What exactly are essential oils? Probably the best way to explain them is, they are compounds that are extracted from various types of plants. Essential oils are processed in such a way that they are able to maintain the plant's scent, taste and health benefits. Personally, I am a huge fan of them. I like how potent they are. I like how helpful they are. And, I like how long the scent of them linger. Yeah, essential oils are dope.
When I first started using them, it was strictly as a perfume/cologne alternative. These days, I use them for homeopathic reasons too. Lavender is great for sleep. Rosemary is great for hair growth. You can check out my article, "8 Natural Aphrodisiac Scents, Where They Go & How To Make Them Last" to see how they can help you out, in a major way, in the bedroom department (wink). But if you'd like to learn about how to apply essential oils in a therapeutic health-related kind of way, not only do I have six different oils that I think you should get into, but six places on your body where you should put them. Are you ready to start feeling much better? Let's do this.
(Special note: Make sure to always mix essential oils with some type of carrier oil. Most of them are quite potent and can irritate your skin if you don't.)
1. Hairline
Aside from the fact that applying a little lavender oil (along with a carrier oil like jojoba or coconut) can help to stop a receding hairline, because lavender is the kind of oil that contains properties that help to treat anxiety, insomnia and even depression-related symptoms, it would make sense why massaging a little of it along your hairline or temples would be a great way to reduce stress. In fact, if you have a headache or even a migraine, applying the oil to this area of your head can help to relieve some of the pain and tension that you feel.
Application Tip: While it's super effective to massage lavender oil directly along your hairline or onto your temples, an alternative approach is to put a few drops on a piece of tissue and inhale the oil directly. While this method won't do anything to get your hair to grow back, it can help to knock your headache discomfort within a matter of moments.
2. Rim of Ears
Just like a lot of research points to the fact that a lot of health issues can be diagnosed (and relieved) through reflexology, there are also studies that reveal providing special attention to our ears can help to heal our systems too; it's called auriculotherapy. When people participate in auricular acupuncture, it can do everything from lower blood pressure and relieve stress to suppress appetites and improve their quality of sleep.
If you'd prefer to "ease into" auriculotherapy, something that you might want to try is rubbing some rose oil on the rim of your ears. The properties in rose oil are perfect for increasing feelings of calm, fighting migraines and even creating a mental atmosphere in order to make sounder decisions.
Application Tip: Add 2-3 drops of rose oil to a half teaspoon of sweet almond oil. Apply some of the oil to your fingertips and then rub the oil blend along the rim of both ears. Rub it in as much as possible and allow the oil to penetrate for the rest of the day.
3. Wrists
A lot of times, when we think of applying something to our wrists, it's strictly for scent purposes. However, this is a great place to put essential oils for health reasons too. Because your radial artery runs along the inside of your wrists, applying oils there is one of the fastest ways for the oils to hit your bloodstream. A good oil to try is oregano oil. It's a potent oil that fights bacteria, reduces free radicals and reduces bodily inflammation. So, if you're feeling under the weather, some oregano oil on your wrists might be all that you need to get to feeling like your old self again.
Application Tip: Again, since your wrist is a pulse point, it's a good idea to check out this essential oil dilution chart, just so you can determine how much carrier oil to mix in with the kind of oregano oil that you plan to use.
4. Stomach
If you've got digestive issues of any kind, you might want to rub some peppermint oil onto your tummy. Aside from it being the kind of oil that can clear up congestion, relieve PMS-related symptoms and help to speed up the healing process of the common cold, peppermint oil is also able to reduce nausea, treat irritable bowel syndrome and make menstrual cramps more bearable too.
Application Tip: Peppermint oil is pretty potent, so you'll probably only need 3-5 drops per one-third cup of your favorite carrier oil (due to olive oil's antioxidants, it's a good pick for this). Warm up the oil in your microwave for 15 seconds and then massage the oil directly into your abdomen. The menthol will provide a cooling sensation as the warm oil soothes you at the same time. Also, if you'd prefer to drink the oil, you can put a couple of drops into your water or smoothie, so long as the peppermint oil is 100 percent pure.
5. Legs
Whether you've got restless leg syndrome, varicose veins or muscle soreness, chamomile oil is a wonderful natural remedy. It's an oil that reduces inflammation and muscle spasms. Chamomile oil also heals wounds and skin conditions like eczema and rashes, plus it can promote a good night's sleep.
Application Tip: Either add 10-15 drops of chamomile oil into your bathwater or massage your legs with 3-5 drops per a cup of your favorite carrier oil. Massage your legs right after showering or bathing for instant relief from any discomfort that your legs may be feeling.
6. Bottom of Feet
One of the reasons why you should be extra cautious about where you choose to walk around barefoot is because some of the largest pores on your body are located at the bottom of your feet. This means that, similar to your wrists, this is another way for essential oils to hit your bloodstream quicker.
For this reason, bergamot is a wonderful oil to apply to this part of your body. Its antibacterial and antibiotic properties fight infection, alleviate pain, lower blood pressure, relieve stress and, if you rub the oil on your entire foot, bergamot will keep it extra smooth too.
Application Tip: A cool way to massage the bottom of your feet while applying bergamot oil to it is to use a roll-on. You can purchase empty bottles for essential oil via sites like Etsy and Got Oil Supplies. Now what are you waiting on? Get some essential oil and get to feeling better!
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
7 Essential Oils All Naturalistas Need For Their Hair
The DIY Way To Prep Your Feet For Spring
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