At Beautifully Nourished, we simply love working with essential oils, plant botanicals and natural skincare ingredients.  We live, breathe and encourage creativity and it is our pleasure to bring you this guide. 

This article explains all you need to know about working with essential oils, their health benefits and how to save money this Christmas by making your own heartfelt gifts for loved ones.  

What are Essential Oils? 

Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. Essential oils can be stored in any part of the plant from flowers, leaves, twigs, roots, buds, stems, and seeds. 

An essential oil is "essential" in the sense that it holds the "essence of" the plant's fragrance. We just love this concept and reinforce the importance of sourcing high quality oils to work with out of

1. Respect for the plant and

2. because the plant oil holds potent healing energy and unique aromatic compounds that give each essential oil it's characteristic essence.  

Essential oils are obtained through distillation methods, such as cold pressing. Once the aromatic chemicals have been extracted, they are combined with a carrier oil to create a product that’s ready and safe for use. 

The way the oils are made is important, as essential oils obtained through chemical processes are not considered true essential oils.

When you work with essential oils, maximum benefits are obtained through the oil's active botanical constituents, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, minerals, and phenols.

How do Essential Oils Work?  

Essential oils can be inhaled or diluted and applied to the skin and can affect the body through several systems and pathways.  

When inhaled, the scent molecules travel from the olfactory nerves to the brain and especially affect the amygdala (the emotional centre of the brain). Molecules inhaled through the nose or mouth can also interact with the respiratory system via the lungs. 

When applied to the skin, they are absorbed and travel around the body via the bloodstream. In this way they can deliver a range of benefits to the body's systems and organs. Absorption is increased by massage, as this increases the circulation in that area of the body. 

One of the many ways essential oils can be highly effective is through interaction with the emotional brain or limbic system. The limbic system is directly connected to the parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, memory, breathing, hormone balance and stress levels. Therefore, a smell can trigger such a powerful emotional response in us. It is also why inhaling certain essential oils can make us feel calmer or more alert, almost instantly - and why we often associate certain smells with memories in a way that does not occur with our other senses.

7 most Common Essential Oils 

Each essential oil has its own unique smell and potential health benefits. 

Katherine tells us that this month  she is " working with myrrh, frankincense, and lavender,  mixing these oils to carrier oil, sweet almond oil and applying to her belly & womb space".

• Peppermint: used to boost energy and aid digestion  

• Sandalwood: used to calm nerves and help with focus 

• Rose: used to improve mood and reduce anxiety 

• Chamomile: used to improve mood and relaxation 

• Tea Tree: used to fight infections and boost immunity 

• Jasmine: used to help with depression, childbirth, and libido  

• Ylang-Ylang featured within Beautifully Nourished's Vitamin ACE Serum: used to treat headaches, nausea, and skin conditions 

• Lavender featuring within our Skin Rejuvenating Night Cream for its restorative and healing properties. 

How to Make Your Own Reed Diffuser

1. Choose a Carrier Oil. 

Carrier oils are often known as base oils as they provide the foundation for your solution. Carrier oils are extracted from various parts of the plant including nuts, seeds, leaves and flowers.

Where possible use unrefined versions of the oils that contain more natural goodness, including vitamins. Carrier oils are needed to dilute essential oils to a safe level that will not irritate the skin. They are mainly made from fatty acids and lipids.

Popular carrier oils include sweet almond, apricot kernel oil (as within Beautifully Nourished vegan moisturiser - Vitamin ACE), borage oil, carrot oil, avocado, coconut, jojoba, evening primrose, hemp oil, rose-hip oil and many more. 

2. Choose the essential oils that you would like to work with (or let them choose you).  If your body is being drawn towards a particular scent, take note!

3.  For every 4 teaspoons (20ml) of carrier oil, drop 10 drops of essential oil into a ceramic bowl and let the two combine.

4. Once you have achieved the volume and fragrance you would like, decant oil into an empty glass diffuser bottle and add the reeds.  You can easily find empty bottles and reeds online, for under £1 with a quick google search.

5. After a few hours, flip your reed sticks upside down back into the bottle.  This helps the oils travel up the sticks and disperse the aroma! Enjoy.

Essential Oils That Can Be Diffused Without Any Potential Risks To Children or Pets

• Cedarwood 

• Fir 

• Grapefruit 

• Lavender 

• Lemon 

• Spearmint 

• Tangerine 

Essential Oils That Should Be Diffused With Caution

• Bay 

• Cinnamon bark or leaf 

• Clove bud or leaf 

• Lemongrass 

• Peppermint 

• Thyme 

Make your Own Massage Oil

1. Choose a Carrier Oil (read above for guide)

2. Choose your Essential Oil (read above for guide)

3. Drop 10 drops of essential oil for every 4 teaspoons (20ml) of carrier oil into a ceramic bowl.

4. Once you have achieved the volume and fragrance you would like to achieve, decant oil into an empty glass bottle and seal. You are now ready for first use! Enjoy.  

*never apply essential oils to broken skin. 

Which Essential Oils Help You Sleep? 

• Lavender Oil 

• Chamomile Oil 

• Sweet Marjoram Oil 

• Bergamot Oil 

• Clary Sage Oil 

• Valerian Oil 

• Sandalwood Oil 

• Ylang Ylang Oil 

• Jasmine Oil 

• Peppermint Oil 

DIY Your Own Cream

Essential oils can be added to  unscented creams and lotions.  Patch test skin before full use to determine suitability for skin sensitivity.  All of Beautifully Nourished's skincare with naturally occurring essential oils is suitable for the most sensitive of skin. 

Essential Oils to Boost Hair Growth 

Peppermint Oil 

Peppermint oil is effective in enhancing hair growth, especially during the anagen (growing) phase. This essential oil increases blood flow to your scalp that may help improve the strength of your follicles. 

How To Use: 

• Mix 2 drops of peppermint oil with a carrier oil of your choice. 
• Massage into your hair and leave it on for about 5 minutes. 
• Rinse off with shampoo and conditioner thoroughly. 

Clary Sage Essential Oil 

The clary sage essential oil holds linalyl acetate that is effective in boosting hair growth. It also strengthens your hair, making it less prone to breakage. 

How To Use: 

• Mix 3 drops of clary sage oil to your favourite conditioner. 
• While you condition your hair, leave it on for at least 2 minutes before you rinse it off. 

Rosemary Essential Oil 

Rosemary oil is effective in improving your hair thickness. It also aids in hair growth. 

How To Use: 

• Mix a few drops of rosemary oil with coconut oil and apply to your scalp. 
• Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse off completely with shampoo and conditioner. 
• 2-3 times of application per week is recommended. 

Different Ways of Using Essential Oils For Sleep 

Before applying the essential oil, we recommend mixing it with a carrier oil like olive, grape-seed, coconut, or sweet almond oil, because your skin may be sensitive to undiluted essential oils. 

• Rub a few drops on certain parts of your body such as your chest, wrist, neck, forehead, hands, or feet.  Pressure points are good spots to include!

• Pour a few drops in an air diffuser, which disperses the fragrance in your room. 

• Put a few drops of essential oils on your hand and rub your palms together before smelling them. 

• Add essential oils to water and spray in your room or your pillow. 

• Pour a few drops along with Epsom salt in your bath before bedtime. 

• Add essential oils to a pot of boiling hot water and inhale the steam coming out of it. You may want to put a towel around your head creating a tent effect, ensuring the steam does not escape. 

What Essential Oils Help with Headaches?

• Lemon: used to aid digestion, mood, headaches and more 

• Bergamot: used to reduce stress and improve skin conditions like eczema  

What Essential Oils Help with Anxiety? 

• Rose: used to improve mood and reduce anxiety 

Are Essential Oils Safe? 

Whether a specific oil is safe for you depends on a number of factors, including your age, underlying health conditions, medication and supplement use. 

When using essential oils, use with care and read the instructions on the label. Misusing essential oils could be harmful. 

Before topical application, you should patch test oils on your skin by rubbing a small drop on the inside of your wrist and letting it sit for 24 hours. If there is no reaction within this time, the essential oil may be safe for you to use.  Patch test essential oils every time before using them on children.  

Essential Oils That Can Be Used With or Without Dilution

• Chamomile 

• Cypress 

• Eucalyptus 

• Lavender 

• Tea tree 

• Rose 

• Sandalwood 

*Neat applications should be done under professional supervision. 

Essential Oils That Must Be Diluted

• Bay 

• Cinnamon bark or leaf 

• Clove bud 

• Citronella 

• Cumin 

• Lemongrass 

• Lemon verbena 

• Oregano 

• Thyme

Essential Oils That Should Never Be Used During Pregnancy, Labour, or While Breastfeeding without Dr Supervision: 

• Camphor 

• Parsley seed 

• Hyssop 

• Pennyroyal 

• Tarragon 

• Wintergreen 

• Wormwood 

Click here for more advice and guidelines.

Summary

Essential oils are an affordable, versatile, and convenient way to improve your health and quality of life. You can use them to relieve pain and cramping, improve respiratory health, and heal skin conditions. They also relieve congestion, promote healthy sleep patterns, and boost your mood.

Now you know how to make your own, why not have a go for yourself? Be sure to tag @officialbeautifullynourished on Instagram and share with us your beautifully nourished creations. 

* All of Beautifully Nourished's Natural Skincare products are naturally occurring in essential oils. 

by Stacey Allpress and Katherine Blake, Beautifully Nourished

Filed Under #Christmasgifts