How To Use Essential Oils

By Annie Jaffrey

So for the last few months, I've been exploring more natural means of traditional beauty products which I've been loving. I read a book over the holiday season called "The Green Beauty Guide" by Julie Gabriel which pretty much changed my whole outlook on makeup & skin care. It is such an interesting read and I definitely recommend it! One of the components in DIY skin and body care are essential oils. They each provide unique benefits, and of course smell heavenly! Out of the oils I've experimented with so far, my favorite ones are Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Ylang Ylang, Neroli, Jasmin and Lavender. Last week I was sent a package from Days Island with their gorgeous collection of oils, pictured below. So I thought I'd take this time to share some fun ways of incorporating oils in your beauty routine. I have a few new ones now to experiment with! :)

My beautiful array of new essential oils from Days Island!

Ways To Use Essential Oils 

1. Scent your hair
Add a few drops to either your shampoo, or directly onto your hairbrush and brush through your hair. I think lavender oil would be great for this - the scent is very calming and it has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

2. Facial toner / mist 
I love adding a few drops of tea tree oil to my face toner. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, and is great for problematic / oily skin types. It also has a gorgeous refreshing scent.

3. Scalp treatment 
I like to massage my scalp once a week using coconut oil, which promotes hair growth and is highly moisturizing. I sometimes like to add a few drops of rose geranium oil which seems so good! Eucalyptus oil is also great for scalp massages due to it's stimulating and refreshing properties.

4. Natural fragrance 
Essential oils can serve as the purest form of perfume! With so many scents to choose from, you can find one which really speaks to you. You could even mix a few together to make a little concoction unique to you! Just dab a few drops onto your wrists and behind your ears. Neroli, jasmine, rose, ylang ylang, eucalyptus and sweet orange are a few of my most-loved "perfume" scents.

5. Body moisturizer 
Every other night I moisturize my skin using either olive or coconut oil. I love the purity and simplicity of pure oil as a moisturizer. No chemicals, no toxins, plus it's affordable and makes your skin feel super soft! Sometimes I like adding in a few drops of either eucalyptus, rosemary, frankincense or lavender. Lavender is especially nice just before going to sleep.

6. Make a soothing bath  
I love a good bath! But to be honest, I can't sit in it for more than 15 minutes or so lol but nonetheless, I still love a nice soak once in a while. Add a few drops of your favorite oil(s) and stir it in using your hand. Light a few beeswax candles, play some soft music and relax in your newly-created spa.

7. Oral care
I love oil pulling for clean healthy teeth. I like to use coconut oil, and sometimes (when I'm feeling fancy) I'll add in a few drops of either clover bud, tea tree or peppermint oil to give it a nice fresh taste. Oil pulling is amazing! It strengthens and prevents disease of your teeth and gums, it also helps your lymphatic system by removing harmful bacteria that can build up around your teeth.

8. Scent your clothes
This is a new one I recently discovered. Before starting your machine, add a few drops of oil to the liquid detergent and you will be left with gorgeous smelling clothes - minus any artificial perfumes.

These are a few of my favorite ways to use essential oils. If you want more ideas on how to use them, or specific information on the benefits of each, check out the Days Island website for great info!

Source

http://www.anniejaffrey.com/2014/05/how-to-use-essential-oils.html