The Ultimate Essential Oils Guide
Essential oils have gained a cult-like following in recent years, however, the practice of using these plant-based extracts for a variety of healthful purposes isn’t exactly new. For centuries, aromatic plant byproducts - like leaves, stems, roots, and flowers - have been a focal point in baptisms, embalmings, and everything that falls between.
Since modern America has fallen in love with essential oils, the scented products have essentially (see what we did there?) taken off. At Pit Liquor, we’re big fans of our fragrant friends. We put them in everything we make! Not only do they smell amazing, but they have medicinal properties created by nature herself. Here, we’ll share the most common essential oils and their respective uses.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are not deemed “essential” just because they capture the essence of the plant - or its pleasing aroma. Actually, what we deem, “essential oils” are in fact the metabolic secretions of plants - aka plant hormones, aka what brings all the pollinators to the yard.
To get the juice, you’ve got to squeeze. Obtaining a plant’s “essence” or its scent can be done in a host of different ways - cold pressing, distillation, wax embedding, expression, and more. Because essential oils are so potent, they are most often mixed with a carrier oil for topical application.
What are the most common essential oils?
- Lavender. She’s the bell of the ball in our opinion. Lavender smells so delightful, is instantly relaxing, and comes from a gorgeous purple flower. Many use lavender essential oils in aromatherapy, during meditation, yoga, and for stress relief. Lavender essential oil can also be added to laundry, room diffusers, natural cleaning solutions, and more.
- Peppermint. Ancient societies including those of Rome, Greece, and Egypt, used peppermint to quell headaches, relieve cold symptoms, and minimize body aches. Since then humans have continued to use peppermint essential oil for a variety of healing purposes.
- Rose. Like lavender, rose essential oil just smells so damn good. It’s an elegant aroma that doesn’t overwhelm the senses. Rose evokes light, bright feelings of springtime, and is actually used in aromatherapy practices to relieve stress and boost moods. Some studies show that rose essential oil can fight acne, hydrate the skin, and minimize the appearance of scars and wrinkles.
- Sandalwood. In Ayurvedic medicine, sandalwood combats a host of mental and physical problems. Using sandalwood essential oil through aromatherapy practices or topical applications may significantly reduce stress, increase libido, fight fatigue, and improve focus.
- Cedarwood. Besides transporting one to a thick pine forest, cedarwood aids in minimizing the effects of many skin conditions, including eczema, inflammation, and bacterial infections. When mixed with a base oil and applied topically to the scalp, cedarwood may prevent further hair loss and sooth itchy, irritable scalps.
- Lime and orange. These citrus fruits may be celebrated sidekicks in the artisanal cocktail world, but in fact, the essential oil derived from lime and orange peels have noteworthy health properties. High concentrations of vitamin C make each powerful antiseptic that may be used to treat gum infections. Orange and lime essential oil is also used in skincare as a brightening agent that helps reduce the appearance of sunspots, scars, and discoloration.
Pit Liquor’s natural deodorants smell so wonderful thanks to all of these essential oils. Treat your pits with fresh smelling products, instead of chemical components that our competitors love to use. Mother Nature is pretty much perfect, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
What Your Pit Liquor Scent Says About You
The fact that you use Pit Liquor already tells the world that you’re a badass, conscious consumer who cares about their body and the environment. Go you! But did you know that the scent you choose might also have a little something to say about your personality?
Strawberry Basil Lemonade
Your fun-loving and adventurous spirit knows no-bounds and truly thrives in the scorching summertime. Despite soaring temperatures, you throw on a yellow swimsuit and coverup then bike to the river to bathe in mama nature’s chilly waters. You’ve recently started letting your body hair grow because you're so over modern beauty standards but you’re not totally sure you like how it looks and feels - yet. You’re definitely a kid at heart and not totally sold on the adulting thing so you shirk some responsibilities - like parking tickets, anything post office related, and bringing that box of clothes to the thrift store. However, you are responsible enough to hold down a few jobs that allow you to buy farmers market produce and afford a new pair of Birkenstocks. Priorities, baby.
Whiskey Old Fashioned
You’re a crisp white shirt and blue jeans kind of guy or gal. Your collection of bolo ties is something to marvel at and you’ll always choose John Wayne over John Krazinski. As a child, your parents giggled at your “old soul” as you steeped a cup of Earl Grey before cozying up with a good comic book. Now, you’re an elegant adult who has both a typewriter and a record collection because life is meant to be savoured in a slow, meaningful way. Even if that means you have to lug a heavy typewriter and complete collection of Agatha Christie novels around every time you move apartments, you’ll bite the bullet and do it. John Wayne would be proud. Whiskey Old Fashioned sold out? Make your inner Annie Oakley proud with Whiskey Lavender.
Roses & Champagne
Oh you fancy, huh? Well why the hell wouldn’t you be? Life’s too short not to treat yourself to a dozen roses and champagne in your cereal. You’re decadent and your friends love you for it. You take things over the top - surprise birthday party for your cat complete with 200 balloons? You went there and it was so damn fun for everyone, except the cat. It’s likely that you have a few too many vintage dresses in your closet that you haven’t found an excuse to wear. No worries, you’ll throw a Queen’s Gambit-themed party one day soon and you won’t need to shop for an outfit. But you probably will anyway.
Coconut Rum with Lime
You’re always on island time baby and we ain’t mad about it. Start times really are just a suggestion and you always roll up looking cool as a cucumber, ready to go with the flow no matter where it takes you. You're a windows down-AC on type and your low fuel light is constantly on. But you’ll be fine for a few more miles, surely. Nothing ruffles your feathers, not a global pandemic, not a tumultuous election, not even when Jamba Juice runs out of pineapple and can’t make your favorite Caribbean Passion smoothie. If on the off chance you get the slightest bit flustered you simply pause and ask yourself, “WWJBD” or “What Would Jimmy Buffet Do”?
Whiskey Cedarwood
Move over Paul Bunyan. There’s a new lumberjack in town and he wears that flannel well. You spend your leisure time building the tiny home of your dreams that you’ll soon whisk away to the mountains. Cold winter mornings don’t bother you, in fact, you love the excuse to split wood out back with your grandfather’s ax, then come in from the cold and sip a cup of strong black coffee, only to feel your beard grow thicker and even more luxuriant. Your loofah is a pine cone and you’ve recently decided to only eat meat that you hunt yourself. It may be a lean winter but you’ve almost perfected your rabbit stew recipe.
Find your perfect scent, here.
Your Pit Liquor Questions Answered
