If you’ve bought our soaps you may have noticed that some of them contain a select few essential oils that we have blended to make different scents. We definitely have some favourites which seem to blend well with a variety of different oils. Not only do these oils smell fantastic but they all have their own skincare benefits too.
Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)
Lavender essential oil is everywhere. It’s easy to find and one of the most popular essential oils out there. It’s a fabulous oil and has a wide range of uses and benefits. Lavender's floral scent blends very well with many different essential oils so it’s no wonder we use it quite widely. But the benefits of the oil are even greater.
Most of us know lavender for its calming properties, helping us to destress, unwind and sleep. You can find many sleep aids that contain lavender from wrist oils to pillow sprays. Lavender bags are another popular item containing the dried flowers. They’re great for hanging in the wardrobe or keeping in clothes drawers to deter moths.
But did you know lavender essential oil can help the following ailments:
Acne – you can put it neat onto spots in the morning and at night (using a cotton bud) to help clear the condition.
Arthritis and bruises can be alleviated with a lavender compress.
Dry cracked skin on the hands and feet can be alleviated by massaging wheatgerm oil with a few drops of lavender essential oil into the skin.
Itchy scalp conditions or dry/greasy hair can be treated with a vinegar rinse containing lavender essential oil (5 drops to 15ml apple cider vinegar).
Tension headaches can be eased by applying neat lavender oil to the temples and massaging the area, or inhale a few drops in a tissue.
Skincare uses include using it in a homemade facial serum or in a toner using witch hazel water or rose water with added lavender essential oil.
It can even be used to alleviate a few conditions our pets may have (particularly cats, dogs and horses). These remedies include fleas and lice, rashes, cuts and insect bites. I’m sure our pets love the scent too!
This is just a small selection of uses, so it’s no surprise that lavender is such a popular essential oil.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
We love rosemary essential oil, it has such an uplifting scent, clears the mind and is perfect for getting you going in the morning. In fact rosemary is traditionally known as the remembrance herb, and associated with the memory. Rosemary has a herbaceous scent but is not overpowering. We love the scent of rosemary essential oil.
As with lavender, rosemary is a gentle oil and can be used in a variety of remedies:
It’s well known as a hair treatment and can help with an oily or problematic scalp and it can help thicken the hair. You can make a vinegar rinse for the hair replacing the above mentioned lavender oil for rosemary.
If you suffer from respiratory problems it can be used in a steam inhalation placing your head over a bowl of steaming water, adding a few drops or rosemary oil. Place a towel over your head while inhaling the steam to maximise the effect of the oil.
Being anti inflammatory, can be used to alleviate muscle ache by making a blend of rosemary essential oil (10 drops) in 20ml of carrier oil such as jojoba oil or sweet almond oil.
Rosemary is rich in antioxidants and can help alleviate signs of ageing. You may want to add it into a homemade facial serum.
If you have oily skin you could add a few drops to a toner made using witch hazel water.
Use in a diffuser for focus/stress relieving. I find rosemary combined with a citrus oil (e.g grapefruit), mint, clove can really help clear the mind when working. Rosemary is therefore best used in the day rather than night time!
Rosemary is used in our green clay, nettle, cucumber and tomato soaps. It’s the essential oil we use the most.
A note on diluting essential oils
When diluting essential oils in a carrier oil or e.g in a flower water such as rose or witch hazel, a guideline is to use a 2% dilution, or say around 5 drops per 10ml of carrier oil or water. Many essential oils are very potent so you must use them with great care.
Image credit:
Essential oil photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
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