Essential Oils: The Basics

The use of essential oils has a rich history, dating back well before modern medicine, treating everything from health conditions to psychological ailments. Though their therapeutic uses have yet to be fully studied by governments across the globe, they have become increasingly popular in the last several years due to growth in the understanding of their benefits.

Composed of natural compounds that are found in various seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers and other portions of plants, essential oils are derived to create perfumed scents that offer more than a pleasant aroma. However, their smells can invoke powerful changes in the body and mind, each of them stimulating different processes to occur in the body – from hormone release or production, to metabolic processes.

The popularity of diffusers has even risen recently, after the public realization that these scents can not only remove unwanted odors from a room or home, but actually cleanse the air of pathogens in the process. It’s only been in the past century that their use and popularity has increased to include lower-quality oils in commercial products and cleaners.

Beyond that, there is a large segment of people who are realizing that the benefits that many of our ancestors found in essential oils are as applicable today as they were then. Topical use (used on the body) has grown exponentially in the past decade as sufferers of chronic physical and mental maladies look for alternatives to taking medications that can have disastrous effects on their system.

As a consequence of their simplified molecular structure, essential oils can be easily drawn into the body’s epidermal (skin) layer for even greater benefits than smelling them alone. And because they are a natural disinfectant, applying these oils to areas of skin distress – i.e. burns, rashes, acne, psoriasis, etc. – can offer immediate curative results.

Their use in massage and beauty therapy is well-known, but their ability to render improvements in the actual structure and elasticity of your skin is something that goes beyond even over-the-counter medications. Even further, because essential oils are so well-integrated into the skin, they also become absorbed into the body, playing an integral part in internal processes that can play a deeper role in your overall health.

Some of the internal benefits of using essential oils on the skin follow (be aware that ingesting these oils directly, because of their concentration, can be unsafe – always apply topically only):

• Antioxidant Properties
• Cellular Anti-Inflammatory
• Improved Neurological and Immunological Function
• Circulatory Benefits

It’s important that even the topical use of essential oils be monitored for unknown reactions and should always be applied using a carrier oil (such as our whipped body oils). That way you can guarantee you’re not someone who’s either allergic or sensitive to their use.

The far-reaching benefits of essential oils in beauty products, as well as for the home, are great ways to naturally instill the body and mind with an uptick in health. While we are still discovering uses for their applications, using them on a semi-regular basis can add to your already established life improvement regimen.