In a world that is enamoured with beauty products and cosmetic enhancements, it’s easy to forget the natural ways to make yourself beautiful. Centuries of using makeup and alcohol based perfumes have caused people to forget the natural ways to maintain your skin and smell great year long. Body oils have been used for thousands of years. Ancient egyptians mastered the art of making fragrant oils long before personal hygiene was taken into consideration. It is said that the tomb of King Tutankhamun had a 3000 year old vase of an oil made from the musk glands of deer which still had a lingering aroma after all this time. It is hard to argue with the longevity of the fragrance which comes from oils. Fragrance oils made from myrrh, cinnamon and frankincense have history even in the biblical scripture. These fragrances were commonly used for anointing oils and are common today. The greeks would commonly use these oils in their bath houses and after sporting events. Oils have adorned people’s cultures and lifestyles for millennia, try using body oils for yourself and see how much better they are for you.
What Are Body Oils Exactly?
Body oil is a very general term. There are many kinds of body oils; for simplicity, body oils are simply oils that are manufactured or processed for topical use on the body. They are not necessarily made for consumption, however, many oils which are used for cookey can be used for topical use as well.
There are two main types of body oils. One is fragrance oils, the other is essential oils. Let’s discuss fragrance oils. Fragrance oils are base oils that have been enhanced with scents that are not necessarily found in the base, the added aromatics can be naturally and synthetically created. This means that some fragrance oils may have synthetic elements and diluents in the fragrances. These oils with synthetic elements are very loose and not viscous. They are commonly sold by street vendors are over the world and many body oils shops in the united states.
There is another class of fragrant oils that are much higher quality. Generally, the thicker uncut oils are more pure, more concentrated and all natural. If you prefer authentic concentrated fragrance oils which are not synthetic in any way, you will enjoy musks, oudhs and attars. We refer to these oils are Arabian Fragrance Oils. These oils are a stable of the Middle East and South Asian cultures which have manufactured these scents for centuries. Arabian oils are 100% naturally manufactured oils which smell great all day long. The best part about these Middle Eastern oils is that they are also alcohol free. Since the oils are alcohol free, the uncut oils do not dry out your skin. Eu de colognes are alcohol based and contain approximately the same amount of fragrance, but are unhealthy for skin. Not to mention, common alcohol based fragrances do not last very long.
There are three main types of authentic Arabian Oils. These are: Attars, Oudhs and Musks. The secret to concentrated fragrance oils is the base. Typically, the bases for these concentrated oils are very natural but involve meticulous and messy screening and manufacturing processes which we will discuss late. The bases for these oils are as follows: the base for attars are flowers and fruits, the base for oudh is tree bark and roots and the base for musks are animal glands and fats such as ambergris and musk deer glands. Fun fact: Egyptian musk is one of the most historically used fragrances and was sought after by the kings of old. Arabian Oudh is highly sought after, the tradition of fragrance oils has a long standing tradition throughout the middle east. Fragrances in every city are different and the oils can be smelled by citizens for miles. Especially in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, where oil vendors are everywhere, the smell of oils permeates the clothing of visitors and denizens alike. Every room in the city smells like a perfumers workshop and there’s nothing like that experience anywhere in the world.
There is one drawback to fragrance oils. The quality, scent and potency of the fragrance is determined by a number of factors. Weather, seasonality, time of day, year made, manufacturing process and even the wearer’s natural chemistry can affect how the oil smells. Therefore, it is likely that if you buy an oil you like, the color, smell, viscosity and other properties of the oil may change the next time you buy it. That is one of the main reasons alcohol based perfumes, which stay consistent, sell well even though they are bad for your skin.
Essential Oils
The other main type of body oils are called essential oils. They are called essential oils because, before the advent of modern health science aNnd chemistry, these oils were considered to be essential to life on earth. Early scientist often went to great and dangerous lengths to extract these oils. We must respect their dedication, even if their theory isn’t true. Essential oils have quite a few uses and will make a great addition to your daily hygiene rituals.
What Are Essential Oils Used For?
Hydration:
Generally, essential Oils are very fragrant in their own way. Argan oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil and others have their own unique fragrances which smell absolutely amazing by themselves. However, Essential oils are more oftenly used for health reasons rather than for the fragrance. The oils are great for keeping your skin hydrated and radiant all year long. During the winter, the moisture in your skin will be wicked away by cold and dryness. Oils help keep the temperature of your skin more maintainable so that the skin doesn’t dry out. In summer, with heat and perspiration, you’re skin may get rashes or dry patches. This can be prevented with oils as well. As you perspire, the oils entire your pores and keep them cool. Every single cell in our body has some sort of oil or fat on the membrane to help it remain fluid and permeable to important nutrients. The same is true for your skin; since the pores in your skin are permeable, they must remain hydrated to efficiently maintain the proper environment for your skin.
Therapy:
Essential oils are sometimes used for various therapies. Some use the natural fragrances of various plants such as Frankincense, myrrh or others to meditate and relax the mind. This form of therapy can be easily done at home as long as you make sure to be careful of which oils you use. Some oils should not be used for aromatherapy, as they are meant for topical use and inhaling them may lead to undesired respiratory problems and allergic reactions. Aroma therapy has been used for millennia to treat depression and other psychological issues by using essential oils for meditation. You can use an oil burner for aromatherapy, but it is easier to apply the oil to your skin (if it is a topical oil) or just smelling the bottle which contains the oil.
The oils are also great for massages. They are a staple of spa masseuses and masseurs because of the ability of some oils to relax the muscles which are tense. They also help create a hydrated and well nourished skin environment so that the massage doesn’t cause rashes or dry patches during skin contact. The practice of using oils during a massage or after physical activity can be traced back thousands of years; as stated earlier, grecian athletes and soldiers were often seen covered in oil after a long day of work or exercise. They used mainly olive oil, but on special occasions, would use myrrh and cinnamon oils from Egypt. They would refer to each other by their fragrance similar to how we say “Hi honey”. Some use the oils during physical interactions with their significant other to enhance the experience by increasing the release of dopamine and creating a soothing aroma during the time together. Most will say that the use of oils has almost no negative effects unless you are allergic to certain ingredients. Therefore, if you are going to use the oil with someone else, ensure that both of you are okay with the oil and you are not allergic to anything that is in the oil.
Consumption:
Some food grade oils are designed to be consumed to meet certain dietary requirements. You must VERY careful when consuming oils. Some oils are not meant to be consumed because of the diluents or solvents which are used to extract the oils. If the oils is meant for consumption or cookery, it will clearly say so. One example of oils which can be used for both cookery and topical use is coconut oil. Some coconut oils have added fragrances which cannot be used for cooking oil. However, the majority of raw virgin coconut oil can be used for food and makes a great conditioner/lotion for your hair. It will keep your hair and scalp at body temperature during the cold and hot months and keep your skin from drying out. Coconut oil is just one of many examples. A commonly used essential oil for food is nutmeg oil. They add a great aroma to your autumn and winter dishes and drinks. It also help with digestion and immunotherapy according to some. You must be very careful when buying oils for dietary reasons. Make sure you trust the person you buy food grade oils from and double check all the ingredients before consuming the oil. This includes any allergic components, diluents and solvents. If you experience any reactions or have pain after consuming any oils, please seek medical care immediately.
How are Body Oils Made?
If you are an educated buyer, you’re probably wondering how fragrance oils and other topical use oils are made. The process has not changed much for a very long time, they have just been refined and simplified with modern technology. We will explain how each type of oil is made specifically because each oil is made in a different way.
Fragrance oils are made using a carrier oil. The carrier oil is usually a distilled essential oil such as argan oil or jojoba oil. Some of the fragrance oils are then mixed with diluents and aromatic compounds to create any scent imaginable. Common fragrance oils are much looser and easier to make, therefore they are less expensive as well. They can be used to create designer type scents as well using the aromatic compounds. These alcohol free oils require no intensive distilling or manufacturing.
Arabian oils such as oud, musk and attar must be distilled in most cases. The oil are made in the same way most essential oils are made. The only difference is that Arabian oils are often a composite of more than one source. Tree bark, roots, flowers, fruits and so on can be combined to create the custom incense oil which manufacturers desire. These oils are as musky and natural as you would expect. This method for oils has changed unchanged for centuries and carried on by generations of perfumers.
Essential oils are also distilled similar to alcoholic beverages. However, absolutely no alcohol is created during this process. Distilling usually involves using steam to release the oils from the source. The oils travel through tubes to create a mixture of water and oil. If done correctly, over time, the oil separates from the water by itself. The oil is the finished product and the scented water is a byproduct. Both products are sold to vendors for their own reasons. Distilling oils is one of the cleanest and most efficient chemical procedures for creating beauty products and has little to no impact on the environment. Therefore, you can be guilt free and environmentally conscious when buying body oils.
Where Can I Buy Body Oils?
You can find body oils in our store! We are a Muslim store that sells Islamic products, fragrance oils, clothing, and books. We are located in Charlotte, North Carolina near Ikea Blvd. Below is a complete list of all the oils we currently have in stock.
Alcohol Free Fragrance Oils:
Arabian Concentrated Fragrance OIls:
| Black Musk Oil | Narcissus Oil | Stardust Oil | Jannatul Ma’wa Oil |
| Musk Al Khitam Oil | Fajr (Sunrise) Oil | Jannatul Firdaus Oil | Jannatul Naeem Oil |