Essential Oils

In your shower, you use body soap, a face cleanser, a body scrub, a facial scrub and a shaving cream. In your cabinet your favorite products await to be applied on your skin; toner, serum, face cream with SPF, eye cream, primer, foundation and many more. By the end of your morning ritual you have lost track of what you put on your skin and you are not even sure if it was all beneficial. What if you owned a product that could smooth your skin, relieve your anxiety, calm irritated wounds, aid digestion and clean your house naturally?

Essential oils are a powerful gift from nature.

Essential oils are a powerful gift from nature. Essential oils are liquid and oily extracts from plants, bulbs, flowers, zest, seeds, roots and even tree bark. Each essential oil is unique with its own characteristic and smell. They are the secret, healing weapons hiding in each plant. They can be antiseptic, antiviral and even antibiotic.

I have been using them for years and I am delighted to share how I use them every day.

• If I am sore from a workout I warm up two drops of arnica oil in my hands and massage the tired muscle. Arnica resonates with me for many reasons. Most of all because it reminds me of my 93 year old grandma back in the Alps, still making a bright yellow concoction with the arnica flowers from her garden.
• To clean makeup from my sensitive skin after a long day, I make a facial oil with almond and argan oils. Then I mix a few drops of Calendula, geranium, Ylang-Ylang and lavender essential oils and massage my face before rinsing with warm water first followed by cold water (Grandma’s recipe again!).
• Lavender (lavendula officinalis): soothes burns, sunburns, or irritations. It helps you sleep if you suffer from insomnia or migraines and calms muscular cramps. If you buy only one it’s this one!
• When my skin feels itchy and dehydrated, I prepare a bath and I add a combination of yogurt, olive oil, and the essential oil that feels right for that moment (thyme, eucalyptus or rosemary when I have a cold, lavender when I feel stressed, or rose before a date).Thyme strengthens your immune system during flu season.

Thyme strengthens your immune system during flu season.

• Thyme strengthens your immune system during flu season.
• Tea tree oil is present in many cosmetic products. Before bed you can apply a drop of this oil on a pimple. The properties of this miracle oil will fight the inflammation.
• In my pharmacy, you will also find peppermint (mentha piperita): it treats bruises. I use one drop under the tongue every hour.
• In the deep of winter, when I’ve had enough of root vegetables and pumpkin mix, I open a jar of preserved Italian tomatoes, get the zucchini out of the freezer and cook them with a few drops of basil essential oils that takes me back to Italy (you can also add lemon, coriander, orange or tangerine to your meals. It’s easy when you don’t have a lot in your fridge).
• Lemon cleans your liver, disinfects your house, fights the accumulation of fat and water in your body, and freshens your complexion.
• Finally, after cleaning my house, with essential oil of lemon, baking soda and white vinegar, I like to diffuse some essential oil of jasmine. It feels fresh and brings me peace of mind.

I am a firm advocate of these natural remedies. However, all essential oils are different and should be used carefully. If you are sick they will not replace a visit to your family practitioner. First you should pick an organic, 100% natural oil. You shouldn’t find anything else other than plant extracts, especially ingredients such as Ethyl-paraben, BHT, Benzopnone-3, polysorbate-20 etc… Organic oils are usually more expensive but are worth the price when used for you and your loved ones. You should store them in a dry, dark place. If you are pregnant, breast-feeding or want to use it on a child, always ask the advice of a professional. Essential oils are very powerful and can cause skin irritations or allergies. Some of them shouldn’t be used internally, or on their own (cinnamon can burn the skin if not mixed with natural oil like almond or coconut oil). Always ask for advice before using them. If you seek some deeper and more customized treatment, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with a specialist in aromatherapy, who will give you the right treatment based on your individual needs.   For a more natural, vibrant you, essential oils are a true secret to spread.