THE BENEFITS OF ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oils are magical. Their scents and properties link us back to what Mother Earth intended to nurture us with: plants. As you make the recipes in this book, you’ll find each oil and its corresponding scent evokes something different. This could be memories, feelings, or a sense of well-being.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of creating these recipes was coming up with combinations based on the scents I was drawn to and figuring out what they reminded me of. Benzoin is like warm chocolate. Bergamot is a walk through Rome. Eucalyptus feels like clarity and rejuvenation. Rose is romance. Jasmine is femininity. The list goes on and on.
As a self-declared health nut, learning about different properties of essential oils and which work well for certain ailments is fascinating. I love learning about home remedies and ways to heal myself.
As with bath salts, essential oils are more powerful when combined with a healthy lifestyle. That’s when the real transformation begins and you will find that a little bit of these special oils goes a long way.
When it comes to buying oils, use discretion. Many companies sell low-quality, diluted oils. Be picky. There is no point spending money on oil that doesn’t contain the properties you’re looking for. I bought most of my oils from Mountain Rose Herbs at MountainRoseHerbs.com. I absolutely love this company and have been using them for years. Buy organic if you can; however, not all oils are available organic. If that is the case, be sure to buy pesticide-free or wild-grown oils. All oils at Mountain Rose Herbs are pesticide-free, even if they’re not organic.
Baths are almost the perfect way to utilize the benefits of essential oils, especially when combined with salts. The salts ease sore muscles, soften the skin, and detoxify, while each essential oil has different healing properties for specific ailments, skin issues, and even emotional stress, as you will see in the following chapters.
Take Precautions
Essential oils are very strong and powerful. Pregnant women should check with their doctor before using essential oils because some can be quite dangerous. That also goes for babies, children, and the elderly. For any of these age groups, the amount of oils in these recipes should be cut in half to be on the safe side.
Here is a list of essential oils that are okay to use during pregnancy:
• Neroli
• Mandarin
• Rose (after the first trimester)
• Lavender (after the first trimester)
• Roman Chamomile (after the first trimester)