If you ask people to name the best essential oil for healthcare or their favorite essential oil scent, you'll see the same products come up. Tea tree oil is everywhere in skincare thanks to its powerful cleansing properties, as are eucalyptus and lemon. Peppermint and lavender remain two of the most popular scents. But what about manuka oil? Could manuka be a better choice?
Why Should You Switch To Manuka Essential Oil?
Manuka oil, derived from the New Zealand plant, is highly beneficial in a range of applications. Yet, the oil still isn't as well-known or well-used outside of the region as it should be. Those who swear by manuka oil say it can make a big difference to their health and well-being, with the bonus of a great scent. Here are some of the different ways we can use manuka essential oil and why it's worth a try.
Common Uses Of Manuka Essential Oil
Most of the common uses of manuka essential oil revolve around health care. We can use the oil with topical treatments or added to other products to enhance their potential benefits. Many who swear by the healing properties of manuka find it helps in the following ways.
Skin Care
Typically, manuka oil is used as a skin care treatment because of its many healing properties. This oil is antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and even antihistiminic. Therefore, there is potential for the treatment of various minor and long-term conditions. With skincare, this makes it effective as a cleanser. The antibacterial nature can enhance cleansers to help kill bacterial infections. This also gives it some potential as a deodorant as it can fight odor-causing bacteria.
Another common use in skincare is wound treatment. Some people do this with manuka honey, as this has proved effective for easing inflammation and reducing burns. However, it's more user-friendly to create a topical solution with diluted manuka oil. The anti-inflammatory nature and the cicatrisant can promote faster healing times and make the burns easier to live with.
Hair Care
When talking about manuka for skin care, we also have to mention scalp care. Our scalps are easily overlooked while we focus on moisturizing our facial skin. Yet, it can also dry out, becoming itchy and flaky. The soothing properties of manuka oil can help ease this issue while also cleansing any oils and dealing with bacteria. As with skin care treatments, it is easy to add drops of oil to carrier products and feel the effects. It could end up enhancing your current shampoo or acting as a pleasant treatment during a scalp massage.
Oral Care
Manuka oil for oral care may be less common than skincare, but it does show the potential of the product for healthcare needs. The antibacterial properties of the oil mean it is just as effective for dealing with oral bacteria and keeping your mouth cleaner and fresher for longer. This effect not only means a reduced risk of plaque and oral disease but also the chance for better breath. A natural mouthwash containing manuka oil could be a pleasant alternative to harsher mouthwash products. With the right potency and an effective carrier, the natural oil can lead to a pleasant product that doesn't cause any irritation or inflammation.
Furthermore, the antihistamine effect could help those dealing with allergic reactions and related side effects around the mouth and throat. Manuka honey is effective as a treatment for colds and sore throats because it is so soothing. So, pairing this with a manuka oil mouthwash could be effective.
When using manuka oil directly onto the skin like this, you do need to be careful. Pure manuka oil is effective because it is so potent, and the best products are 100% pure with no fillers or additives. Therefore, you need to dilute the solution to avoid irritation. The right balance of manuka oil and a carrier can still be incredibly beneficial. For example, those using manuka oil for skin care add drops to hot water for facial steam or into a natural moisturizing oil like almond oil.
Alternative Uses For Manuka Essential Oil
The potential of manuka oil doesn't end with direct healthcare and those topical solutions. Users have also found other ways to take advantage of this oil and highly recommend it for its potency. Here are some alternative uses for manuka essential oil to consider.
Aromatherapy
The use of essential oils for aromatherapy isn't uncommon. Most advocates have a go-to oil to help them deal with specific issues. Some are great for relaxation and sleep, so they work really well in diffusers or added to hot baths. We can add manuka oil to that list because many find it great for reducing stress. Those wanting an alternative to lavender appreciate the more woodland notes in this oil. There are similarities to cedar, and some say there are also spicy notes. It can soothe the mind and enhance a living space in autumnal months.
Household Products
Then, there's the potential use of manuka oil in household products. This one isn't going to be for everyone. If you've finally got hold of a bottle of pure manuka oil from New Zealand, are you going to want to use it on your body or your kitchen counters? You'll get more value and fun from the former. However, the antibacterial and antifungal properties of manuka oil do mean that it can be an effective household cleanser. It's one way to reduce the need for chemicals, but is it better than just using lemon juice?
Give Manuka Oil A Try For Better Health
Manuka oil may not be as mainstream as tea tree oil in healthcare culture right now, but it should be. Tea tree oil is effective and accessible, but manuka offers a whole other experience. The cleansing and soothing properties have great potential for skin, hair, and oral care, and the scent is beautiful. When you add this oil to your regime and maybe also try manuka honey, you'll wonder why you haven't been using it before.
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