Using certain essential oils on your skin through massage or a bath can cause irritation if it is applied undiluted.   However, there are exceptions like Tea Tree Oil and Lavender which can be used undiluted. But to avoid irritation (a very itchy red rash), it is important to follow the recipe carefully and dilute the essential oils with a carrier oil.  If a rash occurs, wash the affected area immediately and apply a base cream or oil (Sweet Almond Oil) to the area.  Then apply a cold wet cloth until the redness and itching stops.

There is also the risk of skin sensitization caused by an allergic reaction to the oil.  If you have allergy prone skin, it is best to avoid essentials oils that can cause sensitization altogether.  There is also the possibility if an allergic reaction even if you don’t have sensitive skin so be aware of your skin.

The best way to find out how your skin will react to an essential oil is to massage a small amount on your skin on the inside of your arm and cover with a band-aid overnight.  In the morning remove the band-aid and if your skin is normal, then the essential oil is safe for you to use.

Certain essentials oils such as citrus oils can be phototoxic and this can cause skin discolouration if you are exposing your skin to the sun.  It is best to avoid these oils in sunny weather.

Clearly Essentials Limited lists the aromatherapy uses and safety data of each essential oil and carrier oil we sell.  Please take the time to read carefully and if you have any questions or concerns please to not hesitate to contact us.

This aroma of this essential oil is known to bring you inner peace and tranquility.  It is also used as a cold remedy for coughs and bronchitis, but can help ease asthma.

Listed below are the aromatherapy uses of Benzoin Oil:

• Anti-inflammatory – relieves or alleviates inflammation
• Antioxidant – inhibits oxidation
• Antiseptic – destroys or controls pathogenic bacteria
• Astringent – contracts & tightens tissues
• Carminative – settles digestion, flatulence & eases gripes
• Cordial – stimulant & tonic
• Deodorant – counteracts body odors
• Diuretic – increases the production & secretion of urine>
• Expectorant – helps to expel mucus from respiratory system
• Sedative – calms/reduces nervousness
• Styptic – astringent, helps to prevent external bleeding
• Vulnerary – promotes healing of wounds & prevents tissue degeneration

Benzoin is considered non-toxic and non-irritant, but should be avoided if you have sensitive skin.

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

You must first consider whether the oil is a top, middle or a base note and what the odour intensity of the oil is.  As a guideline you could use 3-5 drops of top note, 10-13 drops of middle note and 15-18 drops of the base note.  It will take some time to experiment with different formulas to find out what works best for you.  It is important to record how many drops of oil you use and it is best to start with the base notes, than middle and working your way up to the top notes.  Once you have finished creating your blend place in a dark bottle and label it with a name and date.

Guidelines for top, middle and base notes of a blend:

Top Notes – most volatile and are the first thing we smell, they are fresh, light and dissipate quickly like lemon, bergamot, orange, eucalyptus and basil.

Middle Notes – once the top notes start to fade you begin to smell the middle notes which are the heart of the blend and they tend to linger for a while like geranium, lavender, rosemary and rosewood.

Base Notes – last a long time and are rich and heavy which holds the blend together like patchouli and ylang ylang.

It is also helpful to know the evaporation rate and odour intensity of an essential oil when creating a blend.  Evaporation rates are determined on a scale of 1 to 100 like eucalyptus 5, bergamot 55, ylang ylang 91 and patchouli 100.  The odour intensity of an essential oil is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 like lavender 4, rosemary 6, basil 7 and peppermint 7.

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

This essential oil has also many other uses like relieving anxiety, fear, depression and anger, as well as reducing high blood pressure.  For women, it helps them to find confidence, sensuality and ease physical tiredness caused by pre-mentrual syndrome.  Ylang ylang oil overall uplifts and calms you psychologically.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil has also been used in skin care for oily or combination skin.   It blends well with rosewood, vetiver, geranium, patchouli, other florals and citruses.

Listed below are the aromatherapy uses of Ylang Ylang Oil:

• Antidepressant – uplifts & counteracts depression
• Anti-infectious – combats infection or its spread
• Antiseborrheic – helps to control the production of sebum
• Antiseptic – destroys or controls pathogenic bacteria
• Euphoric – produces a feeling of well-being or elation
• Hypotensive – reduces blood pressure
• Nervine – stimulates & strengthens the nervous system
• Regulator – helps balance & regulate the functions of the body
• Sedative – calms/reduces nervousness
• Stimulant – stimulates the physiological functions of the body
• Tonic – invigorates & strengthens the body

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is non-toxic, non-irritant but may cause possible sensitization in some individuals. It should be used in moderation because of its heady scent and can cause headaches or nausea.

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

• Organic – an organic essential oil is produced from plants grown without the use of chemicals like fertilizers or sprays.
• Certified Organic – same description as above but is authorized by an organization like Ecocert Canada which provides organic and environmental certification in Canada.
• Chemotypes – plants of the same species that are chemically different but otherwise indistinguishable resulting in different therapeutic properties.
• Wild Crafted – essential oils that have been extracted from wild grown plants.
• Selected Farming – only specific plants are grown on a particular farm.
• Fractionated – essential oils that have had part of their undesirable chemical composition removed like terpenes which can make it photo-toxic and non-volatile, an example would be bergamot FCF.
• Quenching – is a process of adding a chemical to a whole oil to help prevent unwanted side-effects like a skin irritation, for example adding d-limonene to lemongrass.  This process is mainly used in the perfume industry.

In the aromatherapy industry using whole oils is very important because each essential oil has a unique chemical combination that affects the body’s chemistry.

Please visit our website for more information on essential oils and to have a look at our product listing.

Thyme Oil has a sweet, green, fresh fragrance and blends well bergamot, lemon, pine, lavender as well as other herbs.

Listed below are the aromatherapy uses of Thyme Oil:

• Anthelmintic – expels or destroys parasitic intestinal worms
• Antimicrobial – resists or destroys pathogens that cause disease
• Antioxidant – inhibits oxidation
• Antiputrescent – counteracting, or preserving from, putrefaction; antiseptic
• Antirheumatic – relieves or reduces the symptoms of rheumatism
• Antiseptic – destroys or controls pathogenic bacteria
• Antispasmodic – relieves spasms & cramps of the smooth muscles
• Antitussive – relieves coughs
• Antitoxic – counteracts poisoning
• Aperitif – stimulate the appetite before a meal
• Aphrodisiac – increases or stimulates sexual desire
• Astringent – contracts & tightens tissues
• Bactericidal – prevents the growth of/or destroys bacteria
• Carminative – settles digestion, flatulence & eases gripes
• Cicatrizant – promotes healing through the formation of scar tissue
• Diuretic – increases the production & secretion of urine
• Emmenagogue – promotes & regulates menstruation
• Expectorant – helps to expel mucus from respiratory system
• Fungicidal – resists or destroys fungal infections
• Hypertensive – increases blood pressure
• Nervine – stimulates & strengthens the nervous system
• Parasiticide – destroys parasites
• Revulsive – relieves pain by means of diversion of blood or disease from one part of the body to another
• Rubefacient – warms the skin & increases blood flow
• Stimulant – stimulates the physiological functions of the body
• Sudorific – helps to induce sweating
• Tonic – invigorates & strengthens the body
• Vermifuge – expels worms or parasites from the body

Red thyme oil, serpolet (from wild thyme), thymol and carvacrol type oils contain large amounts of toxic phenols which can irritate the mucus membranes and cause dermal irritation as well as sensitization in some individuals. Thyme oil should be used in moderation and in low dilutions only. It is important to avoid during pregnancy. White thyme is not a complete oil and is often adulterated. Lemon thyme and linalol types are generally less toxic, non-irritant and with less possibility of sensitization in some individuals (safe for use on skin and with children).

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

For safety reasons, especially if you are on medication, please consult your physician before using an essential oil.  Essential oils should never be taken orally or poured directly into your ear.

Here is a list of some simple blends;

Insect Bites:

Lavender Oil (1  drop) and Tea Tree Oil (1 drop) directly to the bite, repeat hourly if necessary.

Ear Ache:

Chamomile Oil (1 drop), Lavender Oil (1 drop), and Olive Oil (1 tsp) warmed, dip the cotton ball in it and insert in the infected ear.

Tooth Ache:

Peppermint Oil (1 drop), Chamomile Oil (2 drops) to hot water (4 cups), and dip the washcloth in it, wring out and place on the face where the tooth ache is.

Minor Burn:

First stop the burn process by running under cold water for a few minutes.  Apply Lavender Oil (1-2 drops) to the affected area and repeat every few hours if necessary.

Minor Bruises:

Chamomile Oil (8 drops), Geranium Oil (8 drops), Marjoram Oil (15 drops), and Sweet Almond Oil (30 ml) and apply to the minor bruise and repeat if necessary.

Minor Cuts:

Clean the cut first and apply Lavender Oil directly to the minor cut.

Sprained Ligaments:

Chamomile Oil (2 drops), Geranium Oil (2 drops), and Cold Water (1 cup), apply a cold compress to the affected area.

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

It has an unusual odour described as sweet, herbal, tenacious, soft, somewhat amber, with bitter sweet undertones.    Clary Sage Essential Oil blends well with vetivert, geranium, cedarwood, lavender, pine and other citruses.

Listed below are the aromatherapy uses of Clary Sage:

• Anticonvulsant – relieves or controls convulsions
• Antidepressant – uplifts & counteracts depression
• Antiphlogistic – reducing inflammation
• Antiseptic – destroys or controls pathogenic bacteria
• Antispasmodic – relieves spasms & cramps of the smooth muscles
• Aphrodisiac – increases or stimulates sexual desire
• Astringent – contracts & tightens tissues
• Bactericidal – prevents the growth of/or destroys bacteria
• Carminative – settles digestion, flatulence & eases gripes
• Cicatrizant – promotes healing through the formation of scar tissue
• Deodorant – counteracts body odors
• Digestive – aids in the digestion of food
• Emmenagogue – promotes & regulates menstruation
• Hypotensive – reduces blood pressure
• Nervine – stimulates & strengthens the nervous system
• Regulator – helps balance & regulate the functions of the body
• Sedative – calms/reduces nervousness
• Stomachic – aids digestion
• Tonic – invigorates & strengthens the body
• Uterine – tonic of the uterus

Clary Sage Essential Oil is non-toxic, non-irritant & non-sensitizing.  It is important to avoid drinking alcohol because it can induce a narcotic effect & exaggerate drunkenness.   Clary Sage should be avoided during pregnancy.   It is generally used in aromatherapy over garden sage since it has a lower toxicity level.

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

Essential oils are volatile substances that evaporate as soon as they come in contact with air.  They are inflammable and do not dissolve in water but dissolve well in alcohol, vegetable oils, fats and waxes.

When the massage therapist rubs your skin with a base oil (containing a small blend of essential oils), your skin absorbs the oil mixture and it is drawn into the body through the skin.  A small concentration of essential oils circulates around the bloodstream and travels throughout your body.   This can lead to a number of physical benefits like muscle relaxation, improved blood circulation, lymphatic drainage and give you an uplifting psychological effect.

When you inhale air during a massage, most of the molecules of essential oils are breathed in and will find their way into your bloodstream from your lungs.  Essential oils can have a powerful emotional, mental and psychological effect on us.

Massage is just one of the ways essential oils are absorbed into your body, things like taking a bath, inhalations, creams and lotions are just to name a few.

Please make sure that you use essential oils safely because they are powerful.  You can visit us at www.clearlyessentials.com for our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.

Basil Essential Oil has health benefits too. It is known to relieve anxiety and mental overload.  It can help ease your mind and emotional vulnerability that can cause you to have digestive upsets.  Basil Oil is the perfect nerve tonic, it’s also restorative, fortifying and clearing.

Basil oil blends well with lavender, geranium, bergamot, lemon, lime, pine and other herbs.

LIsted below are the aromatherapy uses of Basil Oil:

• Antidepressant – uplifts & counteracts depression
• Antiseptic – destroys or controls pathogenic bacteria
• Antispasmodic – relieves spasms & cramps of the smooth muscles
• Carminative – settles digestion, flatulence & eases gripes
• Cephalic – stimulates & clears mind
• Digestive – aids in the digestion of food
• Emmenagogue – promotes & regulates menstruation
• Expectorant – helps to expel mucus from respiratory system
• Febrifuge – reduces fever
• Galactagogue – increases the flow of breast milk
• Nervine – stimulates & strengthens the nervous system
• Prophylactic – defending or protecting from disease or infection
• Restorative – helps to restore health, strength, or consciousness
• Stimulant of adrenal cortex – quickens the physiological functions of the body
• Stomachic – aids digestion
• Tonic – invigorates & strengthens the body

Basil Essential Oil should be avoided during pregnancy and may irritate sensitive skin.

Please check out our Clearly Essentials’ website to see our list of essential oils and carrier oils we supply.