Different Ways to Use Essential Oils On a Daily Basis
If you have subscribed to online women’s magazines and beauty care blogs, you might have read about essential oils in great lengths. Stylists and experts can’t stop raving about essential oils’ benefits for skin and hair and how they have been used since the olden times. On top of that, the scent of these aromatic oils seems to be everyone’s favorite element. People often gift them to their loved ones and family on holidays on account of their immense popularity.
Essential oils are known to help you achieve gorgeous skin and healthy hair and even promote restful sleep with their scents. If you happen to have a bottle or two of any essential oils and don’t know how to use them, keep on reading. Here are the best ways to use essential oils and make most of them in your everyday routine.
1- Add to Diffusers
The sense of smell has a close connection to the emotional center of our brain. That’s how a specific scent brings about recollection of a fond childhood memory or someone dear to your heart. So it is safe to say scents define our memories and precious moments. Diffusing essential oils is a common way of holistic therapy to cope with stress and anxious feelings. Their aromas promote feelings of comfort and relaxation and let you experience tranquility in your surroundings. You can diffuse these oils in your workplace, kitchen, cars, or living rooms for a calming effect.
Interestingly, each essential oil has a different mood-enhancing benefit. Some of them have invigorating and uplifting effects, while others are relaxing and deodorizing. You can use essential oils for your specific needs and preferences.
Invigorating oils
- Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Orange, Rosemary
Uplifting and Deodorizing Oils
- Lemon, Orange, Peppermint, Tea Tree
Relaxing oils
- Lavender, Lemon, Roman Chamomile, Clove
Soothing oils
- Lavender, Frankincense, Cinnamon
2- Inhale the Scent
Inhalation of essential oils is an easy and simple way to reap their aromatic benefits. Inhale scents directly from the bottle or pour a few drops into a handkerchief/tissue to clear your mind. Most essential oils have detoxifying and clarifying properties known to help with congestion, headaches, and cold and cough symptoms. Adding a few drops into a steaming bowl of water is another way to promote seasonal relaxation. Luckily, essential oils usually come in small bottles. You can carry them in your pocket or handbag to inhale its scent anytime you like. Above all, they have strong and lasting scents that stay on cloth or tissue for a long time if you don’t want to keep the bottle with you.
3- Massage Away
Massage as a process in itself is an excellent way of relieving a tired body and mind. When you do massage by using essential oils, it is even more comforting. Essential oils have a relaxing and easing effect on the skin that helps dissolve a tired body’s tension and stiffness. Dilute any essential oil of your choice with a carrier oil to give yourself a massage at home. Their topical use will loosen up sore muscles, and their aroma will put your mind in a sound state. Make your massage blend by mixing 15-20 drops of any essential oil with ½ cup of carrier oil. Your body will feel better, and you will be ready to go about the next day’s tasks.
4- Pour Into Your Bath Water
A shower is an underrated luxury in our often mundane daily routines. We take the benefits of bath time for granted. It is the only time we give to our body and mind without the fuss of getting things done. Essential oils can upgrade your regular shower time to a lush spa experience. Just add 2-5 drops of your favorite essential oil into your bath water to give your skin a soft feel and your mind solace. Mixing Epsom salt into the bathwater will be the cherry on the cake, as it helps exfoliate dead skin and cleanse off impurities. However, keep in mind to use the oils that suit your skin type.
5- Apply it Topically
People commonly apply essential oils topically on feet, chest, temples, forehead, and pulse points. Topical use of essential oils is believed to help with pain, soreness, headaches, stress, and anxiety. You can dilute the essential oil of your choice with any carrier oil and apply it to your skin's desired area. It is best to mix 10 drops of essential oil with 1 ounce of carrier oil before topical use. Below is the list of essential oils you can apply topically for different purposes:
- Temples or back of neck: Lavender and peppermint to calm stress, headaches and promote sleep.
- Behind ears: Peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus to ease headaches, anxious and agitated mind
- Shoulders: Clove, Frankenstein to relax shoulder or joint pain
- Chest: Eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon to ease chest congestion, cough symptoms and promote easier breathing
- Sole of the foot: Peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus to support more relaxed breathing and encourage rest and sleep
6- For your personal care
When everything else in the world is highly materialistic and artificial these days, we prefer to keep our daily personal care routine as healthy and pure as possible. Essential oils are liquid extracts carrying the original flavor and essence of plants of their origin. For centuries people used them for beautifying skin and hair. To this day, essential oils are active ingredients in many products. You can use essential oils by diluting with carrier oils, moisturizers, shampoos, and lotions on your skin and hair for different concerns. Here is the list of essential oils you can use in your daily personal care routine:
- Soothe Acne: Lavender, tea tree, and peppermint oil. Mix 2-3 drops with 1 tablespoon of coconut or olive oil. Damp a cotton ball with the mixture and apply it to affected areas of your skin. Let it dry. Repeat once daily.
- Fade Appearance of Scars, Blemishes, Stretch Marks, and Discoloration: Frankenstein, lavender, and tea tree oil. Dilute 2-3 drops with 1 tablespoon of jojoba, coconut, or almond oil. Apply on affected areas using your fingertips. Let it dry. You can put 1-2 drops in your moisturizer and apply it to your skin once daily.
- Promote Visibly Shiny, Healthy Hair: Rosemary, tea tree, clary sage, peppermint, lemongrass, and cedarwood oil. Mix 15-20 drops with 1 ounce of jojoba or coconut oil. Massage onto your scalp and let it sit for 40-50 minutes. Wash it off after shampoo. Use once weekly.
