Essential Oils for Beauty & Bath

Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most commonly used essential oil for the skin. It is gentle and safe for children.  

Skin Care - Lavender is very beneficial for general skin care either used by itself or combined with other oils. It is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflamatory. Lavender helps cellular regeneration.
Lavender essential oil prevents the build up of excess sebum, a skin oil that bacteria feed on.

Use Lavender Essential Oil for:  

Dry Skin
Minor cuts
Bruises
Minor Burns
Sunburn (including lips)
As a natural Insect repellant
Insect bites
Any skin condition (acne, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and rashes)
Stretch marks
Dandruff
Scars

Lavender has also been clinically evaluated for its relaxing effects with high blood pressure, anxiety and stress. Lavender has been used for and headaches as well as insomnia

A few ideas for the many ways to use your Therapeutic Grade Lavender oil:

• Rub Lavender oil on the feet for a calming effect on the body. (Great for children) 
• Sunburn Relief - Use Lavender, Chamomile, Rosewood or Geranium - combine any or all and gently apply onto sunburn as often as needed. Also apply to moist skin after your shower or bath. Very soothing. If you do not have any other oils - Just use Lavender straight on any burn, sunburn, bug bite or skin irritation.  
• Rub a drop of Lavender oil between your palms and inhale deeply to help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever.
• Rub several drops of Lavender oil into the scalp to help eliminate dandruff. 
• Put a drop of Lavender oil on a cold sore. 
• Diffuse Lavender oil to alleviate the symptoms of allergies. 
• Spritz several drops of Lavender oil mixed with distilled water on a sunburn to decrease pain. 
• Drop Lavender oil on a cut to clean the wound and kill bacteria. 

Mature and Sensitive Skin
Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) - Rosewood is a single oil, not from the rose bush -- but from an evergreen tree from the Amazon Rainforest. Rosewood oil is actually distilled from the wood.

The scent of Rosewood oil is a combination of sweet, floral, and woody with an herbal hint. Rosewood has been used for its medicinal benefits for the skin, the nervous system and immune system. It is antiseptic and antibacterial.

Because it so gentle on the skin, soothing and nourishing it is a good choice for the face – helps revitalizing skin cells, helps create skin elasticity, reduce acne, eczema, helps combination skin, mature or aged skin, wrinkles, sensitive skin, heal old scars or wounds, reduce irritation and infection. It has been used for Candida on the skin.

Rosewood and Lavender work well together for all kinds of skin problems.

• Mix 1 drop of Rosewood and a drop of Lavender in your palm and apply directly to your face 
• Put a small dab of your face cream in your hand and then add the Lavender & Rosewood. 
• Use Rosewood Oil and Geranium Oil for dry or chapped skin. 
• Mix 1 drop each of Rosewood, Geranium and Lavender & apply directly to reduce signs of aging on the skin. 
• Rosewood has a history of therapeutic use to balance and calm the nervous system, help combat depression, relieve tiredness, reduce anxiety, nervousness and stress. 
• Rosewood has been used to ease jet lag, to create calmness for meditation and is reported to help with memory and studying for exams. 
• Rosewood has been researched at Weber State University for its antibacterial and antiviral properties 
• Rosewood has been traditionally used to help boost the immune system and prevent or shorten duration of colds, the flu, fevers, etc. Inhale directly from the bottle or diffuse.  

Aromatherapy Bath Salts
The healing properties of sea salt and various mineral salts have been used in baths for centuries for healing. The addition of therapeutic essential oils brings wonderful fragrance, therapeutic properties and greater relaxation. Sea salt and Epsom salts are healing and cleansing for the skin and many skin conditions, as well as helping general health and detoxification of the body. Salt baths also help clear energy fields from any negative energies. 

* Sea Salt - The most basic salt, most easily available and very inexpensive. It contains a lot of minerals and is available in small, medium and coarse grains. Buy the highest quality you can. Sea salts are very healing, cleansing and grounding.

* Epsom Salts - Contains magnesium sulfate but no sodium chloride.  Epsom Salts are excellent in baths for removing toxins from your body and for soothing aches and pains.

* Gorrmet Sea Salts - Mostly sodium chloride plus minerals of the location they were harvested. These salts are more expensive and added to many healing therapies, wraps and baths in Spa treatments. These salts may be white, brown, cream or red and are harvested from the Dead Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Hawaii, the Himalyas and and other locations worldwide.

Make Your Own Aromatherapy Bath Salts - at a fraction of the cost  

2 cups of sea salt 
2 cups Epsom salts (for minerals) 1/2 cup baking soda (water & skin softener)
Essential Oils - Use 3-4 drops each of 3-4 different Essential Oils.  
 
Mix the salts & soda well in a bowl, then add 2 – 4 drops each (8-12 drops total) of your favorite essential oils & mix well. You can make different blends -- calming or energizing! Be sure to use oils that are non-irritating*** to the skin: Lavender, Rosewood, Geranium, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, or use Young Living Blends Like Sacred Mountain, Harmony, Joy or Peace & Calming, etc...

To Use: Add 1 or more cups of salts per tub under warm running water.  Since this recipe is non-foaming, it is especially good for (indoor) Jacuzzi Tubs!  Also great for footbaths - try one blend for relaxation and one for energy! Be sure to store in a cool, dark place in a glass jar with a tight lid. It's fun to collect pretty jars to store salts in. Use leftover salts with in a couple of weeks for best results. 

*** DON'T use Thieves, Oregano, or Cinnamon as they are the 'hot' oils and not suitable for bath salts

Foot Baths - Bath salts are great for foot baths, too! Tired feet will thank you! This can be a calming or energizing alternative to a full bath while you watch TV or read. Use 1/2 cup of bath salts for a wonderful warm aromatherapy footbath. If you want a cool, refreshing soak, dissolve the salts in hot water first then add to a cool foot bath.

Fragrant Aromatherapy Baths - add a few drops of your favorite essential oil(s) to your organic bath products.

Create your Own: Create your own scented products by adding 6-10 drops of your favorite essential oils to natural & organic products - Shampoo & Conditioners, Hand Soaps, Body Lotion and Moisturiziers. Shake well to blend.

Create your own soap - It's easy & fun and you know exactly what's in it. Great project for kids, too!

Glycerine soap kits are available at art & craft stores such as Hobby Lobbyand Michael's.

Home made glycerine soap is very mild and gentle. The soap kits come with plastic molds. You just melt the glycerine in the microwave, cool & pour into the plastic molds. After pouring, while glycerine is still liquid add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil into each mold, and stir into the liquid glycerine:

Lavender Essential Oil - calming. Makes a great face soap. Also gentle on sensitive skin. Good for kids.

Lavender / Eucalyptus - a gentle yet refreshing blend.

Lavender / Rosewood - great for sensitive or mature skin

Lemon / Geranium - add 5 drops of Lemon and 2-3 drops of Geranium to each soap mold.

Peppermint / Eucalyptus - energizing! Add 4 drops of Peppermint and 4 drops of Eucalyptus to each soap mold. Keep oils away from eyes.

Try your favorite Young Living oils and blends like Peace & Calming, Release, Sacred Mountain and more.