Visiting a bathhouse is a traditional event for Russian people. From time immemorial, we have all heard about the healing properties of this procedure, but can it be made even more useful? Of course yes! And all thanks to essential oils. In this article we will tell you which bath oils are best to use, and how to do it correctly.
In fact, such highly concentrated volatile plant extracts have a lot of possibilities and variations. It is generally accepted that aromatherapy has immunostimulating, analgesic, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and also psychological effects on the human body.
The benefits of a bath: how to steam properly
Bath procedures have a comprehensive healing effect on the body. In ancient times in Rus', many diseases were treated with baths and herbs, using the healing properties of steam, massage with brooms and decoctions of medicinal plants. Brooms are still used today, but herbal infusions have been replaced by essential oils. These are aromatic concentrates of the beneficial power of plants, no less effective than herbal infusions, but easier to use. In order for aromatherapy in the bath to bring all possible benefits to the body, you need to know and follow the recommendations for the use of plant esters.
In ancient times in Rus', many diseases were treated with baths and herbs, using the healing properties of steam, massage with brooms and decoctions of medicinal plants
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Essential oils: what are they and what are the benefits?
Since the bathhouse has long outgrown its original purpose, it is now not just a house for washing the body. Therefore, here they relax, heal their body and spirit, and gain strength. To maximize the benefits of this procedure, you can use essential oils. Volatile substances contained in oils heat up and actively penetrate through steamed skin and the respiratory tract into the body. The choice of esters is very diverse. Each person can find wonderful aromas to suit their taste, depending on the goals they are pursuing. Some of them will help get rid of diseases and strengthen the immune system, others will help you lose weight, and others will give you vitality.
One of the most popular and widespread methods of using the beneficial properties of essential oils is aromatherapy.
Essential oils are volatile oily liquids found in plants. It is the oils that give aroma and perform many other useful functions: protect plants from pests and diseases, cold and drought, attract pollinating insects, and participate in metabolism. Any essential oil has a complex composition, but the basis is made up of three chemical elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen. The formulas of essential oils have not yet been fully understood, but their healing effects on the human body are well known.
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Features of the composition
Thanks to the essential oil inside, plants are not afraid of pests, viruses, and bacteria. The aroma of essential oils is attractive to insects that pollinate flowers. Aromatic oils are extracted from roots, bark, stems, leaves and flowers. Seeds and fruits are used less frequently.
Despite the fact that pomace is called oil (due to its characteristic consistency), it is not such. This is an ether that does not contain glycerin. Essential oil differs from vegetable oil in the following qualities:
- It weighs less than water.
- The composition is water soluble.
- Evaporation begins at room temperature.
- The ether leaves no greasy stains.
The consistency of esters allows them to be added to massage oils and used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
Essential oil making machine
Application
One of the most popular and widespread methods of using the beneficial properties of essential oils is aromatherapy. Specially composed aroma cocktails help restore and strengthen the immune system, with headaches, excessive stress and prolonged depression. Thanks to the relaxing properties of essential oils, aroma rituals are part of restorative spa and beauty treatments.
Essential oils enhance the beneficial properties of massage, have a beneficial effect on the normalization of mental state, general well-being, and also have their own pharmacological properties. For example, clove oil helps warm the skin and improve blood circulation, lemon and orange oil help break down fatty tissue, and rose and santhal extracts have a lifting effect. Essential oils are included in many cosmetic creams, lotions, face and hair masks.
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Thanks to the bactericidal properties, compositions made from essential oils of lemon, pine, fir and eucalyptus help with colds, runny nose, bronchitis and cough. They have a positive effect on the condition of the skin - they help speed up cell regeneration, stimulate blood circulation, have an antibacterial effect - they are used for cuts, scratches, acne and acne. When using aromatic oils in a bath, their effect is greatly enhanced, because the capillaries and skin pores expand from the heat and the healing components of plant esters easily penetrate into the blood. Because in the bathhouse and sauna the body is cleansed, removing unnecessary substances and excess fluid through sweat. Therefore, it better absorbs all useful elements.
Shower in the bath
What ailments can be treated
- To prevent and treat colds, use eucalyptus, peppermint and spruce oils
- For coughs - eucalyptus, fennel, juniper, ginger, marjoram, dill, lemon balm. All of them have a powerful expectorant effect. Chamomile, sage and mint will enhance the effect with their antiseptic properties
- As a remedy for respiratory viral infections, you should take lemon, eucalyptus, tea tree, patchouli, fir, Santal, spruce, rosemary or bergamot.
- In case of runny nose and sinusitis, ylang-ylang will help
- For bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, take essential oils for a bath such as spruce, lemon balm, tea tree, basil, jasmine, fir. They have both anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects.
- Suffering from rheumatism or arthritis - choose lemon balm, eucalyptus, lemon, juniper, jasmine, rosemary, which have anti-rheumatic properties. Visiting a bath with such oils will help reduce joint pain and swelling.
- Tea tree, fir, basil and rosemary will relieve sprains and tendons. They will help you restore strength after physical activity, improve blood flow, and strengthen muscles.
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A few more recommendations
- For bruises, lavender, eucalyptus, myrtle, and tea tree are suitable. They promote wound healing and tissue restoration.
- The activity of the immune system is enhanced by lemon, santhal, bergamot, lemon balm
- Ylang-ylang, mandarin, orange, vanilla, palmarosa, jasmine, neroli, patchouli have a calming effect. Try these concentrates if you think you are stressed, anxious, or overtired and want to relax.
- If you have apathy towards everything, and you want to be more energetic and positive, you need essential oils for a bath with a tonic effect: lavender, rosewood, ginger, grapefruit, vanilla, jasmine.
- For headaches, choose lemon, ylang-ylang, rosemary, basil, which are characterized by antispasmodic effects
- Even for intestinal colic and indigestion, there are aromatic remedies - vanilla or bergamot, they will help normalize the enzymatic acid composition of your gastric juice
- And for cystitis and urethritis, experts recommend taking bath procedures with Santal, eucalyptus, and tea tree. As you understand, they all have diuretic properties.
What to take with you to the bathhouse
Bay – restores youth and beauty of skin and hair
Bay essential oil is obtained from the wood and leaves of myrtle. It has a bitter, pronounced mustard aroma. This is an ideal stimulator of blood circulation and enhancement of metabolic processes in the body.
- Bey is an ether of female beauty and youth. Thanks to increased blood flow, beneficial substances are delivered to the hair follicles and surface skin cells, nourishing and restoring them.
- The antiseptic properties of Bay oil can even cure herpes. In a steam room, tiny particles of antiseptic penetrate deeply into the skin and completely neutralize the infection.
- Bay oil essential oil is recommended for the treatment of fungal and other infectious skin diseases. But before using it in a sauna, still consult with your doctor and make sure whether steam exposure to the skin is not contraindicated on an individual basis.
- Gorgeous hair and glowing youthful skin are the result of regular use of bey leaf oil.
Bay oil combines well with chamomile, mint and flax oils. Do not mix with eucalyptus and juniper esters.
The effect of essential oils on the human body
As you know, essential oils are used for both medical, cosmetic and aromatherapy purposes. The tables below will help you find out which bath oils are best.
Medical purpose
| Essential oils | Action |
| Juniper, dill, anise | They will help with a cough that does not go away for a long time, as they have pronounced anti-inflammatory and mucolytic effects: they dilute mucus and remove it from the lungs |
| Eucalyptus, mint, fir, lemon balm, tea tree, neroli, bergamot, patchouli, basil, rosemary, lemon | Antiseptic effect, perfect for the prevention and treatment of colds, as well as diseases of the upper respiratory tract |
| Geranium, lemon verbena, basil, jasmine | They have an antispasmodic effect, will help normalize blood pressure and get rid of headaches |
| Wormwood, rosemary, Chinese lemongrass | Will help with loss of strength, cope with stress and nervousness |
| Pine, sea buckthorn, geranium, yarrow, sage, chamomile, celandine and valerian | Actively fight skin diseases such as psoriasis, dermatitis, irritation, peeling, including those caused by frostbite |
| Spruce, pine, fir, cedar | Anti-inflammatory, regenerating and antibacterial effects. An ideal combination for healing various skin lesions |
| Lemon, juniper, sandalwood | Promotes increased sweating and removal of waste and toxins from the body |
| Cypress | Helps ease the symptoms of menopause |
| Mint | Improves blood circulation |
| Sage | Stimulates immunity |
Medical purpose
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Cosmetological purpose
| Essential oils | Action |
| Lemon, grapefruit, orange, rosemary or juniper | Effective for weight loss, have a fat-burning effect, give skin elasticity |
| Rosemary, Santal, Patchouli, Melissa | Have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair, fight dandruff |
| Melissa, eucalyptus | Help fight swelling |
| Lavender, lemon, sage | To cleanse the skin and normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands |
| Rose, juniper | For skin rejuvenation |
| Orange, jasmine, patchouli, neroli | Relieves dry skin |
Cosmetological purpose
Aromatherapy
| Essential oils | Action |
| Jasmine, rosemary, vanilla, sandalwood, bergamot, ylang-ylang and spruce | They are aphrodisiacs and are used to increase sexual desire. |
| Rosemary, geranium | To stimulate brain activity, increase self-confidence, improve memory and performance |
| Grapefruit | To restore strength and energy, combat nervous tension, increase vitality |
| Fir, cedar | They help overcome depression, nervousness, and a negative outlook on things, increase vitality, charge you with optimism, put you in a positive mood, clear your mind and calm you down. |
| Orange, jasmine | Helps improve mood and normalize sleep |
| Basil | Helps clarify consciousness, facilitates decision making |
| Lavender | Relieves irritability |
Aromatherapy
Height of ceilings and shelves in baths and saunas
Orange - the sunny joy of life
Orange essential oil improves mood - especially in winter, when there is so little sunlight and warmth. This cheerful and life-affirming scent will instantly restore your good spirits and give you joy in every moment.
Orange is an excellent antidepressant and antispasmodic; its aroma relaxes all muscles and helps you feel the beauty of visiting a bathhouse or sauna. Orange oil causes allergic reactions in some people, so it should be used taking into account the individual characteristics of the body.
How to properly use essential oils in a bath
When you want to feel the magical effect of essential oils, you need to mix 3 to 10 drops of it with 1-2 tablespoons of honey or sea salt and dilute it all in 0.5 liters of water. To visit the bathhouse you will need, on average, 1.5 liters of this aromatic composition. To dissolve the oil in water, you need to use some kind of emulsifier. That is, the ether is first added to a teaspoon of sea salt or honey, and then dissolved in water. The same mixture can be added to the water for steaming a broom, then the benefits of its use will increase several times.
You can also grease the shelves with essential oil and add it to the stove in the steam room. This will be quite enough to fully enjoy the wonderful sensations that such a procedure will bring you.
An overdose may cause you to be allergic
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Overdose
However, when figuring out which bath oils are best, do not think that the more concentrate you take, the better the effect you will achieve. This is not true, especially if you are using essential oils for the first time. An overdose can cause you to be allergic, so start with small doses. Increase the time spent in the steam room gradually from 3 to 20 minutes, no more! Repeat the procedure no more than 2 times a week. And among other things, you must clearly understand which oils have what effect on the body.
The disinfecting properties of essential oils can make it possible to use essential oils to ensure hygiene in the steam room - rubbing or irrigating the walls and floor will help cope with fungi and bacteria that multiply in a humid and warm environment. In the cold season, means for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections are relevant in the bathhouse , and in the warm season - anti-stress, invigorating and refreshing. Mint and citrus aromas are good in summer, and pine and spicy aromas are good in winter.
Tips for using aromatherapy in a steam room
It is important to test for possible allergic reactions before use. To do this, dilute a few drops in a spoon of water. Then lubricate the elbow joint with this solution. If no discomfort or other reactions occur on the skin within 15 minutes, then the oil can be safely used.
Flavorings are less concentrated than oils, so they need to be used in more measured doses.
- Remember, all fragrances are for external use only.
- For 30 cubic meters of steam room, take no more than 10 drops of oil. If flavoring is used, then take from 20 to 35 drops.
- The drugs are diluted in a ladle with water. Then the walls and shelves are watered. Can be applied to hot stones.
- To increase the aroma, you can place ceramic dishes containing oils. To do this, pour water at room temperature into it. Then add 6-10 drops of oil. Install it on the top shelf or in the place where the temperature is highest. Under its influence, an aroma appears.
- When visiting a steam room using additional odors, you need to measure the time you spend. For the first time, 4–5 drops are enough, and the residence time is no more than 3–5 minutes. Then the time can be gradually increased.
- All flavors and oils are flammable. Therefore, they should not be sprayed undiluted onto hot stones. This may cause a fire.
- It is also prohibited to apply all preparations to stones and walls undiluted. This will lead to the breakdown of molecules, the formation of impurities that will negatively affect the body.
- At the first feeling of discomfort, you should immediately leave the steam room.
- Concentrates should not get on the mucous membrane. This will lead to burns, irritation, and allergic reactions.
Which bath oils are best?
Below is a table of the best essential oils for saunas and baths and a description of the beneficial effects on the human body.
| Essential oil | Effect on the human body |
| Orange | Eliminates cellulite, invigorates, improves immunity |
| Bergamot | Normalizes blood pressure, increases libido, has an antibacterial effect |
| Spruce | Restores tissue and muscles, fights colds, stimulates metabolism |
| Lavender | Calms, relaxes, has a hypnotic and antidepressant effect, treats colds, heals burns and wounds |
| Lemon | Elevates mood, stimulates brain processes, helps with migraines, resists varicose veins |
| Mandarin | Strengthens the immune system, tones the body, stimulates appetite, increases libido, removes waste and toxins |
| Melissa | Improves mood, suppresses melancholy and depression, restores strength, improves brain function, memory and attention |
| Myrtle | Helps against flu and colds, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland, destroys fungi, bacteria and viruses |
| Juniper | Normalizes blood pressure, suppresses fears and irritation, helps cope with stress, disinfects, fights colds |
| Mint | Relaxes muscles, relieves pain, reduces migraines and nausea, refreshes, fights respiratory diseases |
| Neroli | Eliminates insomnia, relieves anxiety, helps with respiratory diseases, improves the functioning of the heart and digestive system |
| Pine | Enhances the senses, relieves stress, protects against colds, relieves muscle tension and fatigue, heals cuts and wounds |
| Sandalwood | Stimulates, improves immunity, relaxes, helps to fall asleep, treats spasms and muscle pain |
| Thyme (thyme) | Strengthens and increases the endurance of the nervous system, activates the immune system, disinfects, heals wounds, stimulates brain function, helps with insomnia |
| Tea tree | Is the best antiseptic, destroys fungi, bacteria and viruses |
| Eucalyptus | Clears the breath, relieves pain, treats respiratory diseases, relieves fatigue, strengthens the body |
Table of the best oils for sauna and baths
Contraindications
When researching which bath oils are best, keep in mind that some diseases are contraindicated for aromatherapy bath procedures:
- epilepsy;
- oncological diseases;
- bronchial asthma;
- cardiac ischemia;
- acute viral diseases;
- kidney and central nervous system diseases;
- pregnancy, breastfeeding;
- individual intolerance.
Although they say that “you can’t spoil a bath with oil,” moderation is still needed in everything.
Children and the elderly should use essential oils in the bath with caution. Following simple precautions will help avoid the unpleasant consequences of aromatherapy: Essential oils and mixtures affect people individually. Focus on the smell - if you don’t like it, then this oil is not for you. Its use may lead to headaches and poor health. There are many oils with similar effects and you just need to find yours. If you have not used this essential oil before, you need to make sure you are not allergic. To do this, apply a teaspoon of any vegetable oil with 2 drops of essential oil dissolved in it on the inside of the wrist or elbow and leave for several hours. If irritation does not appear during this time, the product can be used.
Children and elderly people should use essential oils with caution in the bath.
Do-it-yourself chimney in a bathhouse
Precautionary measures
When choosing which bath oils are best, do not forget that any essential oil is highly flammable. Take precautions when using them:
- Do not use aromatic oils near an open fire, do not apply them in their pure form to hot stones or heating elements.
- Do not allow plant esters to get into your eyes or mucous membranes. If the product does get into your eyes, then you need to rinse the area with vegetable oil - olive or sunflower, and only then with water. If the discomfort continues after this, you should consult a doctor. Essential oil is an aggressive substance for mucous membranes and can cause a real chemical burn.
- Aromatic oils must be of high quality. Obtaining the plant ester is an expensive process, so the final product cannot be cheap. Especially if it is an exotic plant growing in other countries. The bottle with natural essential oil contains the Latin name of the plant from which it is produced.
Contraindications
Esters should be used carefully, strictly following the recommendations and dosages specified by the manufacturer. And for some categories of people the use of essential oils is completely contraindicated. Before buying oil, you must carefully read the information leaflet included in the box with the bottle. Diseases incompatible with the use of essential oils are similarly indicated there.
If the aroma of the oil causes sneezing, redness of the skin, itching and other allergic manifestations, then it is better not to use it. It is necessary to take into account the properties of oils to influence the organs and systems of the body so as not to harm or aggravate the condition. Contraindications also include pregnancy, the presence of infections and inflammatory processes, and epilepsy.
Allergy test
