I love striking up conversations with my retail customers about how they use their essential oils. The stories I hear about how certain oils change people’s lives never ceases to amaze me. A common question I like to ask is, “which oils are your favorite?”, and I’ve grown tired of hearing the same answers over and over! Sure, lavender is wonderful, peppermint is awesome, tea tree and rosemary are also some of my favorites - I, too, use them almost every day. But I think it’s time to spread the word about the amazing uses for some of my other, less common, favorite essential oils:
The sweet, uplifting, citrusy aroma of bergamot is known to have profound effects on one’s self confidence, promoting feelings of self love and acceptance. It is an antianxiety oil, and is a great choice to diffuse in the mornings while getting ready for the day. It also has antibacterial properties, which can reduce the symptoms of chickenpox, cold sores and other bacterial and fungal infections. It can be used to tame frizz and add shine to hair, while deodorizing and keeping your scalp clean.
Recap:
- Uplifting
- Promotes confidence
- Antianxiety
- Antibacterial
- Deodorizing
- Great for frizzy hair
Cypress has an earthy, masculine aroma and is stimulating and energizing. It works to contract the blood vessels, which makes it a great choice to treat different skin conditions such as cellulite, varicose veins, acne, and hair loss. It’s anti-inflammatory properties help ease pain caused by pulled muscles and soreness. It increases perspiration, helping to eliminate toxins and waste from your body, and its astringent properties make skin appear tight and toned.
Recap:
- Energizing
- Fades varicose veins, cellulite, acne
- Can help prevent hair loss
- Anti-inflammatory
- Detoxifier
- Astringent
With a strong floral aroma, geranium helps to relieve stress and depression, and has also been known to reduce the symptoms of PMS and menopause. Like cypress oil (above) it contracts the blood vessels which makes it great for sagging, aging skin all over the body, and has been known to fade the appearance of scars and other spots. Geranium helps with overall cell health, and speeds up cell turnover and keeps skin looking young and fresh. It also works to close up wounds, which speeds up the healing process and prevents infection.
Recap:
- Antid
epressant - Helps balance hormones
- Astringent
- Anti-aging
- Fades scars and marks
- Speeds up healing
Grapefruit oil, just like the fruit, has a fresh, zingy scent that helps with mental fatigue and depression. It is best known for being an immunity booster in more ways than one, helping to slow the process of tissue degeneration and aging, detoxifying the body of free radicals and preventing memory loss. It’s a great choice for oily, acne-prone skin. It can also be used as a deodorizer and a natural surface cleaner.
Recap:
- Sharpens the mind
- Antidepressant
- B
oosts immunity - Detoxifier
- Antiaging
- Balances oily skin complexions
- Deodorizer
- Antimicrobial
Thyme, an herbal oil, has too many uses to list here! To list a few, thyme can help with memory retention and depression. It has a moisturizing effect and works well for different skin conditions like eczema, acne, cellulite, scars, and bug bites. It can also ease respiratory issues like bronchitis and laryngitis, and works well for digestive complaints like gas, bloating and nausea. It can be used to help with joint and muscle pain and can increase healing, and is also a good oil to use for a detox. Thyme is a great choice for natural body products as it eliminates body odors and bad breath. This oil has also been known to take care of parasites such as tapeworms and roundworms, and other pests like bed bugs, mosquitoes, fleas and lice.
Recap:
- Memory and focus
- Antidepressant
- Eczema, acne, cellulite, scars, bug bites
- Respiratory issues
- Digestive complaints
- Detoxifying
- Deodorizing
- Helps treat parasites and parasitic insects
Ylang ylang is the only floral essential oil that is a base note. The strong, sweet, deep aroma is commonly used to relax and induce creativity. It also doubles as an aphrodisiac. This is one of the most popular oils for general hair care, making hair appear shiny and full while taming frizz and dandruff. It has also been used to prevent/treat hair loss. Ylang ylang helps balance hormones and can be used to reduce the symptoms of PMS such as cramps, mood swings and fatigue. It can be used as a moisturizer to treat dry skin conditions and leaves skin looking young a fresh.
Recap:
- Relaxing
- Promotes creativity
- Aphrodisiac
- Moisturizes dry hair and skin
- Can treat/prevent hair loss
- Balances hormones
I certainly haven’t covered everything that each of these oils has to offer, but just wanted to put these oils on your radar in case you were looking for recommendations! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more information about the natural health and beauty products we offer at WFMed.