Though they provide your body with unwaveringly support, feet are often neglected. Aromatic cosmetic treatments that provide comfort and sensual pleasure can help restore beauty and vitality to even the most downtrodden feet. They'll also help ground you more firmly in the coming season.
Foot bath with essential oils: relaxation and relief for sore feet
An aromatic foot bath can be extremely relaxing and restorative for worn-out feet, not to mention invigorating or relaxing for your entire body. Here's a nice recipe that will do just that.
To prepare a balancing and calming foot bath using essential oils, you'll need the following:
- A plastic tub (e.g. a dish pan) that can hold around 2 litres of water.
- A neutral, unscented bubble bath base (in which to mix your essential oils) or a dispersant.
Note: The bubble bath acts as a carrier that disperses essential oils in the water, while a dispersant has the advantage of creating a homogeneous mixture. Made up primarily of alcohol, lipids (fats), natural emulsifiers and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins C and E, dispersants dissolve the essential oils, creating a solution. What's more, the fats that dispersants contain also protect your skin from potential irritation. The ideal proportion to use is 1 drop of essential oil for 9 drops of dispersant.
This aromatic foot bath blend can be added to around two litres of warm to hot water:
- 7 drops of Lavender essential oil
- 2 drops of Ylang-ylang essential oil
- 1 drop of Marjoram essential oil
Don't forget to add the necessary amount of dispersant before mixing the essential oil blend into the water (see above). If using bubble bath, you'll need 2 tablespoons for this particular aromatic recipe.
This relaxing, soothing blend will pamper and relax your tired feet and make you feel more grounded. While the essential oils suggested here are well tolerated by the skin, they still need to be dosed appropriately to minimize the risk of skin irritation.
Revitalizing foot massage oil
If you could choose only one comforting treatment for your tired feet, it would have to be a moisturizing and revitalizing oil. After all, what could be more enjoyable than massaging your feet with a naturally scented product that moisturizes and nourishes your skin, while restoring your energy and invigorating your senses, all at the same time?
The following aromatic recipe can be incorporated into a blend of plant oils to revitalize and regenerate your feet. You will need:
- One 100-ml amber glass bottle with a dropper or spout
- 75 ml St. John's wort oil
- 24 ml wheat germ oil
Aromatic blend suggestions:
- 9 drops of Balsam fir essential oil
- 4 drops of Rosemary essential oil
- 2 drops of Peppermint essential oil
Mix the essential oils with the plant oils and stir well with a small silicone spatula. Use a funnel to pour the blend into the bottle.
This vegetable oil blend is a wise choice for dry, red and irritated feet. St. John's wort oil is soothing and comforting, not to mention excellent at regenerating and healing skin on inflamed and damaged feet. But because of its photosensitizing properties, it's a good idea to limit sun exposure immediately after using it.
Wheat germ oil's composition features a high vitamin E content and antioxidant carotenoids. It's also high in lipids that are beneficial for dry, rough, chapped and even cracked skin. This particular plant oil therefore protects, nourishes and tones your feet. Keep in mind that it turns rancid quickly and so needs to be stored properly.
As for the aromatic blend for combining with vegetable oils, let's first look at balsam fir, a conifer whose essential oils are extracted from its needles and branches. Its revitalizing, energizing and balancing properties combine well with rosemary, which is also stimulating, and peppermint, which adds a fresh touch that is soothing and enveloping.
This massage oil tones and revitalizes the skin on your feet after you exercise or go on extended walks outdoors, or simply when you feel the need. This essential oil blend's fresh scent both refocuses and energizes. It produces an ideal massage oil for when fatigue strikes, when you need an energy boost and want to recharge your batteries.
We wish you all the relaxation and revitalization your feet deserve as they move you into fall one step at a time!
Note: Refer to the precautions and contraindications before using the products described in this article.
References:
Faucon Michel. Traité d'aromathérapie scientifique et médicale : Fondements et aide à la prescription. Éditions Médical Sang de la Terre, 2012.
Maillard, Aude, Le grand guide de l'Aromathérapie et des soins de beauté naturels. Éditions J'ai lu, 2016.
Festy, Danielle. Ma bible des huiles essentielles. Éditions Caractère, 2013.
