How to use essential oils

[nickymanley]

I am interested in learning more about essential oils and their healing purposes. I know that you are meant to dilute most oils in a carrier oil for massage, you can add a few drops to a bath, or to hot water for inhalation purposes. How do you use them as an expectorant or as an infusion though? Also, I have read that certain oils (such as bergamot, tea tree, lemon, lime and caraway seed) are good for acne but surely you don't want to mix them in a carrier oil and then put them on the skin as this would make the spot worse? Please help!

[Jules001]

IThere are loads of books on this subject, I would think some of them would be available in your local Library, failing that, some of them are published by Parragon and are sold fairly cheaply in places like supermarkets or Woolworths

[Essence Lady]

I don't know much about aromatherapy beyond air freshener plug-ins, but I recently visited a site that does guides on aromatherapy - http://www.gaiafilms.co.uk. 

[clairelb]

Hi

If this is something you're really interested in learning about then I'd recommend a book called the 'Fragrant Pharmacy' by Valarie Ann Worwood.  You'll be able to get it from most large bookshops and it's not too expensive.  It details all the basic aromatherapy oils, their uses and how to use them.  It's also explained really simply, so you won't get baffled by science.  As for spots, if they're isolated, then just dab a bit of neat tea tree oil on it as it has anticeptic properties and is quite drying.  As for using carrier oils, some are suitable for use with spots, it's just a matter of using the right carrier oil with the right aromatherapy oil and sometimes it's necessary to mix with other things such as an alcohol solution (vodka is good for this!). 

Good luck, hope you enjoy it.

[Becci_0927]

I know that essential oils do help for spots. As you said carrier oil may make them worse.
You can buy some base cream and add the oils to that and use that as a face moisturiser. A few oils are best not used neat on the skin. You can add drops to water or if wanting to apply oils to skin put a few drops on a cloth.
As the other people who have answered have said there are lots of books on essential oils and how to use them.

[platts]

I agree with clairlb - I have The Fragrant Pharmacy, and it is by far the best book on the subject that I have come across. It doesn't have all the pretty pictures that the other books tend to have, but it entirely makes up for it by being crammed with information.

Everything I have tried from this book works - including getting rid of greenfly(!).  The first thing I tried from it was afer I had had a wart on my thumb for 2 years. It was a dirrrty great wart and I would hide my hands so no one would see it! Anyway, I tried the method in this book, which is basically putting lavender oil on it, and 2 weeks later it was gone. That was 3 years ago and I haven't had one since.

Sorry to bang on about it so much, but there aren't many things that I feel so strongly about...!

[nickymanley]

Thanks guys - will definitely try "Fragrant Pharmacy" - I look forward to learning all about different oils and their effects - it's amazing how much they can help/cure problems!