My Five Favorite Essential Oils and Carriers Oils

Each week I seem to have a new favorite essential oil and carrier oil. I thought it would be fun to share my all-time favorites if I only had five different ones to choose.

Favorite Essential Oils

Cypress - Cupressus sempervirens

Precautions: Generally, cypress is non-toxic, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing. Possibility of skin sensitization if the oil has oxidized.

USES:

Circulation: reduces muscular cramps, edema, increases circulation and lymphatic flow.

Menstruation: reduces dysmenorrhea, menopausal complaints, excessive menstruation, and relieves painful periods.

Mental/Emotional/Nervous System: grounding, calms nervous tension, reduces stress-related conditions, strengthens an overburdened system and restores calm.

Respiratory: reduces asthma, bronchitis, spasmodic coughs, and clears congestion.

Skin: useful for oily and over hydrated skin, excessive perspiration, insect repellant,

bleeding of the gums, varicose veins, and wounds.

Helichrysum - Helichrysum angustifolium Precautions: non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

Uses:

Digestive: stimulating to the digestive system, and reduces acidity.

Emotional: reduces feelings of mental fatigue, anxiety, PTSD, reduces irritability and mental unrest, calming, harmonizing, and grounding.

Immune: supports healthy cellular function.

Musculoskeletal: reduces rheumatism, arthritis, tissue trauma, pain, and sprains.

Respiratory: useful for colds, flu, cough, bronchitis, and asthma.

Skin: reduces blemishes, heals wounds, scars, boils, stretch marks, abscesses, eczema, radiation burns, dermatitis, itchy skin, scratches, and bug bites.

Lavender - Lavandula angustifolia

Precautions: Generally non-toxic and non-irritating. Lavandula angustifolia is safe to use during pregnancy and with children; use in moderation and low dilution (0.5-1% or less).

USES:

Circulation: useful for high blood pressure, and arteriosclerosis.

Digestive: settles colic, flatulence, nausea, and vomiting.

Immune System: immune stimulant; stimulates cellular repair and regeneration.

Mental/Emotional: calming, counters anger and frustrations, panic, and insomnia.

Musculoskeletal: reduces cramps, headaches, inflammation of muscles and joints, muscle and connective tissue pain, spasms and tension, and vein conditions.

Respiratory: reduces bronchitis, colds, asthma, throat infections, and whooping cough.

Skin: useful for acne, eczema, burns, bleeding, insect repellant and bites, infections, scarring, and wounds.

Sweet Orange - Citrus sinensis

Precautions: May cause dermal irritation or sensitization reaction if oxidized. Not my first choice for use in the bath. Safe entire pregnancy; use in moderation at 1% dilution or less. Safe to use with children: but not in the bath, or undiluted, use 0.5-1% dilutions.

USES:

Circulation: increases circulation and lymphatic flow, may reduce heartburn.

Digestive: balancing effect on the peristaltic action of the whole digestive system.

Useful for diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, gastric spasms, and indigestion.

Mental/Emotional: counters anxiety, insomnia, a tonic for the nervous system, cheery, warm, and soothing.

Muscular: reduces tension, spasms, aches, and pains.

Respiratory: reduces phlegm in bronchitis and coughs; good choice for children’s

respiratory complaints.

Skin: nourishing for very dry and dehydrated skin: restores texture and broken capillaries.

Rose Absolute - Rosa damascena

Precautions: Generally non-toxic, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing. Rose absolute is very powerful and contains methyl eugenol; the recommended maximum topical dilution for a healthy adult is 0.6%. Use very low dilutions during pregnancy and for children.

USES:

Circulation: reduces high blood pressure, arrhythmias, heart palpitations, broken

capillaries, and poor circulation.

Digestive: protection against gastrointestinal ulceration, liver congestion, and nausea.

Hormonal/Reproductive: purifying and regulating, used for strengthening the uterus,

regulating menstruation, and relieving cramps. Excellent essential oil to balance PMS and menopausal complaints.

Mental/Emotional: harmonizing effect; reduces anxiety, insomnia, frigidity, headaches,

emotional losses, broken heart, behavioral problems, grief, and sadness.

Respiratory: reduces asthma, coughs, and hay fever.

Skin: suitable for all skin types; especially for mature, dry, sensitive, inflammation,

wrinkles, eczema, and herpes.

Favorite Carrier Oils

Argan - Argania spinosa

Excellent for moisturizing, conditioning, and healing the skin. Used in facial serum, massage oil, hair serum, hand, and cuticle repair, soothes dry elbows, and heels. Excellent for all skin types.

Arnica - Arnica montana

Precautions: should not be used internally and not on broken skin.

Arnica oil is useful as a compress when it is used as soon as possible on injuries with unbroken skin. The main conditions that arnica oil is used for are muscle pain, fractures, bruises, strained muscles, tendons, and swellings.

Calendula - Calendula officinalis

Its anti-inflammatory properties make it useful in preparations for wounds, bruises, ulcers, bedsores, and skin rashes. It is excellent for skincare, particularly in facial serums.

Borage - Borago officinalis

Borage oil is found to have a high level of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that the body uses to manufacture one class of prostaglandin, which increases the protection functions of skin cells, reinforces the skin as a protecting membrane, and can reduce inflammation.

Borage oil is a good choice for face oil blends because of its restorative power for prematurely aged skin, psoriasis, and eczema. It reduces damage and inflammation from ultraviolet rays. Menstrual complaints, PMS, menopausal discomfort, inflammatory conditions, and heart imbalances also seem to benefit from the use of borage oil.

It does have a shorter shelf life and is best refrigerated when not in use.

Jojoba - Simmondsia chinensis

Jojoba oil is very close to the human sebum, an excretion from around the hair follicles. Jojoba has replaced sperm whale oil in cosmetics, creams, mascara, and lipstick for more than a century now. It is useful in cases of inflamed skin, psoriasis, eczema, acne, and is beneficial for hair care. This oil is also added as a natural preservative in blends; due to its resistance to oxidation and antibacterial properties, it has a long shelf life.

Enjoy these blends which combine the essential oils and carriers.

Topical Pain Relief Blend


Makes 1 oz.


Combine the following ingredients into a BPA-free plastic bottle with a flip top:

• 1 oz. arnica oil (Arnica montana)

• 5 drops helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum)

• 4 drops cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

• 3 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Apply as needed to inflamed muscles and joints, or other painful areas.

This essential oil blend can also be used in a soothing Epsom salts bath.

Add the two drops of each essential oil into one tablespoon of dispersant, like jojoba, and add to the running bathwater.

Precautions: DO NOT apply on wounds or cuts. Arnica is not recommended for use in the bath. Not for use with children under twelve years old. Reduce to 0.5-1% dilution of the essential oils during pregnancy.

Facial Serum Blend In a 2-oz. amber glass bottle, with a pump top, mix:

• 1 tablespoon argan (Argania spinosa)

• 1 tablespoon calendula (Calendula officinalis)

• 1/2 tablespoon borage (Borago officinalis)

• 1 teaspoon jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)

Then add, the following essential oils:

• 6 drops sweet orange (Citrus sinensis)

• 5 drops cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

• 3 drops rose absolute (Rosa damascena)

Shake well and apply two to four drops after cleansing the face and using an aromatherapy facial spritzer. *Precaution: During pregnancy reduce the dilution of essential oils to 0.5-1%.

What are your favorite essential oils? We would love to hear from you.