Juliet Cohen asked:


Essential body oils can only be used when blended with a suitable carrier oil onto the skin or in the bath. These oils are not suitable to be used neatly onto the skin as they are very strong and may effect the body in certain ways as it penetrates through the bloodstream. Certain oils can not be used when suffering from epileptic fits, high/low blood pressure, kidney disease, hyper-sensitive skin etc. Sesame oil is very beneficial to make skin smooth and soft. One can use this oil with combined another oils like coriander, lemongrass or bergamot. Pregnant ladies should avoid certain oils, please consult a qualified aromatherapist before using essential oils. Essential body oils are fragrant, highly concentrated, volatile extracts from flowers, leaves, spices, fruits, woods & roots, each with its own benefits to the body & mind.

Essential body oils are used in aromatherapy, environmental fragrancing, and bath, body care & massage products. Because of the quickly evaporating, volatile nature of essential oils, they usually leave the body within 48 hours. For instance, a drop of Essential Oil placed on a cloth or napkin will completely disappear within a few minutes to a few days, leaving no trace or stains. One should use mixture of olive and almond oil to the hands before going to bed at night. One should this oil regularly to make hand soft and strength. Almond oil or vitamin E oil is very effective to reduce dark circles under the eyes. One should apply a few drops of almond oil or Vitamin E oil under the eye area. There are many essential oils such as coconut oil, almond oil, sesame oil, olive oils and tea tree oil for different parts of the body.

Essential body oils are generally extracted by distillation. Other processes include expression, or solvent extraction. They are used in perfumes and cosmetics, for flavoring food and drink, and for scenting incense and household cleaning products. People who have oily skin can use oils such as sage, camphor, peppermint, clove and cypress. One with sensitive skin can use olive oil for moisturizing. Aloe Vera oil is unbeatable for removing inflammation and irritation of the sensitive skin. If one has a cellulite disease, keep in mind take a steam or hot bath with a few drops of any essential oil as they tend to block pores in the skin. One can also use vegetable oil such as jojoba oil or olive oil for the body.

Essential body oils may be defined as odorous pure plant essences, they are complex chemical compounds produced by photosynthesis and obtained from the plant by one of the following extraction methods:

1. Steam distillation.

2. Solvent extraction.

3. Hand expression/cold pressing.

4. Maceration.



ASHLEY