Beginners Guide to Essential Oils Part 2

Best Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy

Essential oils are extremely small so they can pass through the skin and into the body quickly. But if you want to keep the oils on your skin and dilute them to create more gentleness on the skin you can combine them with carrier oils.

These larger oils that come from the fatty part of the plant can increase the length of time the essential oils stay on your skin and prolong the aromatherapy effects.

Some people mistakenly think using carrier oils reduces the effectiveness of the oil but really it can be the opposite. Dilution increases the surface area of absorption and with certain oils can prevent sensitivities.

Common carrier oils include:

• Almond oil

• Avocado oil

• Coconut oil

• Jojoba oil

• Apricot oil

• Olive oil

• Pomegranate seed oil

For most people, I recommend 10 percent dilution, which is five drops of oil per half-teaspoon.

Essential Oils for Skin and Beauty

The skin and beauty industry is a billion-dollar industry but, unfortunately, it’s filled with chemicals and hydrogenated oils that cause internal toxicity in the body.

The good news is you can create your own skin and beauty products that are more effective than any conventional product on the market. Here are some benefits of specific oils:

• Calm irritated skin – Lavender and Roman chamomile

• Reduce age spots – Frankincense

• Thicken hair – Rosemary and Sage

• Natural SPF skin protection – Helichrysum and Myrrh

• Acne – Tea Tree and Geranium

Essential Oils for Hair Growth

Essential oils for hair loss can make a significant difference. Oils of rosemary, lavender and sage can all help naturally thicken hair by stimulating the hair follicles.

Clary Sage and lavender support hair growth by balancing estrogen levels and rosemary essential oil works by inhibiting DHT (dihydroxy-testosterone) that stops hair loss. Here is how to naturally thicken hair with essential oils:

1. Put 10 drops of rosemary oil and 5 drops of lavender oil different areas of your scalp.

2. Gently massage into scalp for 2 minutes.

3. Put a hot towel around your head and sit for 20 minutes.

4. Finally, wash hair with natural homemade shampoo.

Essential Oil Bug Spray

Bugs and mosquitos can cause big problems in certain areas of the world. These pests can ruin vacations, BBQ’s and special occasions. To keep bugs at bay, you can make a homemade natural bug spray that works!

Unfortunately, most people turn to chemicals sprays like DEET that are highly toxic to the body instead of using all-natural mosquito repellent and essential oil bug sprays. Here are the top essential oils to repel insects:

• Lemongrass

• Eucalyptus

• Citronella

• Peppermint

• Clove

• Catnip

Rub, spray or roll-on (using a roller bottle) the essential oils all over the body to repel bugs.

Natural First Aid Kit

Having a homemade first aid kit on hand for the everyday wound, sting, sunburn, muscle pain or injury is always a good idea.

Essential oils are used widely as natural medicine but without the side effects of conventional drugs like aspirin and antibiotics.

Here are some of the most common essential oils everyone should have stored in their personal medicine cabinet:

• Lavender – to heal burns, cuts, rashes, stings, reduce anxiety and help sleep after trauma.

• Peppermint– to improve pain in joints, muscles, relieve digestive issues, reduce fevers, clear sinuses, improve asthma, bronchitis and relieve headaches.

• Frankincense – anti-inflammatory, heal bruising, reduce scars, boost immunity and emotional well-being.

• Tea Tree – antibacterial, anti-fungal, can be used to prevent and reduce infection and clean air of pathogens and allergens.

Other oils you may want to have on hand to makeover your medicine cabinet include: eucalyptus, oregano and clove.

Essential Oils for Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, most everyone understands that improving diet and doing the right type of exercise can support weight loss.

But, oftentimes people want an extra boost to help them reach their weight loss goals. Unfortunately, most people turn to stimulants and caffeine for fat loss rather than plant-based medicine.

These four essential oils have been found to support weight loss.

• Grapefruit oil contains d-limonene that is found in citrus peels. A study found that supplementing d-limonene improved metabolic enzyme levels.

• Peppermint oil has been shown to improve weight loss because it suppresses cravings and improves digestion.

• Cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum verum) helps balance blood sugar levels, which can generally assist in weight loss and improve diabetes.

• Ginger oil contains gingerol, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and increases thermogenesis, which boosts metabolism.

Essential Oil Contraindications

Because essential oils can act as a powerful form of natural medicine, there are a few instances where they are not recommended for usage:

Pregnancy – Basil, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, cypress, fennel, jasmine, juniper, marjoram, myrrh, rose, rosemary, sage and thyme.

In most cases, these oils are completely healthy but because they can effect hormones they are not recommended at this stage.

Heart Medications (blood thinners) – Clary sage, cypress, eucalyptus, ginger, rosemary, sage and thyme.

Overall, aromatherapy is a great and inexpensive way to help promote healing, relaxation, and well-being without adverse side effects.

Essential Oil Quality

This is one of the most vital things you must know about essential oils: Not all essential oils are created equally. In fact, most of them are worthless to your health and often synthetic.

When buying essential oils — whether 5ml, 10ml or 15ml bottles — 100 percent pure, therapeutic grade and

sourced.