Essential oils and their plant-powered benefits
Wellness needs to be easy in order to honour it as a daily practice. Essential oils are a wonderful way to achieve this, with their organic healing powers helping you feel better in just a few simple steps (and making your sanctuary smell like an exquisite spa in the process). However, there still exists a lot of confusion as to what they are and how they can help, so let’s explore the superbly scented world of essential oils.
Essential oils explained
Essential oils are made from concentrated plant extracts, having been obtained from their plant source via steam distillation or methods such as cold pressing. This makes them potent in naturally occurring botanical healing properties and gives each oil its distinct aroma.
Because they are kept pure, essential oils differ from fragrance oils (commonly used within scented soaps, candles and perfumes) as these are mixed with synthetic ingredients. While this makes fragrance oils cheaper to produce, they no longer boast the herbal and aromatherapeutic benefits of pure essential oils.
Benefits and function
With more than 90 types of essential oils, each one offers different benefits based on its plant source. Among the most common are lavender, considered to improve sleep and reduce stress; peppermint, used as an energy booster and to alleviate digestion issues; bergamot, known to improve your mood and minimise anxiety; and lemon, noted for its ability to fight bacteria, pain and inflammation.
To unlock the potential of essential oils, the power lies in how you use them. Our previous post, ‘Self care with essential oils’, discusses the many ways of incorporating them into your daily ritual. One of the most popular methods is aromatherapy, which involves placing a few drops of an essential oil or blend (like our range of diffuser blends) into a diffuser and allowing the molecules to disperse throughout the air. When inhaled, essential oils can energise your limbic system, an area of the brain that affects emotions, behaviours and memory. This means that at the same time you are enjoying their gorgeous scent, you are also thriving off their desired effects on your mind and body.
For topical application such as our range of roller blends and body oils, essential oils are diluted with a carrier oil (e.g. coconut or jojoba oil, which are also made from plants) to balance their high potency and protect your skin against irritation.
