Enchanting Essential Oils: Guest Post from Angela at Keeping It Well with Ang

Welcome to our final guest post for April 2016!

Don’t miss being part of the Facebook group that Angela and I have created to share our mission of Wellness For All. It is our goal to make wellness “the new norm” while reclaiming our time, energy and joy. I talked about it some earlier this week in my post here, so check that out and join the group!

We’d love to hear what you have to say about wellness!

Here’s Angela…

Chances are, if you’ve spent any time at all on Facebook and/or Pinterest, you have already read plenty about the benefits of lavender, peppermint and tea tree essential oils. As an essential oil enthusiast, and someone that spent 6 years peddling goods in a health food store, I can officially say I am a little bored and underwhelmed with these basic 3.

Are they handy oils to have on hand?

Yeah! Of course!

They are essential to the EO medicine cabinet.

However, today I want to express my love of 3 essential oils that are euphoric, intoxicating and way more exciting than the basics.

For the sake of being thorough, I will give you a quick rundown of the 3 basic oils in case you need a reminder of how they can be used.

• Lavender Oil: a floral scent that relaxes and calms the spirit. Can be used to soothe stress, anxiety, lower blood pressure and alleviate pain from arthritis, rheumatism, headaches and migraine.

• Peppermint Oil: can relieve fatigue and improves concentration. Also used commonly for digestive issues. When nauseated, sniffing straight from the bottle can settle the stomach.

• Tea Tree Oil: anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal effects.

So…quick fact!

There are at least 120 different essential oil compounds. Some are used for perfumes, others are used medicinally and some should only be used with the guidance of a certified, well trained aromatherapist.

The oils that we read most often about in mainstream media today only skim the surface of what is available. So, with this post, I’ve chosen to share the enchanting stories of 3 beautiful oils that I just adore:

• Jasmine, the Divine
• Neroli, the Exotic
• Ylang Ylang, the Maiden.

These 3 ladies are intriguing, uplifting and perfect to have in your natural perfume arsenal.

If you notice, I often refer to oils as if they have souls, he/she, girls/boys, etc. This is because I truly believe them to be living things.

No, I don’t think they are people like you and me, but high quality oils come from living plants. Those plants have a spiritual essence that contributes greatly to our existence if we use them with respect. They are truly a gift from God and magical things can happen if you submit to adopting them into your life as “helpers.”

Ok, I know I am cheesy…….so let’s move on…

Back to the 3 beauties with heavenly scents!

This gorgeous trio, although having very unique scents from one another, share several commonalities with one being the seductiveness of them.

They are all considered aphrodisiacs.

Additionally, each one can be used to uplift the spirits and combat depression, or used as antiseptics and for their sedative qualities.

I could go on and on, but, ultimately, that could turn into a book. So, for the sake of keeping this post simple, I’ve chosen to focus on the skin conditions these oils can be beneficial in healing and how to use them.

Let’s get to it!

Jasmine, originally a native of Persia and Kashmir, has a strong heavenly scent often associated with romance and femininity. However, this EO is often called the “King of Oils” because of the animalistic quality it possesses. Jasmine is perfect to be added to your aromatherapy jewelry so its intoxicating scent can be enjoyed as a “perfume.”

For skin health jasmine can be used to nourish dry, brittle or dehydrated skin. Use with caution as it can be too much for “cracked” skin or open wounds.

To use​: ​Jasmine can be a strong scent and should be used sparingly. For the simplest application I suggest adding 1-2 drops into an ounce of carrier oil, blend and then blot lightly onto face. This mixture will give you several applications. Store in an airtight, preferably dark, container.

Neroli is an EO derived from the fragrant flowers of the orange blossom tree. Its scent is sweet with floral notes, and it is also quite strong. Neroli originated in Western India, Eastern Africa and the Himalayas.

Interestingly enough, the Spaniards brought the tree back to St. Augustine, Florida, in the mid 1500’s. Neroli helps improve skin health by regenerating and keeping your skin elastic, preventing the appearance of stretch marks, banishing acne, reducing the appearance of scars, and helping heal broken capillaries.

To use: ​Wet a cotton ball (with water) then apply a couple drops of oil to cotton and rub over face or add to your favorite skin cream.

Ylang Ylang.

Don’t you just love saying that? Ylang ylang!!

Ylang ylang actually means “flower of flower,” and this fun EO is a native of Indonesia. My favorite way to use YY is massaged into the scalp for healthy, shiny hair. Ylang ylang is extremely beneficial for skin that has sebum irregularities by normalizing the skin’s sebum production.

Ylang ylang also has the ability to inhibit microbial growth in wounds. Basically, it protects wounds from infections from bacteria, virus and fungus. It also helps to speed up the healing process of the wound.

To use: ​You can use YY “neat” (meaning directly on the skin) or you can use it similarly to the other oils mentioned in this post.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to share my joy of essential oils with you all!

I hope you learned something new and that you are inspired to create your own EO perfume or experiment with one or two of these oils to improve your skin health.

If you are still unsure what to do with this trio, I have put together 3 insanely gorgeous recipes over at Keeping It Well With Ang! Click here!

Annnnnnnnndddddd…

If you need quality natural and organic products, Lula Well is the way to go. I have an amazing day moisturizer from Angela’s shop that I will tell you all about in the coming weeks! Let’s just say it smells fabulous and makes my skin super happy…and it’s age-defying!!! Everything this over 40, working mom of 2 is seeking!

Angela is a mom and wife with a passion for natural and organic products and a dream to help other women achieve wellness. With over 1o years of experience in the Wellness Industry, Angela uses her wealth of knowledge to build her online shop, Lula Well. Check it out here!

Thank you so much to Angela from Keeping It Well!

I can’t wait to get my jasmine, neroli and ylang ylang oils from Angela’s online shop (right here!) so that I can make those great recipes she’s so graciously offered. My first step will be to add these yummy scents to my aromatherapy bracelets and pendants!

Need your own aromatherapy jewelry? Click here to check out my shop.

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