Autumn Essential Oils

I enjoyed writing my summer essential oils post: Summer Essential Oils and creating some summer scents so much that I thought it would be nice to have oil scents for each season. These autumn essential oils are a combination of oils I feel represent elements of the autumn season, as well as oils that are useful to improve your health and mood through this season.

Essential oils are not only a beautiful way to include natural scents into your daily skincare routine, and add an extra level of health and care when it comes to healing your body, but they work via scent to improve your emotional & mental health too!

They work for your mind, body, soul, and emotional well being, and are one of the few substances that can heal by being absorbed through your skin and straight into your blood stream.

Using Essential Oils

There are some steps you need to be aware of if you are new to essential oils.

– Yes, your body will absorb essential oils into your blood stream so it is important to make sure you use the highest quality oils, and that they come from a certified supplier — this is the best way to make doubly sure that you aren’t letting any pesticides, synthetic chemicals or toxins into your body and onto your skin.

– once you have chosen the oils you want to combine always mix them with a base oil or patch test them before applying them to your skin. Whilst most people don’t have any reaction to essential oils they are very concentrated forms of a plant so it is possible to have an adverse reaction. Especially when every body is so different.

– As I just mentioned oils are super concentrated. A Kilogram of plant goes into making ml of oil. A lot of plant goes into making these oils so please treat them with the respect and reverence they deserve. A little goes a long way.

– Notice what resonates with you. As with everything I write here, always listen to your body first and foremost. Don’t just follow what I say. If a particular oil scent makes you feel queasy or is unpleasant to you then don’t use it. That’s your body’s way of saying “no thank you“. This is another way you should test your oils before using and applying them.

My choices for Autumn essential oils. These are a combination of essential oils to help you stay healthy through Autumn, and oils that just smell like autumn and fit the season…..

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a warm and spicy oil. The scent of cinnamon tends to bring with it memories of warm and cozy nights and fresh baked cookies. Making it a perfect scent for Autumn. It also has medicinal properties to help you through the autumn months too.

It is good for your circulation, digestion and immune system. Cinnamon in antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant, making it a god option to add to your diffuser or oil burner through Autumn and the colder months to keep cold, flu, and other germs at bay. You can also use cinnamon oil to help relieve anxiety, nervous exhaustion and stress related conditions.

Using cinnamon & black pepper mixed with a carrier oil such as sweet almond you can massage any areas that you get extra stiffness during the cold and damp weather and the oils will help increase your circulation and warm the area. You can also use this mix to massage cold hands and feet during cold weather — with the added benefit that it will keep your hands and feet nicely moisturised too!

Clove

Clove oil is sweet-spicy with fruity & fresh top notes. It is most commonly associated with the smell of pumpkin pie as it is commonly used as a spice. It is also very common as a scent in commercial perfume fragrances.

This is another oil that acts as an antibiotic, antiviral, antiseptic, and antioxidant so can be used for fighting of colds & flu etc. It is also a good oil to diffuse, burn, or add a few drops to your bath water if you are asthmatic and suffer with asthma or bronchitis symptoms triggered by the colder air.

Pine

There’s nothing quite says Autumn like walking through the woods and stepping on a bed of fallen pine needles. Pine is a wonderful fresh oil that has a balsamic-sweet, spicy-woody scent that is still delicate and not too heavy and overpowering.

It too is good for treating, colds, flu, asthma, and if you have a cough, sinusitis or sore throat when inhaled.

As well as helping relieve fatigue, exhaustion, stress related issues, and you can use it as a treatment for cystitis.

There are a few types of Pine, so check which you are using as their properties are slightly different.

Black pepper

Black pepper oil is a fresh scent with dry-woody, warm, spicy notes. Similar to cinnamon it has warning properties and is wonderful to use on sore, aching, & painful joints and muscles when applied topically.

It can also help to balance your digestive system and relieve most symptoms and discomfort.

Black pepper is another oil that’s pretty strong so you want to make sure you mix it with a carrier oil before you apply. Of course if you are housing it in a diffuser or burner you will use water instead.

Frankincense

Frankincense is a warm, rich fragrance, and had been used for centuries for its healing benefits. You can use Frankincense for everything from migraines & headaches, to skin care, asthma, & many period related issues.

Mix a few drops of frankincense in with your favourite face oil to help relieve dry skin or reduce wrinkles and scaring. You can also massage to your temples and the back of your neck to help treat a migraine.

Frankincense has the ability to slow down and deepen the breath. Not only will this help you relax and relieve anxiety, stress, & tension. But also makes it a really good oil to diffuse during your meditation, yoga, & spiritual practices.

Mandarin

Mandarin is quite an intense oil, it has a sweet, almost floral citrus scent. This is a really wonderful oil for your skin and can be used for acne, congested & oily skin, scars, spots, stretch marks and you can even use it as a toner.

It is also good for helping you relieve tension and restlessness and if you suffer from insomnia as it has mild sedative properties.

It is a wonderful scent to diffuse or add to your bath to relax and unwind after a long or stressful day.

Cardomon

Cardomon is an Eastern herb used in Chinese and Indian medicine for thousands of years. It’s a sweet-spicy, warming fragrance with a woody-balsamic undertone.

You can use cardomon for treating fever, digestive and urinary complaints, as well as treating bites. It’s also a nerve tonic you can use to relieve mental fatigue and nervous strain.

Cardomon treats a number of digestive including cramp, flatulence, heartburn, indigestion, and vomiting.

Juniper berry

Juniper berry and it’s needles have a long traditional history of use medicinally. The oil is a sweet, fresh, woody-balsamic scent.

You can use Juniper berry to treat urinary infections, respiratory problems, and gastro-intestinal infection. It also helps your body expel toxins such as uric acid from the joints, which can relieve your muscle and joint pain, gout, and arthritis. All of which can flare up once the colder weather hits.

Juniper berry is also wonderful for helping you look after your skin in the colder weather if, like me, you skin can sometimes flare up with the change of season and the constant flipping between hot and cold temperatures. You can use juniper to treat dermatitis, acne, eczema and more.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is a pretty common essential oil and mixes well with other oils. As its name suggests it has a lovely soft woody fragrance. It is a deep, soft sweet-woody sent.

Sandalwood is great to use if you have dry, cracked, and chapped skin as it acts as a moisturiser. It’s another good oil to mix with your face oil or bath water to protect, soothe, and heal your skin.

You can also use sandalwood to treat those autumn/winter coughs, respiratory infections, or a sore throat, insomnia and stress-related complaints. Mix with lavender oil to help you sleep.

Carrot seed

Carrot seed is my go-to oil for my face. It’s full of vitamins A, C, B1 and B2, all essential things you’re body and skin need to be healthy.

Carrot seed is a dry, woody-earthy scent that always reminds me of autumn.

You can use carrot seed to treat eczema, psoriasis, PMT related issues, as well as adding it to your baths or massage oil to help you eliminate toxins from your body.