Pure essential oils are oils that capture the “essence” of a plant’s scent — alongside their wondrous benefits and natural goodness. In simple definition, they are concentrated plant extracts. Every plant gives its unique aromatic compounds. Although these nourishing oils have similarities, the essence of each oil has its own characteristic and each has something remarkable to offer.
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE AND BUY 100% PURE ESSENTIAL OILS?
There is a very simple yet logical reason why one should purchase pure essential oils or scout the best quality organic and natural oils than settling for the low-quality ones. It is that these oils penetrate into our skin once applied! To put it simply, they influence and give effect to our skin. The best precaution we can practise is securing that the products we are using are, indeed, beneficial and favourable to us instead of leading us to harm. With that said, not all essential oils are created with utmost purity and authenticity. Not everything that is sold can be good for your skin. This means that you must be your own advocate and practice due diligence when scouting for the best ingredient, especially when considering your skin.
VARIOUS APPLICATIONS OF PURE ESSENTIAL OILS
AROMATHERAPY USING PURE ESSENTIAL OILS
Aromatherapy involves smelling essential oils. There are several ways to have aromatherapy in the comforts of your home. These are the following:
- Using oil diffusers: An oil diffuser is popular these days. It is a device that disperses an aroma of the oil around the room you breathe in. For correct application, read and follow specific directions provided by your diffuser product. Check also the recommended oil-to-water ratio.
- Dry evaporation: This method is simply adding a few drops of pure essential oil on a cotton ball or a micro-fabric and allowing the oil to dry and disperse. It is a convenient method when you are travelling or commuting for work. This is also a good method to keep the scent to yourself if you don’t want others to be bothered.
- Steam inhalation method: This method requires effort given that it needs to be done in the kitchen. However, it works just the same. Simply add a few drops of pure essential oil to boiling water. Breathing in the steam is already one way of applying aromatherapy.
- Old-fashioned method (Inhaling): If you don’t have the means to do what is mentioned above then this is the makeshift method for you. The aroma can already be dispersed simply by opening the bottle of your essential oil.
TOP 10 PURE ESSENTIAL OILS FOR AROMATHERAPY
- Lavender essential oil — Lavender essential oil is considered one of the favourites in aromatherapy because of its calm and charming aroma. It is also widely used as an aromatic massage oil.
- Cinnamon Leaf essential oil — The aroma twist of cinnamon oil is characterised as having a sweet yet spicy, warm aroma. It is a familiar scent we mostly find in candles, food, and other facets in general. This makes it a familiar and comfortable scent to be used in aromatherapy.
- Lemon essential oil — When diffused, lemon oil always has a smell that is fresh, bright and clean. It is a rejuvenating scent that is popular for use in aromatherapy.
- Peppermint essential oil — Peppermint oil is popular because many people associate the oil with winter holidays. However, this delightful ingredient actually has many wonderful benefits when used in oil diffusers and or topically.
- Sweet Orange essential oil — Sweet orange oil has a very cheerful scent that is admired and sought-after by many aromatherapy enthusiasts and even for fragrance lovers. It’s the scent perfect to use during the mornings.
- Lemongrass essential oil — The fresh and distinctive citrusy scent of lemongrass is well-favoured in aromatherapy. Lemongrass oil can be used either in the morning or before sleep depending on the user’s preference.
- Eucalyptus essential oil — Eucalyptus oil is an invigorating oil characterised by a sweet menthol scent. It is commonly used in aromatherapy for its distinctive aromatic profile.
- Cedarwood essential oil — Admired for its sweet, warm, and woodsy scent, cedarwood oil is a favourite when it comes to soothing diffuser blends. It is one of the most preferred scents by those who want or need a masculine scent in aromatherapy.
- Geranium essential oil — Besides lavender oil, geranium oil is also highly valued in the perfume industry for its floral aroma. Although a little bit underrated, it has a sweet and calm scent loved by most.
- Tea Tree essential oil — For aromatherapy, tea tree oil is preferred by people who are fond of an invigorating, herbaceous aroma. In aroma diffusers, this oil perfectly mixes well with other refreshing scents such as peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil, creating a synergised blend.
SKINCARE USING PURE ESSENTIAL OILS
There are many wondrous advantages we can get when these nourishing oils are applied topically on the skin. Going deeper, some of these oils are particularly exceptional to specific skin types. Although in general, all of these nourishing oils have skin-supporting benefits thanks to their vast amount of antioxidant properties.
HAIRCARE USING PURE ESSENTIAL OILS
There are several ways to incorporate pure essential oils into your personal hair care routine. Most conventional haircare products you see in the market have the infusion of essentials oils in them — from shampoos, conditioners to serums, among others. With that said, one could always resolve to make DIY hair treatments if uncomfortable with using conventional products. In this manner, you could avoid chemicals you are uncertain about.
Precaution: To avoid skin sensitivities, we strongly recommend performing a patch test first before administering regular applications.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A HIGH-QUALITY PURE ESSENTIAL OIL
In determining high-quality pure essential oils, professionals had to develop their olfactory senses throughout the years to master such skills. This is because the best way, at a technical level, to determine one is through strengthening one’s sense of smell. Unfortunately, this will take years of practice.
With that said, let us be considerate of skincare beginners who had only begun getting acquainted with essential oils. Certainly, there are simpler ways to guide them through when scouting for the best pure essential oils. Below are four (4) helpful tips to count on:
INSPECT THE BOTTLE OR CONTAINER
Quality and trusted online suppliers would sell their essential oils in a secured and tightly sealed glass bottle or aluminium bottle. These containers are usually amber-coloured and dark. The smaller containers usually come with a dripolator for easy dispensing.
These bottles should preferably be dark because light and heat can possibly alter the composition of an essential oil. At worst, they can be damaged and go rancid. Additionally, these oils don’t mix well with plastic containers. Finding one in a plastic container is a clear warning not to purchase.
NO RESIDUE LEFT ON PAPER
Spotting either a fake or a pure essential oil can be done by conducting a simple ring test. A ring test is done by checking a drop of oil on a piece of paper. If this drop of oil leaves a ring-like residue, this means it is either diluted or not pure. However, if there is no ring, lightly feel the paper to see if it’s completely dry. If it is then the oil you tested is likely pure and high-quality. On that note, there will be pure but darker oils that will likely leave a slight tint (e.g. Sandalwood and Patchouli) but the paper will presumably be not greasy when tested.
THE LATIN NAME OR BOTANICAL NAME IS PROVIDED
Secondly, trusted suppliers are transparent about their products. The label and details of a pure essential oil will state the Latin name of the plant it originated. Other helpful information are its plant part(s) and extraction method, among others. The product will also be specified as “100% pure essential oil”. On that note, there are excellent quality products of organic, natural, and commercial-grade essential oils. You just have to scout the best suppliers. This leads us to the 4 th tip.
CHECK THE CREDIBILITY OF THE STORE
Checking for the store’s credibility has always been a helpful guide. In fact, this tip applies in general when looking for any best quality products.Good reviews and satisfied clients are testimonies that a certain shop is performing well and has high regard for their client’s trust.