I started my journey with essential oils five years ago, I was fascinated by their scent, relaxing and healing power. Today with COVID-19 hitting hard around the world, my interest for natural remedies increased, and I started learning more about their power. In this blog post, I share with you some information I learned and my favorite essential oils that I have used until today. You can also find links to my favorite brand products Oils of Nature in case you want to give it a try.
Essentials oils are becoming very popular today. With the rise in prices of medications, their harmful side effects and the search for natural healing alternatives, essential oils became more attractive. “In 2017, the essential oils industry in the United States saw an increase in revenue of nearly 10 percent, and is expected to reach about 7.3 billion dollars in market value by 2024” Statisa 2020
Essential Oils are used in aromatherapy, to scent the homes or freshen up things like laundry, or as a natural scent in homemade cosmetics and high-quality natural products.
Aromatherapy
“Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being also known as essential oil therapy. Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health”. Healthline 2020. The actual term “aromatherapy” originated from Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, after he treated a burn with lavender oil. This was the turning point, where Gattefosse began to focus on natural healing properties in essential oils. These natural healing powers are caused by the highly concentrated formulas and properties ensuring fast and efficient results.
Aromatherapy existed thousands of years ago. According to NHP Canada, “5000 years ago, the Ancient Mesopotamians used essential oils in ceremonies and rituals, believing the oils had spiritual qualities”.
The ancient Chinese medicine used essential oils to enhance the mood. In ancient Greece, they were used to fight plague and for medicine and healing. On the other hand, they are very popularly used for personal hygiene, when they were used by the ancient Romans for their fragrance.
How are Essential Oils Made?
Essential oils are plant extracts. They are produced through steam distillation illustrated in the image below and are usually named after the plant they are derived from. The ancient Egyptians developed the first distillation machines that extracted oils from different plants, used for mummification. You can read more about the history of Aromatherapy here.
Essential oils can also be blended for fragrance or for healing treatments. Some essential oils are also used in food.
Hydrosols or floral waters, also known as “flower waters,” are produced by distilling fresh leaves, fruits, flowers, and other plant materials. With similar properties to essential oils, these aromatic waters are much less concentrated. Their aromas are often soft and subtle when compared to their essential oil counterpart. I will be sharing more about hydrosols in another blog post, yet you will find some recommended hydrosol products in this blog post.
How are Essential Oils Used?
Essential oils are used in multiple ways; aromatically or topically.
– They can be inhaled which affects directly the body and mind. You can inhale them directly form the bottle, or put them in diffusers.
– Applied directly on the skin for treatment or massage. ATTENTION: not all essential oils can be applied directly on the skin, some need to be diluted in carrier oils to be able to use them directly on the skin.
– In food preparations. ATTENTION: Make sure the essential oil you are using in food preparations is edible.
Oils of Nature
Are you interested in trying some products now? Here are some of the products I have tried, yes I did try them all and I am still using all of them. Additional products will be added to this blog post. I was lucky enough to meet the co-founder of Oils of Nature brand Noha Hanna Hajj when I was invited to an event two years ago. I was actively searching for a Lebanese brand producing Lebanese essential oils but wasn’t lucky. I used to purchase my products during my travels. I was handed some samples to try, a body oil and a tanning oil. I immediately fell in love with the products when I used them. I also loved the branding, the black and white contrast was quite original. It was clear the products were of very good quality, made of 100% pure essential oils without paraben, SLS or chemical additives. That is when I decided I should try other products from Oils of Nature.
Hair
First thing I tried was the hair treatment range. My hair had weird dandruff, I was told it was because of stress and the water I was showering with. pft. Anyways, the first product I used was the Hair Rescue. It is formulated to repair hair damage by restoring the hair to its natural condition, regenerating the follicles, nourishing them with essential nutrients and improving blood circulation and cell growth. I applied it once a week for two ours on my scalp and dry hair, then brushed my hair. After two hours I showered. The effect was immediate, I had a very visible change in the amount of dandruff on my scalp and my hair was looking healthy, everyone noticed the change. My dandruff was gone in two weeks after using Hair Rescue twice. These results encouraged me to try more products for my hair, Hair Mask and Hair Miracle Oil that I mixed together and put on my dry hair once a week. Result? My hair was stronger, shinier, healthier and had more volume, it was alive. Since I use the hair dryer more often now, I haven’t seen any split ends appear. Oils of Nature has another product in its hair treatment range, Velvet Hair Serum, perfect for an on-the-go solution after drying your hair with a towel or also on dry hair ends, to protect the hair and nourish it.
If your hair is healthy and you use organic shampoos it is worth trying the Premium Organic Shampoo.
Eyes
I have been struggling with dark circles for as long as I can remember. I work for long hours in front of my laptop and I don’t sleep much. My eyes are always tired and the skin under my eyes is dry. Dark circles are hereditary, which makes them hard to treat. My skin is very light, practically transparent, which also makes things even harder. Since I decided to use natural products, I tried Oils of Nature Serum Eye Contour. I love the impact it has on my eyes, the skin under my eyes is hydrated, I don’t look tired although I still work as much as I used to before. The ingredients in this serum; frankincense, rosemary, almond and pine essential oils reduce the puffiness, keep the skin hydrated and treat dark circles. I love how everyone is noticing how fresh my eyes look.
For an extra boost to the eye lashes, try Eye Lash and Eye Brow Strengthener Oil. This cold-pressed oil contains fatty acids, Vitamin E as well as other vitamins and minerals which provide nutrients to hair follicles and helps them grow.
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Face
Oils of Nature offers a large range of products for the face. Did you know that you need 60,000 roses to make 30ml of rose essential oil? I personally use the basic facial routine and love products extracted from roses, they are known to have all the nutrients needed to keep the skin healthy. Minimal effort right 😉 I start with the Micellar Rose Water and use a facial scrub occasionally. However, since my skin has acne, I use the Thyme Hydrosol which helps reduce inflammations and treat acne.
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Body
When it comes to my body, I keep it simple. I use a body lotion or body oil to keep my skin hydrated. My favorite scent is Green Tea. What I love about Oils of Nature body range products is that they keep my skin hydrated but not oily. I use the body lotion to keep my hands hydrated now that I am using a lot of sanitizing gels and washing my hands a million times a day, well who isn’t?
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Oh and by the way, Oils of Nature has an oil made especially for men with beards, make sure to check Beard Oil.
For more information about the full range of products and international delivery check out Oils of Nature shop on watani.
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