What if we told you that now is the time to put yourself first and show yourself a little love? Would you know where to start?
Self care significantly impacts your cognitive, emotional and physical health for the better. That’s why we’re going to tell you how to begin your journey to wellness - starting with essential oils.
Essential oils are a brilliant tool in any kind of self care routine, and incorporating them is pretty effortless. You can use them on their own, blend them together or use them in a mist, pop them in a diffuser or even incorporate them into a massage. They also make wonderful self care gifts for those you love.
So, let's learn how to love yourself a little better, one drop at a time.
Self care, aromatherapy style
What is self care? Think about it as any pleasant activity that you undertake for yourself alone and that promotes feelings of peace, fulfilment and happiness.
Working with essential oils is a particularly good choice for self care because they do so much more than smell amazing. Scientific research has proven that aromatherapy has many benefits and that most of what our ancestors believed about them is, in fact, true.
The following essential oils all have amazing properties that can enhance your self care routine.
Cedarwood
A demure oil, cedarwood essential oil may be able to help calm your nerves when you’re feeling edgy or, if you’re looking for meaningful self care gifts, it may assist a friend in a way that really matters.
It’s also good for pain relief, can lower anxiety and stress levels and may help you get more sleep. It has a warmer, more masculine, woodsy aroma and may help ground you and give you more strength when you need it.
Cedarwood oil self care tips
- Add a drop to your face cream to soothe irritated skin.
- Diffuse it with frankincense and orange oil for a relaxing blend.
- Add a few drops to a carrier oil and apply it to the insides of your wrists, a particularly effective way to boost your meditation and yoga practices.
- Add 5-10 drops of a cedarwood essential oil dilution to an Epsom salt bath.
💡 Did you know?
It’s thought that cedarwood oil is one of the first ever to be extracted and distilled, with evidence of its use dating it between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago.
Eucalyptus
The fresh fragrance of eucalyptus oil is familiar because it's so often found in over-the-counter medicines intended to alleviate respiratory congestion as well as in spa steam rooms. Eucalyptus essential oil can do just about anything, including help you combat stress, soothe and relax you and energise you when you need a little extra boost.
Eucalyptus oil self care tips
- Add 3-5 drops of a dilution of eucalyptus oil in carrier oil to a bowl of hot water and then wet a washcloth in this mix. Lie down somewhere comfortable, place your warm towel over your face and spend a few minutes focusing on your breathing.
- If you’ve tried pre-made essential oil blends before, you may want to experiment with your own, too. Eucalyptus oil mixes well with cedarwood, lavender, marjoram, rosemary and thyme, and good blends make for wonderful self care gifts.
💡 Did you know?
You can see the oil in eucalyptus leaves. Hold one up to the light. Those tiny pinpricks of yellow or white? That’s the oil! If you crush the leaf in your fingers, you’ll be able to smell the oil.
Frankincense
Once you know the answer to the question of ‘What is self care?’ you’ll see why this oil is so highly recommended.
Frankincense has a comforting, warm, woody scent that will calm and ground you. Its potent ability to assist in relaxation and its historical use in spiritual practices means that frankincense essential oil is a popular choice for aromatherapy massages.
It’s a wonderful tonic for your skin, enhances your mood and combats stress and anxiety. Many believe that it also fosters our intuition and deepens our spiritual connection.
Frankincense self care tips
- Create a mist with it and spray it in the air around you, like a healthier version of incense!
- Use 10 drops of a diluted frankincense/carrier oil blend and use it as a facial toner.
- Use 10 drops of a diluted frankincense/carrier oil blend to help calm inflammation and joint pain.
- Add it to your diffuser before you begin prayer, meditation or yoga as it’s a fabulous way to fortify your practice.
💡 Did you know?
Here be dragons! Sabean merchants in the olden days created legends around the Boswellia tree, from which frankincense is obtained. They let it be known that dragons and genii protected the trees to discourage competitors from harvesting the precious scent.
Lavender
Probably the best-known and most popular oil when it comes to essential oils for self care, lavender essential oil is fantastic for calming and relaxing and is highly recommended for insomniacs. Along with helping us get to sleep and stay there, it’s nourishing and soothing for the skin.
Lavender oil self care tips
- Add 5-10 drops to an Epsom salt bath.
- Put a few drops into your diffuser before you go to bed or while you’re doing something relaxing like yoga, meditation, or even just reading a good book.
- Dilute this oil with a carrier oil and enjoy it during a massage for relaxation and skin health.
- Add a drop to your face cream for healthy facial skin.
💡 Did you know?
Lavender has always been well loved, and many ancient civilisations used it for healing. The Ancient Romans knew all about its antiseptic properties and chose it to clean wounds. It is also a popular choice in linen drawers because it’s an insect repellant.
Peppermint
Use peppermint essential oil to soothe frazzled nerves and bring tired muscles back to life. It may also help lift your spirits, ensure you stay focused on whatever needs doing, can assist in cough and cold treatments and may help reduce pain.
Peppermint oil self care tips
- Mix it into a carrier oil that you like and massage it into your belly to help with digestion if you’ve overindulged at the dinner table.
- Add a few drops to your diffuser to boost your concentration at work or at home.
- Soak tired feet in a bowl of warm water with Epsom salt and 4-8 drops of diluted peppermint oil.
💡 Did you know?
Peppermint is one of the most common flavouring agents in beverages and food, and it’s also very widely used as a fragrance in various cosmetics and soaps. Plus, evidence from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome tells us that it was a popular tonic back then as well.
Rosemary
Rosemary essential oil isn’t just a wonderful addition to your kitchen cupboard. This essential oil is an excellent self care resource, particularly if you struggle with dry skin and tense muscles.
It’s recommended for people with respiratory issues and can reduce stress, lower nervous tension, boost your mental activity and encourage clarity and insight.
Rosemary oil self care tips
- Add 30 drops of the oil to your shampoo if you have a dry scalp. It may also help your hair shine!
- Put 4-8 drops into a bowl of water with Epsom salts for a rejuvenating foot soak to help reduce stress and tension.
- Mix 5-10 drops into a good carrier oil and massage this mix into your chest and feet to give your mind a boost.
💡 Did you know?
Our ancestors believed that rosemary strengthened memory, and it was a popular addition to liniments and tonics of old. Folklore and literature often refer to it as an emblem of fidelity and remembrance, making it an excellent self care gift.
Ylang Ylang
Ylang ylang essential oil is a flowery oil that may help you unwind physically and mentally. It can alleviate anxiety, help lower blood pressure and may even be able to alleviate headaches if you’re prone to them. What’s more, it’s great for your skin and your hair, so it’s a good idea to keep this oil in your self care toolkit.
Ylang ylang oil self care tips
- Diffuse it when you’re ready to go to sleep and in the morning or while working or studying when you need to stay calm and focused.
- Add it to your lotion and massage it on your skin.
- Add it to your shampoo for healthy, great smelling hair.
💡 Did you know?
Ylang ylang increases blood flow, can help with certain heart problems and can help regulate your heartbeat. It’s a good resource for insomniacs, and people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome have reported that it alleviates certain symptoms.
Fill your own cup first
What is self care? It is a series of actions, certainly, but it’s also a commitment you make to promoting your own health and well-being. This in itself can be a powerful statement to make.
When you’re feeling good, you’ll be able to manage stress more easily, you’ll lower your risk of getting sick and you’ll have more energy to do the things you need to do.
Volant's superb range of all-natural,100% organic essential oils are a wonderful way to start a self care journey that lasts. Plus, you can work them into your schedule at almost any time of day or night. So, experiment until you’re getting the results you want and start feeling more like the true you!
