PEOPLE | CULTURE | HAPPENINGS
IN AMERICA’S holistic health scene, essential oils have become synonymous with
wellness. More and more stores, from health food to big box, have made space for
tiny, amber-colored bottles stamped with plant names like jasmine and chamomile,
and more obscure ones like mugwort and bergamot.
They are used for aromatherapy and a myriad of ailments including congestion,
stress, insomnia, depression, acne, skin inflammation, burns and even allergies.
Although not new, they’ve become the rage. So what’s all this essential oil buzz really
about?
Essential oils, which differ from fragrance oils, are pure plant extracts. Seeds, bark,
stems, roots, flowers and other parts are distilled or evaporated, leaving a tiny amount
of potent liquid — the “essence” of its mother plant. The idea is to take what a plant
uses to keep itself attractive, healthy and disease-free and harness those qualities in our
own lives.
Lauren Jones is convinced of the beneficial use of essential oils — so much so that she
launched her own brand last year with the idea of helping people minimize their exposure
to harmful chemicals. She was a regular vendor at the Wrightsville Beach Farmers Market
in 2017.
“Many of the recipes and formulas were developed for personal use over the years of my
disappointments with manufactured product ingredients, frustration with adult acne, and
desire to live a more natural and balanced life,” Jones says.
Oils can be diffused in the air, applied topically, and incorporated into baths or massages.
They’re commonly used for aromatherapy with the idea that by stimulating olfactory receptors
in the nose, they send messages through the nervous system to the part of the brain that controls
emotions, and from there do good things like enhance mood or relieve anxiety.
Jones uses patchouli in the fall and winter because it is considered an earthy and warming scent;
cooling peppermint is for summer; and she says lavender is good for relaxation and to reduce stress.
In addition to aromatic purposes, many make use of essential oils with antiseptic properties, including tea
tree and the lesser-known helichrysum, as first aid for stings, burns, infections and other skin conditions.
With a reputation as a cure-all, tea tree essential oil is an antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral,
balsamic, cicatrizant, expectorant, fungicide, insecticide, stimulant, and sudorific substance with a lengthy
list of uses from curing athlete’s foot to repelling insects.
Jones uses oils with antibacterial properties when creating recipes for products like dry skin salves and
deodorant. For the latter she uses lemon, oregano and tea tree as the base, and adds scents based on seasons
and uses. All three oils provide a refreshing, herbal fragrance while preventing odor-causing bacteria.
More than making potatoes and meat delicious, antioxidant-rich rosemary is one of the most powerful essential
oils. It has a variety of health and beauty benefits.
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A natural approach to health and wellness
The Essentials of Essential Oils
By ASHLEY JOHNSON