(Ciele) Clinical Trials, Case Studies on Ylang Ylang Essential Oil as a Mosquito Repellent

Mosquitoes are innumerable and have different species. They are also the culprits why we have diseases like dengue. I myself have suffered from dengue hence I’m aware of how ruthless mosquitoes can be. Since they are innumerable and continue to increase they are uncontrollable. Mosquitoes are also ubiquitous, so you can find them everywhere and you don’t know when they would bite you. When I had dengue I didn’t know that I already had it nor was aware that I was bitten by a it. Because of the illness, it caused me, I was unable to work.

Mosquitoes also do have their qualities. Some are bigger while some are smaller. Some are more visible, some are hidden. Some species are typically known while some are rare and others are probably still unidentified. Regardless of the mosquito specie or qualities it has, they bite and can cause illnesses. Hence staying in a mosquito-filled environment is not recommended for your safety. When mosquitoes contain a virus and suck your blood, it can make you sick. Depending on your body’s condition and illness severity it can be untreatable and hence can be fatal.

Because of the danger that mosquitoes can bring, different studies are conducted to discover effective mosquito repellents. Though we cannot eliminate these disease-causing culprits and we cannot fully understand the entirety of mosquito dominion due to its complexity, studies help us to understand them and what we can do to somehow control them.

There are different mosquito repellent that has been studied. Included among these is the use of essential oils. One of the investigated essential oil that serves as a mosquito repellent is ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata). Scroll down to see the different studies made about the potential of ylang-ylang as a mosquito repellent.

Ylang-ylang oil caused avoidance behavior of mosquitos

Ylang-ylang’s effect on the excito-repellency actions or avoidance behavior of mosquitos was investigated in a 2022 study. The study used four different concentrations of ylang ylang essential oil which are 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0% v/v. The findings of the study revealed that high concentrations (2.5-5.0%) of ylang ylang oil has high contact irritancy against Culex quinquefasciatus Say and Anopheles minimus and also have high noncontact repellency actions. Meanwhile, at 2.5% concentration, Anopheles dirus Peyton & Harrison and Aedes aegypti have high non-contact repellency actions but is a moderate contact irritant against the two mosquito species. (1)

Larvicidal efficacy of ylang-ylang

A 2020 comparative study was conducted to test the larvicidal efficacy of ylang-ylang essential oils from India and Thailand against Aedes aegypti. The concentration ranges used in this study are 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100, 0.125, and 0.150 ppm. The findings of the study proves the efficacy of using ylang-ylang in controlling the Aedes mosquito as it is found highly toxic to this mosquito specie. (2)

Diluted ylang-ylang effect on mosquitoes

The researchers of a 2015 clinical trial suggested that ylang-ylang and lemongrass essential oil can be used for mosquito control. The study tested the repellency activity of Thai essential oils derived from ylang-ylang and lemongrass against two mosquito species Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. The diluents used for the essential oils are coconut oil, soybean oil, and olive oil. The ylang-ylang was diluted in coconut oil and showed high repellent activity, and protected from bites of A. aegypti. Meanwhile, lemongrass in olive oil also yielded strong repellent activity and protected from bites of C.quinquefasciatus. The essential oils exhibited that they have lower repellency activity against A. aegypti than C. quinquefasciatus. (3)

Ovicidal, larvicidal, adulticidal activity, and mosquito repellency potential of ylang-ylang

Another study by Sonnewera in 2015 reported the insecticidal potential of ylang-ylang against three mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Anopheles dirus, and Culex quinquefasciatus. The results of their study demonstrated 10% concentration of ylang-ylang has a high percentage of effective repellency against oviposition to Ae. aegypti, An. dirus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus. The higher the percentage of concentration the higher the ovicidal activity rate it has. The ylang-ylang oil at 10% concentration also had larvicidal activity against Ae. Aegypti and Cx. Quinquefasciatus. A 10% concentration of ylang-ylang can also have adulticidal properties activity and can highly reduce, and knock down Ae. Aegypti, An. dirus and Cx. Quinquefasciatus. 10 % of ylang-ylang oil also showed it has the potential to repel Ae. aegypti, An. dirus, and Cx. Quinquefasciatus. (4)

Topical application of ylang-ylang essential oil

The repellency activity of 7 essential oil on female Aedes aegypti, Anopheles dirus, and Culex quinquefasciatus was tested in a 2011 study. The researchers used three dose concentrations which are 0.02, 0.10, and 0.21 mg/cm2, and topically applied the oils on the forearms of the participants. The result of the study showed that ylang-ylang was effective against Cx. quinquefasciatus. The result of this study is consistent with the findings of the 2015 Soonwera study which demonstrates that the higher the concentration of essential oil, the higher its mosquito repellency activity also. (5)

Ylang ylang essential oil on cotton fabric as mosquito repellent

The potential of the application of microencapsulated ylang-ylang oil on cotton fabric to repel mosquitoes was investigated in a 2020 study. The researchers prepared the solution using 20g of urea-formaldehyde, 200 mL of distilled water, 100 mL of hot water, and ylang-ylang essential oil. The study included three fabric samples. The first fabric had 10mL of ylang-ylang essential oil, the other fabric had 2.5 mL of ylang-ylang essential oil with a concentration of 1% and the third was an untreated cotton fabric. The result of the study exhibited that the urea-formaldehyde microcapsule with ylang-ylang essential oil-treated cotton fabrics have higher mosquito repellency against adult female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes than the untreated fabric. Moreover, the treated fabrics with a higher concentration of 10ml ylang-ylang essential oil demonstrated mosquito repellency than the treated fabric with a 2.5ml lower concentration of ylang-ylang essential oil. (6)

Effect of Ylang ylang essential oil’s higher concentration

Three of the studies presented (Soonwera in 2011 and 2015 and Reyes and his colleagues in 2020) have shown that the higher concentration of ylang-ylang essential oil also increases the repellent activity.

Mosquito species

The effect of ylang-ylang as a repellent for Aedes aegypti has been consistent in the five studies presented, while, four case studies have shown that it can repel Culex quinquefasciatus Say mosquito. Three case studies showed that it can be used as a mosquito control for Anopheles dirus Peyton and one study proved that it can be used against Anopheles minimus Theobald mosquito.

The research presented above showed different mosquito species and has proven that Ylang ylang essential oil can be used as a repellent for species such as Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, anopheles virus Peyton, and Anopheles minimus Theobald. Hence this enables us to realize that bringing and applying ylang-ylang essential oil can help protect us from the mentioned mosquitoes species. Also, applying them at the right time is important.

Bringing mosquito repellent is advisable no matter where you go, especially if you are going to a place that might be considered a mosquito-prone area. Commercially sold mosquito repellents do not indicate specifically what mosquito species they repel, but we still use them. Meanwhile, the studies about ylang-ylang essential oil as a mosquito repellent identify the species of mosquitoes they are effective in repelling. However, there are still mosquito species that are not yet studied or probably still unidentified, and we don’t know when the repellent for these mosquitoes will be identified. In this case, would you still bring ylang-ylang essential oil and apply it at a specific time, when you go or reach a place with existing mosquitos when the repellent for them is probably still being studied? Personally, if you’d ask me if I would bring my ylang-ylang essential oil. I’d say Yes. Lavender and ylang-ylang are my favorite scents hence the perfume I have now has ylang-ylang oil and its aroma so it’s just natural for me to bring my ylang-ylang essential oil regardless of the environment I am in.


Stay eager 💋❤

References:

  • (1) Sukkanon, C., Nararak, J., Bangs, M. J., & Chareonviriyaphap, T. (2022). Cananga odorata (Magnoliales: Annonaceae) Essential Oil Produces Significant Avoidance Behavior in Mosquitoes. Journal of medical entomology, 59(1), 291–300. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab143
  • (2) Chaiphongpachara, T., & Laojun, S. (2020). Comparative efficacy of commercial ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) essential oils from India and Thailand against larval Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of advanced veterinary and animal research, 7(3), 391–396. https://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2020.g433
  • (3) Sooner, M., & Phasomkusolsil, S. (2015). Efficacy of Thai herbal essential oils as a green repellent against mosquito vectors. Acta Tropica, 142, 127–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.11.010
  • (4) Sooner M. (2015). Efficacy of essential oil from Cananga odorata (Lamk.) Hook. f. & Thomson (Annonaceae) against three mosquito species Aedes aegypti (L.), Anopheles dirus (Peyton and Harrison), and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say). Parasitology Research, 114(12), 4531–4543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4699-1
  • (5) Phasomkusolsil S, Soonwera M. 2011. Comparative mosquito repellency of essential oils against Aedes aegypti (Linn.), Anopheles dirus (Peyton and Harrison), and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say). Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 1(1): S113–S118. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60136-6
  • (6) Reyes E.L.B., Menor M.D., Munsayac M.G., Notario J.B.P., Ogaco G.H.A, Perez J.P.A, Ramos E.K.S., Tengco S.G. C., Rio P.C., Hilario A.L. Mosquito Repellent Property of “Ylang-Ylang” (Cananga odorata) Essential Oil in Urea-Formaldehyde Microencapsulated Cotton Fabric. Philippine Journal of Science. 149 (4): 1029-1037. 2020

Why Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a Skin-friendly Ingredient in Your Oil-based Cleansing Bar?

If you’re looking for a safe and vegan shampoo or cleansing bar with essential oils, then you must look for a bar that contains Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) as its surfactant. Essential oils are derived from botanicals while SCI is processed but coconut derived. Moreover, SCI is mild scented hence does not overpower the fragrance of essential oils. It can blend oils and water along with other ingredients well because it has an emulsifying property. (1)

Blast from the past

Unlike other ingredients such as lye which has been used hundreds of years ago, the use of SCI has not been reported for hair or skin cleansing preparations until after 1984. However, in 1992 it has been documented that SCI was included in 52 cosmetic products. (2)

Since its development, its been widely used especially for mild cleansing products that are catered to health-conscious consumers. Due to its mildness it is even termed as ‘baby foam’ (1) It’s one of the favorite plant-derived surfactants because when used for cleansing bars it serves not only as a cleanser, foaming agent, and emollient. It also functions as a conditioner, softener, and moisturizer (1)

Other names

While this anionic surfactant may sound like a new term to you, you may have probably used it or read it from the labels of your cleansing products. Other names for this surfactant are coconut fatty acid, 2-sulfoethyl ester, sodium salt, fatty acids, coconut oil, sulfoethyl esters, sodium salts; Igepon AC-78, and Jordan CI. (2)

Physical and Chemical Properties

SCI is composed of both active ingredients and minor impurities (2) It has isethionic acid which is sulphonic acid. It also has fatty acid or sodium salt esters that are derived from coconut oil. (1) Hence the name Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate. SCI forms when sodium isethionate reacts with coconut oil’s fatty acid mixture or chlorides. Initially, it’s prepared by adding ethylene oxide to sodium bisulfite. (2)

Safety and toxicity

SCI is said to be nontoxic or almost completely toxic-free. (2) Moreover it is not a phototoxic or a sensitizer. A concentration test conducted by some researchers revealed that SCI is safe to be used as a cosmetic ingredient if it’s used at 50% in rinse-off products and 17% in leave-on products. (2)

Skin-friendly properties

1. Gentle to the skin

Due to its mildness, it is suited for babies with delicate skin as well as those who have sensitive skin that needs mild soap. A possible explanation for this mildness was presented by an in vitro study in 2007. The researchers of the study concluded that the mildness of SCI is due to the inability of the SCI micelles to penetrate the stratum corneum (SC) through the smaller aqueous pores, hence it cannot induce skin barrier perturbation. The size of the SCI micelles and aqueous pores matters. Simply explained, the smaller the micelles are produced by the surfactant the easier it can penetrate through the aqueous pores. Due to the size of the micelles that SCI forms, it cannot easily penetrate the skin. The larger the micelles the SCI produces makes, prevents it from penetrating smaller aqueous pores. SCI micelle with a radius of 33.5 +/- 1 Angstrom cannot penetrate the stratum corneum (SC) through the aqueous pores that have a radius of 29 +/- 5 Angstrom. (6)

2. Conditioning effect

This gentle plant-derived surfactant has a onditioning effect thus making your skin feel hydrated, soft, silkier, and smooth. (1)

3. Mild pH

Although the skin can balance it’s pH, using cleansing bars with SCI prevents our skin from overworking balancing acid and alkaline. SCI has a mild PH of around 5 to 6. (4) while another source noted an exact PH level of 5.5 (5). SCI is also said to be stable at a pH level of 6-8 however, it hydrolyzes thus becomes unstable if it’s not within this pH range (2)

4. Smoothly cleanses the skin

There are several reasons why it’s good cleansing agent. SCI has a good foaming capacity that allows it to produce foamy and ‘creamy dense’ bubbles. (7) On top of that its emulsifying property not only blends oil and water, but it also encourages dirt to stick with it, thus making it easier for flushing out the dirt. (1)

5. Nonmutagenic

SCI is found to be nonmutagenic and did not demonstrate a positive reaction in an S. Typhimurium preincubation reverse mutation assay. (2)

Opt for cleansers that spares you from worrying about toxic ingredients. If you look for vegan, not harmful to the environment plus good for your skin, then a cleansing bar or a cosmetic product with this ingredient is a recommended one.

Happy cleansing 💋❤

References:

Scent Details of Calamansi Essential Oil

If you’ve been reading this blog site you probably have noticed that I often write my thoughts about scents and how I interpret them. To understand others’ interpretations of a specific oil’s odor, I read posts, articles, and different kinds of literature as well. I do this while I’m also analyzing essential oils so I can have my own scent interpretation of a certain oil. The nice thing about this is that I get to notice which part of other people’s descriptions is on point. I also compare it with my scent interpretation and see which one is consistent, reliable and true. This way I can understand the frame of how others see the scent, while also learning by scrutinizing odors. This enables me to see the whole picture of things.

Previously, I’ve written a description of calamansi essential oi’s aroma. This is like a continuation of those posts.

Subtle Scent of Calamansi Essential Oil

Comparing the scent of calamansi essential oil and its fruit, I’ve noticed that the odor details of the fruit is more apparent and suggestive. If you are going to make me smell at the same time the aroma of the essential oil or the opened fruit, I’d say I’d smell first the odor details of the fruit. Although I can trace the scent of the calamansi essential oil because it’s also obvious, I opt not to ignore the scent details of the fruit to have a well-balanced scent interpretation. You can effortlessly smell the fruit’s scent because when you pinch it, the odor is too obvious because it’s smell will fill the room. Plus, Its odor will increase if you add more and pay attention to the scent.

Whereas with the calamansi essential oil you need to put the cotton ball or the bottle close to your nose so you can identify its scent details.

Using Calamansi Essential Oil as a fragrance in your projects

Calamansi oil is a bit rare. There are only a few manufacturers that I know that produce it, hence only those people who live in places where calamansi is known are aware of calamansi’s health benefits and make products using it and its oil. Some people might think that using calamansi oil can help them in their projects. Some think that calamansi oil can conceal dark spots. Hence some might have a reason that you have to be good at using calamanco oil so it can tame skin problems such as concealing dark spots. To pacify the frustration of others about their skin issues some would reason out they use calamansi to prevent others from going ballistic from uncovering their skin issues. The motivation to use the reasoning of others seemed inappropriate, inaccurate, and incorrect. I think it’s more honest to say you purchased calamansi essential oil is based from your own willingness to have it.
When you purchase and decide to keep on buying calamnsi oil, you decide it. You voluntarily and willingly buy it. You bought it because there’s something about its scent and therapeutic, cosmeceutical, and aromatic properties that you liked in it even though it is not as luxurious, or expensive as other scents or flavors. Hence to use the reasoning of others to explain why you are using calamansi oil seemed inaccurate.

Calamansi oil and soapmaking

When I made soap I have included calamansi oil as a fragrance. Hence this helped me to be more familiar with its scent. I’ve noticed that when you used the ingredients calamansi extract and the lye, the scent details of calamansi essential oil become less apparent. What your nose will detect is the lye and calamansi extract. Hence, if you want to make soap with a good scent of calamansi, it seemed appropriate to only include calamansi essential oil on basic ingredients like coconut oil, water, and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide)

To see more about calamansi aromatic effects, you can read these posts:

Figure out subtle scents 💋❤

The Truth About Diluting Essential Oil with Water

Thinking of diluting your essential oil using water? This might be a helpful post to know more about the nature of oils and water.

Reliability of recommendations about diluting the oil in water

A few months ago, I’ve ‘asked’ Google search for a natural way to treat a certain skin condition. Search results showed me an article that provided answers that are doable by applying essential oil. Since I am an essential oil enthusiast, I believed in the content I read since it seemed to be the answers I was looking for at that time. The recommendation in that entry is the use tea tree oil and dilute it with water. Hence, I followed as instructed.

Natural and cost-effective

Diluting essential oil with water seems to be very convenient to do and cost-effective. Thinking that you will only need a few drops of essential oil plus water will make you think that you can save because you will be able to use your essential oil many times. For a bottle, you only need a few drops of essential oil plus water. This sounds so good because it’s not only very economical but natural as well since you are using both natural ingredients which are water and essential oil. Moreover, this is so easy to do. You just need to get some water from your faucet or buy bottled water and you already have your mixture.

Realistic description of oil diluted in water

Although it is easy to do and has desirable advantages it is also important to be aware of how the diluted oil applies in reality.

1. questions and doubts about efficacy

With this kind of oil preparation, I typically do not consume it, hence it has the same content as I first made it months ago. I didn’t consume it not because it’s hard to apply but because I was lazy to use it. I felt that it might not be effective since it has a lower concentration plus it is only diluted with water. Since is not mixed with any substance that I know that also has therapeutic properties makes it seems like it is less potent or not effective.

2. Floating white fibery substance

If you are using a clear bottle, you can observe that small white fibery substances can form and float on the mixture. This is because oil won’t be diluted in the water even though you put so much water on it. After all, water and oil do not mix. Instead of being diluted, the oil will float in a fine film in the water. When topically applied it will settle on your skin in undiluted form (1) If you want to dilute it in water then you must first dilute the oil in alcohol before adding it to the water. Then shake it well before using it. (1)

3. Spreading irritation

If you are using water as a remedy for painful irritation after the cutaneous application of neat essential oil, it is not advisable to flush or wash it with water. This method will only spread the oil to other parts of the body and hence can result in worse conditions. (2) Moreover, diluting the oil with water can irritate because water will only drive the oil deeper into the tissue (3).

Essential oil must be diluted in oils because they are oil soluble. They are not effective in diluting water because they are not water-soluble. To properly dilute the essential oil, you have to use carrier oils such as coconut oil and other vegetable oils. Using carrier oil will alleviate the irritation and the sting will dissipate (2)

4. Milder scent

When it comes to the scent, the oil with water will have a milder scent of the oil. The fewer drops of essential oil you put in, the milder the aroma becomes. You might also be unable to smell it. However, if it has a higher concentration, the scent can be stronger.

The kind of essential oil you are using also affects whether it will have a strong aroma or not. If the essential oil you used has a pleasing fragrance then you will also have a mixture with a nice scent. However it is milder compared to pure essential oil.

If you are thinking about the appropriate situation to use water with oil, the answer is it is when you are going to make automatic wash or bath, because water can suspend oil for a short period of time. (1)

The recommendation I’ve read before sounds convincing because it’s natural, easy to do, and cost-effective. However, accurate details such as when you need to add the oil to the water and helpful instruction such as the need to dilute it in alcohol first were lacking. Providing accurate details is important because when people realized that there are some discrepancies or inaccurate details provided after trying and following our instruction or recommendation, they will wonder, and can be reserved or hesitant to listen to us due to fear of having mistakes or side effects. Hence it is crucial to provide at all times realistic answers that can be implemented and can be proven effective.

While some answers are provided to our questions, it is important to analyze which of the answers are true and reliable. Also, I hope that we will always be conscientious whenever we write posts or answer queries regarding aromatherapy or essential oils. People follow what we recommend or tell and it may have a big impact on them even without us knowing about it because it might be visible or not. Hence I hope that we will always aim to provide accurate details and can be proven effective. People like you and me know that efficacy and proofs are very important. People including me value accurate and sincere answers instead of impressive answers. Ergo, as I always say, I hope we will always provide accurate and honest answers about aromatherapy and essential oils.

Accuracy matters 💋❤

References:

  • Davis P. Aromatherapy and A-Z. C.W. Daniel Company Limited (1988)
  • Essential Oils Pocket Reference. 2011. Life Science Publishing
  • Fritz, S. Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Birth, and Babies. (2015). Gently Born Publications

StartUp and Continuation of Essential Oil Learning Journey

Learning about aromatherapy and essential oil requires consistency, time, and effort. Behind the blog posts you see here are efforts to do research, implementation and following instructions, creating of soaps and blends, smelling different essential oils and a quest to prove the efficacy of claimed therapeutic properties of essential oils. Starting and continuing to keep on writing and learning about essential oil needs dedication and commitment to ensure staying on track to reach and obtain further knowledge about essential oils

Motivation to continue writing aromatherapy posts

At the moment I have written this post, I haven’t posted for 5 days. I’ve been studying essential oils, shampoo formulas, preservatives, and the risks of using some ingredients, hence I wasn’t able to post. I was planning to study first before making another post. However, when I’ve noticed the notification bell and for some reason led me to the performance and traffic statistics report of the website, I’ve seen very few visitors and likes. I created the blog site in August, was not posting in September and October, and became active in posting in November and December. Website’s visitors weren’t active for a while, but the notification made me aware that there are people who read my posts. Even if they are just very few, I thought I should post again. For others having a few visitors may discourage them to post or some would find it not a big deal. But I thought if others continue to desire being in this journey with me, then I must be doing something right, hence I continue posting.

The quest to prove essential oil’s efficacy

Essential oils can be a complex and deep subject. I know that there are a lot of things I still have to learn about Aromatherapy and there are questions in my mind. Hence I continue to observe and read to understand complex details and find proven solutions. Documenting what I’ve learned through this blog enables me to remember what I’ve read, and heard, and see if what I’ve learned is true and can be proven effective when I already applied it in a real-life setting.

Commitment

There are times that you will see imperfections in this blog, but to provide reliable details and content, I’ll always try to seek accurate answers. Answers that are true and reliable matter to me. If I’ve seen that the detail presented is kinda sketchy, misleading or did not happen according to how it was described, then I consider it unreliable. Hence, in my continuous pursuit to know more about essential oils and write posts here, it is important that the answers given to me when I ask questions or search for something are true, reliable, and accurate. Truth and honesty matter to me and it’s also what I aim and committed to provide to readers in return as well. I hope that’s what you find in my blog. Also, if there are errors that are made in this blog, you can expect that they will be corrected to make sure that I provide the appropriate details in each post.

If there are times I am not posting, it only means I am studying something so I would know the right thing to write here, as well as make sure that the content is as much as possible reliable, accurate, and honestly written.

2022 is the year I started this blog and the year I learned more about essential oils. I’ve learned the health benefits, aromatic and cosmeceutical properties of essential oils as well as their side effects. In the upcoming year, I will continue to be objective in looking at these things. Also, you may see some articles about the things I discover regarding preparations and products that have essential oils, as well as ingredients that come with essential oils.

Continue to learn more 💋❤

Top 3 Considerations When Buying Essential Oils

My collection of essential oils started when I bought my 1st set of essential oils. However, there are things I learned when I bought several oils at the same time. While some oils have benefits’ I also found out that it is important to consider the safety guidelines in using them as it can be risky. The list below is the result of my realizations from the lessons I’ve learned from buying essential oils.

1. Buy one at a time

For those who are just starting to learn about aromatherapy, you might experience wanting to have different essential oils. This happened to me as well. I bought several essential oils at the same time. I thought doing this will enable me to avoid paying additional/extra shipping fees.

I remember being excited when the oils were delivered to me and was eager to pay for them. I thought I can study and experiment well with using the oils. As expected, the family of oils I bought was kinda choosy because they have to be stored in a dark place so oxidation will be prevented. To be able to keep on using them and learn more, I might as well do it.

However, I realized that having those families of oils and storing them in a dark place is not enough. It’s not just only about that.

When I was able to read some articles, reports, and case studies, I realized that if I keep on buying some oils, I will waste so much money spending on them. While some oils have some ‘benefits’ I found out that they are so toxic and can even be fatal to babies. Using them can be harmful to adults too, that’s why they are called hazardous oils

Since I know that they are toxic I prefer to not use them for my body. Since I want to make sure that I’ll be able to use what I spend money on, I found a new way to use toxic hazardous oils. Because I noticed that they are so good at mimicking the effects of others, I realized that it can be used for insects too. They are effective as insecticides and pesticides. Amazingly, they are doing their work well in dealing with insects! Toxic oil was so good at entertaining insects, and rats and even killing baby insects and pests!

The reason why I like to buy oils one at a time is because I can focus on one oil. I’m still in the process of learning aromatherapy so I must get myself familiarized with each essential oil to know if it can be toxic or worth having. I want to make sure that the kind of essential oil I’ll be able to get is worth it and safe. So if you want to save, do your research, then buy the essential oil and make it a part of your aromatherapy kit.

2. Serving Size

If you are buying from retailers, the oils available are in 30ml, 10ml, and 5ml bottles. However, if you are buying from wholesalers, you can buy much more in bigger bottles.

Another thing you might experience when buying essential oils is that greedy thoughts may get into the mind and think that it’s best to have more. But if you assess and objectively ask yourself you’d think “is it really the best?” Some may assume it is the “best.” but I think it’s more important to know what is enough and how much you only really need.

If you review some articles about oils you’ll see that some claim that old oils can oxidize and be expired. While other oils seemed to be pleading not to be expired, it eventually goes rancid if they are already too old. That’s the nature of oils. This happens especially if they are too exposed. They become rancid because of oxidation.

Since I know that all oils will certainly get old, I prefer to be reserved and be appropriately modest, so I buy 10 ml of essential oils only.

Thinking liberately and greedily will make you want to have more oils. However, if you think rationally, you will realize that oils will certainly get old, and oxidize if it’s too exposed because it is being opened and used too much. While there are different claims about the expiration date of oils, here’s one thing for sure, old oils will become rancid, oxidized, and degrade. Hence they can be harmful to be used as they can cause side effects and contain bacteria that can be toxic.

3. Safe and effectively proven oils

I love oils that are not toxic. I love oils that I know are good for my health. I love oils that I know will love my skin and make my skin happy. I love oils that will not treat my skin the same way that other oils treat the skin.

When choosing an essential oil I consider not just my health condition but my family’s as well. If I will introduce an essential oil to myself, my body, and my family it has to be safe. You can see more about this by visiting here.

I and my family have different health concerns. Hence finding an essential oil that is versatile and appropriate in considering me and my family’s health condition is important to me. The kind of oil I want is an essential oil that understands my family’s condition. The essential oil should be good for me, and also good for my family. In the same way, when I’ve seen that the essential oil is good and lovingly cares and deals with my health concerns well, it will be treated well like a kind human being. I will be good with that essential oil and will not abuse in using it. My family will not also abuse using it, instead, it will be appreciated and certainly be treated properly.

Just to add up to my list because this is also very important to me. Another consideration I have is that essential oil should be something that I can safely have all the time. It should be safe to be reapplied anywhere, and anytime, and safe to be applied for a long time.

Spend wisely 💋❤

What to Look for When Buying Essential Oils

What kind of essential oil buyer are you? Are you the kind who likes to try different brands to try them all? Or, do you look for good quality essential oils, and when you found the right one, you settle on the right brand that’s suited for you?

People buy certain brands for different motivations. Some buy brands because it is popular. Some prefer a brand to associate themselves with a certain image. Others patronize certain brands to impress others.

While some, including me, are looking for essential oil brands that you can be certain have good quality. I prefer sticking and staying loyal to an essential oil brand especially if I have already proven its effectiveness.

To help you research the right essential oil for you, here’s the list of the things you have to look for when buying essential oils:

1. Properly bottled

To prevent oxidation, essential oils must be bottled up properly. They should be in blue or brown (amber) bottles to avoid being exposed to light. It should also have an orifice reducer to prevent air and other substances from contaminating the essential oil. Also using a dropper made of rubber is discouraged as it may react with the essential oil.

If you’ve seen that the essential oil is too exposed because it is contained in a clear bottle, it has been suggested that it is not a therapeutic grade but probably a fragrance grade (1) or even just a synthetic oil.

2. Oil Purity

When choosing an essential brand, find the one that offers 100% pure essential oil. To figure out if the oil has already been diluted you will see that its label indicates that the product contains other ingredients such as carrier oils. However, if it’s just real oil, the label will indicate that it is pure oil. (1)

3. Place of Origin

Environmental factors such as soil, weather, and location can affect plants. Hence even if plants are of the same kind but planted and grown in different regions, or countries they are certainly very different. One kind of plant might have toxic substances and might not have the same properties, while the other must be the one that has therapeutic properties. Also, it does not mean that if plants have some similarities, or belong to the same category they also have the same aroma. The other plant might smell unpleasant and pungent, while the other one might smell milder and has a floral or sweet scent. Hence you must find brands of essential oils that are sourced from their native land.

If you discovered a certain essential oil that is effective in healing an illness, look for its scientific name, so you would know where exactly it can be located. Knowing its real scientific name will enable you to find more details about it. Knowing accurate information about the essential will allow you to get the exact essential oil you have in mind and enjoy its therapeutic properties. Buying your target essential oils that are manufactured in their place of origin will guarantee you obtain the right one and possess your expected therapeutic and aromatic effects because the plant was sourced from its native land, where the growing and harvesting conditions are optimal (2).

4. Quality Assurance

You might find oils in the market that are not pure and contains fillers, chemicals, or artificial ingredients. It could also have contaminants, such as pesticides, herbicides, or any other chemical residues. Make sure that your oils are free from all of these as they can dilute the natural qualities of the essential oil (2)

To ensure that the essential oil you are planning to buy has high integrity, potency, quality, and purity, it should have been we’ll tested.

Be sure that the essential oil being sold by your preferred brand has been third-party tested. Moreover, the tests should be done by independent laboratories. If the laboratories are dependent or financed by certain or different companies, the test results you might see could be biased. Since the accurate results were not transparently shown, they are unreliable. Some might provide you with results but it might be the kind of result that their financiers wanted to show consumers because it is paid. Hence, if it’s possible, it’s also nice to know who performed the tests.

5. Qualified vendor and reputable essential oil manufacturers

It is easy to buy oils nowadays as different sellers are touting their products. Some may ‘show’ you different impressive things to encourage you to buy their product. However, it is important to have wisdom when choosing and buying essential oils.

While there are many sellers around, it is important to identify which among them is truly reliable, and can be trusted. It is easy to believe that just because some seem to have a good reputation or are so popular means they can be trusted to sell oils with good quality. Remember the power of marketing, and advertising. There are good-sounding brands out there that provide resources to guide and teach you how to properly use essential oil, However, I haven’t bought oils from those brands yet because a particular suggestion made me a bit hesitant. Even though we try to market our products we have to be conscientious and consider the accountability we have when we communicate a certain message to people. Before we tell something, it’s kind to be considerate and think whether what we tell others will be really helpful and safe for them. If not, or if we are aware that it has side effects I hope we will be transparent. I hope we will not just focus on telling them ways to consume essential oil just to earn more money, nor to serve our personal motives. I prefer not to mention any brands because my focus in this blog is not to malign any individuals, groups, or brands but to express my passion for essential oils and document my steps and learnings about essential oils and aromatherapy. I just suggest to have wisdom when choosing your brand.

On the other hand, I am buying my essential oils from local brands, but so far, I am content with the essential oils I bought from them. The products from this brand are properly bottled. When I look at their online store, it looks legit in selling safe raw materials. I can find a lot of raw ingredients that are safe and not toxic that’s why I think their oils also have good quality.

Even though it is not expensive and extremely marketed and advertised, I found their oils are of good quality. one thing I like about this brand is that you have to search for it so you can find it. Popular and easy-to-find brands sound so usual because you already know what they are, and everybody already seems to have them. If you are the type who likes popular things then you would probably be enticed by this. However, if your motivation for choosing and buying an essential oils is quality and finding the one with proven therapeutic, and aromatic effects, then you would take the challenge, be patient, and eagerly find the brand that possesses these qualities.

Moreover, I also have one favorite brand of essential oils. I bought my tea tree oil from them. There are different factors why I love this brand. First, it’s modest. Its marketing is not too much. They also don’t offer Multi-level marketing (MLM).

Next, when you look at their website, you can find plenty of information about essential oils. They answer questions modestly and concisely. I can also understand the language they use because it’s English. Although my first language is not English, the way they explain their product is something I can easily understand because so it’s so comprehensible.

Also, their label contains the necessary information you need so you’ll be properly guided on how to apply essential oils. It indicates its scientific name, dosage, cautions, and other pertinent details for you to know more about the oil. I like learning more from reading details, so I also like their label. Plus the essential oils are contained in brown bottles and it’s taller than other brand’s bottles.

About the quality of its essential oil, well it has stayed really good. I’ve applied and consumed it for my different skin problems or concerns and it stayed effective. So I genuinely appreciate it.

However, since I am not rich, I shouldn’t squander money. I have to live within a certain budget so I have to be practical and buy things I can only afford. Hence, even if I want to buy it’s essential oils, I can’t as of now. If I will compare it to the other brands I have here, it’s expensive and that brand’s origin is in another country.

There are many good things I can tell about this brand but because this post is not about product review, ii’ll just show you a post I’ve made on Instagram. This will enable you to to have an idea about the brand and have a peek of how much I appreciate that brand.

Hope this post will help you to become wiser in choosing your essential oils.

Choose what’s right for you 💋❤

References:

  • (1) UT Television for Place of Wellness. Aromatherapy for Cancer Related Symptoms. 2010. The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center https://youtu.be/WOLfhulU4vk
  • (2) Fritz S. Essential Oils for Pregnancy, Birth Babies.2015. Gently Born Publications

Miracle Claims About Anti-aging Products With Oils, Is It Really Reliable?

Aging is one of the inevitable things that happen to all of us. Some aged well and gracefully while some seemed to look more focused on the worries in life. Since some people are worried about aging, many products have been invented to delay it. Some are even guaranteeing results and promises that are yet to be proven.

The demand for anti-aging products is undoubtedly high, that’s why there is plenty of age-defying products in the market today. People aged naturally, hence there are already existing brands out there and more are still being formulated. Though I haven’t used any anti-aging products yet, I’ve seen different age-defying products already. I haven’t tried them so I can’t tell the efficacy yet, but as we are approaching another year to get older, I am now interested in learning more about anti-aging products to know which natural ingredients and products are effective.

Whether you are an aromatherapist making anti-aging homemade products, or an individual who buys them, here are some of the warm reminders that you might be able to relate with. The notes below is a result of my realizations and observations from looking at different natural ingredients, and products, as well as posts and articles about homemade age-defying products.

Trust to prove

If you are an aroma therapist, product formulator using essential oils, or a seller of artisanal anti-aging products, please be mindful of the details, claims, and promises you are telling your clients. If we are encouraging our clients to buy our product due to its promising results, please be reminded that our clients choose to trust our product not because they are gullible, but because they are giving us the chance to prove that the product is effective. However, we also have to be reminded that consumers are rational individuals. They assess whether what we tell them is reliable. Promises without proven results is the reason why they would hesitate. This happens especially when we claimed that the product will show results at a particular time but the guaranteed result did not happen. This is understandable especially if the consumer chose to believe and followed the instruction well, but did not see the effect. As an aromatherapist, it is our responsibility to remember the promises or claims we tell our clients may it be by using a certain product or therapy for anti-aging. Be aware that clients remember each detail we have told them. They are also waiting if it will take effect or not. If not, then they might think we did not tell them the truth.

Proving efficacy or no result?

Since there are too many anti-aging products we can find in the market today, some may think that the more promising they sound about the efficacy of their products, the more the consumer will believe them and keep on buying. Promises are good. I myself love promises, as long as they are true. However, it only becomes a warning when you are seeing that the expected results begins to look doubtful. It makes consumers think they are empty promises. The miracle anti-aging product you thought it was suddenly sounded like a false claim. This is not new to clients who have used anti-aging products before and have also heard some promises already but have discovered those products have no results nor showed any effects. Hence some of our clients might have already really become selective and prefers to assess what product is effective.

Supported by research

If you are a consumer, it is useful to conduct your own study about the product so you can figure out if its efficacy can be proven true. Studying each detail or claim as well as identifying what particular ingredient is making a certain effect possible is helpful. Some may say they are offering effective anti-aging products but they are not well supported by research. I find it more reliable and believable when I am provided with a theory, a proper and clear explanation, and it is well supported by research. It is easy to provide details, but being certain that the details given to you are accurate and reliable is challenging. Some details can be misleading and sadly some might even be false claims or inaccurate. For these reasons, consumers must be wise and conduct their study to determine if what is being told them is reliable and if the product is worth trusting.

As always I’ve always mentioned in this blog site to be conscientious and truthful when providing details to our clients or even to those who are asking about essential oils. It’s saddening to think or discover that despite the requests made some might have not done it. I hope not.

Time will reveal the efficacy 💋❤

Start A Healthy Lifestyle By Choosing Safe and Therapeutic Natural Ingredients And Essential Oils

Having a vibrant and eventful lifestyle may cause you to focus on different activities and neglect your health. You may tend to prioritize fulfilling your ‘roles’, doing work-related tasks, completing projects, meeting expectations and attending to your social responsibilities, however, having a busy and exciting lifestyle may also result in compromising your health. These things are essentials however your health is more important. I hope we will realize that the things we might think important are temporary, and what stays with us after the glitz and glamour is our ‘health’. So it’s crucial to reflect and ask yourself, what’s really the condition of my ‘health?’ You may be doing things that you think are good for you, but can actually harm you. When the time comes that we need to pay back for the things we did, I hope that we will not find ourself suffering because of our ‘health’. The activities and events that we do now are only for a season, no matter how big or important they may seem. These things cannot save our health, nor prevent us from getting sick. Hence starting a good and healthy lifestyle is a must.

Correct the unhealthy lifestyle

Some have an ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ while others compensate their overworking or overindulging routine by practicing some rituals or applying something they think might be good for their health. It’s probably being practiced because it’s the norm, a fad, or a popular and acceptable recommendation from ‘experts’ or ‘influencers.’ The side effects of what we do or put into our body will only be revealed to us when the symptoms have manifested because the chemicals have already accumulated in our body. I hope we will have wisdom, and do something to correct this to ensure well have ‘good health.’ I hope you notice that in different occasions, I’ve made a lot of reminders already about pursuing a ‘healthier lifestyle.’ Even up to this time, I’m still reminding you to start being conscientious about your health. I hope you will heed the calling. You are called several times to live a healthy lifestyle.

Tips to be mindful about your health and natural ingredients

Exercise, and eating a balanced diet are the things that you can do to have better health, but apart from these is being careful about the products that you apply to your body. Here are the different tips on how to be mindful about your health and the effect of ingredients to your body.

1. Look for a ‘book’ that contains wisdom and instructions that will tell you the truth about the difference between living an unhealthy and a healthy lifestyle. A good book will also tell you the ingredients that you should avoid because they are toxic and risky for your health. You can also read with me by reading the ‘book’ I am reading.

2. Think about your routines and practices and have an inventory of the products you are using. Using the reliable health book, check whether the products you are using contains the unhealthy ingredients or the recommended natural good ingredients. Be mindful about the ingredients of the products that you buy and be aware about their side effects. I hope that you will start being careful about the products that you patronize or follow and apply in your bodies. I hope you will also stop practicing unhealthy activities using products that contain ingredients that can be toxic or risky for your ‘health’

Essential oils is one of the natural ingredients that contains therapeutic properties. Hence a product that contains oils and other healthy ingredients such as herbs, fruits, and gums, are good for you.

3. When looking for a therapist, look for a conscientious one that you can be certain that truly cares for you health and not just thinking on how to benefit from you. If you believe that oils can help you, you can search for a good aromatherapists or essential oil enthusiasts. Aromatherapists are mindful of the quality of their oils as well as the ingredients they put into their preparations. They also choose carefully the ingredients that have therapeutic properties and prefers natural materials so you can be sure of the quality and will have a good effect on you.

Even the tips given above are simple, I hope you will listen and really think about your health.

Heed the call to live a good and healthy lifestyle 💋❤

Essential Tips to Remember When Making Moisturizer Balms

Cool-weather can be drying for the skin, hence it must be properly moisturized. Recently, I made a moisturizer after someone told me that her hands were dry and can’t open her palms well. I’ve also noticed that her hands were scaly. Though she was applying a scented lotion on her hands for two days already, it’s still hard for her to stretch her fingers and open her palms and still scaly.

Reading ‘books’ and ‘do it’ yourself articles and having some wisdom about ‘essential oils’ and ‘aromatherapy’ help me to understand skin ‘disorders’ and recommended remedies for certain skin ‘illnesses’. To address the hand concern of someone I know, I made a moisturizer for her. In the process of making it, I figured out some considerations I need to make when making a moisturizer that is made of safe and natural ingredients. In the same way, the list here can also be your guide when choosing a good moisturizer.

1. Oils as an ingredient in your moisturizer is good. Oils can be effectively used as a treatment for some ‘skin condition.’

2. Some popular products contain substances that can cause side effects and even cancer. That’s why a moisturizer made of natural ingredients is not just moisturizing and healing but safer too.

3. Moisturizer must include ingredients that have the following qualities:

  •  Humectant – attracts or absorbs water
  • Occlusive – hydrating because it can lock in water
  •  Emollient – can soften the skin

The good thing is that there are natural ingredients that naturally possess these qualities. Hence they can effectively moisturize your skin plus have other therapeutic effects too.

4. Avoid ingredients that are

  • Comedogenic – these are ingredients that can clog the pores, hence can cause acne.

All of these factors were considered when I made my moisturizer that helped improved the dry hands of someone I know. She told me that it’s easier for her to open her palm and stretch her fingers. Hence knowing the right ingredients is important. However it is also helpful to remember that consistent application of the moisturizer is important, to see continuous improvement in dealing with the dryness and scaly look of the skin.

Keep in mind the Essential tips 💋❤

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