Cedarwood With a sweet, woody aroma, cedarwood has been used for centuries as an important ingredient in musky perfumes. As a medicinal oil, it’s packed with naturally antiseptic properties, meaning that it’s an excellent tonic to ward off infection and reduce the scope of blemishes. These properties also make it an aromatherapeutic bad-odor buster, so it’s a nice oil to spriz in your gym bag. Plus it’s famously effective at reversing hair-loss, through its ability to stimulate cell turnover when applied to the scalp.
Vetiver This oil is a super anti-aging remedy, with a vaguely ‘piney’ and earthy aroma that’s relaxing and soothing. The root of vetiver holds large amounts of water, meaning that the plant has humectant properties, so topical application helps your epidermis hold on to more H2O. The result? More hydration and a natural glow from-within - yes, please!
Lavender Lavender oil is a particularly therapeutic skin tonic. It has deeply moisturizing properties, with its ability to balance the skin’s lipid barrier so it isn’t too dry or too oily. Also helpful for fighting acne, lavender works to kill bacteria on the skin’s surface that can lead to inflammation and infection in pores. Plus essential fatty acids present in the oil make it an effective scar-fader for past acne marks.
Orange Orange essential oil is an anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and wrinkle-lifting gem. For aromatherapy, orange relieves anxiety, anger, and depression through it’s gentle sedative effects when inhaled (and because of this it’s a great oil to beat winter blues). Like all citrus essential oil, its high dose of vitamin C provides antioxidant benefits, so healthier skin cells and protection again age-inducing UV damage. Vitamin C is also essential for the production of collagen, leaving you with firmer and tighter skin.
Neroli The ideal face oil for oily skin, neroli has become popular due to its ability to improve skin flexibility and combat acne. Topical application helps maintain the health of skin cells, encourages healthy turnover, and promotes the growth of new ones. Boosted skin cell renewal and growth means fewer blemishes, less congested skin, and fewer fine lines. An added benefit? Unlike several other citrus essential oils, neroli isn’t photo-toxic, meaning that it won’t damage skin when exposed to light.
Roman Chamomile Roman chamomile is prepared from the dried flower and, delivered as a tea or through steam aromatherapy, can produce feelings of tranquility and act as a sleep-aid or anti-anxiety tonic. It contains Chamazulene, an aromatic chemical compound that possesses anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. And it’s packed with antioxidants, making it an effective skin treatment for discoloration or scarring.
Peppermint Peppermint oil is a fantastically tingle-inducing oil with a variety of medicine cabinet properties. It’s a powerful aromatherapy treatment; its diffusion and inhalation can be an effective respiratory treatment for the common cold, plus its cooling properties can calm a sore throat. It’s also effective at calming indigestion when diffused in water and taken orally. Applied topically, it can cool and reduce pain on small cuts and wounds, and similarly can be an ultra soothing tonic for sunburns.
With its sweet, clean, and fresh smell, frankincense is an excellent natural deodorizer. It’s the perfect spring-cleaning oil, diffused in a spray bottle and used as a cleaner and surface refresher. As a powerful astringent, it can be beneficial for killing harmful germs and bacteria that contribute to the growth of blemishes. And for overall skin quality, it can help tone and lift the skin, reducing the appearance of acne marks, stretch marks, and scars.
Bergamot Bergamot oil is a tropical citrus plant with a sweet and zingy aroma that studies have shown can help relieve symptoms of depression. By stimulating blood circulation, the oil can generate a feeling of freshness and energy, so it’s often included in awakeness-inducing energy oil blends. It’s also a powerful natural ingredient for helping to keep skin youthful. A chemical called cicatrizant in bergamot can aid in the turnover of skin cells, reproducing pigment in scarring and discoloration areas and producing an overall even skin tone.
Jasmine Long known as a sweet and sensual oil, jasmine is extracted from the night flowering jasmine flower, which releases its ultra floral and heady aroma when it blooms at night. Used as an organic perfume, jasmine oil can boost confidence and add an ultra-feminine scent to your beauty routine. Because of this it’s referred to as a ‘natural aphrodisiac.’ Studies have also shown jasmine oil to be helpful for balancing female hormones, given the constituent plant compounds that behave similarly to estrogen (meaning that it can be helpful for treating PMS and menopause).
Patchouli Patchouli oil has been used for centuries as a perfume, insect repellent, and alternative medication used to treat eczema and cracked or chapped skin. Its antiphlogistic properties make it an effective remedy for inflammation, so it’s particularly helpful for those with acneic skin. And its skin-cell regeneration properties make it a potent tonic for thinning hair; try massaging a few drops into your scalp for a PM hair routine.
Sage Sage oil comes from distilled garden sage, with its strong spicy scent and nutty aroma (note that clary sage is a sweeter and milder variety). Studies have shown sage to have excellent antimicrobial properties, with potent resistance against bacterial strains of E-Coli and Salmonella. These antiseptic properties also make sage an ideal oil to apply to live blemishes and irritation, to minimize infection and to speed up recovery time. DIY sage oil infusion can be a wonderful spot-treatment for overnight blemish healing.
Geranium Used by the ancient Egyptians to promote beautiful and radiant skin, geranium oil is great for sensitive skin, and can be extra helpful for those suffering from eczema or dermatitis. Its gentle astringent properties can make it a helpful toner and pore reducer, complemented by its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Plus it increases circulation, so is a great oil to incorporate into massage.
Ylang Ylang Ylang ylang has a famously intoxicating floral aroma, and is a beautiful perfume replacement that can be worn solo. It’s also a natural hair thickener that can activate growth in hair follicles, by encouraging circulation and healthy skin cell turnover. For skin, it’s a helpful oil for improving function of the lipid barrier, encouraging your dermis to retain moisture, and balance its oil production.
Always remember to dilute your essential oil in a carrier oil before applying it anywhere on your skin. This will prevent harsh reactions and skin irritations from the full potency of your chosen essential oil - check out our recent post on essential oils for more info on how to dilute your oil! Keep up with us here for more plant-based ingredient ingredient overviews!
