The Ultimate Guide For Essential Oils

If you are thinking of buying essential oils, STOP.

DO NOT buy any essential oils before you read this guide.

This is going to be the only guide to essential oils that you ever need.

And let me be clear about it:

This is not a lame write up that boasts the 1 million benefits of essential oils, how they can change your life, yada yada… *Yawn*

Instead, you’re going to learn EVERYTHING about essential oils, FOR FREE. 

“EVERYTHING” means you will be informed about the benefits, the potential harms (yes it can be quite dangerous!), and also the proper handling methods of essential oils, so that you can benefit from it the natural and safe way.

So if you’re looking to improve your quality of life with essential oils in 2019, read on…

Chapter 1: What Are Essential Oils?

Chapter 2: What Are The Benefits of Essential Oils? What Are They Used For?

Chapter 3: The Top 10 Essential Oils That You Should ALWAYS Have At Home

Chapter 4: Using Essential Oils The Wrong Way Can Harm Your Body!

Chapter 5: What Are Carrier Oils & Why Are They Needed?

Chapter 6: What Are The Types of Diffusers and How Do They Work?

Chapter 1: What Are Essential Oils?

What are Essential Oils?

To sum up the many years of my understanding on essential oils, I would define essential oils as highly concentrated natural oils extracted from different plant species.

It has been used as a part of “Natural Medicine” (also “Alternative Medicine”) since the ancient times.

Essential oils contain the “essence” of a particular plant, locking not only the flavor and scent of a plant, but also the therapeutic ingredients in them. This “essence” is usually gathered from the roots, stems, leaves, flowers or even fruits of a plant.

Do remember that not every plants produce essential oils, and not any “essence” from any plants are safe – Paclitaxel extracted from the Pacific yew is a chemotherapy drug, this is why you need this guide, to tell you what is safe and what is not.

There could be over 200 properties contained within different essential oils, hence you will notice a lot of essential oils having overlapping healing properties, but some are better than others in augmenting the therapy of certain diseases.

Just How ‘Ancient’ Are Essential Oils?

The quick answer to this is: It is very, very, very ancient…

Imagine ancient Egypt (think ‘Pharaoh’). Yes. That long ago.

The earliest use of essential oils can be sourced back to 3000-2500 B.C.

Though, it played many roles in the past, including medicine, ceremony, religious observances, beauty care, food preservation, and also perfumes. 

Ancient Egyptian is considered the earliest culture that started using them, but there are also evidence that pointed out both China and India had started using essential oil-like extracts in their medicinal treatments around the same time.

Forgotten for many years, it was only very recently that the medicinal properties are put under the spotlight.

How Are Essential Oils Extracted From Plants?

I know you feel the urge to skip this topic, but just like knowing where your organic food comes from equips you with the knowledge to distinguish between real organic food and fake organic food, learning a bit of essential oil jargon will help you make wise decisions on getting essential oils for yourself.

How essential oils are obtained determines the “purity” and “effectiveness” of the oils.

(Note: Essential oils that are obtained through chemical processes are NOT true essential oils)

There are 2 key methods that are used to extract essential oils:

• Steam Distillation
• Expression

Steam Distillation

Steam distillation has long been used to extract essential oils, long before alchemy came about.

1. The steam is directed through the plant material inside a sealed still.
2. The steam will then vaporize the lighter chemicals contained within the plant material.
3. Guided via a connecting pipe, the vapor will be collected into a condenser, which cools the vapor into liquid form again.
4. This process generates 2 products, essential oil & water
5. Since water and oil don’t mix, essential oil can be easily siphoned out.

Until today, steam distillation still remains the most common process of extracting essential oils from plants.

Reason being, distillation has the ability to distill volatile components at temperatures lower than the boiling points of their individual constituents, hence maintaining the basic structure of essential oils. Also, it is easier to separate essential oils from water.

Expression

Expression, also known as “Cold Pressing”, is a method used to extract essential oils from citrus fruits, such as: lemon, tangerine, lime, sweet orange etc. This is because citrus oils will be damaged when heat is used in the process.Think of it this way, imagine pressing the liquid out of citrus fruits through a fine filter.

You then collect the filtered liquid, letting it stand for many hours so that the essential oil and juice separates.

Once that’s done you can siphon out the essential oil.

Chapter 2: What Are The Benefits of Essential Oils? What Are They Used For?

For over 5,000 years, across various countries and cultures, essential oils have been used in 2 main areas, namely,

1. Improving overall health

2. Treating certain diseases

According to The Ohio State University, because of their obvious health improvement properties, such as detoxifying, antidepressant, antiviral, antibacterial, calming & even stimulating properties, essential oils are regaining its popularity among the public as a natural, safe & cost-effective supplementary medicine to support proper treatments.

Essential Oils Can Help You In 12 Ways:

#1 : Boosting Immune Systems (Fight Infections)

First of all, boosting immune system is a “BIG” word, as immune system is a very complex thing.

Some essential oils contain antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and even anti-inflammatory properties, they are able to improve your immune system and also fight infections naturally, mostly in the form of combination therapy with modern treatments.

In most cases, an essential oil is said to have the ability to “boost” ones immune system by usually only augmenting one or two key areas.

For example, one essential oil can be antibacterial, but not antiviral.

One way these oils fight infection is to stimulate the production of white cells, which are akin to the soldiers of your immune system.

While other oils can encourage new cell growth to promote faster healing…

…Some oils even effectively destroy several fungal, viral and bacterial pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Helicobacter pylori and Candida albicans infections.

Best essential oils that can serve immune system boosting purpose are oregano, myrrh, ginger, lemon, eucalyptus, frankincense, peppermint and cinnamon.

#2 : Relieving Body Aches & Pains

Pain is essential. It is an alarm system given out by your body, reminding you to fix something that went wrong in you. Imagine that you do not feel pain when your foot gets wounded, you will not tend to it, and eventually it will be infected and yea, say goodbye to your foot. This is a condition we call diabetic foot ulcer.

However, some pains are an overreaction of your body’s alarm system, and hence irritating and debilitating, both fibromyalgia and postherpetic neuralgia are typical examples of such pain. 

This is where essential oils come into play. Essential oils reduce pain by reducing inflammation and pain-related cytokines (or you could call them “pain molecules”).

A personal favourite of mine is peppermint essential oil, it contains “menthol”, which acts as an antispasmodic and a mild analgesic, which helps to reduce pain, pressure and tension, this is a gospel to many of us who suffer from frequent muscle aches.

Lavender essential oil contains mildly but active sedative compounds that has been used for pain and pressure relief for centuries. It also contains anti-inflammatory and analgesic property when used topically. Basically, besides taking away the “pain molecules”, it stimulates the production of “happy molecules” – dopamine in your brain.

In summary, the best essential oils for relieving aches and pains are lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, chamomile, rosemary, majoram, thyme, frankincense, turmeric, ginger and myrrh.

Read here if you want a complete list of essential oils that can relief pain, pressure and/or tension.

#3 : Improving Skin Care

Acne is really a bummer. Acne is generally caused by clogged pores trapping sebum in the pores, hence providing both anaerobic environment and food source for the bacteria Proprionibacterium.

With the antibacterial and anti anti-inflammatory benefits many essential oils possess, coupled with their superiority in regulating oil production and reducing acne breakouts, acne can be easily controlled. Some also help improve skin elasticity and tighten skin, reducing appearance of wrinkles.

Besides that, some oils promote blood circulation to the applied area, which helps to heal bruises, burns, cuts, broken capillaries, ringworm, eczema and other skin conditions.

But remember, everyone’s skin is different, always consult a dermatologist before applying any of the essential oils onto your skin or wound.

Click here for In-depth knowledge on what essential oils are best for skincare.

The best essential oils for skin care are frankincense, geranium, lavender, rose, tea tree and ylang ylang.

#4 : Improving Hair Growth

There are many reasons to why you are not growing thicker hair like you wanted, or worse, you’re losing hair!

It could be caused by physical & emotional stress, hormonal imbalance, harmful chemicals, insufficient vitamins, allergies, heredity and more.

Different oils have different properties that tackle the different mechanism of hair loss. 

Take the lemongrass essential oil as an example, a 2015 study shows that applying it onto your scalp for a week continuously can significantly decrease dandruff.

Lavender essential oil contain amazing hair growth stimulant, a 4-week experiment was done on mice using lavender oil, and the result was that those mice had significantly increased hair follicle growth than the others.

The best essential oils for hair growth are lavender, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary and cedarwood.

#5 : Supporting Digestion

A good digestion is the cornerstone to good health. Do you know that certain part of your guts are responsible for certain breakdown or absorption of different nutrients? For example, terminal ileum is where iron is absorbed, with the help of a cofactor (a type of protein). 

It is important to note that, digestive problems are not illnesses, they are symptoms of underlying conditions, sometimes chronic even.

Common gastrointestinal symptoms that might bug you are constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach spasms and other similar symptoms.

Essential oils help by regulating digestion, so that your digestive system becomes more efficient in breaking down and absorbing the fat, protein and other important nutrients.

Ginger essential oil is highly recommended due to its anti-spasmodic properties, while at the same time soothe your intestinal linings. It also has carminative effect, which helps you release any gas out of your body. Ginger is also a proven remedy for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

The best essential oils to support digestions are ginger, peppermint, fennel, cardamom and spearmint.

#6 : Reducing Emotional Stress & Anxiety Level

Essential oils are most commonly used to reduce emotional stress and anxiety.

Pure essential oils, given their oil-based property, can easily cross the blood-brain barrier to tap into the power of the brain. You usually feel it quickly (within minutes). Unlike amphetamine that floods your brain with dopamine and hence causing addiction, the calming effect of essential oils is very long-lasting, resulting in a relaxed and healthy body.

In other words, these go without the harmful side effects of synthetic medications, such as sleeping pills.

Lavender essential oil is the one when it comes to incredible soothing and calming effect. It helps in calming your nerves by aiding sleep, restlessness, and general tensions.

A study in 2014 involving 82 elderly participants with symptoms of anxiety and depression, has found that after 4 weeks of essential oil treatments, their negative emotions (anxiety, stress and depression) had significantly reduced.

The best essential oils for relieving emotional stress and anxiety are lavender, rose, ylang ylang, bergamot and chamomile.

#7 : Relieving Headaches & Migraines

According to World Health Organisation, almost 75% of adults aged from 18 to 65 around the World have had a headache in the past one year, and among those, 30% or more have reported migraine, a crippling form of headache.

Essential oils play a primary role here because it treats headaches to the root cause, without the ugly side effects that painkiller gives you, such as kidney and liver damages.

Headaches can be caused by hormonal imbalances, stress, intensive physical exertion, sinus pressure, allergies, or even certain food consumption.

These are the things where essential oil can help with, for example, peppermint oil can help muscle contractions and also stimulate blood flow in the forehead when applied.

Whereas lavender oil helps with relaxation, it’s a very effective sedative and calming agent, very useful in relieving tensions and stress.

The best essential oils to reduce headache are lavender, peppermint, ginger, rosemary and eucalyptus.

#8 : Helping To Sleep Better

Sleep is one of the most important part of a human life.

A quality sleep time can help you stay energized throughout the day and improve health and even productivity.

Essential oil can be used to help sleeping in two ways. Firstly, you prevent insomnia by calming your mind and reducing anxiety. Secondly, you prevent harmful sleeping habit such as snoring and sleep apnea by clearing your airways.

The right essential oils provide not just the flowery scent that calms your mind, but also the soothing effect to relax your muscle and nerves. All of which contributes towards a high quality sleep.

A better way to leverage essential oil for sleep is to make an essential oil blend, this will improve your sleep quality even more than what a single oil would do.

The best essential oil you can blend together is lavender, ylang ylang, cedarwood and roman chamomile.

#9 : Detoxifying Your Body

We are never free from potential pollutants in our everyday lives. The food you eat, the air you breathe in, the water you drink, the things you touch, not one of them is clean.

Essential oils in this case, can serve as effective diuretics, increasing our urine production, thus speeding up the excretion of waste materials in our body.

According to NCBI, some plants are also able to boost the detoxification function of the liver. This is done on the grounds of the hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) and antioxidising properties of those plants.

Also, due to the antiseptic properties of some essential oils, when in contact with harmful pathogens, can dismantle the pathogens and thus detoxifying the environment around us. This is especially true when science

The best essential oils for detoxifying your body internally and externally are lemon, lavender, rosemary, grapefruit and peppermint.

#10 : Improving Brain Functions

Everybody wants to be smarter, every single second of the day.

You too, right?

And yes, essential oils can do just that…

…the right oil can help you clear your mind, maintain clarity, provide creativity and more positive effects to the brain.

Essential oils have neuroprotective effects, meaning, they can slow down the degeneration of your brain cells. This amazing property translates into preventing or complementing the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinsonism and the like. 

Also, on a smaller scale, essential oils are able to improve cognitive functions, such as memory and attention, even in those who are not at risk for developing dementia.

For instance, a main compound found in rosemary called “Eucalyptol”, can enhance the brain’s ability to absorb and retain information. You will notice things like improved memory and mental alertness.

Lemon essential oil, on the other hand, can boost your ability to stay focused for an extended period of time, this will help you become more time efficient in your studies or work.

The best essential oils for improving brain function are peppermint, rosemary, lavender and lemon.

#11 : Boosting Energy Level

…Are you regularly getting a 3rd cup of coffee just in the morning itself?

…Are you having trouble getting out of bed?

…Are you feeling sluggish everyday?

Put aside caffeine and medications, use Essential oils instead!

Essential oils can directly influence areas of the brain that control feelings of fatigue and stress, either by inhaling or applied topically. You’re able to shift your mood at the physiological level, helping you to feel more awake, focused, and prepared to rock your day.

Citrus-based essential oils can enhance your energy level by stimulating the area of brain that promotes happiness and producing a more uplifting feeling.

Peppermint and spearmint works the same way as they promote deep breathing, which helps you oxygenate the brain and improves your alertness.

The best essential oils for boosting energy level is lemon, orange, peppermint, spearmint and cinnamon.

#12 : Balancing Hormone Level

Hormonal imbalance can cause us a lot of issues, such as mood swings, rage, anxiety, fatigue, sad, depressed, even worse, suicidal.

Essential oils are not supposed to be the only treatment, but they act like a support to our body’s control center, the hypothalamus, a region in the brain that produces, releases and regulates hormones.

By balancing hormone levels such as estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid and testosterone levels, the hypothalamus is very important to our daily physiological functions, like, body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleep, mood, even sex drive.

For ladies, oils like clary sage, geranium and thyme helps in balancing estrogen and progesterone levels, which greatly improves fertility and help conditions like PCOS and PMS.

Peppermint oil, on the other hand, can affect mood hormones such as serotonin and neuropeptides, improving your mind clarity.

The best essential oils for balancing hormone levels are frankincense, clary sage, rosemary, peppermint, ylang ylang and lavender.

Chapter 3: The Top 10 Essential Oils That You Should ALWAYS Have At Home

#1 : Ginger Essential Oil

Introduction

For thousands of years, ginger has been widely used as spice and also in folk medicine. It is an especially important ingredient within the Asian cuisines.

Ginger essential oil is much more potent than normal gingers as it contains the highest level of gingerol, the active ingredient in ginger that gives it the amazing medicinal properties…

..such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Today ginger essential oil is mainly used to treat nausea, bloating, menstrual pain, and also relieving a lot of pain conditions.

Quick Summary of Ginger Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale

Plant Part Mostly Used: Root

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distilled

Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium – Strong

Aromatic Description:

It smells spicy, earthy, woody, and gives you a sense of warm feeling

Benefits of Ginger Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Relief muscle and joint pain: Mix 2-3 drops of ginger essential oil to 1 tbsp of carrier oil, then rub on the area of pain

Reduce nausea: Mix 2-3 drops of ginger essential oil to 1 tbsp of carrier oil, rub onto stomach and massage gently

Improve digestions: Mix 2-3 drops of ginger essential oil to 1 tbsp of carrier oil, add into your bathtub with warm water

Reduce swelling: Mix 2-3 drops of ginger essential oil to 1 tbsp of carrier oil, rub on the area of swell

#2 : Lemon Essential Oil

Introduction

Lemon essential oil is one of the most popular citrus-based essential oils for its effective antioxidant properties. The oil comes from cold-pressing the lemon peel, instead of the inner fruit.

Imagine for a second all the lemon-scented and lemon-flavored products you regularly use, lemon essential oil is very adaptable and popular for a good reason.

It’s very invigorating and has tons of household uses too.

Quick Summary of Lemon Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Citrus Limon

Plant Part Mostly Used: Citrus Peel

Common Method of Extraction: Cold-Pressed / Expression

Strength of Initial Aroma: Strong

Aromatic Description:

Smells just like fresh lemon peels except much denser and concentrated

Benefits of Lemon Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Reduce nausea and vomiting: Inhale the essential oil directly from the bottle, it can also eliminate mucus and relieve congestion on your nasal area

Improve skin complexion: Add 2-3 drops of lemon oil to baking soda and honey, wash your face with this combination

Whiten teeth naturally: Adding 1-2 drops of lemon oil with baking soda and coconut oil, rub your teeth for 2 minutes with this combination

Create a natural cleaning agent: Add 40 drops of lemon oil and 20 drops of tea tree oil in pure water, you can create a natural cleaning agent at home, use it to kill toxins and bacteria in places like kitchen and toilet

Reduce coughing: Combine 2 drops of lemon oil with half tablespoon of coconut oil, then rub on your neck

#3 : Lavender Essential Oil

Introduction

Lavender essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the lavender plant through steam distillation. It is widely known for its calming and sedative properties, that translates into relaxation of your mind and body.

However, its relaxation properties were not recently found. The Romans excessively used lavender oil as bath additive and air purifier.

Quick Summary of Lavender Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia / Lavandula officinalis

Plant Part Mostly Used: Flowers & Leaves

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium

Aromatic Description:

Smells floral with a hint of fresh, sweet, herbaceous & scent, sometimes slightly fruity

Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Improve your sleep: Rub 3-5 drops of lavender oil on your temples, neck and chest

Relieve muscle pain: Rub 3-5 drops of lavender oil onto the site of pain and gently massage

Help heal minor wounds: Drop 1-2 drops of lavender oil on your cuts to cleanse germs (consult a physician before using)

Create natural air freshener: Diffuse 2 drops of lavender essential oil in your home or room

Create natural body perfume: Add 2-3 drops on your palms, rub them together and lastly run to the body part you want

Prevent dandruff: Rub 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to your scalp

#4 : Frankincense Essential Oil

Introduction

Frankincense essential oil is extracted from resins of the Boswellia tree, commonly found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula.

Oman, which is one of the best known source for frankincense, has been trading these resins to regions such as the Mediterranean, India and China for thousands of years.

Frankincense is deeply rooted to many religious cultures. Owing to its strong aroma and the white fume it produced when burned, it is often used during rituals or burned in sacred places.

Many people prefer the aroma of frankincense essential oil to the smell of its original resin, because after distillation it smells sweeter, cleaner and fresher than the resin itself.

Quick Summary of Frankincense Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Boswellia carterii / Boswellia sacra

Plant Part Mostly Used: Resins

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Mild to Medium

Aromatic Description:

Smells fresh, woody, balsamic, slightly spicy and fruity

Benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Improve skin condition: Add 6 drops of frankincense oil to 1 ounce of coconut oil, apply the mixture to the skin to prevent wrinkle, and with the additional benefit of lifting and tightening the skin.

Reduce scars and blemishes: Mix 2-3 drops of frankincense oil to coconut oil, apply it to a healing skin

Reduce coughing and expectorate phlegm: Add 3 drops to a clean cloth and inhale it directly to help reduce coughing, it can also help you cough out phlegm seated deep in your lungs.

Relief stress: Add 3-5 drops of frankincense essential oil in a hot bath for stress relief after a day’s work.

Create a natural deodorant: Diffuse 3 drops of frankincense oil with a diffuser to disinfect and deodorize your home

Improve oral health: Buy natural oral care products with blended in frankincense oil to prevent bad breath, tooth decay and cavities.

#5 : Peppermint Essential Oil

Introduction

Peppermint essential oil is extracted from the peppermint plant, which is a hybrid species of water mint and spearmint, that thrive in Europe and North America region.

Menthol is the active ingredient in peppermint oil (60% of total concentration), which is why peppermint oil is more intense than other oils, it can produce a cooling sensation, create an uplifting and invigorating mood, alleviate hot and pain effects, and even relieve headaches.

Besides its effective cooling effect, peppermint oil is also widely used for its anti-nausea benefits and soothing effects on the gastric lining and colon.

Quick Summary of Peppermint Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Mentha piperita

Plant Part Mostly Used: Leaves & Flowers (or buds)

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Strong

Aromatic Description:

Smells minty, a close resemblance to peppermint candies that you eat, but more concentrated. More fragrant than spearmint

Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Heal sunburns: Mix 2 drops of peppermint essential oil in half teaspoon of coconut oil, dab it with a cotton bud, then apply gently onto the sunburn area (not unless there is an open wound) 

Reduce nausea: Inhale peppermint oil directly from the bottle, take deep breaths 

Clear bad breath: Add 1 drop of peppermint oil to your favourite brand of toothpaste

Alleviate headache: Mix 2 drops of peppermint oil in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, rub it on your temples, forehead, and back of neck

Reduce body aches: Add 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to your warm water bath along with some epsom salt, immerse into the bath of bliss

Create natural bug repellent: Mix 3 drops of peppermint oil to 30ml of grape seed oil, add into diffuser

Calm mind and increase productivity: Diffuse 5 drops of peppermint oil using a diffuser in your workplace

#6 : Tea Tree Essential Oil

Introduction

Tea tree oil is extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, it’s a small tree that grows abundantly in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. They grow especially well in swampy regions.

It has been used for over 100 years by native Australians as an antiseptic ointment, many medical studies have been done for tea tree essential oil for its ability to eliminate strains of bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Tea tree essential oil mainly consists of terpene hydrocarbons, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes as its primary ingredients. They are the main reason why tea tree oil is such an effective disinfectant.

Quick Summary of Tea Tree Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Melaleuca alternifolia

Plant Part Mostly Used: Leaves

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium

Aromatic Description:

Has a medicinal scent, and also smells fresh, woody, earthy and herbaceous.

Benefits of Tea Tree Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Soothe dry skin and eczema: Mix 3 drops of tea tree oil to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and apply it to skin area directly after you shower

Relief itchiness: Mix 3 drops of tea tree oil to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, apply it to your skin

Prevent dandruff: Mix 3 drops of tea tree oil to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, apply it to your scalp, leave it for 20 minutes, give your scalp a light massage before you rinse it off

Reduce acne breakouts: Mix 5 drops of tea tree essential oil to 2 tablespoon of raw honey, rub the mixture on your face (wash thoroughly after 5 minutes)

Create natural laundry freshener: Add 5-10 drops of tea tree oil to your laundry detergent (works really well if you have moldy laundries)

Prevent stinky feet: Mix 3 drops of tea tree oil to half tablespoon of coconut oil, apply the mixture onto your foot

#7 : Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Introduction

Despite having more than 700 eucalypti species out there, eucalyptus essential oil is mainly extracted from Eucalyptus salicifolia and Eucalyptus globulus (also known as fever tree or gum tree).

These species are native to Australia, Tasmania and other islands nearby, but nowadays, it can be found almost everywhere.

70-90% of eucalyptus essential oil is comprised of Eucalyptol, which is a very effective antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving ingredient. Hence, eucalyptus oil is widely used for fighting bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

It is also effective in relieving respiratory tract conditions, such as cough, sinuses, runny nose. A research in Current Microbiology, a journal with authority, that eucalyptus oil can inhibit bacteria such as S. pneumonia, H. influenza, and parainfluenza that cause sinus infections, fever and flu.

Quick Summary of Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Eucalyptus globulus

Plant Part Mostly Used: Leaves

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Strong

Aromatic Description:

Has a medicinal smell, also fresh, woody, earthy.

Benefits of Eucalyptus Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Reduce cough: Mix 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to half tablespoon of carrier oil, rub the mixture to your chest and back of neck

Alleviate sore throat: Mix 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to half tablespoon of carrier oil, rub the mixture to your chest and throat

Reduce tension: Mix 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to half tablespoon of carrier oil, rub it to body parts that are sore or has muscle pain

Heal insect bites: Mix 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to half tablespoon of carrier oil, dip a cotton ball in the mixture and apply it to insect bites 3 times a day

Clear sinus condition: Mix 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of hot water, place a towel over your head and inhale the scent from the bowl deeply for 5 minutes (be careful not to scald yourself)

Reduce bad breath and cavities: Mix 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a cup of water, rinse with it after you brush your teeth (Do not swallow)

Create natural mold killer: Mix 7 drops of eucalyptus oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil in 2 cups of water, pour mixture into spray bottle and use it in your toilet

#8 : Oregano Essential Oil

Introduction

Oregano, famous as a spice that you put on your pizza or pasta daily, can be made into essential oil, which has long been recognized as a natural alternative to prescription antibiotics.

Oregano essential oil has 2 main ingredients, carvacrol and thymol, which both have shown to have strong antibacterial and antifungal properties.

The ancient Greeks commonly used oregano oil to treat bacteria infections on wounds. It is also used to protect food from bacterial colonization.

Quick Summary of Oregano Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Oreganum vulgare

Plant Part Mostly Used: Leaves and Flowers (sometimes buds)

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Strong

Aromatic Description:

Smells very sharp and herbaceous

Benefits of Oregano Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Cure colds: Mix 2 drops of oregano oil to a bowl of hot water, place a towel over your head and inhale the scent from the bowl deeply for 5 minutes (be careful not to scald yourself)

Soothe coughs: Add 3 drops of oregano oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, rub the mixture to your chest

Relieve skin conditions: Mix 10-15 drops of oregano oil to 2-3 tablespoon of carrier oil, apply onto the affected area

Eliminate nail fungus: Mix 2-3 drops of oregano essential oil to same amount of carrier oil, dab it on a cotton bud, apply to your nails 3 times a day

Remove warts: Mix 3-4 drops of oregano oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, swab mixture to your warts 4-5 times a day to remove it

Strengthen immune system: Diffuse 3 drops of oregano essential oil in your home or workplace to increase your immunity during flu season

Eliminate bad breath: Combine 5 drops of oregano oil and 5 drops of peppermint oil to 2 cups of water, shake well, gargle about 2 teaspoon of the mixture at a time for 30 seconds everyday

#9 : Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Introduction

The name “Ylang Ylang” comes from Tagalog language (Philippines native language). It means “wilderness”, which is very true as Ylang Ylang grows abundantly in the Asian and South Pacific Islands such as Philippines, Indonesia, Java, and Sumatra.

Ylang Ylang essential oil is one of the most fragrant (very strong floral aroma) of all essential oils, even the legendary perfume “Chanel No. 5” uses Ylang Ylang oil as one of its main ingredients!

Quick Summary of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Cananga odorata var genuina

Plant Part Mostly Used: Flowers

Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium – Strong

Aromatic Description:

It has a very delicate fragrant scent, it’s fresh, floral and comes a hint of sweet and slightly fruity scent

Benefits of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Create natural room freshener: Mix 2 drops of ylang ylang oil, 2 drops of jasmine oil to 1 cup of water into a spray bottle, spray it around your home to have a fragrant topical smell

Create aphrodisiac massage oil: Mix 2 drops of ylang ylang oil, 2 drops of sandalwood oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil

Release body tension: Mix 2 drops of ylang ylang oil, 2 drops of frankincense oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, rub it on tension body parts

Get energy boost: Mix 2 drops of ylang ylang oil, 2 drops of lemon oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, rub it to your temples and back of neck

Create natural cleaning agent: Mix 2 drops of ylang ylang oil to your cleaning agent to give your home a natural topical smell 

#10 : Bergamot Essential Oil

Introduction

Bergamot essential oil is extracted from from the peel of the citrus fruit (Citrus bergamia) from the bergamot plant. It is a kind of mutation from lemon, most look at it like a hybrid between a sour orange and lemon.

The original name comes from “Bergamum”, a town of Lombardy, Italy, where it is most famously grown in.

You will find its taste and scent very familiar because it is very commonly used in black tea, with the name “Earl Grey”!

Bergamot oil is considered as the ultimate antidepressant essential oil of all. It can help you alleviate mental stress, negative feeling, sadness, lack of appetite and more.

Quick Summary of Bergamot Essential Oil

Botanical Name: Citrus bergamia

Plant Part Mostly Used: Citrus Rind (Peel)

Common Method of Extraction: Cold Pressed / Steam Distillation

Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium

Aromatic Description:

It has a combination of citrusy, orangey, lemony scent, smells fresh and slightly floral

Benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil & What Can You Use It For:

Improve mood and relief depression: Diffuse 5 drops of bergamot essential oil at home or workplace

Stress relief: Inhale lightly from the bergamot oil bottle to feel instant relief in stress

Pain relief: Mix 3 drops of bergamot oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, rub mixture to sprained or sore areas for 5 minutes to relief pain

Ease digestion and regulate your appetite: Mix 3 drops of bergamot oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, rub mixture to your lower abdomen

Eliminate stinky body odor: Mix 2 drops of bergamot oil to your deodorant to prevent the growth of germs that cause body odor

Chapter 4: Using Essential Oils The Wrong Way Can Harm Your Body!

Yes, you read it right…

Although I stand by SoothOil Essential Oils firmly, but I cannot deny the fact that it is DANGEROUS to use essential oil without proper knowledge.

In this chapter you will learn four main methods to use essential oils to improve your life, and also how to permanently harm your skin. (LOL)

Here we go…

Although essential oils are commonly used diluted with carrier oils, there are some discussions about using these oils “neat”, meaning, using essential oil without first diluting with carrier oils.

..Please do not use them “neat” . Period. (Not even Lavender oil!)

Sales companies and salesman will often tell you that using essential oils neat is totally safe and will maximize the benefits and effects of the essential oil.

This is so that you will buy more oils from them.

But the truth of using them neat is the complete opposite of what you think…

Even with mild essential oils such as Lavender Oil or Tea Tree Oil, using them neat will actually impose a long term or permanent sensitization to that essential oil.

It doesn’t happen all the time, but there are chances that once you’re sensitized to the essential oil, it’ll cause irritation each time you use it for the next few decades.

Using diluted essential oils will not decrease the benefits and effects of it. In fact, it is highly recommended to use it with carrier oils, as it is the safest way to do.

Whether you’re a beginner or you have some knowledge about essential oils prior to this guide, there are four general ways for us to apply essential oils onto our body correctly.

4 Main Ways To Use Essential Oils

#1: Inhalation

Inhalation is the easiest and the fastest way to get the essential oils into our bloodstream.

For beginners, it is always recommended to use direct inhalation method first in order to see how well or how bad you react to it. This involves bringing the essential oil close to your nose and sniffing it.

Be careful not to sniff too strongly as there’s a chance of sniffing in the microparticles around the bottle.

Indirect inhalation is another inhalation method that allows us to inhale the aroma of the essential oil without directly sniffing the bottle.

You could apply the essential oil onto small items such as cotton balls or cloth to keep your mood elevated.

(Note: I personally love spraying a small amount of lavender onto my bed sheet to have a more peaceful sleep!)

#2 : Diffusion

This method allows essential oils to be evaporated into the air via the use of a diffusion device.

Diffusion is good for getting rid of unwanted odor in your room. It also helps to promote your sleep quality and reduce stress level.

However, there are various ways to diffuse essential oils, such as using an essential oil burner, evaporation or reed diffusing, using a tissue, nebulizer, spraying, and many more!

We have a detailed guide here on each diffusion methods, how to use them correctly, and what are the important things to keep in mind while using each of them.

#3 : Topical

This method involves directly applying essential oils onto the skin.

WARNING: Before we proceed, it is worth to noting that you should always dilute the essential oil before applying them, even if it is a mild type like Lavender Oil.

Usually, we dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil such as Jojoba to a concentration not more than 3-5%.

A safe way to create a 3% concentrated essential oil is to use one teaspoon of carrier oil with 3 drops of essential oil.

If you’re still reluctant to use essential oils onto your skin, you can consider using them on your feet to test, since the skin is thick and less sensitive, and are far away from mucous membranes.

#4 : Bath

Bathing is one of our daily needs, so why don’t we get the most out of it?

WARNING: Before starting your aromatherapy bath, you must not add essential directly into your bath.

The reason is simple –

Oil is hydrophobic, it doesn’t mix with water at all. If you add essential oil directly into your bath and just hop into the bathtub, the highly concentrated oil has a direct contact with your skin, and guess what..?

…You might end up with a long term sensitization with the oil, again.

The only way to achieve this is to first mix essential oils with carrier oils like Jojoba or Coconut oil, then mix them into your bath. The optimal concentration is to add 3 to 12 drops of essential oil into one tablespoon of carrier oil.

This concentration is relatively higher than the concentration you use topically, but not to worry, because the entire tub of water will further dilute it for you.

Depending on how you combine the essential oils in your bath, you’ll experience different benefits.

Aromatherapy bath can boost your mood, relieve your stress after a long working day, keep you relaxed throughout the day, cure headache, increase focus, get rid of allergy, and many more.

We have a detailed guide here on how to prepare the essential oil for your bath, and what combination works best for you.
https://www.naturallivingideas.com/essential-oils-to-add-to-your-bath/

Chapter 5: What Are Carrier Oils & Why Are They Needed?

As the name of it suggests – “Carrier”, its main purpose is to act as a base to ‘carry’ the essential oils onto your skin.

Given the fact that oil does not mix with water, the only liquid to dilute essential oil is to use a carrier oil. You use a carrier oil to dilute the essential oil before applying it to your skin.

Why, you ask?

Because if applied undiluted, essential oils or any concentrated aromatic oils can cause severe sensitization, redness, irritation or other unwanted reactions.

Carrier oils are vegetable oils, extracted from the fatty portion of a plant, such as the seed, kernels and even nuts. They do not evaporate, and generally has very faint scent (usually sweet and nutty).

Top 5 Picks For Carrier Oils To Have At Home

View post on imgur.com

View post on imgur.com

Below are the top 5 essential oil carrier oils that we highly recommend to have at home (or you can keep just 1 or 2 types):

#1 : Jojoba Oil

If you’re new to this carrier oil, you’re likely to pronounce it wrongly. It’s okay! The correct pronunciation is to read it as “hohoba”, instead of just simply reading “jojoba”.

Although it is slightly more expensive than other carrier oils, it is by far the best choice among all. It consists of eicosenoic acid, a long omega-9 fatty acid that couldn’t be digested by humans, but highly resembles our body’s natural oil, and therefore absorbs well into our skin.

Jojoba oil is also rich in vitamin A and E, further helping in acne prevention and cure. Due to the fact that it has the longest fatty acid chain than other carrier oils, it naturally has a long shelf life.

However, it contains a slight nutty aroma, and might interfere with other aroma of essential oil.

#2 : Coconut Oil

Being one of the most famous carrier oil, coconut oil is a well known antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent. It remains as a solid state in room temperature, but melts instantly when applied topically.

Coconut oil branches out to two types, unrefined and refined. We recommend using unrefined coconut oil as it doesn’t go through chemical extraction process.

The refining process will cause the oil to lose some of its therapeutic properties.

Unrefined coconut oil contains lauric acid that prolongs the shelf life of the oil. However, it has a strong aroma that will interfere with essential oil.

The refined or fractionated coconut oil, in the other hand, doesn’t have any scent, and never stain clothes. It remains as a liquid state in room temperature.

#3 : Olive Oil

This oil can be widely found in kitchens. It is rich in antioxidants and phenol, effective in soothing the skin. Oleic acid, one of its main components, plays a role in improving heart and cardiovascular system.

However, it has a fruity scent, and might interfere with the fragrance of the essential oil that you’re using. Also, upon topical application, it is thicker and more oily.

#4 : Sweet Almond Oil

This oil is not only good for moisturizing and skin nourishing, its high level of vitamin A, D and E also makes it a great oil for dry skins. As compared to Olive Oil, this oil is more scentless, and will not interfere with the aroma of the essential oil.

However, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator, while the other oils can be stored under room temperature.

#5: Avocado Oil

This highly hydrating oil suits best for youthful skins. It naturally contains high amount of fatty acids and vitamins, and is perfect for building up skin collagen.

However, similar to Olive Oil, it is thick and oily, and therefore doesn’t absorb well into skin pores.

WARNING: Mineral Oils Are NOT Carrier Oils

Nowadays, many companies are using mineral oils as a substitute of carrier oils since it’s significantly cheaper, and they’re mostly used in baby oils and commercially available moisturizers.

However, these petroleum byproducts will actually clog skin pores and prevent your skin from absorbing essential oil.
https://organicaromas.com/pages/essential-oils-safety

Chapter 6: What Are The Types of Diffusers and How Do They Work

#1: Heat Diffuser

As the name suggests, this type of diffuser heats the essential up until it evaporates into the air.

The two common types of heating method are electric heat and candle heat.

If you’re considering using a heat diffuser, you may want to choose electric heat.

The flame source of a candle heat diffuser is always a risk (it can cause a fire). It is best to avoid using this type of heat diffuser in the public for safety purpose.

On the other hand, electric heat diffusers uses extremely small amount of energy to power the diffuser each day. It is not only economical, it is also safe to use. Due to the string benefits over the candle heat diffuser, the electric heat diffusers are gaining more popularity over the years.

Nevertheless, heat will potentially change the nature and properties of the essential oil. Therefore, you won’t be able to fully enjoy the full benefits of the essential oil.

#2: Evaporative Diffuser

Similar to heat diffusers, this type of diffuser also distribute the oils via evaporation, but using a fan instead.

Evaporative diffuser uses a fan to evaporate the into the air while the essential oil is held in an absorbent material such as a pad or a wick.

This diffuser emits the oil in a controlled fashion, thus releasing a steady amount of essential to the atmosphere.

#3: Ultrasonic Diffuser

This type of diffuser uses kinetic or vibration to breakdown the essential oil into microparticles, and disperse them into the air as anionic particles.

The entire process is extremely quiet, perfect for sleep and relaxation.

There are several advantages of using this type of diffusers as compared to heat or evaporative diffusers.

Firstly, ultrasonic diffuser is not powered by heat, hence keeping essential oils “untouched”.

Secondly, the ultrasonic diffuser also acts as a humidifier for your room, since the dispersion process involves the use of water, the dispersed steam will dilute the aroma of the essential oil (perfect for those who doesn’t like strong aromatic environment).

However, do take note that the prolonged exposure of moisture in the inner wall of the diffuser is a conducive for growth of fungus, therefore, remember to clean it often.

#4: Nebulizing Diffuser

Nebulizing diffuser is so far the best among all types of diffusers.

A nebulizing diffuser works by breaking down essential oils with force.

It does not require any heat or water, therefore releasing the most concentrated and purest form of essential oil into the air, making it the best option for aromatherapy.

The aroma released from a nebulizing diffuser covers up to 400 square feet, approximately the size of an entire studio. The electrical consumption is minimal, and it does not add moisture or humidity in the air of your room. So if you’re staying in a fairly humid area, this works perfect for you.

However, this type of diffuser consumes more oil than the others. Therefore, we will always recommend our customers to place a timer beside so that you will know when to stop it. Alternatively, some of the best nebulizing diffusers that we mentioned in our Top 5 list has built-in timers.

You can both use essential oils as a basic component and enrich cosmetic products for face and body care.

Lemon oil

Lemon oil is considered to be the most effective when it comes to skin lightening, as it contains two strong natural bleachers: limonene and citric acid. The first agent helps to even out the skin tone, prevents cancerous diseases and lightens the skin, and citric acid provides skin peeling and prevents the appearance of new debris.

Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is a perfect solution for general skin lightening and for treating acne scars and other skin damages. It also regulates skin fat appearance.

Sandalwood oil

Sandalwood oil is known for its moisturizing and skin softening features. It lightens your skin and also prevents age-related changes. You can use it for your night skin care routine, just mix 2-3 drops of sandal oil and almond oil and apply it on your skin with your hands following the massage lines. Do not wash your face afterwards for the best effect.

Carrot seed oil

Rose oil

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil has a lot of powerful healing properties, treats the skin from sunburn, inflammations and other damages.

Lavender oil

Lavender oil is used in the production of soaps and skin creams because of its soothing effect. It has remarkable healing properties, and it is also used to treat pigmentation and scars on the skin. This oil can be mixed with chamomile oil, and then used to massage the face and body. The oil is good to apply at night because if you use it in the daytime, it can make the skin greasy and attract dirt and dust, so it is recommended to use lavender oil at night to get the maximum benefit.

Cedar oil

Cedar oil is extracted from cedar trees. Cedar essential oil is great for bleaching oily and normal skin. This oil can be mixed with bergamot or jojoba oil to get the benefits of more radiant skin. Irritated skin that can develop with age can also be treated with cedar oil.

Neroli oil

Neroli oil is also suitable for lightening oily skin, so it is perfect for skin that emits too much skin sebum. When using the oil properly, the skin pores will not clog. This oil also can be mixed with bergamot oil, sandalwood oil, etc. Neroli oil also prevent wrinkles. Just take a few drops of neroli oil and mix it with any other oil. Do face and skin massage, then leave overnight or for 2 hours and wash the face with water.

Now you know what essential oils are used in products for skin care, lightening, whitening, and healing. Essential oils are rich in nutrients, which over time improves the surface of the skin. They can cure acne, stretch marks and rejuvenate the skin.

Some essential oils can make the skin whiter and brighter because they are highly concentrated, so it is always better to mix them with some other oil. You can use the essential oils listed above at home to get the desired effect.

Essential oils are integral components of any means for face and body care. So, today, we are going to tell about such popular and effective component of creams and masks for face and body as Shea butter. It is extracted from the kernels of the nut of the Karite tree, which grows in some parts of Africa.

The local people call this plant – “tree of life”, and it is not accidental because it is quite often used in cooking, medicines and soap production. Nut seed contains 50% of oil, which even retains quite dense (solid) composition at room temperature (as, for example, coconut oil or melted butter).

The Shea butter begins to melt at a temperature of 42 degrees. So, when applied to the skin it gradually melts and is easily absorbed without leaving a greasy trace. The smell of Shea is light, something between the aroma of coconut and walnuts.

Depending on the color, you can determine how it was received. Oil if it is grayish, yellowish, khaki or mixed shades, means it’s got due to manual methods by the cold pressing method, and if it’s white — so, it’s industrial with hydrocarbon hexane.

Health Benefits of Shea Butter

Shea butter, obtained by a chemical process, which involves bleaching, deodorizing and overheating — loses much of useful properties, including the possibility of deep moisture, nutrition, and protection from aging. As for the use of Shea butter which is obtained manually (cold pressed or refined), it retains all the healing properties, including a deep rejuvenation and hydration of the skin.

Therefore, choosing the Shea butter, pay attention to the smell (it should be) and color. The composition of Shea butter consists of various acids, triglyceride, christerode, unsaponifiable fats, vitamins, micro and macro elements, in particular:

Triglyceride: oleic, linoleic, stearic, palmitic, and other fatty acids. They moisturize the skin, protects against aggressive environmental influences.

Karisterol — stimulate the cell activity and promote the production of collagen.

Vitamins A, E and F. Vitamin A renews and regenerates cells, nourishes dry skin, moisturizes and haggard and flaky skin. Vitamin E rejuvenates, slows down aging processes, prevents the action of free radicals, has strong antioxidant properties, improves microcirculation and the membrane exchange. Vitamin F eliminates toxins, soothes inflammation and accelerates the healing of wounds.

Shea butter can be applied both in pure form and in the various masks and creams for skin care. The only thing doctors recommend to refrain (or at least be careful) from the use of Shea butter for those who are allergic to nuts.

Therefore, Shea butter, pure or in a cream composition is recommended in the following cases:

psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, rosacea;

burns, bruises, wounds, muscle pain;

inflammation and swelling of the skin;

dry, mature, flaky and parched skin;

frostbitten or burned skin due to exposure to UV rays.

Shea Butter for face

Thankfully to the record-high proportion of unsaponifiable fats, which are contained in Shea butter (much less unsaponifiable fats contained in avocado oil) it is well absorbed, stimulates collagen synthesis, restores natural color and moisture balance of the skin, protects from UV rays, prevents skin aging (fights fine lines and age-related changes). That’s why Shea butter is recommended to be applied not only on the face and sensitive area around the eyes eyeshadow — for smoothing and preventing wrinkles under the eyes.

Shea butter is suitable for all skin types, including those prone to peeling and irritation. Please, note that Shea butter is suitable for dry skin and for oily (in this case, it acts as a natural moisturizer), including those prone to acne. It softens, cleanses and even slightly discolors blemishes that arose after the acne.

In the case if Shea butter is used for the treatment of diseases of the skin, don’t expect miracles — it is not a cure, but only softens hardened areas, moisturizes and prevents progression of the disease, so is shouldn’t be applied as main but auxiliary mean. The use of Shea butter provides complete recovery of the skin. It heals cracks on lips, heels, softens the skin of body and hands.

The Shea oil is recommended as an emollient with diaper rash in infants and to prevent scars, soothe the skin after insect bites or irritation (even after shaving), for the prevention of stretch marks resulting from pregnancy as well.

Cream and mask for face with Shea butter

As mentioned above, it can be used in pure form — that is, apply as needed on areas of the skin, in combination with other components, which can be both homemade and of industrial production. Below we will tell about the first, and about the others.

The rules of applying Shea butter in its pure form are the following: clean the skin (it can be normal washing as well as a steam bath that deeply cleanses dirty pores).

take a little piece of Shea butter and gently mash it, apply to the skin (including eye area, neck, décolleté, lips, hands and other body parts).

massage these zones (in the same way as a regular cream).

Within 10-15 minutes the oil is fully absorbed into the skin. It is also possible to apply Shea butter in cold or hot weather. To do this, before going outdoors lubricate the exposed areas of the body with Shea butter and avoid greasiness (for example, if you use too much) — gently eliminate the remnants with the help of a paper towel.

Excellent absorbent features of Shea butter help to provide skin cells with useful macro- and micro-elements which contain other cosmetic components. Therefore, Shea butter, along with coconut is used for making cream at home.

Shea butter for skin lightening

Take equal proportions of oils: Shea, coconut, grape seed. Mix them and heat on a steam bath (double boiler) until it liquefies (do not overheat, 40-42 degrees will be enough). Then let harden and mix it using a mixer or a blender. The result is a light and airy cream, now it is ready to use. It is recommended to use it in winter and in summer.

For a warm period, it is recommended to add to oil mixture in equal parts a sea buckthorn (provides light tan and protects against UV rays) and oil of aloe Vera (it is sold in capsules at the chemists shop). The preparing process is exactly the same as in the first example, however in this case you get a lightweight cream that can be used as a body lotion, and as means for protecting from tan and also for softening and healing cracked lips or hands.

For some kind of diversity, you can add to the obtained cream a few drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender for calming, peppermint for stress relief, tea tree — for oily skin with acne but do not overdo it, just a few drops).

The cream can be done with other components, by adding Shea butter and others, which are most suitable for you (e.g., olive, wheat germ, avocado — everything depends on what problem needs to be resolved). Just try not to add heavy fatty oils or decrease their proportion.

Face mask with Shea butter

Shea butter can be added to almost any masks’ recipe for skin care that will provide better absorption of other ingredients into the deeper layers of the skin.

Very useful is the following recipe:

1 tsp honey;

1 tsp of aloe juice;

1 egg white;

1 tsp of Shea butter.

Mix, apply on clean skin for 15-20 minutes. The mask is applied not only on the face but also the neck, décolleté, and if you want or need on hands. After 20 minutes rinse oil with warm water or tea. The use of the cream is not required. This mask nourishes, moisturizes, tightens the skin, eliminating fine wrinkles.

Shea butter is recommended for tired, aging skin with the first signs of aging. Also, benefits of Shea butter are in the prevention of first wrinkles. In addition, you can purchase cosmetic products, Shea butter soap, scrub or body cream for the face, body, hands, feet, lip balm and others. The value of Shea butter is so high that it is present in almost all cosmetic preparations.

What do you know about papaya benefits for skin and its whitening abilities? It’s a delicious fruit with plenty of vitamins and minerals and it’s just one of the most useful things for your skin. Eating it will do you a lot of good but putting it on your face as a mask will do you even better

What are the main papaya benefits for skin?

There’s a range of positive effects papaya masks can do to your skin. Below, you will find the list of positive effects of papaya for your skin and delicious recipes for face masks made with the juicy fruit.

Skin whitening

This is done due to the main enzyme found in papaya called papain. This enzyme is the one that’s responsible for the whitening even though fruit acids are able to do it, too.

Exfoliation

Due to the activity of fruit acids, dead skin cells are removed completely and all the pores get deeply cleansed. In addition to it, fruit acids are able to regulate the production of skin oils, blocking of pores and the appearance of breakouts. This is a vital feature for those who suffer from acne.

Removal of dark spots

Vitamin A that’s responsible for the regeneration of skin cells is able to reduce the intensiveness of dark spots on the skin. These are the spots caused by acne, other scars that have developed their own pigmentation, or simple pigmented spots that appear out of nowhere.

Reduction of lines

Vitamin C and fruit acids tone the skin up and reduce the first signs of aging. Even though they are not able to fight significant and deep wrinkles, they are still powerful enough to smooth down the fine lines that often affect the delicate eye areas.

Hydration

The potassium the fruit contains is able to hydrate your skin from the outside and thus relieve the signs of dryness, such as itching, flaking, a dull color and fine wrinkles.

All these elements taken together are strong enough to improve the condition of skin affected by diseases like eczema or acne and provide even more beauty for a healthy smooth skin.

The most effective papaya skin whitening recipes

It’s time to get down to papaya mask recipes and their positive effect on your skin. These recipes contain no rare or very expensive ingredients – only what you can afford and get without special efforts. Here they are, choose whatever you like best of all.

Mask #1: Pure Papaya

What you need to do is remove the papaya peel and seeds. Cut the flesh into small cubes and blend them thoroughly until you get a puree. Then, you may need some assistance or just wear something that you are not afraid to ruin with all this beauty stuff. Apply the puree over your face and watch out: it may drip. Keep it on your face until it gets quite dry. Then, remove the remnants from your face with pure water.

Mask #2: Papaya and Honey

Take ¼ of a ripe papaya, 1 tablespoon of honey, and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Blend the papaya pulp, add honey and lemon juice and stir well. Apply the mask over your face and give special attention to areas where you have acne scars or existing acne. Remove the remnants of the mask with water in 15 minutes.

Here’s one significant note: if your skin is sensitive, try to avoid the usage of lemon juice.

Mask #3: Papaya, Banana, and Cucumber

Take ½ of a ripe papaya, ½ of a banana, and ¼ of a cucumber. Remove the peel from all and cut the pulp into small pieces.

Blend them all together and make a smooth puree.

Wash your face and apply the puree all over it, giving special attention to the spots, scars and pigmented areas.

Leave for about 15 minutes and then remove the remnants with water. It’s recommended to apply a natural moisturizer after the usage of this mask.

Mask #4: Papaya and Orange Juice

Take ¼ of a ripe papaya and 1 tablespoon of orange juice.

Blend the peeled papaya pulp and add the freshly squeezed juice. Stir well and apply onto your face.

Leave for about 15 minutes and then remove the remnants with water. This mask will regulate the production of sebum and whiten pigmented areas.

The fruit acids found in these components in galore will unclog the pores, remove dead cells and leave your skin glowing and bright. This is one of the best masks with papaya for glowing skin.

Mask #5: Papaya, Milk and Honey

Take ¼ of a ripe papaya fruit, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 1 tablespoon of honey.

Chop the pulp of the peeled papaya into small pieces and blend. Then, add honey and milk and blend again.

Apply onto the washed skin with gentle massaging movements. Leave the mask for about 15 minutes and then rinse off the remnants.

You can replace milk with an egg white if you wish. Cleansing abilities of milk and egg whites are able to remove clogging from your pores and whiten your skin significantly.

However, before you start using it, you need to conduct an allergy test on a small patch of your skin and see whether you develop a reaction or not.

Mask #6: Papaya, Yogurt, and Vitamin E

Take one green papaya (it’s important to use a green one), 1 tablespoon of oil enriched with vitamin E, and 1 tablespoon of yogurt. Mix the chopped papaya flesh with the oil and yogurt in a blender. Apply the mask onto the previously washed face and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.

Then, wash away the remnants with water.

The acids in the yogurt and papaya will whiten and cleanse your skin. This is a very quick acting skin whitening papaya mask due to the refreshing and lightening effect of yogurt.

Use it regularly and watch your skin becoming lighter and fresher with every application.

Mask #7: Papaya and Pineapple

Take ½ cup of fresh pineapple cubes and 1 cup of chopped papaya pulp. Blend them thoroughly and apply onto the face for 15 to 20 minutes.

The fruit acids will do their job and whiten your skin in a very quick and effective way.

Due to the toning effect of pineapple, your skin will regain elasticity and the shape of the face will become sharper.

The vitamins will nourish your skin and leave it fresh and moisturized. However, if you have a sensitive skin, you may need some additional moisturizer to avoid irritation after the acids.

Mask #8: Papaya and Tomato

Take 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed papaya juice and add to 2 tablespoons of tomato juice.

Apply the mixture onto the face with the help of a cotton ball or a cotton pad. Feel free to apply several layers.

In 20 minutes, wash away the remnants with cold water and pat the face dry. These juices together are able to reduce inflammations, fight acne, and perfectly whiten your skin.

You will see how silky and smooth it will become after several applications.

These are simple but effective methods how to use papaya for skin lightening. Now, you can use any of them or just try all to choose the best option.

Not every person has been blessed with even, blemish-free, perfect skin. That is why some people need to take more care of their skin than others do. If you are one of those people, and you are looking for a way to lighten your skin, consider using camwood for skin lightening. Do not worry, we are here to help you figure out how to do it!

What is camwood?

First of all, let’s figure out what camwood is. Also known as African sandalwood or Osun in Yoruba, it is a hard-wooded, leguminous, shrubby tree that grows in the central-west region of Africa. The wood itself has a gorgeous red colour and is often used to make expensive knife handles and other wooden things.

However, we are not exactly interested in the wood, but in the core, as that is where camwood powder comes from. This powder is a very popular ingredient in skincare products for both the face and body. It can help to get rid of eczema, pimples, skin discoloration, premature aging and rashes.

The effect of camwood powder is almost immediate. Even after first use, you can notice that your skin has become much smoother, finer, more glowing and even. If you want to find out how to incorporate camwood in your skincare routine, continue reading!

How to use camwood for skin lightening

There are plenty of skincare recipes out there, but we have decided to share the top five recipes that feature camwood as a skin-lightening agent. Check out the best ways you can use camwood’s properties to your advantage

A refreshing camwood mask

For this recipe, you will need:

1 tablespoon of unflavoured organic yogurt

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1 tablespoon of camwood powder

Mix the ingredients together until you get an even substance.

Apply the substance to your face and wait for it to dry.

When it has completely dried, wash it off with slow massaging circular movements.

You might notice the difference right away!

When you mix lemon juice and camwood, their combined effect helps to make your skin lighter and healthier.

The yogurt helps to keep the skin moisturised and supple.

A camwood remedy for glowing skin

This recipe requires:

4 tablespoons of camwood powder

2 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of raw milk

several drops of almond oil

Mix the ingredients into an even paste. Massage it into your skin with gentle circular motions for up to 10 minutes. Leave the substance on your face for an additional 3-5 minutes. Wash it all off with slightly warm water.

This recipe will work best for those who have dry or normal skin. It will help to make their skin softer and lighter. When combined with the aforementioned ingredients, camwood’s lightening and healing effects can deliver a noticeable result after just a few uses.

Camwood moisturising cleanser

This recipe’s ingredients include:

4 pinches of turmeric

2 tablespoons of camwood powder

rose water

Mix the dry ingredients together and slowly add rose water to them. When you get to the consistency you need (it should not be too runny or chunky), massage the mixture onto your face for about five minutes.

Leave the paste on for another five minutes and then wash it off with cold water.

This recipe has multiple purposes.

Not only is it good for moisturising and lightening the skin, but it can also work as an insect repellent.

Just add a few drops of lavender oil and apply it to your skin. In addition, it can help heal existing bites and swelling.

Anti-pigmentation camwood recipe

The ingredients for this recipe are:

4 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of camwood powder

2 tablespoons of rose water

Mix the ingredients together until you get a paste.

Apply it to your face or other body parts that have pigmentation. Leave the mixture on for about half an hour.

Wash it off with cold water. This recipe works similarly to the first one, only it is more vegan-friendly.

If you do not feel like using yogurt, just use rose water instead!

Black soap with camwood for skin lightening

We saved the best for last.

Here is what you will need to make camwood black soap:

3 teapoons of Nigerian black soap

1 teaspoon of camwood powder

1 teaspoon of Neem

2 teaspoons of herb-infused oil

2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel

5 drops of essential rosemary oil

Mix the ingredients together and set them aside to settle.

You can leave the mixture for as long as you want. The longer it infuses, the better the effect will be.

After that, you can use it to wash your face or even remove makeup.

It will help keep your skin soft, even and moisturised.

That is it for our article on camwood for skin lightening.

Now you know how to use it, including how to make lightening black soap. We hope this has been helpful, and that your skin is now more beautiful than ever!

Many of us have heard about a fantastic effect of natural skin lightening oil. Which oil can you create at your home to improve your skin color? We would like to share some secrets with you on how to make lemon oil for skin lightening, and you can test its effect right away.

Skin lightening oil

There are many different types of oil that can be used for achieving an awesome skin lightening effect. Some people love to make such oil from carrot seeds, lavender or sandalwood. Others can prepare a wonderful product for better skin tone from geranium, turmeric or olives.

We know how to make lemon oil for skin whitening effect, and this natural skin care product can be prepared by you right from the comfort of your home. It is easy, affordable and offers numerous advantages to both women and men.

how to make lemon oil for skin whitening

All the products needed for the homemade oil are affordable and can be obtained at the nearest shop or marketplace.

Here is what you need:

Peeler for fruits

Lemons – 3-5 pieces

Any device used for pressing

Strainer (sieve)

Olive oil (or coconut oil) – a little bit

Bowl, bottle with a wide neck or another case (box) where you will keep your lemon oil

Follow this instruction on how to make lemon oil for skin lightening:

Step 1. Take each lemon and wash it with water. It is better to use warm or even hot water. If you see any dirt on the fruit skin, gently scrub it off.

Step 2. It is necessary to peel each lemon. If you have a special peeler you will quickly complete this step. If you don’t, just use a knife and remove the yellow skin, or take a grater to scrape the skin. Sometimes it is easier to put your lemons into a very cold place (it is better to use your refrigerator’s freezer or ask your friends to help if you have no freezer at home). When frozen, your fruit will be much quicker to grate.

Step 3. You will be using the lemon skin, so cut it into pieces or use grated pieces to fit inside the garlic press or another pressing gadget you have in your kitchen. Keep pressing over a bowl to squish some liquid from the fruit skin. It can take some time, so stay patient and enjoy the results even if you see only a moderate amount

Step 4. Don’t throw away all the skins you have pressed. Take a mesh sieve and continue working with them to receive even more liquid.

Step 5. Store the liquid you have obtained in a clean container (a small bottle or another dish). Leave it like this for a couple of weeks, but for a better effect, you can add some olive oil inside this bottle as well.

Step 6. Keep an eye on the changes that take place inside the container. The natural lemon oil will slowly separate from the olive oil. It is great if you can shake the container once in a while.

Step 7. Sometimes you have to wait for 2-4 weeks for an effect to occur.

Step 8. Now get a new clean container and place the mixed oils into it through a siever.

Step 9. Your oil is ready to use. Apply it to your skin to achieve an even color effect, add a couple of drops into your shampoo, into face wash product, etc. Place this new container with lemon oil into a dry dark place after using. It can be stored like this for up to half a year

P.S. Squishing lemon skin to extract oil does not bring too much oil for you. There should be enough for personal care for a while and you will have to repeat the same procedure once in a while to get a more natural product for yourself.

Some people prefer getting lemon oil in big quantities and in such a case, you can think of getting a special oil extractor, which can be expensive and might not work for everyone, or you can add more olive or coconut oil into your lemon skin oil and combine oils this way.

Lemon is an interesting fruit with multiple benefits. It is can be added into tea, salads, different meals and it can be turned into lemon oil used as a natural skin lightening home remedy.

You can improve your hair, the tone of your skin, nails, treat acne, and everything can be done with the same product – extract of lemon oil.

During thousands of years, Eastern medicine has been using the healing power of ginseng. Haven’t you heard of ginseng tea benefits? Weight loss tea? Today, the properties of this root are being studied by scientists all over the world, and as a result of numerous studies, they have confirmed the effectiveness of the use of this plant in the treatment of different diseases.

It was established that ginseng is very effective and we can even say indispensable tool for weight loss. Due to the use of the ginseng-based products you can normalize metabolism, and thus get rid of the extra kilos.

Among all the plants, ginseng can be called the king of medicinal herbs. In ancient times, healers used the ‘root of life’ for the cure of any disease.

The root of the plant contains a lot of natural active substances, vitamins, macro- and micronutrients.

For centuries, ginseng (the root of life) was used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans and the Chinese. The discoveries of modern medical science have proved some of its beneficial properties, namely:

What are ginseng tea benefits for weight loss?

• strengthening the immune system,

• improving the quality of memory,

• the increase of the male libido,

• lowering of cholesterol,

• slowing of the disease of Alzheimer’s.

All of the useful qualities of ginseng have been studied in large health institutions in different countries. But in the past few decades, another important advantage came to the fore, and it was associated with dietary properties of the product.

Ginseng tea. Good weight loss helper

So how does ginseng help to lose weight?

The active ingredients of its composition increase its root metabolic rate. It turns out that even with all the same dietary habits body learns to use a smaller amount of calories and translate less to fat.

It creates the excess energy production.

Due to regular use of ginseng supplements, people feel more energetic and they become able to withstand heavy physical exertion. Almost all dietary products (powders, capsules, tablets and liquid extracts) with the declared content of ginseng are produced from light brown, gnarled roots of the plant.

The leaves and flowers remain behind the scene of weight loss topics.

However, only some types of ginseng can help you lose weight.

For example, Siberian species are excellent tonics for the nervous system, but they are ineffective in reducing weight.

If you want to lose weight, you should pay attention to the Chinese, Korean and American ginseng.

But even these types of vegetable raw materials affect the body in different ways.

• American Ginseng cools the body, reduces stress and works better than its Asian relatives when it comes to improving physical endurance.

• Siberian ginseng, on the other hand, warms and mobilizes brain cells and accelerates metabolism.

Therefore, before buying a dietary supplement with ginseng root, listen to your body: you are more likely to feel heat or cold, whether you are suffering from mental fatigue and so on.

How to prepare right ginseng tea for weight loss and get only the benefits?

Slimming tea with ginseng is just great. In addition to ready-made tea bags, there are at least 3 alternatives

1. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of ginseng root powder in one cup of hot water. Add honey or another sweetener, which you like.

2. Pour 2-3 drops of the liquid extract in the cup with hot water, sweeten a little and enjoy the pleasant taste and dietary beverage.

3. Finely chop the dried ginseng root, take 2 tbsp. of the product, add it to 4 cups of boiling water and boil it all for an hour. Add honey and cinnamon (it also helps to lose weight).

Ginseng tea has a bitter taste and a strong aroma.

Honey masks the unpleasant aftertaste well and cinnamon helps to get rid of the earthy smell of roots.

To prepare ginseng tea that helps you lose weight, you can use ready packed tea bags as well as to make this wonderful tea yourself.

It is easy to use ginseng for slimming. It is much more difficult to find it on sale or choose the most effective and safe one from a large number of dietary supplements.

Legend of the creation of the tree Kola said that the kola nut was originally a food of the gods. Once, during a visit to the land, one of the gods left the nut that people found it. Since then, the tree kola and fruit of this plant began to be used for magic stimulant (aphrodisiac). Also, people found a lot of benefits of bitter kola for weight loss.

Kola nuts grow on trees, which belong to the plant family called the Clusiaceae or Guttiferae. This beautiful evergreen tree can reach a height of 20 meters. It is something like wide-spread chestnut, as it has hanging branches with broad ‘leathery’ oblong leaves, yellow flowers and star-shaped fruit. The fruiting tree starts only in the tenth year of life of a tree and it gives about forty kilograms of nuts a year. Kola nuts are large enough in length. They may be about 5 cm.

The homeland of the bitter kola nuts is considered to be the west coast of Africa. This plant is still quite unpretentious and easy to catch on in other circumstances, starting growing, for example, in India, Ceylon, Seychelles, Zanzibar, the Antilles and Australia.

Today, bitter kola nut is spread almost all over the world. And it began its journey around the world with black people who were brought to the slave trade to the New World so that exotic nut appeared in Central America. English sailors brought kola nut to India, Ceylon, the Seychelles, and other places.

The Dutch began to grow wonderful nuts in Java, and the Germans cultivated it in Cameroon. Europe met with kola nuts at the end of the XVIII century, and by the middle of the XIX century, the miraculous properties of this plant (tone of the muscles of the heart) and began to be applied in a practical European medicine.

Now especially large plantations of kola nuts are located in Guinea. The farmers purposefully grow and care for fruit-bearing trees all year round. Nuts require special care, as if it is dropped from a height onto the ground it can be broken – it is not allowed. Therefore, people have bent different networks under the trees or put bags mitigating the drop of nuts.

After collecting the nuts are transported to the city where they are sorted and washed thoroughly to get rid of the possibility of settling insects in them. Such meticulous care is conducted due to the fact that a large number of harvested nuts is exported. Thus, bitter kola nuts bring a stable income for traders, because depending on the quality of the nut and its size, the cost of the fruit can vary between 200 and 500 Guinean francs, that is 4-11 cents per nut. Every year this nut is becoming more and more popular. The reason is that bitter kola and weight loss have already become almost the synonyms. Because of its huge benefits for health people are buying more and more bitter kola nuts.

It is a plant with the pronounced tonic properties. It is used in order to enhance muscle power, stimulate the heart and central nervous system.

Fresh kola seeds contain water, cellulose, starch, tannins, protein, fats, caffeine, essential oils, as well as a small amount of glycoside Kolatina and theobromine. It is the combination of caffeine and theobromine from Kolatina which determines the exciting action kola nuts as a natural tranquilizer.

In medicine, kola nut extract is used in a dry or liquid form, as well as a tincture. Also, there are tonic pills. Chocolate with ground kola nuts is used as a tonic by skiers, climbers, and hikers.

For many years, the Europeans believed that the stories about the miraculous properties of kola nut were simple colonial fairy-tales. They began to treat this fruit seriously only after the French army lieutenant colonel gave a report to his superiors, which described the extraordinary properties of exotic fruit in details. He reported that in the process of climbing the mountain Kang, he had eaten powdered kola nuts, which helped him to move on without interruption and fatigue for 12 hours. This fact became an incitement to a detailed study of unusual plants.

How to use bitter kola?

Kola nut can be called unique energy stimulant due to its high content of caffeine. European travelers of the XVI century described the unique qualities of this nut, which could not only completely suppress the feeling of hunger, but also relieved fatigue, as well as gave a charge of vivacity for a long time. Travelers noted that the natives were chewing this nut incessantly. It helped to lose weight and eat much less.

Indeed studies have shown that under the influence of substances contained in the nut, it can improve brain function, increase concentration, which is especially important, for example, before the exam or responsible work. Bitter kola helps you to get clear thoughts; help get rid of fatigue and sleepiness. You do not waste your time having snacks as you do not feel hunger.

So people from tropical Africa (chewing just one grain of bitter cola nut) could walk about 80 kilometers a day under the scorching sun. The natives believe that the life-giving nut is able to quench your thirst, clean water, replace meat, increase potency, carry out detoxification after excessive alcohol consumption, lose all extra fat and so on.

But, not all are equally related to kola nuts and some consider it a health hazard, because people are constantly getting used to chewing the nuts, practically abandons the normal food.

Recent studies have shown that the kola nut is useful in the treatment of functional diarrhea (occurring in the nervous system). In some African tribes, during more than a thousand years people are used to chewing a piece of the nut before each meal to improve digestion.

Caffeine is a part of kola nut which helps curb appetite and improves digestion. It ultimately leads to weight loss. It speeds up the metabolism, the body is charged with energy for the long term. And it is without food. Looks like a miracle!

The damage from the kola nuts’ possible side effects is very dangerous. People may get dyspepsia: heartburn, nausea, and vomiting due to excessive production of stomach acids; insomnia due to stimulation of the nervous system; high blood pressure.

Bitter kola nuts are eaten both fresh and dried. They were historically used to increase the physical strength during long multi-day trips, in order to suppress hunger, as well as the activation of all the vital functions of the body.

The small amount of kola nut is safe, but its excessive and long-term use can cause addiction, nervousness, and insomnia, due to its caffeine content.

You can lose weight due to bitter kola, but you should not forget about eating other healthy products: low-fat meat, yogurts, vegetables, and fruit. Otherwise, you may lose weight and get a lot of health problems in one ‘package’.

Sweet and juicy mango has already got the title of ‘king of fruits’. It is hard to believe, but this exotic fruit is one of the most popular in the world. There are only three pieces of fruit ahead: apples which are well-known since biblical times, bananas and ubiquitous. Amazing health benefits of mango are appreciated all over the world.

India is considered a homeland of mango. It is also cultivated in the Canary Islands, Guatemala, Thailand, Mexico, and the Spanish mango is firmly sold in European stores. In the world people annually grow about 20 tons of mangoes, and the number of its varieties is 1500!

Health benefits of mango fruit

1. The mango has the amino acids which are necessary for human health. The fruit also has useful properties due to the presence of carotenoids, which is why the pulp has a peculiar color.

2. Its rich mineral composition lets using the fruit for the treatment of different diseases. Eating mango helps relieve depression, nervous tension, and stress.

3. The immature form of the fruits is consumed with honey against chronic dyspepsia, dysentery, constipation, hemorrhoids, and bile stasis.

4. Speaking of ripe fruits, they are very rich in provitamin A. So they should be included in the diet of people who suffer from the night blindness and several eye diseases.

6. The undoubted advantage of this product is its ability to slow the cancer-related progression of the genitourinary and also reproductive systems

7. The combination of B vitamins, carotene, and ascorbic acid, allows the mango to get in the list of the best natural medicines for colds and different diseases.

8. It enhances immunity, prevents the effects of free radicals act as antioxidants.

9. We should also mention the benefits of mango for dieters. A low calorie of this fruit allowed nutritionists to develop a method of losing weight based this fruit and milk. A lot of nutritionists recommend including mango in your menu for weight loss because it has no more than 70 kcal, and when it is combined with milk, it turns into a surprisingly tasty and healthy for the stomach and intestines dessert.

10. In cosmetology its juicy pulp is used for making household masks: it moisturizes, reduces wrinkles, nourishes the skin, and removes ‘black spots’. The Indian fruit is a true helper for feminine beauty: moisturizing mask with mango is recommended for the face, hands, and hair. And for the very busy beauties can advise a simple but effective recipe: wipe your clean face with a freshly cut mango crust, wash off juice with water after 15 minutes. Such a fruit mask moisturizes and softens tired skin.

11. In the hot countries, this fruit is considered one of the most effective treatments for the cardiovascular disease. Oriental Medicine recommends using it to get rid of the plague and cholera. There are also health benefits of mango leaves – people prepared medicinal teas to normalize blood sugar levels and activity of the pancreas using them. Herbal infusion restores sight, the condition of blood vessels with varicose veins and multiple skin hemorrhages.

12. During pregnancy, mango is also useful, but in moderate amount! After all, it has some diuretic and laxative properties. It is able to eliminate heartburn and normalize digestion. Press the fruit juice and you will get an effective tool for the treatment of skin dermatitis and diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, etc.).

13. Mango is traditionally used as an aphrodisiac. It increases sexual desire and enhances sexual function, so salads and light meals with mango is a wonderful component of a romantic evening.

14. There is an interesting theory that a lot of the most useful products work for those organs to which they are similar. Mango (along with avocado and some other fruits) reminds the female reproductive organs, not by chance it has long been considered as ‘women’s’ product. It is especially recommended for the ladies during menstruation, especially when the body needs iron.

If you are partial to mango, useful properties of this product will please you very much. Like all fruits, mango is a real treasure trove of vitamins and minerals. 12 amino acids, vitamins A, C and B group, a lot of potassium, zinc and other elements, as well as a record number of sugar. A fun fact – immature fruit has more vitamin C, and ripe and juicy mango are the champions for vitamins A and B composition

So what is mango so useful? Due to the special composition of this fruit, it is a real lifesaver for the nervous system. Mango enhances memory, improves sleep, and helps to tolerate stress better. Therefore, every modern man should add ‘mango snacks’ to his frantic schedule.

Moreover, due to its potassium mango has a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels. Its tocopherol and vitamins help prevent the development of tumors.

Today, in a lot of countries mango is not the most popular and common fruit – however, it is still very useful. So, not by chance mango has received its romantic glory.

The ripe yellow mangoes help to get rid of anemia. The use of mango is undeniable for women – this king of fruits is known as a mild diuretic and laxative product, and the ladies know these problems well. If you want to get all the health benefits of a mango eat the fruit a few times a week and you’ll see the results very soon!

Carrot oil is rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A and E. It has many benefits, such as in hair growth. It also nourishes the skin, making it smooth and bright. Nevertheless, despite all of the properties of the oil, it is contraindicated for pregnant women. Carrot oil peculiarity is that it increases the resistance of the skin to sunlight. It is one of the best natural skin lighteners. So it is better to buy a cream which includes carrot oil.

People grow carrots for about 4000 years, and all this time it is used not only in food but also as a mean to maintain health, youth, and beauty, as evidenced by the many benefits of carrot. We learned about the carrots as a medicinal plant from the scientific works of the founder of numerous sciences, pharmacology and the Roman army doctor Dioscorides. He has written about the properties of the essential carrot oil that we know today.

Essential oil is obtained from carrot seeds. Its healing properties are also known since ancient times: in Greece, Rome, the Middle East and later in Europe – even the medieval alchemists knew that they could treat the skin diseases and diarrhea using carrot seeds.

Today, carrot, from which the major part of all of the essential oils in the world market is made, is grown in Poland and France. It is produced from the mature seeds using the steam distillation method – the seeds are pre-kneaded on a special machine.

The composition of the essential carrot oil

The composition of the carrot oil cannot be described definitely: it depends on the place where the carrot was grown, and on its sort – and there are several tens varieties of carrots in the world and they are all different in taste, shape and even in color – there are almost white carrots and also purple. Usually, it contains natural acetic acid, alcohol karotol, terpenes pinene, limonene, bisabolene, fragrant substance asarone and a lot of other components, but in smaller quantities. In Moldova people grow cultural carrot and make the essential oil from its seed: Moldovan oil contains geranilatsetat – a substance with the scent of geraniums or roses. It is often used in perfumery.

Oil carrots are usually yellow or orange-amber with a spicy taste and pleasant aroma. Most often, however, an essential oil is obtained from the seeds of wild carrot: in addition to Europe, it is produced in India, Egypt, and some other countries.

Benefits of carrot: The uses of carrot seed oil in cosmetology

The cosmetically carrot seed oil is also very useful: it is a wonderful tool for healthy skin care. It can be added to a cream or used in a mixture with almond oil: it tones skin and even removes wrinkles. It is usually enough to add 3-5 drops of essential oils of carrots to the basis of 10 g oil or cream.

In winter and early spring, it helps to compensate the deficiency of vitamins in the skin. It can be used for skin care and the infused carrot seed oil is usually used for the preparation of the other vegetable oil – for example, linseed.

During the summer, carrot seed oil is also useful: it can function as a light sunscreen, but it ‘attracts’ a tan, so a tan becomes more smooth and beautiful – carrot seed oil are mixed with walnut or sesame oil for this purpose.

This oil should not be used for oily skin, prone to acne, as it increases the production of sebum.

Carrot oil lightens the dark spots and helps to heal the scars. It is effective for numerous skin diseases: psoriasis, eczema, boils, abscesses, itching, vitiligo. It cures even oozing sores which are not healing for a long time.

It is a good idea to combine it with other essential oils, for example, Rosemary, Petitgrain, juniper, neroli, lemon, lavender, lime, lemon balm, orange, bergamot, etc

You should use carrot seed oil for skin lightening. As it is very effective and you’ll see the results very soon.

How to extract carrot oil at home? How to produce carrot seed oil

Carrot oil can be prepared from the roots of cultural or food carrot, because the essential oils are contained not only in wild carrot but in all its subspecies and not only in seeds but also in leaves, stems, and roots. Carrot seed oil can be done at home as well as the oil from the flax seeds. At home, it is better, of course, to use the carrots, grown without the use of chemical fertilizers on your garden plot. Carrot seed oil can be used for dry skin and as a rejuvenating mean of preventing the appearance of wrinkles, smoothing scars and stretching marks.

Recipes of carrot oil

1. Recipe #1

You need:

• 1 cup of grated fresh carrots

• 1 cup of unrefined sunflower oil

Get a cup of finely grated carrots and put it in a small saucepan, pour sunflower oil so the oil completely covers carrots, cover it with lid and put on steam (water bath), held during 15 minutes before boiling. Once it is cool, you should squeeze and filter it through a double layer of cheesecloth.

2. Recipe #2

You need:

• Grated carrots

• Sunflower unrefined oil

Grated carrots put in a jar, pour sunflower oil so that oil is 1 cm above the carrots. Insist day, then squeeze and filter.

Now you know how to make carrot oil for skin. You can try the recipes at home and check up the results very soon! Carrot oil has many benefits, as listed above, and also others such as in hair growth. However, make sure that you do not have an allergic reaction to the oil before using it.