil usage evidence occurred back in approx. 3000 - 2500 B.C. Egyptians would use aromatic extracts for beauty care, culinary uses, spiritual and physical wellbeing. Oil-like extracts were also being used in China and India around these times as well.”
Now they are widely used around the world in aromatherapy and as a natural form of medicine. Some people use them daily for all different types of needs, others may only use occasionally.
Below are just some of the health problems that essential oils are used to treat:
stress and anxiety
headaches and migraines
sleep and insomnia
inflammation
kill bacteria, funguses and viruses
skin irritations and acne
nausea
breathing difficulties
There are so many different oils I like to use in my infusions, so below I will list just a few of my commonly used oils in my skincare and general day-to-day products and what benefits they have:
Lavender - calms mood, soothes skin conditions such as rashes, bites and eczema. Relieves headaches and tension.
Frankincense - reduce arthritis, improve gut function, improve asthma, soothe skin and reduce appearance of blemishes.
Blue Tansy - antibacterial and anti-inflammatory to help calm and soothe the skin from conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and help with ageing skin.
Copaiba - anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant. Helps to moisturise the skin, promote wound healing, and provide pain relief.
Tea Tree - kills bacteria, viruses and fungi, and increases activity of your white blood cells. Great for problem skin and acne.
Geranium - antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Helps to support healthier looking skin.
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