Now, maybe we’re biased, but here at Tender Essence, we’re pretty fond of essential oils. Frankly, we think that the whole world should be using them. And not just because they smell good! Even though they can definitely make your nose happy, these little miracle drops are a powerful product that can do so much more than just that. Whether it’s concentration, detoxification, clearer skin or stress reduction, there’s an oil for everything. And we mean everything.
Over the past few years, people have really started to care about what they’re putting onto their skin. Gone are the days when brands could get away with having ingredients lists longer than your arm, full of words that you wouldn’t even want to attempt to pronounce. People are starting to take matters into their own hands by jumping into the wonderful world of homemade cosmetics.
We’re glad to see people ditching the shop-bought products in favour of DIY cosmetics that incorporate essential oils. It’s great that the world is learning just how life-changing they can be! But we also know that it can be pretty overwhelming when you first start exploring how to use essential oils. So, if you’ve ever stared at a soap bottle in utter bewilderment, or wondered why on earth that Pinterest article is telling you to put Ylang Ylang on your hair, we’re here to help.
Let’s start with the basics! Most essential oils are extracted from plants or fruits through the process of steam distillation. Not only does this get rid of impurities, but it also means that the oils share the scent and many of the properties of the plant they come from. A lot of raw material is needed to make a small amount of oil, making them very powerful! A small amount of product goes a long way. Of course, that’s one of their main benefits, but it also means you have to be careful with them. You should never put pure essential oils on your skin: always dilute them first. But don’t let this scare you! We’ve got plenty of helpful advice and glorious DIYs on our blog to help you dip your toes into the world of natural cosmetics.
How to use essential oils
Now the basics are out of the way, we can get on to the fun part: using your essential oils! This is where you can get creative and really go to town. But let’s start with the simplest thing you can do with essential oils: diffuse them. Once you’ve found an oil you really love, you might want to invest in an oil burner or diffuser. Just mix a few drops of essential oil with water, and prepare to have your whole room filled with fragrance. If you’re not quite ready to invest, there’s another even cheaper option: sprinkle some essential oil onto a tissue and place it on top of a radiator. It’s not as pretty, but it does the job! We’ve got even more ideas like this in our article on diffusing essential oils.
Another one of our favourite ways to enjoy essential oils is to put a few drops into a nice hot bath. For a relaxing soak before bed, trying an oil like lavender or chamomile. If you really want to spice up bathtime, you can even learn to make bath bombs with essential oils! We’ve got a kit with all the ingredients you need right here. There are so many ways to use essential oils – mix a few drops with a carrier oil to make a natural massage oil in seconds. (Even olive oil from your kitchen cupboard will do!) Or, experiment with making melt and pour soaps, DIY candles, face masks, body lotions… the list goes on and on!
Visit our blog for more ideas, or check out our guide to using essential oils.
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