Essential Oils For Summer
I go through phases of using essential oils depending on my mood, and my needs, but I love the natural fragrances that they give off and always find it useful to be reminded of their wonderful benefits.
When I go away on holiday I love to take with me the essential oils that I think will be most useful to me and my family, not to mention sprinkling the oils all over the room when I arrive in that apartment or hotel room!
It just freshens a place up, and puts me in the mood for relaxation and fun!
All essential oils except Tee Tree should be used with carrier oil when being applied to the skin otherwise severe irritation or reaction could occur. A carrier oil is a vegetable oil derived from a fatty portion of a plant, usually the seed, kernel or nut and it is used for exactly what it says, to carry essential oil onto the skin, but because it has been diluted it makes it safe, and as the skin absorbs straight into the blood stream it has an immediate effect on the person that its being applied to.
Carrier oils are oils such as sweet almond oil, avocado oil, evening primrose oil, hemp seed oil, olive oil and rose hip oil. Have you noticed a similarity between the carrier oils? They are all good enough to eat, and that’s exactly the kind of goodness you want on your skin. I remember someone telling me once, if you would not put it in your mouth, then don’t put it on the skin! I do wear make up etc, but am much more careful these days where I source my products from. Anyway, its just food for thought… Literally!
Essential oils are usually distilled from leaves, bark and roots and here is my top 6 essential oils that everyone should be taking on their hols this summer.
1. Lemon – This is great for the circulation if you have a long haul flight, it’s a great disinfectant, and is fantastic for physical exhaustion, heat exhaustion, jet lag and depression.
2. Grapefruit – Used often for motion sickness, constipation, indigestion, nausea and jet lag.
3. Peppermint – Fantastic for colds and fevers, heat exposure, heatstroke, sunburn, toothache, Nausea and motion sickness.
4. Tea Tree – This you should always have in your first aid kit, as it’s so useful and natural. Amazing for insect bites, blisters, disinfectants, infections, rashes, toothache, wounds and mouth ulcers. You can use tea tree oil in small amounts directly on the affected area.
5. Lavender – I love the smell of lavender and use it all the time. It’s soothing, calming and wonderful for insomnia. It can be used to treat insect bites, blisters, dry skin, hay fever, headaches, heatstroke, rashes and sunburn.
6. Frankincense – My favorite of all oils! This is an amazing anti stress oil used for nervousness, calming the brain, exhaustion, muscle pain and insomnia.
Put a couple of drops of your desired oil into your palm full of carrier oil and rub into the skin, or burn a few drops in water in a special oil burner to be surrounded by those aromas all day long! So simple, yet so effective and completely natural.
Copyright © Denise Kelly 2011. Denise is a BANT (British association of Nutritional therapists) registered Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist. Website: www.denisekelly.co.uk
