When I first started using essential oils years ago, I really wasn't sure what I was looking for within a particular oil. I knew what I wanted it to smell like, but I never thought that associating essential oils to a blend had any therapeutic effect besides the fact that I liked it or not. What about if I told you that essential oil scent directly penetrates a very vulnerable part of our brain called the olfactory within the limbic system. This is where all of our emotions reside so as you're scenting and smelling an essential oil it might bring back some good or bad memories. It is important to understand that picking a scent or a particular essential oil might have some immediate psychological effect on you depending on the plant.
I never realized how specific each oil really was. Each oil is so unique and has specific benefits to offer. The oils come from the pure extract of a flower, root, bark leaf, or resin. The most effective method of extracting the essential oils is by distillation. Once your oil has been distilled, in other words, the pure essence is separated from the water content within the plant, it gets analyzed by a special chemist which will pull every single component of the essential oil and categorize it into chemical families. Plants have hundreds of different components that make each of them extremely potent and therapeutic but for different reasons and needs.
Each component has its own properties and effects on the human body. So, when you purchase an essential oil or a blend of essential oils what you're really purchasing is a lot of natural chemical components that each plant has to offer, and that will affect you deeply. For this reason, it’s very important to only purchase top quality essential oils and make sure they have not been blended or diluted with any toxic chemicals and remain pure. In addition, do you know that the "purest" essential oils can be extremely expensive? The reason is attributed to how they are harvested, where, what time of the year, and the rarity of the species. Little fun fact: 15mL of Rose essential oil can cost up to $220. 15mL of Neroli (Orange Blossom) up to $250!!!
Now that you know more about the "quality" of the oils and how important it is you can concentrate on what exactly you are trying to accomplish. For example, you wouldn't want to stay awake all night because you diffused the wrong kind of lavender right? Fun fact: There are 100 types of Lavender essential oils! Which one should you choose and for which ailment or benefits?
Once you have picked the right essential oils then you can either diffuse it or use it topically for whatever condition you're trying to address or improve. Now it's important to understand that because essential oils are made out of several active components called constituents, they might have an impact on medication and vitamins you are taking. It is always better to consult with your Certified Aromatherapist because we are trained to know these possible interactions and keep you safe.
Even though most essential oils are safe for children there are several types and percentages of dilutions that should be respected. Generally, from 1% two 2% maximum of pure essential oil in any type of blend whether it's a diffuser or a topical application is safe. However, a 5% to 7% dilution is appropriate if you are dealing with a more acute situation like a bruise, sprain, acne, etc and within a short period. Yeah, that's how effective the essential oils are!! Now go check your bottles and look if you see what the dilution percentage is ...
Last but not least you cannot use essential oils "neat" in other words straight out of the bottle, directly on the skin or in a bathtub for example because they just won't dilute and penetrate or will be too strong and might create a skin rash. You are always going to be using a "carrier" to either drop your essential oils in a bath or spread them on your skin. What carrier should you use depends on what you are trying to accomplish so choose wisely because your skin will absorb as well the benefits of that base.
Okay..., I hope that you learned a little bit more about essential oils now and feel more comfortable perhaps and aware of how powerful they REALLY are and how if used properly and with the right intention they can be of great help!
I f you enjoyed this little blurp, join me starting Monday on my Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/299527687867496 or Instagram page @ instagram.com/westcoastlifestylesinc where I will be posting a short class on phototoxic oils and how to deal with them. Some oils are what we call "phototoxic" and you cannot use them under the sun unless they are diluted properly or they will irritate, burn, or discolor your skin. I'm going to talk about this as well as share with you a very easy DIY recipe to help you make your own a blend that you can safely use.
So, are you ready to learn more and become your own medicine mama at least for the small little things? If yes then see you on Mondays!