GHS Natural Health Blog

Aromatherapy is considered as one of the most effective holistic medicines for skin diseases healing. Nowadays, aromatherapy baths and compress are very popular ways of aromatherapy skin care. Keep in mind that although all essential oils have therapeutic attributes, only certain of them are appropriate for acne treatment. What is more, you should always observe the safety precautions when using the essential oils. Never use essential oils undiluted to your skin. Always use a carrier oil for dilution and remember that generally only 2-3% dilution of essential oils in blends that will be applied to skin, is not only safe but also effectual.

Acne is a typical skin disease that afflicts almost every teenager. Nevertheless, statistical researches show that at least 80% of the population experience acne at some time in their lives, not necessarily the teen age. Acne pimples may appear at any age, from early baby to elderly age.

Acne’s symptoms are pimples, black heads, cysts and even scar and lumps on skin. After an acne attack the annoying symptoms become severer and worse leading to bad feelings, stress and sometimes pessimism and signs of depression to young person. It is important patient to learn how to manage stress and fight melancholy because acne has psychosomatic aspects and can intensify acne’s outbreaks.

The essential oils which are believed to be the most effective and appropriate for acne treatment are: Tea tree oil (Melaleuca Alternifolia), Lavender oil (Lavandula Officinalis), Helichrysum oil (Helichrysum Angustifolia) and Ylang Ylang oil (Cananga Odorata). Most aromatherapy practitioners suggest mixing the above oils with Jojoba vegetable oil before applying to skin. Usually, a cotton pad is used to deliver the blend directly to the acne spot.

These essential oils have been proved to stop the growth of a broad range of bacteria and microbes which cause acne. The have remarkable antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, they clear and unclog pores, heal scars and generally help to remove acne spots contributing to a fresh and supple skin. As mentioned before, jojoba is the one of the best carrier oil for dilution because it is not greasy, so it does not block the pores, but it moisturizes and exfoliates the skin.

Keep in mind that aromatherapy treatment for acne, although its indisputable success in cure acne, it can not have immediate results and take some time to initiate healing. Therefore, you have to be patient and it is advisable to follow some every day tips in order to enhance the healing.

• Avoid harsh facial lotion with alcohol.
• Do not scrub your pimples, spots or scars.
• Adopt a healthy life style. Eat healthily, learn stress management techniques and stay away from pollution.
• Wash your face regularly with much water. This will help you to get rid of skin waste toxins.
• Do not use facials more than twice a day, because this can have the opposite results than those desired.

At last, if you search on internet you will find several aromatherapy recipes for acne but it is not wise to try any of them before consulting your aromatherapy practitioner. Otherwise you take the risk to have unwanted side effects like skin irritation or flaking.

Reference: George Kaskaris

An aromatherapy bath is a great way to relax and heal both the body and the spirit. Using just the right essential oil can help remedy skin ailments, promote relaxation and even set the mood for a romantic evening.

1. Rosemary Oil: Rosemary essential oil is great to use when one is looking to relax achy muscles. It is also good for dull skin, gout, tiredness and poor circulation.

2. Geranium Oil: Geranium essential oils are good for treating acne, cellulite, oily skin and even menopausal symptoms.

3. Jasmine Oil: Jasmine essential oil is really good for helping to lift one’s mood. It is also good for treating dry and sensitive skin, tiredness and labor pains.

4. Linden Blossom Oil: Linden blossom essential oil is good to use to ease headaches, migraines and to manage stress. It is also great to use when one is having trouble falling to sleep.

5. Lavender Oil: Lavender essential oil is very popular and perhaps the most well known out of all of popular essential oils. It works well in helping to relieve acne, various allergies, athlete’s foot, headaches, insect bites, stress and scabies.

6. Mandarin Oil: Mandarin essential oils are appropriate to use when one is suffering from acne, oily or dull skin, stress and wrinkles.

7. Peppermint Oil: Peppermint essential oils help individuals who suffer from asthma, headaches, sinuses, vertigo and headaches.

8. Pine Oil: Pine essential oil is great when you need a pick me up. It helps to energize you.

9. Basil Oil: Basil essential oil helps you become or stay mentally alert. It is also very soothing and helps relieve feelings of nervousness.

10. Eucalyptus Oil: Eucalyptus essential oil is really good for helping one breath clearly.

11. Clary Sage Oil: Clary sage is really good for lifting one’s mood.

12. Jasmine Oil: Jasmine is good to use when one is mildly depressed. It also helps to promote feelings of confidence.

13. Orange Oil: Orange is another essential oil that is great for lifting one’s mood.

14. Chamomile Oil: Chamomile essential oil works very well when one is looking to relax and feel calm.

All of the essential oils listed above are fantastic choices when one is looking to create an aromatherapy bath. There are many more essential oils that can be added, many which can help treat some type of ailment, body or mind. Below, I am going to provide an essential oil, aromatherapy recipe to make your next bath relaxing, soothing and therapeutic all at once.

Simple Bath Oil

- 2oz of some type of carrier oil. Sweet almond works well.
- 20 drops of essential oil. Try lavender.

Blend together and store in an amber glass bottle. Place a few drops in the bath before you hop in and get ready to enjoy. If you are bathing small children, be sure that the oils that you use, are safe for children. You will also need to reduce the amount of oils that you place in the bath.

 
Reference: George Key

Aromatherapy has many known benefits, one of which is beautification. Aromatherapy is not restricted to burning candles, spraying scents in the air. It also has very valuable uses beyond relaxation and the treatment of common illnesses. In this article we will discuss some specific ways in which one can use aromatherapy to help keep the skin clear, the body smooth, the hair gorgeous, essentially helping you create and develop the most beautiful you. Following are some really great aromatherapy beauty tips.

Aromatherapy and Skin

Natural oils used in aromatherapy can help the skin reach its’ optimum beauty. Essential oils can be used to treat wrinkles, pimples, cellulite and even dry skin.  Aromatherapy can also help to purify the skin. Aromatherapy works so well because it is free of unnatural and toxic ingredients that can be found in many over-the-counter acne medications. Not so when using aromatherapy. The essential oils have strong regenerative properties that helps heal and nourish the skin. Good essential oils and to use on the skin include sandlewood, tea tree and lavender.

Sandlewood: Sandlewood is really good for acne and infections of the skin mostly because it has strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Tea Tree: Tea tree works well for spot treating pimples. It clears up acne fast and helps to limit their reoccurrence. It has strong anti-microbial and helps to reduce swelling.

Lavender: Lavender is one of the most known all of the essential oils. Lavender helps to keep oily skin under control. It is also good for evening out the skin tone and healing blemishes.

Aromatherapy and Body

Aromatherapy is great to use for the body. It helps keep the body soft and smooth. It is important to note however, that you should be very careful about applying essential oils directly on the skin because they can be very potent. Instead, adding a few drops to a bath or to a carrier oil works best. There are several ways to use aromatherapy on the body, massage and bathing are the most common and very effective.

Aromatherapy and Hair

Aromatherapy and essential oils are great to use to remedy hair loss as well as dry and thinning hair. Adding essential oils to shampoos and conditioners that one already has, can work wonders. Massaging the scalp with diluted essential oils might also be beneficial. For individuals who suffer from alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes temporary hair loss, studies have shown that individuals, who rub rosemary, cedarwood, lavender, and thyme essential oils into their scalp, successfully grew back their hair. This is just one example of the power of aromatherapy when it is added to beauty regiments.

Aromatherapy has many benefits, one of which is beautification. Individuals can achieve prettier skin and hair by simply using essential oil blends that they either create themselves or purchase. Aromatherapy is especially is especially effective because of its natural properties which can be used to pamper, ease, stimulate and beautify. I hope that you will consider using these aromatherapy beauty tips. Many people who understand the power of aromatherapy have done so with great results.

A clear liquid will come out of a plant leaf of stem if it’s torn. The plant releases this clear substance to clean the break, kill bacteria and start the regeneration process. This plant liquid, known as an essential oil, contains trace elements of enzymes, hormones, nutrients, antibodies, vitamins, minerals and, along with antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-infectious, antiseptic, and anti-oxidant properties. Using essential oils on a regular basis will increase your overall well being, beauty and psychological health, as well as help your body build a stronger immune system. Aromatherapy can give you more energy and help reduce stress, as well as treat skin irritations and improve your complexion.

History

Throughout history, aromatherapy has been used in one form or another all over the world. It is believed that the use of fragrance through essential oils began as long ago as 7000 B.C. For centuries, essential oils were used for exotic fragrances, and were also mixed with vegetable oils such as olive and sesame to anoint the body and create fragrant ointments for religious purposes. They were burned as resins to alleviate anxieties, increase dreaming, eliminate sorrow and act as a general antidote for toxins.

Other therapeutic uses included alleviation of headaches, congestion, rheumatism and indigestion. Essential oils were also used for skin ailments, such as burns and abrasions. However, by the 19th century, chemists endeavoured to produce chemical copies of the fragrance of essential oils. These synthetic fragrances were much cheaper to produce, but they lacked the medicinal and therapeutic properties of the authentic essential oils. Today it is much more common to find synthetic fragrances in skin care products than it is to find the use of pure essential oils.

Production

The essential oils used in aromatherapy are extracted from many parts of the aromatic plant: leaves, stems, flowers, seeds, roots, barks, fruits and resins. The oils are a concentrated form of plant energy possessing the qualities of the particular plant, and are usually many times more potent than the comparable dried herbs.

Plants used for aromatherapy oils must be picked at certain times of the day and year and in certain weather conditions. This is because the plant’s essential oil changes its chemical composition and moves from one part of the plant to another, according to external influences.

Essential oils must also be of high quality in order to be effective. The price of these oils will vary depending on the plant’s availability, the amount of essential oil in the plant, and the exact method of distillation. Prices will vary from season to season, depending upon the success of the crop. Rose is one of the most expensive oils because it requires 2,000 pounds of rose petals to produce one pound of essential rose oil. And although essential oils can be expensive, only a small amount is needed because they are highly concentrated.

Guidelines for Using Essential Oils

1) Store essential oils away from heat and light to retain freshness and potency. If stored properly, essential oils have a shelf life of one to several years, depending on the oil.

2)  Use only pure essential oils from plants. Make sure that you know the quality of the supplier. Even though a product is labelled “essential oil,” it may indeed be synthetic. For example, few companies actually use pure rose oil as an ingredient and will use a diluted or synthetic version instead

3)  Use high quality carrier oils to dilute essential oils. Vegetable oils that are high in vitamins A, E and F are among the best carriers of essential oils. Look for oils that are organic, expeller-pressed or cold pressed, and with minimal processing, so that the maximum levels of nutrients will be retained. Examples of good carrier oils are olive, golden jojoba, almond, hazelnut, macadamia nut, avocado, kukui nut and wheat germ.

4)  In general, an essential oil should not be used in its undiluted form because they may cause burning, skin irritation or photosensitivity. There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, lavender and tea tree are no irritating oils that can be used in their undiluted form for skin conditions such as burns, insect bites and pimples.

5)  Vary the essential oils that you use. Your body will respond better if a variety of oils are used. Rotating the oils will give your body time to process them, allowing each oil to work on different levels in its own unique way.

Essential Oils and Skin Care

Essential oils added to skin care make a wonderful treatment and can have a profound effect on your skin. All types of skin will respond and benefit from the use of essential oils — they are the best delivery system for transporting life-supporting nutrients and oxygen directly into the cells. Their molecules are simple and very small, allowing them to pass directly into the skin cells. The most common benefits of essential oils in skin care include anti-aging properties, rejuvenation, regeneration, balancing, and calming.

Skin care that contains essential oils can also have a great effect on one’s emotional well being. When essential oils are inhaled through the nose, the aroma travels to a part of the brain that controls memories and emotions. Essential oils can also stimulate natural chemicals in the brain that are responsible for feelings of well being and happiness.

Some skin care properties of essential oils:

1)  Soothe sensitive and inflamed skin

2)  Balance oily skin to control excess oil production

3)  Permeate into the dermal layer of your skin to assist in new skin cell development Soothe sensitive and inflamed skin

4)  Provide pleasant and uplifting aromas in the skin care products in which they are used

5)  Balance dry skin to encourage healthy oil production

6)  Reduce fungal and bacterial infections, acne and other skin problems

7)  Improve hormone-related skin problems – essential oils contain hormone-like       substances that have a balancing effect on your skin

8)  Positively affect your emotional state, which in turn can alleviate stress and stress-related skin problems

9)  Encourage the elimination of toxins on your skin

10)  Act as a natural preservative when used in skin care products, thus eliminating the  need for chemical preservatives

11) Stimulate cell regeneration – helps produce healthy skin cells after skin damage due to sun, burns, wounds and wrinkles.

Essential oils have a diverse variety of properties in how they affect the skin. A number of essential oils can be used for all skin types and others are more effective for a specific skin type.

Listed below are the three most popular essential oils and their properties. If you are new to and have very little experience with essential oils or aromatherapy, these are perfect oils with which to purchase and begin experimenting.

Lavender

Lavender is the most widely loved and used of all essential oils. It is compatible with all other essential oils and has an extremely wide range of applications. Lavender oil stimulates white blood cell formation, which strengthens the body’s natural immune system and makes it effective preventative oil during the flu and cold season. In France, it is a popular habit to inhale small amounts of lavender oil during the entire winter. Lavender oil also has the ability to calm, soothe and relax the nervous system – making it a perfect remedy for motion sickness, headaches and times of stress.

As cosmetic oil for use on the skin, it has a balancing, calming effect and is beneficial for all skin types. It has a stimulating effect, thus causing cell regeneration with the development of new skin tissue. It has been known to greatly reduce the effects of acne and problem skin caused by too much oil production. The lavender balances out the oil production and helps clear up the acne with its antiseptic properties. Likewise, for dry skin, it balances out the oil production, increasing it to levels usually found in younger skin.

Added to shampoos or conditioners, it helps reduce hair loss and is a good dandruff treatment. Adding a few drops to the rinse cycle of bed linens and bath towels gives them a wonderful, fresh fragrant smell. Lavender also makes a good room deodorizer, as it tends to neutralize all other odors.

Orange

The essential oil of the orange is sweet, warm and full of uplifting, happy notes. This oil is wonderful when we begin to take life too seriously and forget to laugh – it conveys happiness and refreshing lightheartedness. Used in massage oil, it helps uplift the spirit and take away feelings of depression. Orange oil is high in vitamins A and C, and is beneficial to both dry and oily skin. It is regenerative – greatly enhancing cell turnover producing fresh new skin – and is good for both aging and acne skin. Orange oil stimulates circulation and increases the flowing of your lymph, which will improve the overall health and vitality of your skin.

Orange oil has been a very effective treatment for cellulite if combined with cypress oil, as it will increase circulation and stimulate the release of excessive water and toxins stored in those areas. Nothing is more gentle or protective for wood furniture and instruments than orange essential oil mixed with jojoba oil. It is also a culinary favorite. It gives cakes, cookies, puddings and ice cream a wonderful natural flavor.

Peppermint

This oil has a wonderfully fresh, clean and cool fragrance that helps you become clearheaded and have a refreshed outlook on the world. Because this oil stimulates the central hippocampus of the brain, it may be beneficial for people who are unable to concentrate, have memory lapses or who are mentally fatigued. It works well to get rid of headaches, especially if combined with equal amounts of lavender.

Mixed with vegetable carrier oil, peppermint oil makes a great chest rub to relieve stuffy sinus or other cold and flu symptoms. It also makes a great sports massage treatment for stiff, sore or overused muscles. Mint is a cleanser, purifier and detoxifier. It also functions as a disinfectant. It helps activate the skin’s natural defences and stimulates lymph drainage, which aids in the reduction of edema. It has been successfully added to acne treatment for blemishes and pimples.

Hopefully this information has been really helpful in increasing your awareness of aromatherapy in general, as well as its use in skin care products. Essential oils can have an extraordinary effect on your well being and health, and can help create healthy and beautiful skin.

Visit Global Herbal Supplies for a full range of essential oils.