Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the practise of applying essential oils to achieve physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Dating back over 5000 years, essential oils have been used for methods of healing since the existence of the Egyptian Pyramids.

What exactly are essential oils? The rising popularity and increased usage of essential oils in the Western world is evident most often in cosmetic practices. Essential oils are the highly concentrated and extremely potent aromatic essences of plants. They are derived from a variety of flowers, herbs, bark and leaves from around the world. Although they are called oils, their actual consistency is not oily. In fact, essential oils are quickly and easily absorbed into the skin.

There are multiple uses for essential oils, ranging from stimulating circulation and preventing hair loss to opening up nasal passages and preventing headaches. At Pretty, our products are based specifically on the practise of using aromatherapy to heal and balance the skin. There are so many uses for oils as each one has its own unique properties and therapeutic uses.

I like to keep an "emergency" kit of essential oils with me that include the following pure essential oils:

Lavender oil for headaches, burns, bug bites, and sore muscles.
Peppermint or eucalyptus oil for migraines, bug bites, itchy rashes, fatigue, congestion.
Tea Tree oil as a natural disinfectant (antibacterial and antifungal). It's also great for bug bites, scratches, and scrapes.
Roman Chamomile for relaxation, easing sore muscles, and as an antispasmodic.

We do encourage you to try making some of your own products by combining pure essential oils. The following recipe is a great one to try: it helps to calm the mind and relieve insomnia.

Insomnia Recipe

Ingredients:

10 drops Roman Chamomile
5 drops Clary Sage
5 drops Bergamot
2 drops Lavender

Directions: Blend the oils well in a clean dark-colored glass bottle. Add 1-2 drops to a tissue and place inside your pillow to aid you in falling asleep. Or if you have an essential oil diffuser, you can add this combination to the diffuser for an hour prior to bedtime.

We would love to hear and share some of your recipes or usages for essential oils.


W.L at Pretty Organic Cosmetics

Pretty Obsession: James Wong

Lately, I've been obsessed with ethnobotanist James Wong, the author and television host of Grow Your Own Drugs. He's got plenty of tips on how to take care of yourself through herbs and natural remedies.

He mentions how to use plants, herbs and flowers to deal with common issues such as colds, coughs and stomach pains. For example, in a recent episode, James mentions how to harvest the power of flower petals to make luxurious beauty products. He simply turns chamomile flowers into a gentle milky bath, then uses rose petals to make a soothing leg wax treatment. It's amazing what one can do with everyday flowers.

Here are some face care recipes that the staff at Pretty Organic Cosmetics love:

The first one is relatively simple: a Honey and Egg Mask. All you need to do is add 1 table spoon of honey to an egg. Mix them well and apply the mask to your face around bed time. After the mask has dried, wash your face with water. By applying twice a week, you will find your pores tighten, wrinkles are reduced and skin feels more supple.

The Apple Mask. Get half an apple and crush it with green clay (like the Pretty Treatments Masks!). Then add in 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tsp of flour. Mix well, then apply on clean skin. Keep it on for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water. This Apple Mask helps to revitalize skin cells by increasing cell turnover.

Yogurt, Banana and Honey mask can help tighten pores and peel off dead skin. You will find your skin immediately brighten after applying this mask. It is most suitable for dry skin types. Mash half of a banana and mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey and a small cup of yogurt. Apply the mixture in face for 5 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water.

We also love his recipes for a warm bath with a handful of lavender flowers and some epsom salts-- guaranteed to melt your stress away. He also has tons of recipes in his book on how to make your own remedies from lemon balm lip salve, to cherry cough syrup. It's great for the DIY'ers out there.

S.L at Pretty Organic Cosmetics