If you’re on social media at all, you have probably heard of the current interest in essential oils. However, at the same time, you’ve probably noticed how difficult it can be to determine exactly what’s going on in terms of which essential oils to buy, how to use them, and what their benefits are.
This is completely understandable because every company that sells essential oils markets them differently, and in some ways, even the exact science can be hard to pin down or understand. In this article, let’s explore some of the best uses of essential oil and decide which essential oils actually smell best so that you can feel confident in whatever decision you make.
What Exactly Are Essential Oils?
Before you try to decide exactly what you’re going to use essential oils for or even before you try to learn how they work, it’s probably a great idea to get a sense of what they are and how they’re made.
At the end of the day, the extraction and manufacturing processes for essential oils are actually dependent on what kinds of products the oils are being extracted from. The most common method for extraction is distillation.
Steam distillation is a process by which steam is passed over and through the raw plant materials causing them to “sweat” and release the smells that are the essence of the plant. Essentially (no pun intended), the steam that has been enriched with the smells gets released into a cooling chamber where the water vapor is separated from the plant oils.
Another common method is called expression, or cold pressing. Modern cold pressing of essential oils is done by puncturing fruit peels, releasing the oils inside, and then the peels are pressed inside a machine. Afterwards, the liquid is put into a device called a centrifuge, which separates the fruit juices from the essential oils.
While there are a few other methods for extracting essential oils from plants, these are the most common and most effective methods for most kinds of essential oil.
How Do Essential Oils Work?
The next thing you’ll probably want to know is how essential oils even work. At first glance, the idea behind essential oils may seem incredibly complicated, but it really isn’t.
Essential oils enter the body through various methods, including absorption through the skin due to direct application or inhalation through the nose or mouth from diffusing. Essential oils are not intended to be ingested in any way. They are sometimes used in skincare products, massage oils, and lotions, although if this is a DIY venture, make sure to combine the oil with a carrier oil before use.
They are highly concentrated plant extracts, and just like you are not supposed to drink vanilla extract, you should not drink or eat essential oils either. Doing so can lead to heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. Choose a plant extract (like peppermint extract or vanilla extract) rather than an essential oil if you are looking to add it to food.
Inhalation of essential oils is by far the most common use case, and people usually put the essential oil blends inside an essential oil diffuser. Diffusers work by actually taking the essential oil, creating steam, and then using that steam to infuse whatever room the diffuser is in with wonderful smelling oils. This is called aromatherapy, and it’s the process by which essential oils soothe the mind, body, and soul with various scents to improve wellness. There can be many health benefits from essential oils, so this may be worth trying out for your well-being or speaking with an aromatherapist.
When we inhale essential oils, the essential oil molecules actually interact with our sensory glands and olfactory organs and can trigger feelings in the brain that are associated with those smells. However, the effects of essential oils vary from person to person, so if you find yourself trying essential oils that don’t seem to have any impact on you, don’t worry, and don’t get frustrated. There’s most likely one out there that works great, so keep trying them until you find your favorite essential oils!
What Are Some Of The Most Common Essential Oils?
If you’re looking to add essential oils to your daily routine, you might be asking which essential oils you can try. Thankfully, this is a really broad question that has tons of answers; there are dozens of types of essential oils and they can all offer different results to different people. Be willing to try out several kinds before you try one that works best for you!
One of the most common essential oils is lavender essential oil. Not only is it one of the most common, but it is also one of the most popular and has tons of positive benefits that it can offer. Here are some quick facts about lavender:
- It is distilled from Lavandula angustifolia, a plant that is known for its beautiful soft purple color and distinct smell.
- Lavender is really in right now, not only as an essential oil, but as a color, a scent, and a flavor profile as well. Some businesses have gone so far as to start offering foods or beverages flavored with lavender.
- People who use lavender in their aromatherapy have reported that it can help their anxiety, improves their mood, and has anti-inflammatory effects. It can also help with insomnia and other similar or related health challenges.
- While there are few clinical trials concerning the effects of essential oils, several smaller studies have spoken directly to the effects of lavender on anxiety, saying that the scent of lavender can improve people’s moods.
Another very common essential oil is chamomile essential oil. For many people, hearing the word chamomile invokes memories of the relaxing tea that their grandmother used to drink. However, the chamomile plant is not just known for its relaxing effects and its noticeable and memorable scent. It’s also associated with creating a calming aura. So if you’ve had a crazy day and have dealt with chaos and frustration, grab chamomile essential oil and your favorite diffuser and wash away your stress.
You can also find many essential oils that smell like some of your favorite fruits, including grapefruit, lemon essential oil, and sweet orange essential oil. These citrusy scents are usually considered to be invigorating and helpful in boosting your immune system.
Some essential oils, like cinnamon essential oil, peppermint essential oil, ginger and clove essential oil, promote comfort and calmness, because they remind you of favorite foods and home.
Eucalyptus, frankincense, and sandalwood essential oils are thought to help combat various illnesses and have long been used in traditional medicines, while bergamot essential oil and ylang ylang are considered aphrodisiacs, and the uplifting smells of lemongrass and geranium may help to reduce stress.
Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list of the various types of essential oils that are out there, but these are arguably some of the best smelling.
How Can You Pick A Good Smelling Essential Oil?
Just like every other purchasing decision you make, deciding which essential oil smells best to you is, at the end of the day, a completely subjective decision. It’s entirely up to you!
Essential oils are a great addition to your routine and can be one of the best ways to really personalize your space and make it your own. You want to be able to walk into your home at the end of the day--or walk into your room--and immediately notice that you are in your space. You want to feel comforted by the familiarity of a scent that greets you with open arms and makes you feel like you belong.
Essential oils provide exactly that feeling, and they are designed to create a recognizable and relaxing environment. The process of picking the best smelling oil may take you a while, but don’t worry. Try to figure out whether you prefer a fruity, musky, or floral scent. It’ll be hard for you to find something that you hate, so chances are that you’ll actually find quite a few that you enjoy in your room.
How Do Diffusers Work?
If you’ve already decided to get a few essential oils to transform your space, the next step you need to take is actually buying a diffuser of some kind. Once you select a diffuser, you need to be able to set it up in your space.
Here at Everlasting Comfort, we care about your ease of use, and so we have designed our diffusers to exactly the specifications we feel are necessary to create your oasis in your space. If you have any questions about the operation of your diffuser, feel free to consult the manual, as this article is by no means all-encompassing.
Our diffuser’s operation is fairly basic, but it has some really great quality of life improvements that will make it easier to enjoy your aromatherapy. While we have a fairly standard water tank, air intake, and steaming process, the controls on our diffuser are designed for your ease of use with four easy time settings, one hour, three hours, six hours, or just continuous operation. The continuous operation setting allows for your diffuser to be on until it runs out of water.
One caution to point out is that it’s important that you drain your diffuser and keep it dry between uses so there’s no oil buildup inside from any leftover liquid in the tank.
In Summary
Personalizing a space can be incredibly difficult, especially if you find it difficult to create time and headspace to do so. However, essential oils bridge the gap between the desire to have a beautifully personalized space and the stress of finding the time to figure that out.
Take a deep breath and try something new because the journey involved in discovering the best smelling essential oils will be rewarding, we promise! Our diffuser will work great no matter what oil you’re using, so feel free to try as many as you feel you need.
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