Misty Mountain Top Guide to Essential Oils

 

Essential Oils are the essence of the plants from which they are derived. These oils are usually extracted by steaming, cold pressing, or enfleurage. The plant matter from which these oils are removed can be flower, leaves, bark, roots and seeds.

Removing the oils through steaming is accomplished by releasing steam into a chamber of plant material, the steam releases the oils and when condensed the oil forms a film on top of the cooled water to be separated into oil and floral water or distillate.

Cold pressing is usually used when extracting the oils from citrus like orange, grapefruit, and bergamot. The fruits skin where the oils are stored is punctured and the fruit is squeezed removing the oils, the juice and the pulp. Like steaming the oil will float on top of the juice and it can then be separated.

Enfleurage is reserved for the very delicate flower like jasmine due to its large cost and the amount of time to the process. The flowers are soaked in a bath of vegetable oil for as long as one day, then replaced with new ones until the oil can absorb no more essence. Alcohol is then added to the mixture, once the alcohol has evaporated only the oil will remain.

 

Bergamot — a light fruity citrus, can be encouraging, balancing; and also is used for treating acne, psoriasis and eczema.

Cedarwood — sweet and woody, it can be calming, meditative as well as aid in treating oily skin, hair and dandruff.

Eucalyptus — camphorous, can clear your sinuses, invigorate you, a treatment for acne, slow healing wounds and insect bites.

Grapefruit — fresh and sweet, it can be soothing, renewing and help with oily skin and hair.

Jasmine — a rich floral, can be an aphrodisiac, a confidence booster, balancing to your skin, and also help with dry, irritated or inflamed skin.

Lavender — soothing floral, is known to be calming, uplifting, deodorizing and detoxifying to all skin types.

Lemongrass — strong, fresh, lemony, can be uplifting, refreshing, a natural insect repellant, it is an excellent cleanser and astringent for oily skin also tightens large pores.

Orange — a sweet citrus, can be uplifting, improve concentration, also skin softening, can stimulate circulation, and soothing to dry and irritated skin.

Peppermint — fresh and minty, can be stimulating, reduce swelling, and heal blemished skin, also known for strengthening the skins natural defenses.

Petitgrain — a fresh floral, can be hypnotic, revitalizing, and used for tightening and cleansing of the skin.

Rose Geranium — a sweet floral, can be uplifting and balancing, a natural insect repellant, may be beneficial for inflamed or irritated skin.

Rosewood — a sweet and woody fragrance, that may help relieve tiredness, nervousness, and is excellent for treating dry skin.

Sandalwood — rich and woody, it can be harmonizing, an aphrodisiac, also is effective in treating itchy and inflamed skin.