At ESPA we are guided by a holistic philosophy, caring for your whole wellbeing, focusing on creating natural skincare products that could deliver both instant benefits and also work beneath the skins surface to protect the long term health and beauty of the skin.Working with biochemists, skin experts and aromatherapists, we took the knowledge from traditional holistic therapies and combined this with the scientific power of the purest natural ingredients from around the world, developing a range of natural products and treatments to help you to have beautiful skin and inner calm.
Loved by our customers all around the world, our revolutionary Tri-Active™ formulations contain unique combinations of plant actives, marine actives and essential oils to create the most effective, natural products.Our Biochemists carefully select and distill the highest quality, purest ingredients from nature, using them at their optimal levels to create essential oil blends which work on the structure and health of the skin for the long term as well as delivering immediate results. ESPA has a rich heritage in essential oils and strongly believe in the power and benefits of them.
It is easy to see why people struggle to understand the benefits of these little luxuries, as they claim to be “essential” to our lives, yet are usually marketed in luxury products. Let us tell you everything you need to know about essential oils and convince you why you can no longer live without them. Are they placebos, or do they have real benefits on our lives?
What Are They?
Essential oils come hand in hand with aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine, and have been used for thousands of years. First little piece of information, “essential” comes from the word “essence”. They are highly concentrated versions of the natural oils in plants. The compounds are extracted ingredients from plants, capturing the scent or “essence” of the plant, including its healing properties, and are then distilled and combined with a base or “carrier” oil ready for use. They have been used for so many years because the process of making them only requires heat, water and the plant itself.
Why Do You Need A Base Oil?
Pure essential oils are very strong. In some cases, applying a pure essential oil onto the skin can cause it to become sensitised, and an allergic reaction can occur. By blending pure oils with a carrier oil, therefore diluting the strength of the initial oil, the pure oil itself becomes much safer for topical use and also nourish the skin. A carrier oil will also enhance the therapeutic properties of the essential oil. A carrier oil is generally vegetable derived, usually from the seeds, kernels or nuts of a plant, but sometimes marine life, so are still very natural products.
Examples of base oils used in ESPA products:
- Sweet almond oil, found in Soothing Bath Oil
- Avocado oil, found in Replenishing Face Treatment Oil
- Apricot kernel oil, found in Exfoliating Body Polish
- Jojoba oil, found in Purifying Shampoo and Nourishing Conditioner
- Sweet Orange Oil, found in Restorative Body Oil
- Spearmint Oil, found in Optimal Skin ProSerum
- Evening Primrose Oil, found in 24 Hour Replenishing Moisturisers
- Grapeseed Oil, found in Nourishing Lip Treatment
Visit our ingredients page to see what other base and essential oils we use here.
Ylang Ylang (Essential Oil in Overnight Hydration Therapy)
How Do I Use Them?
To use a basic essential oil, simply inhale or apply to pressure points on the skin. Inhaling the aromas can stimulate your limbic system, a part of your brain which plays a role in emotions, behaviours, and long-term memory. This can explain why scents can transport you back in time to a particular moment or day. Add a couple of drops to water or to a spray bottle to beautifully scent your home.
To help your sleep, add a couple of drops of lavender onto your pillow which will gently release soothing properties, helping you drift off.
ESPA Energising Body Oil
What Are The Benefits?
Essential oils have a holistic and uplifting effect on a person’s mood. They act on the Olfactory System – your sense of smell – to stimulate your senses, body and mind. They have complex biochemical interactions and effects, meaning that different essential oils can create different reactions with our enzymes and hormones.
When applied to the skin, beneficial plant chemicals are absorbed which improve the skin. They can also reduce inflammation on the skin.
The limbic system can also control physiological functions such as breathing and heart rate, and some claim that the use of essential oils can therefore physically relax you.
Essential oils are an alternative therapy to help with stress or anxiety conditions. They are also used in massage to relieve stress and tension in the body. Applying menthol or peppermint oil to the temples has also shown itself to relieve headaches and if you struggle with sleep, essential oils can help you relax and drift off.
Which Ones Should I Use?
There is a vast selection of essential oils to choose from. To make life easier, use them blended into a skincare product. ESPA has a large range of oils for both body, face, and for use in the bath and shower, all of which are infused with an intoxicating blend of oils.
- Peppermint: Boosts energy and is cooling on the skin to relieve irritation, found in ESPA Muscle Rescue Balm.
- Lavender: Aids relaxation, sleep and general stress relief as it stimulates olfactory nerves which can slow down the central nervous system and induce a sense of peace. Found in ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy.
- Sandalwood: Calms nerves and helps focus, found in ESPA Soothing Body Oil.
- Bergamot: Reduce stress and improve skin conditions such as eczema, found in ESPA Skin Rescue Balm.
- Rose Geranium: Improves mood and reduces anxiety, found in ESPA Hydrating Floral Spafresh.
- Neroli: Lifts mood and erases nerves, one of the few essential oils which is scientifically proven to increase serotonin in the brain, making us feel content. Found in ESPA Age-Rebel Eye Hydrator
- Chamomile: Improve mood and general relaxation, found in ESPA 24 Hour Balancing Moisturiser
- Tea Tree: Antibacterial, used to fight infections and boost immunity, found in ESPA 24 Hour Replenishing Moisturiser.
- Ylang-Ylang: Used to treat headaches, nausea and skin conditions, found in ESPA Deeply Nourishing Body Cream.
- Jasmine: Mood enhancing qualities which aids depression and libido, found in ESPA Optimal Skin ProSerum
- Frankincense: Used for immune system stimulation, found in ESPA Lift & Firm Mask
It’s hard to avoid essential oils, as they are used in everything from bath bombs to high end fragrances. To answer the ultimate question, “do essential oils work?” the answer is yes, they have lots of benefits and you can use them to help all sorts of ailments.
Why not try one for yourself and experience the benefits essential oils have to offer?
ESPA Restorative Body Oil
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Thank you for reading.