Essentials oils have been around for many hundreds of years, but it’s only really in recent years that have we fully realised the extent of their amazing ability to heal and soothe us.
These oils are highly concentrated with extracts of herbs, plants and flowers, so they smell totally dreamy, as well as offering gentle relief for symptoms of anxiety, stress and sleep-deprivation, among other things.
As essential oil lovers, we often offer various combinations of oils as part of our yoga classes. Therefore we thought we would go into a bit more detail about our favourite essential oils in case you wanted to find out a little more about them….
Lavender essential oil
In our eyes, lavender oil is a miracle oil.
One of the most popular essential oils today, lavender oil is known for its calming effects as well as aiding with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. So much so that it has been trialed in intensive care units to help lower stress and aid sleep among patients.
As well as its distinct soothing scent, which promotes restfulness and calm, its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties can help heal bites, spots and small burns.
Frankincense essential oil
Often known as the king of essential oils, frankincense has so many benefits and uses.
Typically sourced from the resin of the Boswellia sacra tree, this essential oil has a sweet, woody scent, which is uplifting and energising, and is used in a range of perfumes, skin care products and lotions.
The glory of frankincense essential oil is not just in its scent, however. It has been studied in-depth by scientists for its anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties.
Many thinking it can aid in the protection against breast cancer as well as its use for osteoarthritis and knee pain. Pretty powerful claims to live up to.
Ylang ylang oil
Not only do we love the name of this exotic essential oil (pronounced ee-lang ee-lang), but we also love its intense floral scent and the way it makes our hair feel stronger and shinier when we infuse it into some almond oil and rub it into our scalp.
Ylang ylang oil is extracted by steam distillation of flowers from the ylang-ylang tree and has many amazing relaxing properties. Whether you use it in a diffuser, dilute it with coconut oil for a luxurious massage oil or inhale in a bowl of steaming water, you can feel the benefits of this sensual and calming oil in an instant.
Jasmine oil
Another powerful, yet sweet-smelling oil is jasmine oil. Having been used for hundreds of years in parts of Asia as a natural remedy for depression, anxiety, emotional stress and insomnia, it is now a common ingredient in many massage oils and bath potions for that reason.
Derived from the small, white flowers of the jasmine plant, the oil is also known for its part to play in the art of romance, acting as a natural aphrodisiac, and especially aiding those lovers with a particularly low libido. It’s powers of stimulation can also elevate those with low mood and lethargy.
Peppermint oil
This minty fresh super oil is certainly one of our favourites here at Go Yoga. It can help us to breathe easier when our nose is blocked, or our asthma flares up. It can soothe a niggling headache or a bout of nausea and can even ease our aching muscles after an intense hot yoga flow.
Although the smell is heavenly, peppermint essential oil is pretty intense and is therefore usually diluted quite heavily with a natural carrier oil like coconut oil or almond oil.
Important note: pregnant or breast-feeding women and children should consult their health care providers before using any essential oils.