Resourceful employers mix it into the air conditioning of their factories or office buildings: citrus oils. A light whiff of the essential oils increases the ability to concentrate. Fewer mistakes are made, efficiency increases, and the essential oils in the air prove to be “germ killers” during flu season. Such and similar effects have been known about essential oils for thousands of years – but the wellness boom triggered a real run on them in recent years.
Essential oils from around the world
In our latitudes, for a long time it was mainly chamomile, sage or fir tree oils that were used. From Asia, thousands of fragrances and aromatic substances and their effects are known and are now also available in Germany. They are distilled from various parts of plants and act especially through the skin and sense of smell. “Used correctly, many essential oils support disease healing. Some oils, such as rose oil, have a positive influence on the psyche or, like St. John’s wort oil, have a general calming or strengthening effect,” explains Dr. Waltraud Pfarrer.
How do essential oils work?
- Anise oil: has a relaxing and stabilizing effect, as well as a positive effect on the digestive organs.
- Valerian oil: Has an antispasmodic and sleep-inducing effect. Well suited for ointments for sensitive skin.
- Basil oil: Energetic, uplifting effect, promotes concentration and clarity in the head and relaxation at the same time.
- Beeswax oil: Makes you less irritable and more patient. Has a soothing effect on sensitive skin.
- Cedarwood oil: Has an antiseptic and expectorant effect on respiratory diseases. Strengthens bladder and kidney.
- Clementine oil: Has an exhilarating, refreshing and stimulating effect.
- Dill seed oil: Stimulates appetite and helps with indigestion and flatulence.
- Eucalyptus oil: Has an expectorant effect on bronchitis. Massages help with arthritis and muscle pain.
- Grapefruit oil: mood enhancer. It promotes creativity and energy.
- St. John’s wort oil: Works against depressive moods, restlessness and sleep disorders.
- Marjoram oil: Works best against sore muscles, strains and tension.
- Tea tree oil: Especially versatile due to 40 different ingredients. Acts germicidal on fungi, viruses and bacteria and is well tolerated by the skin. Hundreds of applications from A like acne to Z like tick bite.
- Rose oil: classic antidepressant. Dispels feelings of futility and provides a relaxed, meditative state.
How to apply essential oils?
- Inhale: Put a few drops in a bowl of hot water and inhale the smell deeply. A handkerchief that you have pretreated at home with a few drops of oil is suitable for traveling.
- Room fragrance: light and long-lasting effect of the oil on you. To do this, add a few drops diluted with water in a fragrance lamp or drip a few drops of pure oil on a light bulb. The heat of the candle or the bulb act intensifying.
- Bath additive: the bath water should be about body temperature. For a full bath already suffice five to ten drops of pure oil. But be careful: given pure in the water, the essential oils can cause skin irritation. So: mix the oils beforehand with 100ml cream or two tablespoons of honey.
- Massages: this allows the essential oils to penetrate directly into the skin. For massages, the essential oils are diluted with carrier oils (for example, jojoba oil or almond oil) (Again, never use pure!).
What you should consider with essential oils.
- Essential oils are sold in pharmacies, health food stores and natural cosmetics suppliers, among others.
- Essential oils are highly concentrated substances. They can cause irritation of the skin and eyes. Especially allergy sufferers should seek advice. Young children, pregnant women, people with high blood pressure and weakened by illness should also consult a doctor before use. Many homeopathic remedies do not get along with essential oils – they even act in opposition.
- Essential oils are almost always used externally. They should not be drunk and only in certain rare cases (in weak concentration) added to food.
- Oils keep best in glass bottles in a dark, cool environment. They do not belong in plastic bottles.
