Revive your Skin with Aromatherapy

If you’ve ever tried some aromatherapy on your skin, then you probably know its soothing benefits. Somehow there is a profound connection between how you feel and the state of your skin. Read on and find out how you can revitalize your skin with aromatic therapy.

Reaping the Benefits

There’s nothing like a rewarding soak in the tub after a long day at work or a cup of hot tea on a chilly winter afternoon or a relaxing spa after that quick massage. Moments like these you can’t help but feel exhilarated. Not only does it relax the senses, it also uplifts your mood and spirits. Other benefits to taking part in aromatic therapy include the relief of physical distress, strengthening of the immune system, easing of muscular aches and pains, better sleep, decrease in stress levels and balancing of emotions.

Oils with an Essence

You won’t be able to find aromatic oils for your skin right away but nowadays more and more of these products are showing up online and some specialty shops. Too many people are reaping the benefits of aromatic therapy that manufacturers are starting to notice a trend by adding essential oils to their products.

These essential oils are not only fragrant but they do have elements that are able to cure certain skin diseases. But you don’t have to be afflicted to use these essential oils since you can still reap its soothing benefits. The way it works is that these essential oils are dissolved in water so that it is easily absorbed by the skin’s sebum. This treatment is being made to create lotions, mineral baths, massage oils and even body washes.

Know Your Skin Type

Just as there are different skin types, so too are essential oils. Each type of oil gives its own particular benefit on a certain skin type.

If you have a ‘normal’ skin type then you’re in luck because almost all skin-safe essential oils are good for you. The most universal of all aromatic oils is lavender because it is the most versatile and it works well with any skin type.

If you have dry and sensitive skin you will need to combine some oils together. Some recommendations for this skin type include chamomile, geranium, patchouli, lavender, rose absolute, neroli, jasmine, sandalwood and carrot seed. But if you have extra sensitive skin then stay away from high percentage oils and those that come with spicy scents like cinnamon.

If you have oily or ‘combination’ skin, you need to look for oils that decrease the sebum in your skin and at the same time create balance. Go for the antiseptic essential oils like pink grapefruit, geranium, lavender, juniper berry, ylang ylang, myrtle, cypress and peppermint.

You will also need aromatic essential oils as your skin continues to age and it will definitely help in slowing down the aging process especially since these oils hydrates the skin and brings back its tone. If you have aging skin then you will need oils like frankincense, carrot seed, patchouli, myrrh, rose absolute and sandalwood.

Get Some Aromatic Therapy

You can find aromatherapy products for your skin in some specialty shops but you can find more variety if you look for them online. The keyword is ‘organic’ since aromatic therapy has its origins in organic products. Some of the more popular brands that offer aromatic oils in their products are L’Occitane, Jakare, Decleor and Saffron Rouge.

Aromatherapy and Pregnancy

It was in the 1920’s when the term aromatherapy was coined by French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse. He was able to find out about it by mere accident. He burnt himself while working in his laboratory. He soaked his injured arm in the nearest cold water that he could find. It happened to be a container that was full of lavender oil.

Gattefosse couldn’t believe that his arm healed quickly. It didn’t bear any scars and he didn’t suffer from too much pain that he had experienced before with past burns. From then on, he has become involved in finding out more about what has now become a branch of herbal medicine. The idea here is that certain oils that have been extracted from plants and herbs contain medicinal properties that can heal and cure various kinds of disorders.

The idea has come a long way and is now popularly used in parts of Europe, North America and all over the globe. Many people can testify as to the advantages and benefits that you can obtain in the process. This is also a popular choice for pregnant women, especially for first time moms who need to be guided throughout the process that they are going through.

Pregnancy and the Essential Oils

The essential oils used in the process are the end result of distillation. The oils are being extracted from botanical sources. It takes time before the end product becomes ready to be used. Through such, it develops to become concentrated, intoxicating as well as fragrant. It is advisable for such oils to be diluted in water before you apply this on your body parts of inhaled for that matter. This can also be mixed with other kinds of diffuser so as not to cause skin irritations.

Here are some ways that pregnant women can apply on their situation to help them in what they are going through. Make sure that you consult your doctor first regarding the processes to make sure that this won’t affect you in any negative way.

1. If you wish to soak in a luxurious bath, you can drop some oil with your favorite essences onto the water. This will relax your senses and help you feel fresh as well as soothe your emotions. This will help you feel comfortable no matter how big your tummy is becoming. This will also calm the baby inside your womb.

2. You can also use the oils if you want to use the shower. You can apply the oil on the back part of the sprinkler so that it will flow along with the water as you indulge yourself in the task.

3. You can mix the essential oil of your choice with jojoba oil. You can ask someone to massage the combination on your body, especially the parts that are aching because of the situation that you are in.

4. Find the right essences that will help you breathe regularly. This will aid you towards your coming labor. The process will help you learn the techniques on how to calm yourself. This way, you will know better when the time comes that you have to give birth.

Finding relief through aromatherapy is beneficial to all kinds of people. This is also proving to be a vital ally to expectant mothers and may also be used after you have given birth to your child.

Aromatherapy Massage – Soothing Your Tired and Aching Muscles

Your body needs to be relaxed. You have to pamper yourself once in a while and treat those aching muscles to a luxurious massage. As days go by, there are many gadgets that are being discovered to help people ease out stress, pressure and tensions. But one idea that never ceases to lose its popularity in this aspect is aromatherapy.

This method can be used in massages. In the process, essential oils will be applied to render comfort to the person who is seeking such comfort. Such oils can be used in combination with water, lotions and other types of essential oils.

The massage soothes your aching body and the aroma coming form the essential oils goes straight into your limbic system. This is the part of the human brain that is responsible for your emotions and proper function of your nervous system. Your nostrils are connected to the system. What you smell as you are trying to relax will also balance your hormones and control how they react to natural occurrences.

What happens is that such aroma will provide good effects to your heart. As a result, you will feel as if your stresses are slowly going away. As the massage goes on as your limbic system smells the essences coming from the oils being used in the process, your breathing becomes normal and your blood flow is being regulated. This will affect your memory in a positive manner. The process will also help you digest your food easier. Overall, this creates a positive impact on your health. So it is really advisable to undergo such process every once in a while, especially when you feel the need to.

Essential Oils

The essential oils have various healing properties. So if you are going to apply the procedure on yourself, it will be better to take note of the following to help you choose the right oils depending on your situation. Here is a list to guide you in the selection process.

1. Rosemary has a cleansing effect. This also creates an energizing mood to help you get back on track if you are feeling low and slow. This is good for professionals who are tasked to perform duties that require physical strength. This will also be good for active kids and students or for busy moms who seem to be always busy with things and matter that they have to tend to.

2. If you want to receive a calming effect, you can use the oils from geranium, chamomile and lavender. This is advisable for people who always faced with various types of stressors. The oils will help them get rid of such negative vibes and keep their feet firm and ready for the challenges ahead.

3. The oils from ylang-ylang, clary sage, neroli and rose will boost your spirits up. These have uplifting elements that can help people who are suffering from depression overcome whatever problems they are faced with.

4. If you have cold and other types of ailments that decongest your breathing, you need to rely on the likes of pine, eucalyptus and tea tree to solve your problem.

There are many ailments that can be healed by undergoing an aromatherapy massage. You just have to be sure of what kind of turmoil or sickness you are suffering from. This way, you can find the right oil to help you ease out of such situation.

Destressing with Aromatherapy

It’s about time you experience the power of aromatherapy especially its stress-relieving benefits. Read on and find out how aromatic therapy eases you out of stress holistically, clinically and aesthetically. Discover how each method gives you the peace and tranquility your body needs.

The Essence of Aromatic Oils

At the heart of aromatic therapy are the essential oils which are extracted from different plants in three ways: steam distillation, cold press and absolute extraction.

The last method is used only when the plants or flowers could not survive the other two methods. To extract oils from citrus fruits, the cold press method is used while steam distillation is usually applied for extracting oils on plants and the different parts of a plant.

Holistic Havens

You should be familiar with the holistic method of aromatic therapy especially if you ever had a massage from a masseuse using essential oils. This is the most popular method of aromatic therapy. The infusion of the oils’ scent, how it gets absorbed into your skin plus the deep tissue massage is enough to give your body a much needed revival from stress.

Not only does this method relieve you off stress, it is actually good for your immune system too. Stress usually leaves you with a weakened immune system and aromatic therapy builds up your immune system by stimulating the brain’s chemicals so that it fights away infection.

Clinical Concoction

The clinical method of aroma therapy is applied together with traditional medicine. The way it’s done can change from one country to another. In the US, one of the most common ways it is used is through dentistry. It’s been found out that having the smell of lavender in waiting rooms relaxes a patient before dental surgery. The scent of lavender also helps in the relief of some serious diseases and even childbirth by providing a relaxing environment.

Aesthetic Infusions

Aesthetic aromatic therapy involves the use of essential oils in burners, diffusers and even the bath. This kind of therapy can be used by anyone. Some people even get bath salts, beads and shower gels for a heightened experience. These special products have essential oils in them and give the same relaxing and soothing effect on the skin and body. Even candles have essential oils and combining it with scented bath products will give you the best relaxing experience yet.

How It Works

There are different methods of aromatic therapy which gives nothing but the ultimate stress relief. By using scents from essential oils, aromatic therapy affects a person’s mood, which in turn affects the body.

As the nose inhales the scents coming from the essential oils, the olfactory receptors transmit the information to the limbic system. This system is the place where our emotions are processed. It is said that aromatic therapy helps in stimulating the brain so that it releases chemicals that make you relax. This process is what makes aromatic therapy relieve you off stress.

Treat Yourself

There are different ways you can experience the true bliss of aromatherapy. You can visit a spa and inquire about their different services. Choose the option that will benefit you the most. You can also buy a home aromatic therapy kit. These usually come with burners or oil diffusers plus instructions on how to use it.

Or you can get yourself an assortment of different bath products with essential oils and experiment to find out what works best for you.

Dos and Don’ts of Aromatherapy

There are certain things you should know about aromatherapy and the benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. You have to know the dos and don’ts to be able to enjoy using it.

First, it is best to read up on aromatherapy. You have to remember that there are over 90 essential oils and some of these should only be handled by an aromatherapy practitioner.

When you buy essential oils, make sure you only buy these from reputable suppliers. These should be stored properly and away from sunlight otherwise you will ruin the oils inside. Since these are also flammable, keep these away from fire hazards.

You should keep in mind that essential oils are highly concentrated which means that these can be harmful if not handled properly. This is why it has to be diluted first with a base oil before it is used. If ever you experience an allergic reaction, you should stop using it.

If you are using an essential oil for the first time, apply some in a small area of your skin and apply a bandage over it. If after 24 hours there is no allergic reaction, then it is safe for you to use.

When applying, make sure to keep this away from your eyes because it can cause eye irritation or even damage. If you happen to get this on your eyes by accident, wash it immediately using vegetable oil or milk and then get medical attention.

Since these come in small bottles, use only a few drops each time because this is the proper way of using it safely and wisely.

Some doctors will tell you blatantly not to use essential oils when you are pregnant or when you are nursing. To be sure, ask your doctor because some are safe to use during this period. This is different though when you have a medical condition such as asthma, epilepsy or high blood pressure because this will only make matters worse.

Do not confuse essential oils with perfume oils because these are two different things. While perfume oils smell just as good or even better, remember that it does not have any therapeutic benefits.

Children should only use aromatherapy under adult supervision because some of the oils are safe to use while others are too strong.

You can mix essential oils. Don’t do it by mixing two oils in one bottle and shaking it. The proper way is to apply the oils on your hand then rolling this on your palms. You should know however that this can’t be done all the time and so you know which ones are safe to mix together or not, you can conduct some experiments or read up on it and by asking an aromatherapy practitioner.

Now that you know the dos and don’ts about aromatherapy, you will be able to use the essential oils safely without any problems. If you have questions, ask your doctor about it so you can be guided accordingly.

Aromatherapy has been around for centuries and people still use it because of its many benefits. By reading up on it or even taking a few classes, you can come out with your own concoctions to relive pain, stress or the common cold which are just some of the things that these essentials oils can for you.

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