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.
- The steam is directed through the plant material inside a sealed still.
- The steam will then vaporize the lighter chemicals contained within the plant material.
- Guided via a connecting pipe, the vapor will be collected into a condenser, which cools the vapor into liquid form again.
- This process generates 2 products, essential oil & water
- 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
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.
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