Want to know some top advantages of essential oils1?
Often we see people coming home at the end of a long day and treating themselves with a lavender bubble bath. Or maybe they light a rose-flavored candle as a part of their unwinding ritual.
The idea that smelling these so-called “essential oils” can change your mood or even have healing effects might all sound like pseudoscience2. But there have been many studies showing that the fragrance of essential oils can make you feel more positive, relaxed, or even feel less pain. As such, if you’re looking for one to improve your mood, revive has received positive reviews and should be one that you consider getting.
What are essential oils?
Despite their name, essential oils aren’t necessary for your body.
They’re present in the plant bodies, where they’re used for protection purposes. These oils are complex mixtures of dozens of different chemical compounds that are super small and light. So unlike other heavy, smelly things, they can easily float up and into your nose.
Most of these compounds are either terpenes, which are made of chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms or are just aromatic compounds. After making these oils from chemical mixtures, they are used in soaps, oils, lotions, and candles.
How do essential oils work?
Many people believe aromatherapy as an alternative medicine of severe anxiety3, clinical depression4, or even cancer to some extent.
But we can say that essential oils help us unwind, focus, and relax to some extent. They can take away the feeling of tiredness after a long, stressful day at work.
Some people believe that essential oils boost feel-good neurotransmitters in your brain, like dopamine and serotonin. Or they just dampen the autonomic nervous system, which controls your heart rate and breathing.
However, there is no real proof or experiment behind how this works.
How to use essential oils?
Essential oils are indeed a healthy alternative to air fresheners and scents.
You can put 4-6 drops of your preferred oil in an air diffuser and feel the fresh, scented air in your room. Or you can just use them during baths and massages and feel your body awaken to this freshness.
Important Essential oils and their Advantages
1. Lemon oil
Lemon oil, one of the most important essential oils, has a lot of benefits. Lemon oil is highly energizing and uplifting.
You can just add 4-6 drops of this oil to an air diffuser and enhance your spirits. It helps in the cleansing and purification of air. Lemon oil is an excellent disinfectant and a cleaning agent. You can clean the furniture as well. It is known to protect the wood and make them shine like new.
If you have kids who have stuck a sticker on a window or furniture and the stubborn sticky residue is left there, you can mix lemon oil to olive oil. This will wipe off that residue in no time.
Lemon oil also plays a role in digestion and respiration. If taken internally, lemon oil clears the GI tract as well as prevents the seasonal flu or the frequent cough and cold.
It removes odor too so you can use it while cleaning dishes as well as washing hands.
2. Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is another essential oil that is mainly known for its calming and soothing effects. During massages or in spas, it creates a relaxing environment where the body tends to rest or fall asleep. Add a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow or covers before you sleep. This is bound to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Lavender oil, when applied on the skin, has a healing effect that can cure rashes and blemishes—feeling jittery or anxious? Breathe in the scent of this oil and experience magic!
3. Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil is one of the essential oils that is a great natural energy booster. If you have a big test coming up and need to concentrate on your studies, use peppermint oil with your diffuser. It creates a calming environment that helps with concentration.
Peppermint oil also helps to fight off seasonal threats and allergies. Apply a few drops of peppermint oil on your nose and chest. It helps in breaking down the mucus and clearing congestion5.
If you have an upset stomach or feeling nauseous, peppermint tea is the best thing you could have as it contains menthol, which speeds up the digestion and elimination process. You can use it as a mouth freshener too or as a dietary supplement also.
4. Tea Tree Oil
This essential oil is inexpensive and has a wide range of uses too. Tea tree oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can cure eczema and contact dermatitis also. It boosts the immune system too.
It treats blemishes, rashes, and even acne to some extent. It cures fungal infections and promotes healing. Australians have a history of using tea tree oil. They believe that the aroma of it can cure coughing, and the oil itself can help heal wounds.
5. Rose Oil ( Botanical name: Rosa)
Apart from having one of the best fragrances in the world, this essential oil is highly used and praised in the beauty world. Beauty world uses this in skincare products. Rose oil is said to have anti-aging properties.
It reduces dark spots, blemishes, and acne. Rosewater is even widely used as a toner that helps make your skin look firm and glow. It can also naturally increase libido. It can be used as an anti-anxiety medicine as it creates a calm and soothing atmosphere and boosts self-esteem and confidence.
6. Chamomile oil
Chamomile essential oils can be used in tea to provide a calming effect or can be used in upset stomachs too. But there are two types of it- German chamomile and Roman chamomile.
German chamomiles are the type used in chamomile tea. It has health benefits too and is also used as an anti-inflammatory. They can also be used to treat bug bites. They can be used in aromatic blends too though they have more of a musty kind of smell.
Roman chamomile is the more fragrant type. It works wonders in an aromatic blend. Tired? Stressed out? Use a few drops of this oil with some other carrier oil during your massage. It will immediately boost up your serotonin level.
Many people often mix Roman chamomile with lavender oil and use it as a relaxing agent for their kids. This can also work as an antidepressant for its soothing fragrance.
7. Jasmine oil
Prepared by steam distillation from Jasmine flower, these essential oils are expensive. Jasmine, also known as the king of herbs, has a fragrance that is known to last up to 36 hours.
Its esteemed fragrance can be calming yet euphoric, instilling a positive outlook emotionally. It can bring a wave of joy and self-confidence too.
Jasmine is also known to reduce the appearance of skin imperfections and promote healthy-looking radiant and glowing skin. Jasmine may also be beneficial and nourishing for hair.
A few drops of jasmine oil along with sandalwood oil together in a diffuser can help you unwind and promote a peaceful environment.
8. Eucalyptus oil
Have you ever smelled Vicks vaporub? Yes! That’s the smell of eucalyptus oil. It has immense health benefits. It can cure respiratory diseases like asthma. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the pains of chronic diseases like asthma. It has germicidal properties too and is used in dental hygiene and prevents cavities.
Mix a few drops of it with a carrier oil like coconut oil and apply it on your hair. It boosts hair growth, smoothness of hair, and also kills lice. It is used as an antiseptic and helps protect wounds from germs.
Mentally exhausted? Eucalyptus oil might be your best friend. Eucalyptus globulus is a kind of Eucalyptus used extensively.
9. Cedarwood oil
Cedarwood oil is one of the most popular essential oils that provide an aroma along with vast health benefits. It can rejuvenate you after a long day or even provide you with vitality before a workout. Are you struggling with hair loss? Cedarwood oil might be your solution.
It also has some skin cleansing properties that lead to flawless, glowing skin when applied. It is said that the aroma of this oil can help improve focus and memory too! It works as a mosquito repellant also.
10. Ylang ylang essential oil (cananga odorata)
Ylang Ylang oil can be used in tea for curing many health problems. It is used as a sedative as it has a calming fragrance.
This is mainly used to treat hair problems. When applied as oil on hair, it acts as a follicle stimulant and speeds up the hair growth. Using this oil is a natural way to treat hair thinning problems too. It is also an excellent treatment for brittle hair and dry scalp.
It acts as a natural remedy to cure hypertension. It can also kill eggs of insects like mosquitoes that bear dengue and malaria.
The health benefits of essential oils are vast. But, you should always consult a doctor before internal usage as there can be side effects. These are bound to help you in many ways if used correctly.
Apart from the ones in the list, there are others like Bergamot essential oil, essential oils of bay laurel, myristica fragrances, orange oil, sandalwood oil, and many more.
Have you ever used any sort of essential oils? If yes, which one is your favorite? Let us know.
Also, check out other tips for beauty treatment at home!
- Turek, Claudia, and Florian C. Stintzing. “Stability of essential oils: a review.” Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety 12.1 (2013): 40-53. ↩︎
- Hansson, Sven Ove. “Defining pseudoscience and science.” Philosophy of pseudoscience: Reconsidering the demarcation problem (2013): 61-77. ↩︎
- Nichols, Keith A. “Severe social anxiety.” British Journal of Medical Psychology (1974). ↩︎
- George, Mark S., Terence A. Ketter, and Robert M. Post. “Prefrontal cortex dysfunction in clinical depression.” Depression 2.2 (1994): 59-72. ↩︎
- Jacobson, Van. “Congestion avoidance and control.” ACM SIGCOMM computer communication review 18.4 (1988): 314-329. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi
