Essential Oils: What they are and how to use them

Did you know that Salon Patrice carries essential oils? We offer 100% pure essential oils in rollers and can make custom blends. But first, what are essential oils?

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts that capture the plant's scent and/or flavor (think peppermint, lavender, and lemon). They're often used in aromatherapy, perfumes, for cooking, and for health benefits such as stress relief, sleep, and relaxation. The first important thing to note about essential oils is that they are very potent--a little bit goes a long way! Quality matters as well, so be sure to do research on the brand of essential oil you're considering, because you want it to be as pure as possible. Essential oils are often extracted from the plant through steam distillation (steam passes through plant material, vaporizes the compounds, and condenses to separate the oil), cold pressing (mechanical pressing of citrus peels to separate the oil), or through solvent extraction (this is used for delicate flowers, where alcohol is used to extract the compounds).

What are the benefits of essential oils?

Many people who use (and even studies have shown) essential oils have a number of health benefits, including:

• Boost mood

• Improve sleep

• Reduced stress

• Increase attentiveness

• Reduce anxiety, pain, and inflammation

• Kill bacteria, viruses, and funguses (Yes--essential oils are naturally antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal!)

• Reduce headaches and nausea

How can I use essential oils?

Depending on the type and purity of the oil you want to use, there are a number of ways to use essential oils. If you are using an oil topically (putting it directly on your skin), you'll want to add a carrier oil like coconut, almond, or jojoba to make it safe. This helps prevent skin irritation by diluting the essential oil and keeps the oil from evaporating quickly. You can mix your blends up ahead of time (make sure to use glass, whether you use a roller or dropper bottle) with about 6 drops of essential oil for sensitive skin or kids, or up to 12 drops for general adult use, per 1 ounce of carrier oil. (Oils like cinnamon, clove, oregano, and thyme require higher dilution ratios, such as 4 drops for every 1 ounce of carrier oil.)

Essential oils are also great to diffuse to enjoy aromatherapy. Follow your diffuser's guidelines for the best water to essential oil blend ratio. Add a few drops of essential oil to a bottle with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel to create a room spray.

If your essential oils are pure and the label on the bottle says it can be taken internally, you may be able to add a drop to a cup of water, but it's very rare to find oils that are able to be taken internally, so please be careful when using essential oils and reach out to the company before taking anything internally.

Got a cold? Try a few drops of eucalyptus at the bottom of your shower and let the hot water create a steam to help your respiratory system. Or add just a few drops to a bowl with warm water, stick a towel over your head, and breathe in the steam for ten minutes or so.

What are good essential oils or blends to try?

• Lavender: This is a great go-to for sleep and relaxation. Try adding lavender (or lavender and chamomile oils) to your diffuser to create a relaxing atmosphere to encourage sleep. You could add a couple drops to a bath or create a room spray. Lavender is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal, so it's been used in cleaning agents and sprays for a long time, particularly before antiseptics were discovered.

• Tea tree: This is also a great antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal. It's also good for acne--just take a cotton swab and swipe some oil over the spot (it's okay not to dilute it in this instance). Tea tree is also great for killing athlete's foot and ringworm, so dilute it with a carrier oil and put it over the affected area. If you have small children or animals, it's not recommended to diffuse tea tree oil, as it can be neurotoxic.

• Frankincense: Sometimes called the "king of oils", frankincense can help fight inflammation, mood, and sleep. Studies have shown that it might help asthma and gum disease, too! Make sure you dilute it with a carrier oil before applying it to your skin.

• Peppermint: This is another essential oil that should be a go-to for all it can do! Peppermint is a natural antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal, plus it can help reduce inflammation, ease headache, fight fatigue, lift your mood, reduce gut spasms and support digestion, and support memory. It can also help open stuffy nasal passages. See what we mean? Just make sure you dilute peppermint before applying it to your skin.

• Eucalyptus: This is a good fall and winter oil to have on hand (for cold season). Like peppermint oil, it can help open up those stuffy nasal passages to help you breathe better (try it in the shower or by breathing it in with a couple drops in a bowl of warm water). Eucalyptus also helps relieve pain and fight the herpes simplex virus since it's antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Make sure you dilute it, never take it internally, and be careful with it around kids and pets.

• Lemon: Lemon's bright scent is a mood booster! It's lovely diffused, used as a room spray, or applied topically with a carrier oil. Lemon reduces anxiety and depression, reduces pain, eases nausea, and kills bacteria (so maybe add it to your next DIY kitchen cleaner). One study found that lemon essential oil improved cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients.

• Lemongrass: Lemongrass is antibacterial, which makes it good for healing wounds and preventing the growth of fungus found in athlete's foot, ringworm, and jock itch. It also helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Lemongrass may also help reduce blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. As with other essential oils, dilute lemongrass before applying it topically.

• Orange: This is another oil that smells fantastic! Orange oil has been shown to kill bacteria, reduce anxiety, and reduce pain. Try diffusing it in the air, add it to a carrier oil for your skin, or use it as a natural cleaner.

• Rosemary: You're probably familiar with dried or fresh rosemary as a flavoring agent in your cooking. In its essential oil form, rosemary improves brain function, promotes hair growth, reduces pain and stress, lifts the mood, and reduces joint inflammation. Make sure you dilute it before applying it topically, and be aware that rosemary isn't good for those who have epilepsy, high blood pressure, or are pregnant.

• Bergamot: If you've had Earl Grey tea, you know what bergamot tastes like. Bergamot is known to reduce anxiety, lift the mood, and lower blood pressure. Make sure to dilute it before applying it topically.

• Cedarwood: This is another great antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral oil. Besides cleaning (and often being found in insect repellants), cedarwood is great for anxiety and sleep. Mix your cedarwood oil with a carrier before applying it to your skin.

Want to learn more? Call Salon Patrice at (815) 223-8643 and ask about our essential oils and custom blends just for you!