Essential Oils Benefits and Uses - Top 20 UK

February 02, 2023

Essential oils are something that has seen a lot of media coverage, in recent years. From the prices of some oils being subject to the hot debate, to their benefits being covered in exhaustive detail by everyone from doctors to hucksters.

In this article, we're going to break down twenty essential oils, speak about what they can be used for, and how they might be able to help you. We've included a number of these essential oils in ours range of pamper hampers due to their amazing range of uses and benefits, of which you can read about below.

What are the health benefits of essential oils?

There are quite a few health benefits to a number of different essential oils. However, these health benefits are often hyper-specific and focused on a specific range of symptoms.

In a general sense, people consider the main benefit of essential oils to be their use in aromatherapy.

To put it simply - they smell nice, and that can be relaxing.

This relaxation has reduced the presence of stress hormones in your body, leading to knock-on beneficial effects for your health.

There is also some evidence that essential oils can be used to kill bacteria. Generally speaking, this is because bacteria need an oxygen-rich environment to survive, and most essential oils contain very little oxygen.

This is essentially an accidental benefit of essential oils, though it's a good one to bear in mind.

Ultimate List of Essential Oils

There's a wide variety of essential oils out there, from oils that have intense and noticeable benefits to more neutral carrier oil.

In this article, we're going to make sure to speak about every essential oil that we can possibly think of, and share their benefits with you!

What are the potential side effects of essential oils?

There are quite a few different potential side effects of essential oils, particularly if you're dealing with large quantities of undiluted essential oils.

Drowsiness

Most notably, drowsiness, slow and shallow breathing and a coma are some of the most concerning potential side effects.

The concentrated plant extracts within the oils need to be processed out of your system by your internal organs, and your body can use a lot of energy to do that.

As part of this process, it can shut you down a little in order to divert resources to the processing of essential oils.

Rejecting the oil

Other symptoms reflecting the toxicity of essential oils include a persistent cough, vomiting, and skin irritation. These symptoms all indicate the same thing, in a very roundabout sense - that you shouldn't be using that oil in particular.

It could be that your body doesn't react well to, say, lavender essential oil, or it could be that your body doesn't react well to any essential oils at all.

It can be a little tough to know one way or the other, so we would advise taking a step back, and considering things step by step.

Test usages

The best way to avoid any of these negative side effects is to do a small test on a small patch of skin first of all. Dilute the oil in a carrier oil, and then apply topically in a small area.

If there's any sign of itching, swelling, redness, or uncomfortableness, then that oil might not be for you. Try moving on to another one!

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is used for a number of things in aromatherapy and other practices. Typically, it's most commonly recommended for relaxation. Due to this we've included it in our 'help you sleep gift hamper'.

This might be used in aromatherapy to assuage anxiety or stress, or perhaps to help you drift off to sleep very gently. People have long sung lavender's praises for its calming properties, so it's certainly worth a go, at the very least.

Lavender oil topically applied can also reduce breakouts and skin concerns to some extent, though this is less well documented. As we said before, carry out a patch test, and see if it helps.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is used in aromatherapy quite a lot. The primary goal of aromatherapy is to help calm you down and give you a little breathing space. For this result, peppermint oil is certainly effective.

Peppermint oil is also said to reduce some aching in muscles, as with a number of natural remedies.

Peppermint is often combined with other essential oils to achieve another goal. For instance, it is combined with tea tree oil in shampoo quite regularly to ensure clean, healthy hair. Tea tree oil has also been seen to reduce lice in young children afflicted with them.

Plant Therapy Clary Sage Essential Oil

This essential oil in particular is derived from the clary sage plant. It is often diffused to give a space a pleasant earth and floral aroma, or it can be applied to the same end.

The oil itself is also sold as a remedy for a number of menstrual symptoms.

A number of essential oils show mild anti-inflammatory properties, and this is likely the source of the help this oil offers in menstrual health.

Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus oil, of course, comes from the eucalyptus plant. This means that it has that particular aroma, being interestingly earthy and rich.

It has long been used as a natural remedy for coughs and colds, with a number of medicinal salves and balms containing eucalyptus oil as an active ingredient.

Lemon Oil

Of all the essential oils that we're listing out here, lemon oil has an interesting benefit - it is said to ease morning sickness!

Morning sickness is something especially difficult for those that are expecting, and any remedy would be especially welcome.

The drugs that are available for lemon oil are quite hit or miss, though, so it may be the case that lemon oil is worth trying for you!

Rosemary Essential Oil

A slightly odd usage of rosemary essential oil is to improve hair growth.

This is quite rare, even in the shampoo market, but it's easy to see where this would be most commonly used - in those that might suffer from alopecia or different diseases with symptomatic hair loss.

Bergamot Essential Oil

A lot of research points to the powers of rosemary oil, and the unsurprising points agree with the other oils.

Rosemary oil is said to reduce inflammation and increase positive mood. This is quite similar to most other oils, though it's still important to consider.

The thing that makes bergamot oil different from other oils is that it can lower cholesterol levels!

This is something that heart-healthy people are especially conscious of since high cholesterol can lead to hypertension and, in turn, heart disease.

Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang-ylang is a great oil, even among the many essential oils on this list.

It can reduce dress and boost mood, while also reducing the effects of inflammatory problems and reducing microbial growth.

Ylang-ylang is said to smell quite fruity and rich, which makes it a great oil for diffusing in a room! It can be found in our pink pamper hamper!

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

The main headlines of roman chamomile oil are similar to most other oils - it reduces inflammation and boosts mood. Interestingly, though, it can also soothe muscle cramps!

Muscle cramps can be due to a number of things, but occur commonly when the muscle tissue is lacking a certain nutrient, from oxygen (during exercise) to sugar (when you haven't eaten).

Applying a small amount of roman chamomile oil can soothe the cramps a little until you address the root cause.

Cinnamon Essential Oil

Cinnamon is commonly used in aromatherapy to reduce the symptoms of cold and flu. Its mildly spicy scent can help to clear the airways and give you a little relief in those moments.

Cedarwood Oil

Cedarwood oil has a number of great benefits, both for your health and for your home! Primarily, it can be used to treat some skin conditions - helping with acne and irritation.

Interestingly, cedarwood oil can also be used as an insect repellent.

The reason for this is that cedar trees are naturally repellent to moths, so a little sprinkling of cedarwood oil also fends them off.

Coconut or jojoba oil

These oils can function very well as carrier oil when used individually. The reason for this is that they are neutral, spreadable, and typically smell quite nice too.

These are a type of vegetable oil, and more general vegetable oil can also be used.

It's worth pointing out, though, that cooking oil can have a different aroma, even with the addition of a few drops of essential oils - we'd recommend a carrier with a single source, like coconut or jojoba oil.

Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil can work wonders for bacterial infections in the respiratory system.

When it's diffused into a room or passed through a steamer to create scented steam, the benefits are very impressive!

It can clear a nose and reduce infection time very well, so it's certainly worth packing into a care box.

Jasmine Essential Oil Blend

These essential oils benefits come from the jasmine oil itself, which is commonly the active ingredient.

It works very well to decrease and calm menopause symptoms, something that can be tricky to treat as it's so multi-faceted.

Droppers and Accessory Bottles

To get all of the essential oils benefits, you'll need some kind of way to get the oils themselves.

The droppers are a type of accessory bottle designed to help you easily dole out the oils that you're using.

We would recommend making up a batch of oil to be used within a dropper bottle.

For instance, you could add a carrier oil to be most of the bottle, and then add a few drops of essential oil - typically around two to five percent by total volume.

This can then be applied to the skin and used to lower blood pressure, soothe cracked skin, and even reduce muscle pain.

A drawer for your oils

Some kind of drawer or container is ideal for the best essential oils in your collection.

Aromatic compounds in the oils are typically quite volatile, meaning that they can degrade in the presence of light and air.

To avoid this happening when using essential oils, a sealed container is ideal.

Try a rigid plastic container with clasps or clips to seal it shut.

Essential Oil Diffusers

If you won't be applying oils like they're lemon balm, then you might want to diffuse them to get everything essential oils offer.

Using essential oils in this way is ideal for oils like tea tree or peppermint since breathing them can help to clear your airways when you've got a cold.

Where to buy diffusers

You can purchase essential oils all over the place, and get the many benefits of oils nice and quickly.

We would recommend starting with something small, since you'll be able to figure out which oils you like in a small area, rather than accidentally flooding your house with steam you dislike the scent of.

Essential Oil Safety

When considering essential oil safety, the one cardinal rule is to never ingest the oils.

The plant extracts are exceptionally concentrated in the oil, so imbibing the oil can confer too much of a good thing - your body may have trouble processing it quickly.

How many total essential oils are there?

There are more than ninety types of essential oil, and they all have benefits, from their healthiness to their scent.

The many benefits of all oils are hard to categorize, though trying a few out during massage therapy is always a relaxing, engaging time.

What is an essential oil?

Essential oil is, in a sense, a form of tea made with oil instead of boiling water.

The process

Plant leaves, bark, and other items are soaked in a base oil, and over time beneficial compounds can be released.

This results in an oil infused with herbal medicine that can be used for a number of things, from stress relief to wound healing and high blood pressure.

What makes essential oils different from one another?

Two oils can be different in two main ways.

Firstly, they could be derived from different plants, and secondly, they could use different oils to soak out all the compounds in the plant.

What must you always avoid with essential oils?

You must always avoid ingesting essential oils, no matter how tasty they might smell!

While the oils can be good for stress relief and used to reduce anxiety, they can also be toxic when ingested.

For this reason, some treatments that use essential oils for gum disease may involve soaking the gum or applying the oil and then washing it away after a period of time.

What's a good way to get started with essential oils?

A simple reed diffuser can be a great way to get started. You can buy empty ones online, and then use them with small bottles of oil diluted in a neutral carrier oil.

We hope that this article has given you an insight into the wonderful world of essential oils - there's lots to learn, and lots to be gained, too!

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