Essential oils are oils extracted from plants through steam distillation, resin tapping, and cold pressing. They contain a concentration of the nutritional benefits of the botanicals from which they come from. They are used for a variety of reasons such as for aroma diffusion, topical application, and consumption. When used topically (on the skin and hair), it's strongly suggested to dilute the oil in carrier oils such as almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil (to name a few), and/or shea butter, cocoa butter, or mango butter. This allows for safe application, maximum use of the nutrients that it contains, and natural enrichment through vitamins and minerals to the skin and hair.
At Hello To Natural, we use essential oils and carrier oils in our whipped shea products and oil blends. This enhances the shea nutritionally and makes it easier to use. So not only is your skin and hair being moisturized, it is receiving the nutritional benefits of the oils that are mixed in. Thus whipped shea butter can be seen as a superfood for your skin and hair.
This will be an ongoing series on the various essential oils, and how you can select certain blends to help target and treat a wide variety of skin and hair issues.