Various Essential Oils And Their Uses

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Essential oils are aromatic, concentrated volatile liquids, which are extracted from plants by several processes known as distillation, solvent extraction or expression.

Essential oils can be extracted from various parts of plants like from leaves, flowers, bark, seeds, roots, stem and even dead woods. These essential oils were extracted by ancient people, but their usage significantly decreased over time. Now-a-days essential oils are used again for aromatherapy purposes and for treating health disorders.

Essential oils are so named, because they contain a distinctive smell of the original tree, for example essential oil of rose contains the sweet smell of rose. These are largely used for aromatherapy, and are also used in beauty soaps, candles, moisturizers, incense sticks, or even for flavouring foods and cold drinks.

There are many types of essential oils, which people use for different purposes.  Here I am giving a detailed account of various essential oils and their various uses:

1. For Medicinal Purposes

a) Absinthe

Useful for indigestion, lack of appetite, and gastric pain, as well as for heartburn, asthma, burns, anemia, fevers. It is also helpful for jaundice. It is also used as an insect repellent, narcotic tonic.

b) Angelica

This essential oil is useful for respiratory disease treatment and also helps in relieving cough and cold and digestive problems.

c) Aniseed

This essential oil is also used as antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, expectorant, and stimulant. Relieves digestive disorders. It may be used to relieve gas accumulation in stomach and cure gas related diseases. This oil is very useful for sore muscles and joints, also helps to treat migraine problems.

d) Basil

It is used to treat various respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. Cures migraine, mouth ulcers, and mental fatigue. Relieves fatigued muscles, and is also used for snake bites and wasp stings.

e) Birch

Useful for patients of arthritis, tendonitis and rheumatism. It is useful for joint pain, and also cures cellulite.

f) Black Pepper

Used for digestive problem, muscular pain and strains.

g) Cardamom

Helps to cure digestive problems, and used as aphrodisiac.

h)  Carrot Seeds

It purifies blood by detoxifying the liver and also increases the level of RBC in blood. Useful for diseases related to liver like hepatitis and jaundice. Useful for treating gout, arthritis, rheumatism, digestive disorders and skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, ulcers, boils and carbuncles. It also increases the activity of kidney and gall bladder.

i) Camphor

It increases blood circulation and cures heart diseases. It also clears the lungs, and also improves functioning of nervous system. It also helps to relieve muscular sprains, pains, acne, arthritis, cough, cold, fever, flu, and reduces inflammation.

2. For Skin Care

a) Carrot Seed

Helps to purify blood, and as a result can help improve complexion of skin, and also adds elasticity to the skin. It also keeps skin diseases like carbuncles, ulcers, psoriasis eczema at bay.

b) Chamomile

German chamomile

Treats acne, rashes, wounds, eczema, dermatitis, dry and itchy skin and other allergies.

Roman chamomile

It’s a tissue regenerator, and calms dry, red and irritated skin and treats skin disorders like psoriasis, skin allergies, etc.

c) Geranium

It ahs balancing effects on the hormones, and also balances skin by not even keeping it too much oily, or not even too dry. Put some drops of geranium oil in your bath, and you may get relief from eczema, burns, ringworms, cellulite, edema and bruises.

d) Lavender

Lavender is a miracle essential oil for oily skin. It also treats various skin problems like scars, abscesses, wounds, sun burns, psoriasis, burns, acne, lice, insect and sting bites.

e) Rosemary

It is used for acne, eczema, and dermatitis. It reduces puffiness, congestion and swelling. It also treats problems of hair and induces hair growth.

3. For aromatherapy use

a) Basil

Basil is used as a vaporizer to clear mind, increase concentration and relieve depression, headaches, and migraines.

b) Geranium

It balances the senses and lightens mood, and reduces depression, stress, anxiety, and neuralgia. If some drops of this essential oil are mixed in bath, it can be very refreshing and relaxing.

c) Grape fruit

This is also a great essential oil known for its aromatic properties. Its aroma helps relieve stress, mental exhaustion, depression, headaches, physical and mental tiredness and also calms the mind. As a skin product, it removes excess oil, treats acne and removes excess retained water from the body.

d) Lemon balm

As a vaporizer, it helps to relieve fevers, headache, nausea, depression and has calming effects on the mind. It also fights against fungal infections and digestive problems.

e) Rosemary

In vapour form, rosemary helps to calm tired mind and body, reduces effects of overwork, over alcohol usage, stimulates nerves of the brain, clears the mind and improves memory.

4. For flavouring purposes

a) Spearmint

As this is safe for children and because of its refreshing smell, spearmint is used for flavouring chewing gums, menthol chocolates, mouthwashes etc.

b) Turmeric

Photo Credit: Bewellbuzz.com

This is an antiseptic and is used to flavor pickles, and for flavoring spice products.

c) Vanilla

Vanilla is used for flavoring foods or beverages. Vanilla essential oil is used as a flavoring for medications and tobacco and medicines.

d) Orange

Orange essential oil is used for flavouring various products like medicines, candies, cold drinks, health drinks, and bakery products.

e) Coconut

Coconut essential oil is also used for flavouring candies, snacks, sweets, etc.

f) Strawberry

Children love strawberry flavoured foods like ice-cream, candy, cakes, syrups, medicines.

5. For Perfume purposes

a) Rose

Rose essence is used in several perfumes, room fresheners, incense sticks, mosquito repellents, candles and skin creams etc.

b) Sandal wood

Its graceful an harmonizing aroma is used in incense sticks for gods in India, in soaps, perfumes, creams, masks, talc, room fresheners,  and body oils.

c) Lavender

The smell of lavender is considered to be one of the most beautiful. As a result people have started using lavender essential oil in candles, mosquito repellants, skin creams, perfumes, room fresheners, soaps, etc.

d) Orange

The refreshing aroma of orange is used to enhance energy of the body. Now-a-days, several body sprays are using orange essential oils. It is also used in candles, creams, ice creams and room fresheners.

All the above lists of aromatic essential oils are given for benefits of readers, but in order to use them properly, you must know their exact proportions and hence it is always advisable to contact an aroma therapist, or ask some expert for flavouring and perfume making.

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