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Essential oils - origin, effect and use
What are essential oils?
In its original meaning, the word "essential" stood for something heavenly. Although this meaning has changed somewhat in today's understanding of the word, it has still not completely disappeared. The term "ethereal" now refers to something volatile. Essential oils therefore stand for volatile substances.
These are highly concentrated, fragrant and very volatile substances that are extracted from various parts of plants. The plant's essential oils were originally intended to protect it from pests. Today, the fragrant essences are extracted from the plants using various methods - usually by steam distillation.
The multi-substance mixtures consist of various biochemical ingredients that have a holistic effect on the body, soul and spirit. Depending on their composition, they can have a variety of effects.
Essential oils are extremely complex and can consist of a large number of elements, most of which cannot be chemically reproduced.
Good to know: Essential oils can be used to treat both physical and mental complaints.
Where are essential oils found?
Essential oils are known to come from plants. These produce the oils in various parts such as leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, wood, fruit peel or bark in order to protect themselves from pests and diseases. After the essential oils have been produced in the oil glands, they are stored in the plant tissue. Some plants also produce different compositions from their different parts.
How do I use essential oils?
There are several ways to use essential oils:
- Inhale directly, smell or inhale with hot water
- Room fragrancing (nebulizing in the room using an aroma diffuser, room spray or fragrance lamp)
- Add to cosmetics such as shampoo, hand cream or liquid soap
- As a bath additive for full baths or foot baths
- Add to household cleaning products
- Massage (caution: never apply undiluted essential oils to the skin, always use a massage lotion or carrier oil, e.g. almond oil, as a base)
- Application to aroma jewelry
- DIY home remedies
How do I use essential oils?
There are several ways to use essential oils:
- Inhale directly, smell or inhale with hot water
- Room fragrancing (nebulizing in the room using an aroma diffuser, room spray or fragrance lamp)
- Add to cosmetics such as shampoo, hand cream or liquid soap
- As a bath additive for full baths or foot baths
- Add to household cleaning products
- Massage (caution: never apply undiluted essential oils to the skin, always use a massage lotion or carrier oil, e.g. almond oil, as a base)
- Application to aroma jewelry
- DIY home remedies
What essential oils are there?
In principle, there are as many essential oils as there are aromatic plants, which is why it is difficult to keep track of them all. Even though every essential oil has its own valuable effects, we will focus below on the best-known and most important essential oils, which come from the following plants:
- Bergamot
- lemon
- eucalyptus
- grapefruit
- lavender
- mandarin
- Clary sage
- orange
- oregano
- Peppermint
- rose
- rosemary
- Sandalwood
- Tea Tree
- Thyme red
- Swiss stone pine
- neroli
- Litsea Cubeba
- Cypress
Which essential oils go together?
Depending on your taste and the desired fragrance effect, different blends of essential oils are available. Here are some suggestions:
- Patchouli, lavender, lemon and tea tree provide a refreshing fragrance. For an even sweeter scent, the lemon oil can be replaced with orange oil.
- Lovers of floral and sweet fragrances mix lavender, rose geranium, lemon, patchouli oil and ylang-ylang.
- For a fresh and tart note, lavender, tea tree, clary sage, cedar and spruce needle can be mixed.
- The blend of bergamot, cedar, patchouli, sage and myrtle produces a tart, spicy fragrance.
For the most common areas of application ready-made fragrance blends are available in which the coordinated oils are mixed in the right proportions, e.g. the Casida fragrance blends "Sleep Well", "Breathe Well", "Happiness & Joy", "Concentration & Focus" or "Defense & Strength".
Where can I buy essential oils?
Essential oils are now available everywhere, but it is recommended that you only buy them from selected drugstores and pharmacies in order to obtain a natural and high-quality oil. When buying, be sure to read the list of ingredients and look out for signs of synthetic fragrances. A so-called "fragrance oil" can be a purely synthetic product. At Casida, on the other hand, you will find 100% natural essential oils - without any additives. Essential oils from Casida are pure and highly concentrated. Other suppliers often dilute the essences with alcohol (ethanol) or offer little content at a high price.
Where can I buy essential oils?
Essential oils are now available everywhere, but it is recommended that you only buy them from selected drugstores and pharmacies in order to obtain a natural and high-quality oil. When buying, be sure to read the list of ingredients and look out for signs of synthetic fragrances. A so-called "fragrance oil" can be a purely synthetic product. At Casida, on the other hand, you will find 100% natural essential oils - without any additives. Essential oils from Casida are pure and highly concentrated. Other suppliers often dilute the essences with alcohol (ethanol) or offer little content at a high price.
How to dilute essential oils?
Essential oils are highly concentrated essences and should not be applied to the skin undiluted. For example, add 4 drops of essential oil to 10 ml of carrier oil to obtain a 2% mixture for application to the skin. This dilution table provides guidelines for a good mixing ratio:
- 0.5% solutions are suitable for children and pregnant women, also for the aroma care of bedridden people
- 1% mixtures for older children, longer-lasting applications and larger areas of the body, e.g. massages
- 2% solutions for limited body parts e.g. pain oils for joints
- 3% mixtures only for specific areas of skin e.g. with a cotton bud and for short-term application
How to dilute essential oils?
Essential oils are highly concentrated essences and should not be applied to the skin undiluted. For example, add 4 drops of essential oil to 10 ml of carrier oil to obtain a 2% mixture for application to the skin. This dilution table provides guidelines for a good mixing ratio:
- 0.5% solutions are suitable for children and pregnant women, also for the aroma care of bedridden people
- 1% mixtures for older children, longer-lasting applications and larger areas of the body, e.g. massages
- 2% solutions for limited body parts e.g. pain oils for joints
- 3% mixtures only for specific areas of skin e.g. with a cotton bud and for short-term application
Why apply essential oils to the soles of the feet?
The soles of the feet are often mentioned when it comes to applying essential oils to the skin - and there are a few simple reasons for this: For one, the soles of our feet absorb essential oils particularly well, as there are no sebaceous glands or hair follicles on them. Secondly, our feet have 72,000 nerve endings, far more than any other part of the body. Nevertheless, stronger essential oils can also be used here, as the skin on the soles of the feet is the least sensitive. Nevertheless, be careful: even if you want to apply essential oils to the soles of your feet, you should not apply them pure to the skin, but mix them into a lotion or a carrier oil, e.g. almond oil.
What effects do essential oils have?
Essential oils also have numerous areas of application due to their various effects:
- Essential oils for sleep: lavender oil, bergamot, lemon balm oil or bergamont mint can support sleep
- Essential oils for back pain: ylang-ylang, jasmine and patchouli promote the release of endorphins and can be extremely effective against any pain. The combination of essential oils and a massage is particularly helpful for back pain.
- Essential oils as a deodorant: While tea tree oil disinfects and has an antimicrobial effect, lavender and sage oils reduce perspiration. Mint oil gives the skin a special freshness. Alongside coconut oil and baking soda, essential oils are therefore an important ingredient in solid deodorants and deodorant creams.
- Essential oils for the respiratory tract: Thyme oil not only has an antibacterial effect, but also loosens mucus in the bronchial tubes. Essential oils such as eucalyptus or myrtle oil can eliminate annoying coughs.
- Essential oils in cosmetics: Essential oils also have cosmetic effects. Lavender and rose are suitable for normal skin, myrtle for oily skin and tea tree for blemished skin and acne. Dry skin prefers rose or rose.
- Essential oils during pregnancy: Some types can trigger contractions. Special care should therefore be taken during pregnancy. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, clary sage, verbena and camphor can stimulate labor. However, eucalyptus oil, rose oil or lavender oil are permitted.
Aromatherapy with essential oils - natural support for your health
Aromatherapy is a good and effective complement to conventional medicine. This form of therapy can help to balance the soul and alleviate physical complaints. HERE you can find out more about aromatherapy >
Worth knowing: Aromatherapy offers a wide range of application options. There are no side effects. This form of therapy is also easy to implement.
Accessories for essential oils
Essential oils, diffusers and a wide range of accessories: various bottles in beautiful colors or classic amber glass, as roll on, drip or spray bottles, as well as beautiful aroma jewelry can be found at www.aromawelt.de - free shipping from 30€ purchase value.
The 10 most popular essential oils
The scent of lavender oil has a harmonizing and calming effect on the mind, body and soul. For example, it can help with problems falling asleep and nightmares. The essential oil also has an anti-inflammatory and bacterial effect. This is why lavender oil is often used to treat bronchitis, flu or conjunctivitis. This essential oil also has skin-caring and antifungal properties.
Tea tree oil has a versatile effect:
⦁ Wound healing
⦁ Anti-inflammatory
⦁ Antifungal etc.
Caution: When using tea tree oil, care must be taken to ensure that the oil does not come into contact with mucous membranes or the eyes.
Lemongrass can be used for various ailments, such as feverish infections, cholera, digestive complaints and many others.
High-quality rosemary oil has a high content of monterpenes. For this reason, the oil should only be used externally in small doses. Nevertheless, rosemary oil has a wide range of effects. For example, the essential oil stimulates digestion, invigorates, stimulates wound healing and promotes blood circulation. Rosemary oil is an insider tip for many women, especially for menstrual problems, as it has a diuretic and antispasmodic effect and is also antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial. Rosemary oil can also help with colds, as it can have an expectorant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effect. Those who are constantly under stress can also do themselves some good with rosemary oil. This is mainly because the oil also has a strengthening effect on self-confidence and the immune system. At the same time, the essential oil has a stimulating effect on creativity and the ability to concentrate.
Orange essential oil can be used to treat a variety of different complaints and illnesses. These include, for example, poor circulation, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, cellulite, difficulty falling asleep, palpitations, anxiety, muscle pain, gingivitis, diarrhea, angina pectoris and many other illnesses.
Peppermint oil is an essential oil that is used internally and externally. The oil can provide relief for a variety of complaints and illnesses, such as nausea, cramp-like pain, gastrointestinal complaints, lack of concentration and tiredness. Peppermint oil can also improve listlessness, bile problems and circulatory problems. The same applies to muscle complaints and headaches. Peppermint oil is the absolute insider tip for insect bites, as the itching quickly subsides when the essential oil is applied. If someone is affected by inflammation in the throat, mouth or upper respiratory tract, peppermint oil can also help.
Frankincense essential oil not only has an extremely pleasant and intense fragrance, but can also provide relief for various complaints and illnesses:
⦁ Skin problems
⦁ Intestinal disorders
⦁ Rheumatism
⦁ Mental balance disorders
⦁ Sleep disorders
⦁ Bronchitis
⦁ Arthritis
⦁ Improvements to the immune system
⦁ Asthma etc.
Lemon is one of the essential oils that can be an important and indispensable helper not only in aromatherapy, but also in the household. Below are the properties of lemon essential oil:
⦁ Fat-dissolving (used in cleaning)
⦁ Anti-inflammatory
⦁ Relaxing
⦁ Hemostatic
⦁ Antipyretic
⦁ Blood-thinning
⦁ Increases concentration.
⦁ Antitumoral
⦁ Diuretic
⦁ Vitalizing
⦁ Antispasmodic
⦁ Helps with anaemia
⦁ Detoxifying etc.
Eucalyptus oil contains a number of valuable ingredients that are responsible for the wide range of effects of the essential oil. Eucalyptus oil is the first choice for colds, bronchitis or asthma. Used externally, eucalyptus oil can also help with rheumatism and/or muscle pain.
Good to know: Eucalyptus essential oil is fungicidal and anti-microbial.
Cinnamon oil is another essential oil that is not only used in aromatherapy, but can also be used as a cleaning agent. Perfect, because cinnamon oil is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. Cinnamon oil can help with these illnesses and complaints:
⦁ Diabetes
⦁ Intestinal diseases
⦁ Wound infection
⦁ Bleeding
⦁ Expectorant
⦁ Painkiller
Would you like to find out more about essential oils? Then sign up for our aroma newsletter right away and receive the essential oils guide as a free e-book as a thank you:
Sources, literature and further links:
- Steflitsch; Wolz; Buchbauer (2013): Aromatherapy in science and practice. Wiggensbach: Stadelmann
- Wabner; Beier (2012): Aromatherapy. Basics, principles of action, practice. Munich: Elsevier
- Forum Essenzia e.V. (2017): Guide to aromatherapy, aroma care, aroma culture. Wiggensbach: Forum Essenzia
- Zimmermann, Eliane (2008): Aromatherapy: The healing power of essential plant oils. Munich: Irisiana