Tag: Sweet Almond Oil

How to Make Your Own Essential Oils

Essential oils are useful for a variety of purposes. They can be used for medicinal reasons or healing of the mind, for example. Most people buy their oils in small bottles ready to be used. However, you can sometimes make your own essential oils.

Sweet almond oil can be used as a base for essential oils. It is best if combined with vitamin E, because this is a natural preservative. To make a small amount of essential oil, use one half cup of the sweet almond oil with vitamin E.

Choose the type of essential oil you want to make. This will usually depend upon what plant materials you have at hand. If you have a rose garden, you might want to make rose oil. With an herb garden, you could make oil of thyme or oil of oregano. If you are making essential oils in winter, you could use citrus peels, such as lemon or grapefruit. To get started making essential oils, take your plant material and put it in plastic bag. Start with a cup of tightly packed flowers. Or, use a quarter cup of packed herbs or chopped fruit peel. Close the bag.

Tap the bag with a hammer or a kitchen mallet to slightly bruise the material. Do this gently so as not to turn your plant matter into mush. You want the oils of the plant substance to be brought out ever so slightly. This is the basis for your essential oils.

Next, it’s time to put the contents of the bag in a wide mouthed jar with the sweet almond oil. Put a top on the jar and shake it gently until all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Make sure the plant matter is saturated. The essential oil will start to form. It takes some time for the essential oils to be extracted from the plant material in this manner. So, leave your jar in a warm place for the rest of the day. This will give the natural oils time to permeate the sweet almond oil.

On the second day, put some cheesecloth over the mouth of a second wide mouthed jar and pour the mixture from the first jar through it and into the second jar. At this point, you don’t need the first batch of plant matter you gathered. Throw it away along with the cheesecloth.

For the next three days, repeat the same procedure, using another cup of flowers or a quarter cup of fresh herbs or chopped fruit. Always strain the mixture from the previous day through cheesecloth into a clean jar. This will assure that your essential oils are pure.

When all these steps are completed, you have made your essential oil. You only need to bottle it and it will be good for six to twelve months whenever you need it. To bottle it, strain it through cheesecloth a final time. Then pour it through a funnel into small, dark bottles. Close the tops with stoppers.

If you do any flower or herb gardening at all, you might be surprised at how many different essential oils you can make. You can put them together from ingredients in your own back yard.

Massage Oils Provide a Therapeutic Effect

Massage therapists know best. They make use of special massage oils to bring forth the feeling of rejuvenation that each and everyone asks for.

The Benefit of the Oils as Employed in Massage Therapy

As used in the science of massage therapy, the oils are the best additions to a relaxing and healing experience. They don’t only bring you into such a relaxing state in the course of the massage session but they trigger healing, so to speak. There is nothing new in the use of oil because it has been practiced since time immemorial. In fact, the great men Plato, Homer, and Socrates had mentioned in their writings the benefits of the oils in assisting in the relief of body pain. The latter is also one of the main reasons why oils are utilized during the execution of massage. Other benefits of which include the enhancement of the skin condition and of course, the improvement of the overall health.

Selecting the Type of Oil to Use

Is there a particular guideline in selecting the oil to be used during the therapy itself? Well, it is best to remember that people’s skin type varies. One kind of oil may be safe for one but it may irritate another person’s sensitive skin. There are also individuals who may not find the scent too pleasing to their sense of smell.

More so, when choosing the oil it is important to get those that are expeller-pressed or cold-pressed. They have gone through an extensive processing so they are known to last longer. Likewise, you may combine the essential oils of your choice but just ensure that they will produce a good scent. Your massage therapist is likely to ask you of your preferred combination.
Different Types of Oil to Use

For massage therapy, you have a wide range of options. Stated below are the various oils that are commonly used.

The sweet almond oil bears the anti-inflammatory components. It is light and applicable generally for many skin types. It works best for people who have dry skin.

The apricot kernel oil is known to employ balance in the skin. It heals the prematurely aging skin too.

The avocado oil is defined as heavy so it is important to dilute it in lighter oil.

The Castor oil is sticky and thick yet is best in drawing out the toxins. It is best used to treat the scar tissue.

Coconut oil has to be warmed first. It treats cracked skin.

Emu oil is good for sore muscles, arthritis, eczema, and bruising.

Grapeseed oil is safe to use because of its non-allergenic components.

Jojoba oil and kukui nut oil contain anti-bacterial elements.

Olive oil provides relief to stiffness due to its warming effect.

The wheat germ oil is high in vitamin E component as well as in the essential fatty acids. It aids in the healing of scar tissue, stretch marks, sun damaged skin, in improving the circulation of the blood, and in treating the symptoms of dermatitis.

Holy oil is best recognized for its molecular structure. It goes deep into the skin.

Hazelnut oil is a best moisturizer which tightens and tones the skin while assisting in the regeneration of the cells and enhancing the capillaries.

Massage oils are simply therapeutic. They don’t only soothe your tired and tight muscles but they are also able to make you feel better emotionally and mentally.