Aromatherapy

Archive for the ‘Essential Oils’ Category

Most people who are interested in using essential oils for their home or on their body will simply purchase the oils already in a container. They won’t worry too much about how essential oils are made, as long as they smell great and work well. However, the way that essential oils are made is quite interested and if you ever feel like making your own, you will probably wonder what to do. Here is a quick look at the way that essential oils are extracted.

Steam Distillation: Steam distillation is the most popular and quickest way that essential oils are made. When you see essential oils made from steam distillation, you will see that it is highly effective and economical. When steam distillation is used, the plant material is placed in a cooker that resembles a pressure cooker—this is called the sill. The plant is then steamed as pressurized heat and water passes through the material. The heat will then cause the oil in the plant to rupture and evaporate. The vapor from the oil is passed through a pipe and cooled until it condensed back to the oil form. It sounds quite complicated, but with the right tools, it is not. You will find most of the oil you buy made this way.

Cold press: A cold press is another way that essential oils are made. In fact, if you like to make your own essential oils, you can try this method. It works basically as the name suggests. The oil is extracted by pressing the material in a press. The oil and liquid will separate over time. This is not the way all plant material can be handled when making essential oils, but it works best for large plant material such as fruit rinds or large plants. It does take longer for this method to work.

Maceration: Maceration won’t create your pure essential oils, but instead will give you infused oil, which simply means the oil isn’t in its purest form. When maceration is used, the plant material is soaked in another type of oil, usually vegetable oil, then heated and strained. Macerated essential oils are widely used for massages.

Solvent Extraction: This is another very popular method for deriving essential oils from plant material. A type of hydrocarbon is added to the plant material to help dissolve the oil. When it is filtered and concentrated by distillation, the resin will be left over. At this point, the resin is mixed with alcohol to continue the oil extraction process. While it is not the best way to extract essential oils, it can be used. The oils may be left in the purest forms and some residue from the extraction method may be left over. A new solvent extraction method has recently been developed using carbon dioxide to get the oils ready for use. This seems to be quite effective and is being used more.

As you can see, there are a variety of methods to extract essential oils for use. If you are serious about making your own essential oils, then do further research on these methods.

There are so many uses for essential oils in your everyday life. If you have never considered using these oils, then what are you waiting for? Essential oils have been used for centuries and many of these can not only help improve your body, but can help give you a mental boost as well. In fact, there are several essential oils that you should know if you want to improve your state of mind.

Have anxiety? How many of us have suffered from anxiety a least a couple of times in our lives? Some people certainly have more anxiety than others and those who don’t have it very often, will feel it at least here and there. Essential oils can calm your anxiety and help you get ready to face your fears or problems without having to take medications that are so often prescribed. Of course, you must not allow severe anxiety out of hand. If you are not responding to essential oils and aromatherapy, then get medical help. Try adding a few drops of lavender, bergamot or cedarwood to your bath or add to a carrier oil for a massage. You can also place these oils in a diffuser for added benefit.

How about irritability? There is not a one of us that can say we have never felt irritated at someone or something from time to time. There is no reason to stay irritated though when you can use essential oils to help you out. Lavender is a great choice as are chamomile, and neroli. When you use these essential oils in your home, or even in a good deep tissue massage, you will forget whatever it was that was bothering you and making your irritable in the first place.

Any new mother will tell you that post partum depression can really make life difficult. After all, it is hard to adjust to the changes in hormones and caring for the new baby. Post partum is a serious medical condition that should get proper care. However, if you are dealing with post partum depression, you can aid your healing with aromatherapy. Again lavender is a good choice. Essential oil mixtures that are for this exact purpose can also be purchased at stores that carry a good selection of aromatherapy products. Use these oils in a diffuser, in candles around your home and in a massage. You will feel more relaxed and ready to care for that new baby.

Stress is one of those things that everyone feels from time to time. Even if you are not facing a huge stress factor in your life, you may feel a little tension on and then with your children, paying the bills or just keeping up with your daily workload. Stress in the workplace is also very common. Look no further than essential oils to help alleviate some of that tension and stress. If you work, look for small candles made with lavender, juniper and sage. Rose is another great option. The great scents of these essential oils will help melt away the day’s stress factors.

When you start into the world of essential oils, you may be quite confused. As a novice, you will see a whole host of interesting aromatherapy products on the market. You know that essential oils are the basis of aromatherapy, but there are so many of them. When you start looking at the label, they leave you even more confused. What is the difference between the grades of oils and which ones are better?

As you shop for essential oils to use, you need to remember that just as with any product you buy, there are some that are better than others. You can buy cheap essential oils and if all you want to do is to make your home smell nice, then they may be okay. However, if you want the full benefits of the essential oil, then you should probably spend the extra cash on therapeutic grade essential oils.

What are therapeutic grade essential oils? These are oils that are top-notch. If you go to a skilled massage therapist and they use essential oils, then they know to use the best. These are the ones that are distilled to have the highest level of healing powers possible. In other words, these are the oils that are made with the best quality and are the purest on the market.

How do you know if they are the right grade? When you buy essential oils, it can be confusing. When you get right down to it, only about two percent of essential oils that you can buy are truly therapeutic grade. That means that if you want the best, you better be ready to shop around. There are actually standards that must be met in order to become the top grade. These are the oils that are going to work the best at fighting off germs, healing the mind and body and treating a whole host of other ailments and problems.

When you shop, you must get ready to read the labels. You need to know how the oil was distilled. Therapeutic graded oils are distilled using a proper steam method. These are the ones that will pass the gas chromatography purity testing. These oils will not have residue left after the distillation process is over. When plants and plant material are steamed, you will find that there are many factors that affect the outcome. Proper distillation methods are very important to the final product when it comes to essential oils. Make sure you know what you are buying before you spend your money.

Buying your essential oils make take a little research. Many people who love essential oils and want the best will build a good relationship with the oil company. They will trust a company that sells good essential oils. Ask questions and make sure you read the fine print on all oils before making a purchase. Do your research before buying so that you know you are getting the top of the line. You will be glad you did.

Essential oils are quite useful for all sorts of purposes. If you have never thought too much about using essential oils, then you may think that they are only for scenting yoga rooms or for people that shun medical care. This is just not true. Essential oils have a wide array of uses and once you do a little research, you will find yourself exploring these wonderful oils for yourself.

What can essential oils do for you?
There are many ways that you can use essential oils. One of the first things you should know is that when you want to use them, you have to understand how to use them and which ones are right for the purpose you need. There are literally hundreds of different essential oils out there and each one has its own unique purpose. Understand this before you start buying a lot of oils.

Medicinal purposes: One of the most popular uses for essential oils is for medicinal purposes. You can use everything from tea tree oil to lavender to help heal the mind and body. Use correctly, tea tree oil can ward off lice, take the sting out of bug bites, soothe a burn and even disinfect your laundry. Lavender, peppermint, carrot seed and many others are just as useful for medicinal purposes. You can use them to bust up chest congestion, clear the sinus passages and help you relax and sleep better at night. Add well chosen essential oils to your bath water and they will melt away your tired, aching muscles. Add these to your daily treatment and regimen and they will leave you feeling ready to conquer the world in no time at all.

Make yourself beautiful: Essential oils are also popular for your beauty treatments and routine. The right kind of essential oils can be added to lotions and soaps to help give you healthy, glowing skin. Lip balms can also get an added punch with good quality essential oils. Need a good facial treatment or toner? Look no further than your favorite essential oil for this reason, too. Tea tree oil can help fit off acne, giving you a radiant feel. Mix your favorite smelling essential oil with a good carrier and you have just created your very own personalized perfume that is all for you.

Make your home shine: You can also use essential oils in your home. There are many of these oils (such as lavender) that when added to your wash cycle, will give your towels and sheets a fresh, clean smell. You can clean and disinfect your home using diluted peppermint and tea tree oil, too. It is a natural antiseptic that is safe for everyone in your home. There are also plenty of essential oils that can help clean your countertops, sanitize your dishes and even help reduce airborne allergies in your home. Make sure you understand how to use these oils the right way before using the oils for cleaning. If not use correctly, some oils can stain your clothes and furniture.

Essential oils are very popular—and for good reason. With all of these uses, it is no wonder why people love popular essential oils.

Vanilla essential oil is becoming very popular today. This is because it is known to infuse loving vibrations.

Where Vanilla Essential Oil Comes From

The vanilla “bean” is actually a dried pod of unripe fruit, which is native to Mexico and Central America. The Aztec Indians are from this area and they actually combined these vanilla beans with cocoa to make a drink that they called “Xoco-Latl.” Cortez, who was a Spanish explorer discovered this vanilla and took it home with him to Europe. However, most of the vanilla that is used today comes from Madagascar. It is available as a liquid extract or as a synthetic flavoring.

Vanilla Essential Oil As Aromatherapy

There are no direct medicinal applications for vanilla. However, vanilla is often used to create an essential oil that will help you to relax, soften your anger, cause you to become less irritable and make you less frustrated. Vanilla essential oil can blend nicely with sandalwood, bergamot, rose, balsams and other spicy oils.

Making Soap From Vanilla Essential Oil

Soap making can be fun, healthy and rejuvenating. This soap is wonderful for your skin unlike store bought soap, which can dry out your face. One type of soap that you can make is Almond-Vanilla soap. For this soap you will need 1/3 cup whole almonds, 1 (4 ounce) bar of Castile soap, 1/4 cup of distilled water, 1 tablespoon of almond oil and 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla essential oil. You will need to grind the almonds to a fine powder in a food processor, then either shred or melt the Castile soap. In a heavy saucepan you will need to bring the water to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Once you remove the pan from the heat you should add the almond powder, almond oil and vanilla essential oil. Stir this mixture until well blended, then mold it and set it aside to dry for 5 hours.

Making A Scented Spray From Vanilla Essential Oil

Vanilla essential oil can also be used in homemade perfume. This may seem difficult to do but it is actually very easy. Once you have created this perfume, it can also be used on bed linens or as an air freshener. All you need is a 2 ounce spray bottle filled with some distilled water, a1/2 teaspoon of high proof vodka and 40 drops of vanilla essential oil. Once you have placed all of your ingredients into the bottle, you should then mix it gently and either allow it to age for a week or use it right away. Each time that you use this spray you should shake it gently so that everything is mixed together.