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How to use an essential oil ?

 

Use : the 3 main principles

Essential oilsEssential oils There are a thousand and one ways to use an essential oil. You'll benefit from its therapeutic qualities combined with fresh, enchanting or deep fragrances.... your imagination will do the rest !

Examples of uses:

  • Pure (linens, diffusers)
  • Diluted in alcohol, vinegar, liquid soap, etc.
  • Added to vegetable oils to create your own massage oil 

Different ways of using them

Essential oils are primarily used externally. For internal use, the advice of a qualified aromatherapist is recommended, for reasons of dosage and the potential toxicity of certain oils.

Here are the 6 main ways in which essential oils can be used :


Oral useOral use

Must be diluted on a carrier. Advice must be sought from a health professional.

Some essential oils can be used internally, for example: to aid digestion (Roman chamomile, basil, orange), to stimulate the body's defences (tea tree, ravinstara, eucalyptus radiata). They should never be taken undiluted or applied directly to the tongue. To dilute and incorporate essential oils evenly, mix them well with vegetable oils, honey, yoghurt or neutral tablets. They can also be used in your cooking (for AB-certified essential oils). 1 to 2 drops are all you need to give your dishes an original, long-lasting fragrance. Be sure to follow the precautions for use given on the essential oils' technical data sheets.



Application by massage or compressMassage

Use pure or diluted, depending on the oil. Essential oils have a remarkable ability to penetrate the skin. They must be diluted in a vegetable oil before use. Depending on skin tolerance, dilution can vary greatly from one essential oil to another.

Average dosage : 10 to 50 drops of essential oil(s) in 100 ml of vegetable oil.

Exception: certain oils such as lavender, geranium and tea tree can be applied directly to the skin.

Local application or rubbing : Essential oils can be applied locally, by gentle massage or rubbing: ideal for relieving muscles after exercise, eliminating orange peel skin, restoring elasticity and suppleness to the skin...

Essential oils can also be used as cosmetic active ingredients. They can be added to some of your 'homemade' cosmetics. Add cold, at the end of preparation, up to 2% for a "face" treatment or 5% for a "body" treatment.



Use in the bathIn the bath

15 to 20 drops of essential oil(s) added to the bath water (180 litres) is one way of combining the useful with the pleasurable. Caution: never add pure essential oils to the bath: dilute them in a tablespoon of milk or other dispersant (e.g. coarse salt, vinegar, honey, egg yolk --> see our paragraph at the bottom of the file). Do not use peppermint essential oil in the bath: risk of thermal shock.



Use by broadcastingAtmospheric diffusion

Diffusing essential oils is undoubtedly one of the best ways to purify the atmosphere at home or at work. Using a suitable diffuser or mister, you can vaporise the essential oil or blend of essential oils without any thermal effect and therefore without any risk of altering the active ingredients of the essential oil.

Other tips : a few drops on a handkerchief, a few drops on a pad inserted in the car's ventilation system...

About an hour's diffusion a day can rid rooms and working environments of unpleasant odours and infectious germs. It's also a natural way of repelling insects in summer and pleasantly perfuming the atmosphere.



Inhalation useInhalation

A few drops of essential oils in a bowl of hot water are enough to obtain the desired effect, as they diffuse locally. 2 to 3 drops of eucalyptus, Scots pine, tea tree or thyme essential oils to clear the respiratory tract. To tone and cleanse the skin, use hyssop, geranium, etc. in a facial sauna.



Use on a compressUse as a compress

Using essential oils in compresses gives good results when applied locally. To soothe, calm inflammation and heal small wounds, superficial cuts and light burns. Dilute a few drops of essential oil in a vegetable oil, then apply the mixture to a warm, moistened compress.

AB certified

 

Certified organic pure and natural essential oils

Be careful when buying essential oils. Some unscrupulous retailers offer plant essences, concentrates and natural perfumes. The only real guarantee that an essential oil is genuine, pure, natural and certified organic is its certification. All the essential oils sold on our site carry either the AB label or a certified organic origin.

Massage : good for the body

Massage is the quickest way to enjoy the benefits of an essential oil. Use it mixed with vegetable oil such as sweet almond. Some oils can be applied pure to the skin, but most must be diluted. Observe the precautions for use indicated for each essential oil, such as basil (max 0.5%). A skin test, in the crease of the elbow, can be carried out to check your own sensitivity to a given essential oil.

To create your own massage oil, unless contraindicated, the recommended concentration of essential oils is :

  • Facial oil : 1 to 2% (20 to 40 drops for 10 cl)
  • Body massage oil : 2 to 5% (40 to 100 drops for 10 cl)
  • Skin care oil : 5 to 8% (1 to 1.5 teaspoons per 10 cl)

Using of a massage oil :

It is important to massage in the essences thoroughly. In this way, the aromatic principles will produce their full effect.

  • On the solar plexus, to vitalise and regenerate your strength.
  • Along the spine, on the soles of the feet or on the wrists for relaxation.
  • The stomach and belly for all those little problems of bloating and flatulence.
  • In the lower back for aphrodisiac massages...

But essential oils can also be used for :

  • Respiratory tract inhalation : a few drops of oil (2 for mint) in a bowl of water at 45° while breathing deeply.
  • Gargling : 1 to 2 drops in a glass of boiled water (do not swallow).
  • Skin care : add a few drops of oil (2%) to your skin care cream.
  • Hair care : add 20 drops of essential oil to a glass of shampoo.
  • In the shower : apply 3 to 4 drops to a damp glove and rub over your body. 

Change the atmosphere in each room

Personalise your home and create a journey dedicated to awakening all your senses. It's so easy, all you need to do is :

  1. A few drops of essential oil to revive the aroma of potpourri or dried flowers. Spread oil-soaked cotton wools around the room.

  2. Air freshener : Dilute 1 to 2% of essential oils in alcohol (vodka would be very effective, but 90° alcohol will also do!). You can add distilled water in any proportion you like. The more water you add, the faster the mixture sinks and the wetter it becomes. Do not exceed 10% water. In our air fresheners, it should be around 5%.

  3. Diffuse essential oils using special aromatherapy diffusers. This regular practice rids the air of pathogenic germs and prevents microbial illnesses by boosting the immune system.

  4. Diffuse oils using a perfume burner : Put a little water in the dish of the perfume burner, light the candle underneath, and pour a few drops of essential oil into the water. As the water heats up, the oil floats to the surface and evaporates into the air, banishing unpleasant odours and creating a feeling of comfort and well-being.

  5. Diffuse oils using an indoor diffuser (sponge) : Protected in its jar, it can be placed anywhere (home, office, car, etc.). Simply open it to breathe and enjoy the benefits of essential oils at any time.

  6. Diffuse oils using a light bulb ring : placed on an electric light bulb or suspended, the terracotta ring soaks up essential oil and releases it when the bulb heats up. Very fast-acting but brief, it immediately eliminates unpleasant odours Simply pour a few drops of essential oil onto the light bulb whenever you feel like it and switch on the light.

  7. Diffuse essential oils in your car using our special car diffusers. The arôma Car (plugged into the cigarette lighter) or the ceramic diffuser that you attach to the ventilation grille. 

How do you choose your essential oils ?

Personalise your home and make a journey dedicated to awakening all your senses. It's as simple as that :

A few drops of essential oil to revive the aroma of potpourri or dried flowers. Spread oil-soaked cotton wools around the room. 

Micro-diffusion (also known as nebulisation)

Micro-diffusion is still the most effective method of diffusing essential oils (no change to the chemical structure). Compressed air transforms the essential oils into millions of ionised micro-particles that fill the room in a few seconds. Not just the aroma, but the entire oil is diffused in a very fine mist that resembles an aerosol. It is only by using this method that all the properties of the essential oils are released into the air. Discover all our models of microdiffusion diffusers

Some ideas for blends

  1. Calm and restful for your children's bedroom : mandarin combined with lavender.
  2. Clean and fresh for your kitchen : lemon and bergamot.
  3. A warm ambience for your living room : a blend of lavender and orange.
  4. For your bedroom, opt for an exotic and promising blend : ylang-ylang and bergamot...
  5. To keep flies and mosquitoes away : eucalyptus and lemongrass 

Personalise your everyday life with essential oils

A few drops of essential oil

  1. On your clothes and household linens, in your toilet bag, your shoes and your mail
  2. On cotton wool in your car glove compartment
  3. On a cloth that you put in your tumble dryer
  4. Added to your washing machine softener 

The aromatic bath

A bath (whole body, feet, hands, etc.) with essential oils will bring you well-being and relaxation. Their primary virtues are to relax and eliminate the stresses that often block the body's vital functions. But be careful : most essential oils are not naturally water-soluble, so they are difficult to incorporate into bath water. Don't use surface-active products (such as liquid soap), which solubilise the lipids contained in essential oils, making them water-soluble.

These foaming baths act as detergents and attack the epidermis, stripping it of its protective film and chemically destroying the original composition of the essential oil and altering its active ingredients.

Several solutions are available to make it easier to dilute essential oils in water, without altering their properties. Whichever method you use, allow about ten drops of essential oil to be mixed with the product and then poured into the bath water.

  • Dispersants or neutral bases can be used to incorporate 5-10% essential oils :
  • Coarse salt : pour the essential oils onto 50g of salt.
  • Cider vinegar : dilute the essential oils in a cup of vinegar.
  • Milk : dilute the essential oils in 1/4 litre of milk
  • Egg yolk : dilute the essential oils in the egg yolk (exclude the white).

Choose your essential oil :

  • Cellulite : Grapefruit, Cypress, Lemon, Rosemary
  • Circulation : Cypress, Lemon
  • Insomnia : Lavender, Orange, Mandarin, Ylang-Ylang
  • Stress : Cedarwood, Pine, Ylang-Ylang 

Essential oils and children

Essential oils are very powerful. They should be used in moderation and in compliance with the precautions for use relating to each of them. It is forbidden to use essential oils on children under the age of 3. Some manufacturers even indicate up to 7 years. From the age of 3, divide all doses by two or three to be on the safe side. As a precaution, use gentle essential oils such as citrus or diffuser synergies specially designed for children. (example: our Children's dreams synergy). 

Essential oils for winter

Winter is coming, and with it its colds, coughs, sinusitis, etc. Essential oils can help you to combat all those little "aches and pains" that are often not very serious, but really annoying. You can use these oils for diffusion, inhalation and massage. For greater effectiveness, don't hesitate to mix them together. Beware of overdosing: an inhalation with more than 10 drops becomes very difficult to breathe, especially with eucalyptus! A mixture that we find particularly effective as an inhalation, for all problems with blocked noses, colds, etc., is a mixture of Eucalyptus + Scots pine + Tea tree (you can use eucalyptus globulus or radiata, which is milder).

  • Antibacterial : Basil, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Lavender Aspic, Peppermint, Niaouli, Palmarosa, Scots Pine, Ravensare, Rosemary, Tea Tree.
  • Cough suppressants : Cypress, eucalyptus.
  • Antiviral : Lemon, Eucalyptus, Lavender Aspic, Peppermint, Niaouli, Palmarosa, Ravensare, Tea Tree.
  • Expectorant : Eucalyptus, Lavender Aspic, Niaouli, Scots Pine, Ravensare, Rosemary.
  • Mucolytics : Eucalyptus, Rosemary. 

The 8 main categories of essential oils

To make it easier to identify the main family for which an essential oil can be used, Laboratoire Gravier, our main supplier, has designed small pictograms that can be found on each box depending on the intended use. Here they are :

Essential oil category Relaxation


- Bergamot (citrus bergamia)

- Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

- Lavender (lavandula angustifolia)

- Lavandin super (lavandula hybrida)

- Green mandarin (citrus reticulata)

- Sweet orange (citrus sinensis)

- Bitter Orange (citrus aurantium ss amara)



Essential oil category Digestion



- Tropical basil (ocimum basilicum)

- Marjoram (origanum majorana)



Essential oil for circulation and body



- Altas cedar (cedrus atlantica)

- Lemon (citrus limon)

- Cypress (cupressus sempervirens)

- Italian helichrysum (helichrysum italicum)

- Grapefruit (citrus paradisi)



Essential oil - Tonic category



- Cinnamon (cinnamommum zeylanicum)

- Peppermint (mentha piperita)



Purifying category essential oil



- Clove (eugenia caryophyllus)

- Oregano (origanum compactum)

- Ravintsara (cinnamommum camphora)

- Tea tree (melaleuca alternifolia)

- Thyme with thymol (thymus vulgaris)



Essential oil category Miscellaneous



- Lemongrass (cymbopogon winterianus)

- Geranium (pelargonium asperum)

- Patchouli (pogostemon cablin)

- Clary sage (salvia sclarea)

- Ylang (cananga odorata)



Essential oil category Pain/Joints

- Eucalyptus citriodora (eucalyptus citriodora)

- Gaultherie wintergreen (gaultheria fragrantissima)

- Juniper (juniperus communis)



Essential oil category Pain/Joints



- Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus globulus)

- Eucalyptus radiata (eucalyptus radiata)

- Niaouli (lelaleuca viridiflora)

- Camphor rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis)

- Scots pine (pinus sylvestris)



Please note : the information contained on this page is for information purposes only. It has been taken from scientific works by recognised authors and does not under any circumstances constitute medical information or incur the liability of Penn'Ty Bio. For any use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes, please consult a specialist in essential oils. 

Measurements and concentrations

  • Essential oils are highly active concentrates. It is therefore important to respect the doses, down to the last drop. Moreover, beyond a certain quantity, there is a plateau effect and the effects no longer increase in proportion to the dose.
  • 20 drops = about 1 ml
  • 100 drops = about 5 ml or 1 teaspoon
  • 1 tablespoon = about 20 ml

You can obtain a concentration of around 1% by putting :

  • 1 drop in 1 teaspoon
  • 4 drops in a tablespoon
  • 20 drops in 10 cl