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Essential oils are becoming increasingly more popular in beauty products which is great for many reasons.  You’re skin and hair isn’t just benefiting, you’re also reaping the benefits of aromatherapy.  Hair loss is especially scary for women and hair loss after pregnancy is not uncommon..

Each essential oil has its own benefits so it’s important to understand what type of skin and hair you have before making your purchase.

Moisturizing your skin is as easy as adding suitable carrier oil into an essential oil that’s appropriate for your skin type and then massaging the combined treatment into your skin.  Massage Orlando is popular.

It’s important to remember that if you have sensitive skin or allergies you can just as easily suffer a negative reaction from natural products as you do synthetic.  If you notice any itching or scratching then discontinue using the product immediately.  If you’re unsure how you will react to an essential oil, test it on a small area first for a few days and see what happens.

If the problem you’re trying to alleviate isn’t going away, the products may not be working. If necessary, consult with a specialist for advice on how to proceed.

Which aromatherapy ingredients to use for skin/hair care and how?

Tee tree and lavender oils are fantastic for with acne. A good carrier oil to mix with these essential oils is grapeseed.  Alternatively you can mix several drops with rose water to create a toner.

Sandalwood oil is effective at reducing some visible signs of aging such as wrinkles and dry skin. Rose oils, neroli, frankincense and geranium oils are also effective in treating mature skin.

For normal skin, try using rose or chamomile essential oils.  If you have dry or sensitive skin, try some chamomile.  You can add theses oils to you normal fragrance-free and use it as normal.  You might even like to add a few drops to your bath water.

Palmarosa oils are commonly used in both skin and hair care products. These oils have moisturising and hydrating qualities and they stimulate cell regeneration.

Used neat or combined with carrier oil, the essential oils mentioned above can be massaged into skin or added to bath water. In addition to mixing essential oils into carrier oils, you can also mix them into creams and lotions containing lanolin as long as these products don’t contain a fragrance. Simply gently massage into skin.

When excess exposure to the sun is a problem, massage affected areas with lavender or chamomile oils blended with carrier oil.

A good final rinse for hair is a mixture of apple cider vinegar, lemon essential oil and water. In a container, mix 4 teaspoons water, 2 teaspoons vinegar and 3 drops lemon oil. Massage into hair and rinse well.

One-half cup dry rosemary leaves mixed with 1/2 cup olive oil makes a good hot oil treatment for hair. Mix ingredients in a pan and heat. Strain. Coat hair with mixture then wrap in plastic for 20 minutes. Wash thoroughly.

No Comments » Posted by April / Beauty

Eczema is a painful, itchy skin condition I wouldn’t want to wish on anybody. There are many causes of eczema with numerous symptoms and treatments. Regardless of the underlying cause however, eczema always affects the epidermis, and it can affect any individual, regardless of genetics, racial background or age.

There are two main types of eczema, the first one is “endogenous eczema” and has no apparent cause. The other type is “eczematous dermatitis” which is caused by allergens.

Scientists are still trying to understand what causes eczema but what is understood is the fact that not all treatments work for all people.

The primary symptoms of eczema include the appearance of itchy red rashes. Sometimes blisters develop and they may seep fluids then crust over. Affected areas often become scaly and thick and sometimes there’s even discoloration. People can find eczema on pretty much any part of their body and each flare up could last an unknown length of time. If you’re eczema appears in the fold of your skin then this will cause extra irritation due to the rubbing.

The most serious risk associated with eczema is infection. Eczema is so itchy that affected individuals sometimes scratch the area until the top layer of skin has been broken. With the skin’s ability to provide external protection from harmful bacteria compromised, bacteria can make its way into the damaged area and cause an infection.

Although it may be fashionable to have long fingernails, it’s best to keep them short to prevent damage to your skin by scratching at it. When children develop eczema, parents are often have them wear soft mittens over their hands to reduce the severity of the itching.

Luckily eczema is not contagious you don’t have to worry about passing it on to anyone..

Eczema treatment will differ based on the type that has been diagnosed. NSAIDS, which are non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen and others, and corticosteroids, drugs that mimic the hormones produced naturally by the adrenal glands, are often prescribed to help reduce the inflammation associated with eczema. Benzocaine can also help reduce inflammation when applied topically. In some cases, antihistamines are prescribed.

Calamine lotion is a popular remedy for keeping the area of skin dry and protected. Wet bandages are also another option. Dermatologists often suggest use of cotton clothing and bedding as this natural fibre cools skin and allows it to breathe.

Shampoos and ointments that contain coal tar additives can help patches of red, itchy skin decrease in size. If you have very severe eczema then you can also try UV light treatment.

No Comments » Posted by April / Beauty

Essential oil, used in aromatherapy as well as perfumes, is extracted from herbs, flowers and fruits in several ways.

# 1 Distillation is the process whereby the flowers or herbs are placed on a screen within an enclosed vessel. As the steam passes up through the flowers it breaks open the cells which include the essential oils. The oil evaporates and is carried up with the water droplets within the steam. As the water condenses it is collected. The oil is lighter than water is separated. It can take several hundred pounds of roses for example, to extract one ounce of rose essential oil. Making essential rose oil one of the most expensive essential oils. The water that is left has uses and retains the scent of the material.

# 2 Cold pressing is another method. This is used to extract essential oils from citrus fruits. The fruit is scared (pricked) over it’s surface releasing the oil from the pouches within the skin of the fruit. The whole fruit is pressed then releasing the oil and the juice. The oil rises to the top of the juice and separated by centrifugation.

# 3 Flowers such as jasmine and tuberose are so delicate or have such a low amount of essential oil that heating the blossoms by steam would destroy the petals before the oil is released. Enfleurage is time consuming and expensive. However it is the one method that can be performed at home. Flower petals are placed on trays of odorless vegetable or animal fat. The fat absorbs the oil from the flowers. Every day the old petals are removed and replaced with fresh ones. This process continues until the fat is saturated with the essential oil. For home uses the highly scented oil/fat can be used as is. For commercial perfumes adding alcohol to the enfleurage mixtures separates the essential oil from the vegetable of animal fat.

# 4 Solvent extraction is less time consuming than enfleurage. A chemical such as hexane is used to saturate the plant materials and draw out the essential oils. The oils and the hexane form a compound called a concrete. Alcohol mixes with the concrete and as the alcohol evaporates it takes the hexane with it and the remaining substance is essential oil. The disadvantage is that it is nearly impossible to remove all the hexane.

Not all essential oils are nice.  Us humans find that citronella oil is very pleasant but dogs don’t.  This is why you can buy a citronella spray collar for dog training purposes.

• Perfume – Sells a variety of perfumes and makeup at discount prices.  All products 100% genuine.

No Comments » Posted by April / Beauty