Why Are Fake Oils Dangerous?

When you purchase essential oils, it is important to make sure that they are of a high-quality and are pure rather than a mess of mixed synthetic ingredients and other harmful substances that can ultimately hurt your skin and negatively affect your health.

Pure Essential Oils Versus Others

If you think you are getting a good bargain by purchasing the lower grade essential oils, the truth is, you aren’t. You are not saving money; instead, you are throwing your money away on essential oils that don’t do as they promise.

There is also zero medical benefits to using an essential oil that was synthetically created. It can often lead people to believe that they are allergic to certain essential oils when in actuality, they aren’t. They were just exposed to lower quality oil.

The Dangers of Fake Essential Oils

When you purchase high-quality, pure essential oils, they are made from plants and are natural. When chemicals are introduced into a synthetic blend, the fake oils can attach themselves to whatever minuscule pure ingredient they find and then enter your bloodstream and can ultimately overload your kidneys and the liver.

Most synthetic essential oils also contain a fragrance, which is often made with a blend of carcinogens, respiratory irritants, allergens, neurotoxic chemicals, endocrine disruptors, and other toxic ingredients that prove harmful to your health.

Finding Safe Essential Oils

So to avoid the problems that are commonly associated with fake, synthetic oils, there are a few things to watch for when purchasing your essential oils.

• Essential oils should be contained in dark, glass bottles
• The scientific name of the plant should be on the label
• Does the oil smell like it was fragranced, or is it the natural scent?
• How much is it? If the price is too low, then it is too good to be true
• All bottles should be labeled with information on the origin of the plant and you should know where it came from

So, before purchasing any essential oils, you want to do your research and make sure they are both pure and high-quality, so you know that they will be safe for you to use. You can’t always just rely on the packaging either.

Some companies may label their oils as 100 percent pure but this might not always be true. Make sure to purchase your essential oils from only reputable companies such as Utama Spice.

Meta: When using essential oils, it is important to make sure you are using high-quality and pure oils that do not contain any unnatural, synthetic ingredients that can harm your health.

DIY Essential Oils for Skincare

Looking for a more natural way to improve your skin’s complexion? We have a few simples to follow DIY essential oil recipes for skincare you can do right from home to promote health and radiant your natural beauty.

Clear Skin Face Wash

This recipe uses tea tree oil, which is considered an all-natural remedy for acne and can help a variety of other inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema. It is also used to fight infection and soothe sunburn.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 20 drops of tea tree oil

Combine all the ingredients together and then pour the mixture into a dark, amber-colored glass bottle. You can then use it to cleanse your face daily.

 

DIY Face Serum

This is a very basic recipe and only requires a couple of ingredients. Depending on your skin type, you can also change out the carrier oils and essential oils to better fit dry skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, and more.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of carrier oil added to a glass bottle
• 20 drops of essential oil of your choice

All you have to do is add the 20 drops of essential oil to your carrier oil and then roll the bottle in your hands very gently for approximately 30 seconds. To use the serum, you first want to remove any makeup you have on and cleanse the dace.

A toner can then be used, followed by applying a few drops of your serum to the forehead, the cheeks, and your chin. Gently massage the serum into the skin in small, upward strokes.

For normal, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, jojoba oil is a good carrier oil choice. Dry skin can benefit from rosehip seed oil. Oily skin can also benefit from jojoba in addition to argan oil. Mature skin can benefit from both tamanu oil and rosehip oil.

If you want the serum to be anti-aging, then patchouli oil is good to use. For acne-prone skin or to improve your complexion and promote healthy skin, we suggest using tea tree oil, lavender, or rosemary.

DIY Hydrating Face Oil

This recipe calls for jojoba oil and geranium essential oil. The geranium essential oil has both antiseptic and regenerative properties and is high in antioxidants.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons jojoba oil
• 5 tablespoons of argan oil
• 2 teaspoons rosehip oil
• ¼ teaspoon Vitamin E
• 4 drops carrot seed essential oil
• 8 drops geranium oil

Pour the jojoba oil into a dropper bottle and add in the argan, rosehip, and Vitamin E. Then add the remaining essential oils and shake before each use. First, cleanse the skin thoroughly, apply a toner, and massage half a dropper full of the oil into the skin on your face and neck to moisturize, boost collagen, reduce inflammation, and hydrate the skin.

Meta: with these easy to follow DIY essential oils for skincare, you can have a new cleanser, serum, and face oil to add to your skincare arsenal.

Essential Oils for a Healthy Skincare Routine

Essential oils can do amazing things for the skin, so you can see why many people are beginning to incorporate them into their regular skincare routines. Below, you will see which essential oils can help you achieve healthier skin and a more youthful complexion.

Lavender Essential Oil

This is always a good choice for skin care because it is calming, gentle on the skin, and nourishing. It can reduce the appearance of any blemishes you have and can provide your skin with a much more youthful glow.

If you are prone to any kind of skin irritation, lavender oil is also good for this because it can help soothe any minor skin conditions and irritation you are experiencing. It can be used topically with a carrier oil and is good for both dry and oily skin.

Frankincense

Frankincense essential oil is a natural astringent which also makes it great to use as an anti-aging oil as well as an oil to incorporate into a skincare routine to help protect and regenerate healthy skin cells. It can be used to fight acne, prevent fine lines and wrinkles, reduce the appearance of large pores, and tighten the skin.

Palmarosa Essential Oil

This is more of a multi-purpose essential oil and is well-known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-aging properties, which makes it the perfect addition to any healthy skincare routine. You can mix a few drops of Palmarosa oil to your skin care creams or even add a few drops directly to your bathwater.

Tea Tree Oil

This essential oil is an antiseptic and has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Due to these properties, it makes a good treatment for eczema and acne and can even treat the skin and reduce the signs of infection following a breakout. Tea tree oil has been shown to calm the redness of the skin, swelling, and inflammation and leaves you with smooth, clear skin when used regularly in your skincare routine.

Before starting any essential oil topically as part of your healthy skin care routine, you always want to perform a patch test prior to use to be sure that you don’t have an adverse reaction to the essential oils.

Meta: Whether you are looking for something calming, something to help with aging, or something for a clear complexion, essential oils are a great additive to a healthy skincare routine.

How Are Essential Oils Made?

Essential oils are compounds that are extracted from plants. They are often obtained through a process known as distillation (via steam and/or water) or mechanical methods like cold pressing. We will take a closer look at each of these methods below.

Steam Distillation

This is considered one of the more common methods of producing essential oils. During this process, steam is passed through a large hopper. This hopper is very similar to the steamer basket you may already use in your kitchen.

The hopper contains the raw plant material, and when the steam passes through, the plants begin to release their aromatic compounds. Those compounds then vaporize and rise with the steam and enter a closed cooling system that is located above the steam chamber.

As the plant vapor and steam then cool in a condenser chamber, the vapor turns back into a liquid and is then sent to the separator where the water is split from the oil. The water contains the plant’s essence and is often referred to as floral water. The oil soluble part rises to the top of this water in a separate layer. This is the essential oil portion of the plant.

CO2 Extraction

Another way to make essential oils is through CO2 extraction. During this process, pressurized carbon dioxide is pumped into a chamber that has been filled with plant matter. When the carbon dioxide is under pressure, it becomes supercritical and has liquid properties, even as it stays in a gaseous state.

Essential oils are obtained with relatively low CO2 pressure and have no temperature degradation. The consistency of the oils with this process may vary from batch to batch in much the same way that the plants will vary.

Expression

This method is used with citrus oils and is also known as cold pressing because it is a temperature-controlled process. The peels of the citrus fruit are poked and pricked so as to puncture the cells that contain the oils. The peels are then soaked in warm water and mechanically pressed. The liquid and the pulp are centrifuged after being pressed and are separated into a citrus juice and the essential oil.

Enfleurage

This process was used long ago so as to capture the essence of the more delicate flowers like jasmine and orange blossom. The flowers were combined with animal fat and then pressed between two pieces of glass. After a few days, the flowers would be removed and then replaced with fresh flowers, and the process was repeated several times over.

While this technique isn’t used as much these days, concretes and absolutes have begun to take its place because more and more people are saying no to using anything that is animal-derived.

As you can see, there are many methods used to make essential oils; however, steam distillation and cold pressing are two of the most commonly used methods and are the two methods that are still used today.

Meta: Essential oils are made through different processes. The two most common methods of making essential oils are through steam distillation and cold pressing.

Essential Oils for Anti-Aging

When looking for different wrinkle treatments, you will find that there is a wide variety available out there to try. With so many options, it can be a challenge to find exactly what you need.

From creams and moisturizers and everything in between, there are just so many types. However, if you are looking for more natural skincare options, then essential oils for anti-aging may be just what you are looking for.

Essential Oils for Wrinkles

While essential oils can’t completely eliminate your wrinkles, they can certainly minimize the appearance of those wrinkles significantly. In addition, essential oils for anti-aging also help to boost collagen, even out your skin tone, help you achieve a much healthier complexion, and reduce inflammation. The right essential oils can also help promote skin cell turnover and protect your skin from environmental damage on a daily basis.

Using Carrier Oils

When you use essential oils, you want to first dilute the oils using a carrier oil such as jojoba oil or coconut oil. You can then safely use them for topical applications.

Jojoba oil is a good carrier oil to choose because it supplies your face with a good amount of moisture, and properly moisturized skin can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It can also help treat inflammation and can stimulate collagen production.

Rosehip Oil

This carrier oil has significant benefits for anti-aging due to its high antioxidant content and its ability to penetrate deeply into the skin. It helps to improve the skin’s moisture levels and reduce the visible signs of aging.

Below, you will find some of the more antioxidant bases essential oils for anti-aging you can use.

Rosemary Essential Oil

This oil contains both antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. It has natural oxidative defenses that can help prevent free radicals from damaging the skin. Rosemary can also increase circulation and reduce inflammation. It helps prevent premature skin aging and protects the skin by providing a firmer, more radiant, and youthful appearance.

Neroli Essential Oil

This essential oil is very rich in vitamins and aids in the skin’s natural regeneration process. When using this essential oil, you will find healthier and much younger-looking skin. It is also useful for combatting stretch marks and reducing scars. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well, which makes it the ideal choice for an anti-aging treatment.

Patchouli Oil

This essential oil contains anti-aging properties that make it more than effective for tightening the skin and combatting the signs of aging. It helps to improve the overall appearance of the skin by making it look plumper and younger. It is also good for fighting against bacteria to significantly improve the appearance of any blemishes you may have.

Rose Geranium

This essential oil can be used to soothe and smooth the skin and can lighten any age spots you have while also evening out your skin tone. It helps with anti-aging because it improves circulation under the skin’s surface and aids in cell regeneration. You can also use this oil to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and slow down the process of aging.

Ylang Ylang

This oil helps your skin regenerate cells much faster and has a toning effect that can help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. It is also good for balancing out the skin’s production of sebum. Ylang Ylang can also help fight off free radicals that are responsible for premature aging.

Frankincense

This is another powerful antioxidant that helps prevent premature aging and improves the skin’s appearance of pores, wrinkles, and scars. Its astringent properties make it ideal for anti-aging and healing.

Lavender

This oil also contains antioxidant properties that effectively rejuvenate the skin and help combat the signs of aging. It also reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is a moisturizer that can aid in rejuvenation by increasing the blood flow to allow nutrients to reach your skin cells.

Meta: Essential oils for anti-aging are more natural treatments you can use and don’t come with the side effects you will find with many over the counter options.

What Essential Oils Should You Be Using?

When it comes time to choose which essential oils to purchase, you really need to determine what their purpose is going to be. Do you want essential oils that can help elevate and lift your mood? Or do you need something you can use topically to treat a burn or another skin condition?

There is no one list that clearly states what essential oil you should use to treat which health condition because many of the oils can accomplish the same thing or even work together to accomplish more.

Types of Essential Oils

Lavender

This is one of the more popular essential oils because it has all kinds of benefits. It has a light floral scent and is good for helping people relax and promotes improved sleep. When used in aromatherapy, it has been found to help alleviate headaches, and when used topically, it can help reduce the swelling and itching you may experience from bug bites or other skin conditions.

Neroli Essential Oil

This essential oil comes from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. It has a sweet scent and is often used in perfumery. When it is used in hair and skincare products, it can help treat oily skin, reduce the signs of aging, and help diminish the appearance of scars and stretch marks. Its scent is calm and relaxing, and when used in aromatherapy, can help alleviate anxiety and relieve insomnia.

Ylang Ylang

This is a flowery essential oil and has a sweet aroma. It has been used to aid in relaxation and can also kill bacteria and lower blood pressure. This essential oil blends well with sandalwood, lemon, sweet orange, and bergamot essential oil.

Frankincense

This has more of a resinous aroma and, when used in aromatherapy, can provide you with a calming effect and can freshen the air. It is a meditative, grounding, and calming essential oil that is also often used in body oils and roll-ons. When used topically, it can help treat dry skin while also reducing the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, scars, and stretch marks.

Tea Tree

This essential oil is well-known for its cleansing and purifying benefits. It has a spicy aroma that is also very herbal. It is commonly used in body oils and scrubs, cleaning sprays, room mists, and is often diffused. This oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

This is just a small offering of some of the more commonly used essential oils you can find. You can find a wide variety of all kinds of conditions at Utama Spice. There is something for everyone – from aromatherapy, beauty products, roll-ons, and more.

Meta: If you are unsure about which essential oils you should be using, you can start with a few of the more common essential oils and then build your collection from there.

How to Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are becoming popular due to the many benefits that can be derived from them. They can be used topically or through aromatherapy or can be added into beauty products you currently use. But how else can you use essential oils and make sure to experience all that they have to offer?

Diffusing Essential Oils

When you use a diffuser, the device disperses the essential oils into the air. A nebulizing diffuser does not use heat or water so when the oils are diffused, their chemical makeup remains the same along with the integrity of each oil. Water can dilute the oils, and heat can take away some of their effectiveness.

You can also inhale the oils directly from the bottle or use a steam method. To do the steam method, you need a bowl of hot water and a towel. Add a few drops of the essential oil you want to use to the bowl of water, place a towel over your head, close your eyes, and breathe in the steam deeply for several minutes. You can repeat this process a few times each day.

Topical Use

Essential oils are often used for skin care and are applied to the skin. However, most essential oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil before they are safe to apply to the skin. If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, you can then apply the essential oils and carrier oil to the areas in which you feel any pain, discomfort, tightness, and tension.

You can also rub the oil into pressure points like your temples and wrists. For congestion, you can apply a few drops around your nose so you can breathe in the aroma.

Bath and Shower

When showering, essential oils can also be added to your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Simply add a few drops. You can also apply a few drops to the shower walls and inhale it in the steam as you shower for some more of its aromatherapy benefits.

If you want to add essential oils to your bath water, dilute a few drops of the oil with a carrier oil of your choice and then add it to the bathwater.

Essential oils have many benefits when they are used correctly and can help you with a variety of conditions from the skin to stress. Always be mindful of their potency and test them out before using them on the skin.

Get Started With Essential Oils Today: What You Need to Know

If you are ready to dive into the world of essential oils, then there are a few things you should know about in order to take full advantage of everything high-quality essential oils have to offer you.

The Basics

When people turn to essential oils, they usually already have a condition or ailment in mind that they want to use the essential oils for. So, with that being said, it is recommended to first focus on a few oils and a few issues at a time as you see what works best for you.

To do this, you also need to be using the oils consistently. You have to use the oils for some time to see how you react and if it is the right oil to treat your condition. Lavender essential oil is one of the more common oils that people start out with because it can be used for several things and in many different ways.

A good quality essential oil can help with congestion, memory loss, pain, inflammation, headaches, and nausea. They can also kill bacteria and viruses while stimulating the immune system. Topical applications can also be used to treat skin issues you may be experiencing as well.

What Oils To Use?

Again, lavender is a good starting oil to use because of its many healing properties for the skin. Once you are comfortable with this oil, you can then branch out to tea tree oil and lemon oil.

• Lavender can be used for calm, balance, and relaxation
• Tea Tree Oil is good for acne and other skin irritations
• Frankincense oil helps to treat dry skin and helps diminish wrinkles and fine lines
• Lemon oil is a natural cleaner and is often used in aromatherapy

How Do You Use the Oils?

Always take the time to educate yourself before using any essential oils. One of the most popular ways to use essential oils is topical. They can be applied to the crown of your head, behind your ears and neck, and to your temples and other pressure points.

It is best to dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil like jojoba, especially if you have sensitive skin or you find that aroma of the oil to be too strong.

Most essential oils cannot be applied directly to the skin without a carrier oil to dilute them. When using essential oils topically, the skin readily and easily absorbs them.

They are also often used in aromatherapy as well. A nebulizing diffuser is one of the best ways to take advantage of the oils without heat or water to cause them to lose any of their strength or integrity.

When you diffuse the oils, they are dispersed around the room in a more effective way. They can help with your memory, cognitive function, and can help you focus. They also provide a soothing effect when you feel stressed out and some essential oils, when diffused, can also help to balance out the body’s hormones.

Meta: It is easy to get started with essential oils when you learn a few of the basics and which oils are good points to start off at.