The last in our 3-part series on detox aromatherapy looks at methods of application for essential oils used in detox therapy. Our expert, Kayla Fioravanti, ARC Registered & Certified Aromatherapist and Co-founder & Chief Cosmetic Formulator for Essential Wholesale (www.essentialwholesale.com), talks about treatments and how they work to give you the most beneficial results.
Massage
The rate of absorption of essential oils is increased with massage. Blood flow is increased and the temperature of the skin is raised which allows for faster intake of essential oils into the blood stream. Jäger proved this in 1992 with a blood sample taken five minutes after massage application of essential oils that found linalyl acetate and linalool in the blood stream.
Soak
A warm bath can increase the rate of absorption of essential oils. In bath water essential oils penetrate the skin 100 times faster than water does and 10,000 times faster than the ions of sodium and chloride from salt (Römmelt et al 1974, Schilchler 1985). Baths also involve inhalation of essential oils as well as absorption through the skin.
To create a detoxifying aromatherapy bath chose your favorite unscented salt. A good salt for detoxifying is Dead Sea salt but any salt will work. Essential oils can be added to the dry salt at 1% by adding 5 drops of essential oil to every 1 ounce of salt.
Wrap
Wraps create a sealing-in effect that decreases the essential oils likelihood to become volatile and disperse into the air. This sealed in warmed area can increase the rate of absorption of the essential oil. Most wraps are created with a cloth material that is soaked in a mixture of water and essential oil or a clay masque combined with essential oils that are painted onto the body. These then can be applied to the affected area and covered with plastic or mylar wrap.
Body Polish
A body polish increases the absorption of essential oils via the combination of vigorous massage and exfoliation of the skin. Essential oils can be added to an oil or butter based scrub at 3%. Simply add 15 drops of a combination of the detoxifying essential oils to 1 ounce of scrub.
I’ve loved aromatherapy since my days of working in spas and salons and it is still a part of my life today. As we further educate ourselves about the benefits of the various essential oils we stand to improve our environment and our health at the same time. Knowledge is power and when it comes to our health we need to know as much as possible about how to treat ourselves with natural ingredients.
Wishing you the Best,
Laura
