Essential oils have been a staple in the holistic, beauty, and aromatherapy spaces for countless decades. The natural ingredients serve many purposes that relate to healing the mind, body, and spirit, with many different uses.
While they are most commonly used as part of aromatherapy treatments to allow the body to absorb and inhale the essence of the oils, more often we are seeing essential oils used as part of skin care or beauty routines.Â
There are countless essential oils available, and they are ideal to use to ease tension in the body and to soothe any aches or pains. While they can be applied topically to different parts of the body, there are also many ways to use the oils to help relax the body both internally and externally.
One of the most popular, effective methods for soothing various body concerns is to use essential oils on the bottom of your feet for the best results!
Why should you use essential oils on your feet and what are the best options? Massaging essential oils onto your feet is going to be beneficial to your overall well-being, both internal and external. Many essential oils (such as peppermint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus) will help improve the comfort of your feet and body by easing any aches, pains, or discomforts.
Below we discuss in depth why using essential oils on your feet is so beneficial, how to use them properly, and some of the best options to choose from.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are a common ingredient used in many skin and body care products, as well as in many aromatherapy treatments. They are oils that are naturally derived from specific plants and used for different purposes with varying effects.
While essential oils are derived from plants, not all plants are able to produce useful oils or other substances meant for personal use.
The essential oils from certain plants can be found in various parts of the plants, including the stem, roots, and leaves. Different oils are found in various spots on the plants.
There are a wide variety of essential oils that can be used to target different concerns, achieve various results, and create different responses from the body.
Essential oils are extracted from certain parts of the plants and then distilled, either through hot water methods or cold pressing.
From there the essential oils are added to carrier oils, which are also plant-derived oils that easily transfer the essential oils to the skin. The carrier oils help to dilute the essential oils so they are not as potent, which could potentially lead to skin irritation.
Benefits Of Using Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used for countless different purposes. They are often used as an important ingredient in various skincare or body care products, or used separately as part of a skincare routine. They are most commonly used, though, for aromatherapy purposes.
Aromatherapy has benefits on the health of the mind and body, along with spiritual benefits as well. The practice uses essential oils to be inhaled through the air, as well as absorbed into the skin. The scent and essence of the oils can be used in a diffuser, bath soak, or aromatic spray, as well as other methods.
Each essential oil has a different purpose and healing properties contained within its essence, and based on your individual needs you can choose your essential oil accordingly. Depending on the oil you choose, it can help to ease tension, reduce any discomfort or pain, and calm the mind and body.
Essential oils are also frequently used in massage treatments or reflexology treatments. The health and spiritual benefits of the oils help to enhance the effectiveness of massage or reflexology treatments to further help ease the mind and body.
Why Use Essential Oils On Your Feet?
Essential oils can be used on various parts of the body, to alleviate different concerns. However, using essential oils on the feet can have many internal benefits, as well as external, and can be considered the most important area to use essential oils as part of your body care routine.
The pores on the bottom of the feet are the largest on the body, along with having the majority of nerve endings that run throughout the body there as well. By using essential oils on the feet, the benefits of the treatment will be able to have a positive effect on the entire body.
The bottom of the feet is an important focal point, or even the only focus, in many reflexology treatments. Reflexology is used to help with relieving muscle pain and body aches, as well as aid in healing various internal organs, many of which the pressure points in the feet are connected to.
There are various pressure points on different parts of the foot, that correspond to varying internal reactions, that can range from easing the tension of a sciatic nerve to helping with digestive stomach issues. When paired with the correct essential oils, the benefits can be amplified to have the best results.
Using essential oils on the feet is also a way to pamper and treat the feet, especially if they are feeling any discomfort or soreness. Massaging the feet with essential oil can soften the skin, as well as soothe any aches and pains.
Essential oils are also often antibacterial and antifungal, which can help to cleanse and purify the feet. These properties can also help to eliminate any odor from the feet if that is an issue you are concerned with.
Being antibacterial and antifungal can also help to heal any cuts, wounds, or blisters on the feet from any further irritation or potential infections.Â
How To Use Essential Oils On Your Feet
There are many ways to use essential oils on your feet that can be seamlessly worked into your typical body care routine. They can also be applied to the feet multiple times a day if so desired.
The most common method of applying essential oil on the feet is to apply directly onto the skin and massage into the foot focusing on the desired pressure points.
Massage the oil into the feet until it has completely absorbed. This method can be done at any point in the day, but is ideal to do so at night before bed to help reduce any aches or pains.
It is best to focus the oils on the bottoms of the feet, as that is where most of the pressure points are located and where the oil can deeply penetrate into the skin.
Other methods for using essential oils on the feet include adding them to warm water to create a foot soak. This method is ideal for alleviating any soreness or aches from the feet.
Adding a few drops of essential oils into a basin with warm water and letting the feet soak for about 20 minutes can be a weekly treatment you incorporate into your typical routine.
Essential oils can also be used with a warm compress and applied to the feet to also help relieve tension. The warm compress will help to soothe muscle aches, and the essential oils that are added will also impart an aromatherapy quality.
Similarly with the foot soak, adding the essential oils to the warm water will activate and release the scent into the air, to provide a relaxing, aromatic experience.
Much like using essential oils for reflexology, they can also be used as part of a regular foot massage. If you are wanting to care for and pamper your feet, applying the oil directly and thoroughly massaging it into the feet will leave the skin feeling soft, supple, and relaxed.
Best Essential Oils To Use On Your Feet And Why
There are countless essential oils on the market for various uses and with different benefits, whether they are being used for aromatherapy or topical body care. However, there are certain essential oils that are going to be more beneficial for your feet than others.
Below are some of the best essential oils to treat various ailments of the feet, as well as why they are the best choices.
1. Peppermint Oil
One of the first and most common oils to use on the feet is peppermint essential oil. As can be expected from its name, peppermint has a cooling effect that is soothing for aching muscles.
Using a peppermint essential oil like this one will help to calm and relax fatigued muscles, as well as help to eliminate any odor with its minty scent.
2. Tea Tree Oil
Another common essential oil that is often used is tea tree oil. This essential oil is used in many skincare and body products due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties.
When used on the feet, an essential oil like this one will help to treat conditions like athlete’s foot, plus heal any cuts or wounds on the skin, while also helping to eliminate any odor with a similarly minty scent.
3. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is an essential oil that is becoming more widely used for various benefits, including its refreshing scent and calming properties. While those claims do help when applying eucalyptus essential oil to the feet, its main benefit is the way it can stimulate and increase blood circulation.
Eucalyptus essential oil will also help to soothe aching feet while also preventing potential infections due to its antibacterial nature.
4. Lavender Oil
One of the most popular essential oils for relaxation is lavender oil, whether it is used topically or for aromatherapy. This essential oil’s main benefit is the calming and stress-relieving effect it has on the mind and body when it is used.
Adding a lavender oil such as this one to your routine as part of a foot soak or a foot massage will help to ease tension, calm the muscles, and provide an aromatherapy quality to your treatment.
5. Chamomile Oil
Chamomile is another calming essential oil that works well to ease tension. Using this essential oil on the feet will help to ease any muscle pain or discomfort.
Chamomile essential oil also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to ease any foot spasms or injuries.
6. Rosemary Oil
With similar anti-inflammatory properties, rosemary essential oil is a helpful product to use on the feet. It will help to increase blood circulation in the feet, while also easing any tension to soothe and calm the body.
Rosemary oil (like this one that is also formulated with other helpful oils) will also help to relax the muscles in the foot, with rosemary also being helpful in reducing sweatiness and odor in the feet as well.
7. Lemongrass Oil
Both lemongrass and lemon essential oils are two oils that have antifungal properties to help prevent infections from occurring on the feet. However, lemongrass essential oil can help to prevent issues such as athlete’s foot, which is a common fungal skin infection that can typically appear between the toes.
Lemongrass essential oil can also be used for reflexology purposes by massaging it into the feet to help alleviate and ease any tension caused by migraines.
8. Lemon Oil
Lemon essential oil can also help to soothe any pain in the feet or muscles, along with its antifungal properties. It can also help to cleanse and purify the feet, and can help to even out any discoloration due to its skin-brightening effects.
9. Cypress Oil
Cypress essential oil is ideal for soothing muscle aches in the body, but especially in the feet. It can help to ease tension and prevent cramping or spasms in the foot.
This oil can also help to reduce odor in the feet, plus it has antibacterial properties that help protect wounds, cuts, or blisters from harboring any potential infections.
10. Bergamot Oil
Another essential oil that will help to soothe feet and eliminate odor is bergamot essential oil. This oil can also help to reduce sweatiness in feet, by helping to minimize the size of the sweat glands.
Bergamot essential oil can also help to reduce tension by having a calming effect when massaged into the skin.
11. Marjoram Oil
Marjoram is a unique essential oil that has a warming effect when it is applied and massaged into the skin. The warming effect can help to relax the mind and body, and when massaged into the feet at night, can promote restful sleep.
Marjoram essential oil will also help to soothe any aches or pains in the feet, while also helping to increase blood circulation.
Final Thoughts
Overall, essential oils are a multi-tasking product that can be used in various ways to provide you with a calm, centered, and soothed environment.
Whether you are looking to use essential oils for aromatherapy reasons, or as a topical beauty treatment, looking at what each oil does for your body, mind, and spirit is an important step.
Depending on where you are looking to use the essential oils on the body, there are some options that are going to be better than others.
However, the feet are an effective and crucial place to start as they contain many nerve endings, pressure points, and larger pores that will allow the oils to deeply penetrate the skin and ease any existing tension.
The above-mentioned oils are some of the best options to use for the feet, to achieve a calm, relaxed, and healthy result. As with any essential oils, it is important to know if they need to be mixed in with a carrier oil before applying them onto the feet, to prevent any potential irritation.
Starting with the oils in the above list, along with the methods mentioned, is an ideal way to begin your essential oils journey!