There are many plant products used to extract essential oils. Leaves, stems, flowers, barks, and roots are used to distill the oils by water or steam. How essential oils are used everyday can be seen from the variety of ways they promote mental and physical health.
Easy inhalation allows the infusion to enter your lungs and then pass on to your bloodstream. This process is accomplished by putting two to three drops of the oil onto a tissue and then carefully breathing the vapor in through your nose.
A more advanced method involves boiling water and adding three to seven drops to the water and then carefully inhaling the vapor. To freshen an entire room, simply add five to seven drops to freshly boiled water and let the pot sit, and as it cools down it will slowly perfume your house.
It is possible to use them to cleanse your entire house. Achieve this by wetting a tissue with a few drops, balling it up, and leaving it in drawers and cabinets. Also, you can add drops to your trash can, vacuum cleaner, laundry basket, and drain.
They can also be used as a bug repellent. To do this you must put a few drops in some tissue paper, ball it up, and place it around your house. It is best to do this by the doors, windows, and corners. A few such uses can help rid your home of various bugs and other pests.
Another key area for the use of these essences is in massages. Simply combine about 20 drops in 1 ounce of a carrier, combine thoroughly, and then apply or have them applied through massage.
Another way to use the oil is as a perfume for your bath water. Mix five to seven drops into an ounce of a carrier oil and then pour it into the water as you draw your bath. This will not only make the water fragrant, but it will also help cleanse your skin and help improve its functioning and beauty.
Carrier oils are necessary for the correct function and application of essences depending on what you try and accomplish. Oils such as sweet almond, grape-seed, and apricot kernel are the most commonly used. By washing down the oil in the carrier you create a topical solution that can have antiseptic and antibiotic properties when applied to skin abrasions. This poultice prevents infection and helps maintain healthy tissue functioning.
These oil offer a wondrous host of benefits to anyone who chooses to use them. Just remember that many of these oils have not been widely studied or tested, so never ingest or drink these oils without first consulting a doctor. As with all natural products they provide unique results that can be tailored to your specific needs.
The author has made available much information about aromatherapy, such as using basil and other essential oils.