AROMATHERAPY: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS - AKA STRESS REDUCING SOLUTION

You might have seen these alluring miniature-sized bottles of oils in a fancy boutique or an Instagram influencer using em but wasn't sure what they quite were. The world of essential oils is vast and a tad bit confusing. Well never fear, HELLO! will educate! These plant-based abstracts are powerful portents that have made widespread prevalence in the beauty and wellness industries, not to mention the controversy of their use. Essential oils are volatile plant abstracts that are highly concentrated and obtained through various extraction methods. 

There are over thousands of known oils and three hundred available on the market commercially. Clinical studies have shown inhaling, bathing, diffusing, and topical application of essential oils may benefit users with anxiety, mental focus, depressive symptoms, menstrual pain, and overall well-being. 

Things get trickier when it comes to essential oils and skincare. While a handful of oils may aid in healing brightening and toning skin, there are some potions that can spark serious skin reactions and chemical burns... yikes! So no, these all-natural oils are not be assumed that they're gentle and harmless. These oils can be seventy-five times more potent than dried herbs. A couple of drops go a long way, and diluting specific oils will be the cardinal step. Dilution will add a carrier to the oil that will well facilitate the body's absorption of the oil. In most cases, a carrier oil will be used as a neutral base like olive oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, and avocado oil. It is highly recommended to refer to a dilution chart while using a certain oil. 

When buying a brand, there are safety factors to consider. Buy oils that are allowed for internal consumption that will usually be printed on the bottle or the company's website. Keep your oil's ingredient list low. It can signal they're small concentrations but not irritating.

Tip: Anything after the fifth ingredient, should be less than 1/%. Thirdly, a brand will be up to par if it produces its own oils to guarantee the purity of the oils. 

Stress and Anxiety: Lavender, cedarwood, lemon, bergamot, orange, and valerian.

Skin Care: Lavender, carrot seed, rose, rosehip, frankincense, geranium, tea tree, ylang-ylang, and patchouli. 

Pick-Me-Up: Lemon and peppermint.

To make it clear, aromatherapy is not a proven science. It's always a positive move to consult an expert and do your research to make sure you aren't innocuous to yourself.