{ Just the Essentials by Adina Grigore }

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Harper Wave (March 7, 2017)

The author of Skin Cleanse returns with a comprehensive guide to the ultimate ingredient for living an all-natural, plant-based lifestyle: essential oils.

For millennia, essential oils have played a key role in health and beauty rituals. From references in the Bible (frankincense and myrrh) to Hippocrates (who documented the effects of oils from over 300 plants) to Ancient Egypt (Cleopatra pioneered the use of fragrance), essential oils have been revered throughout human history for their healing powers and their unparalleled scent.

But in modern times, they’ve often been misunderstood, underappreciated, even cast as “dangerous”—and relegated to the dusty shelves of health food stores. That is, until recently. Today they’re back in the spotlight as increasing numbers of consumers are looking for all-natural alternatives to skincare products and opting for fragrance-free detergents and soaps, natural remedies for common ailments, and toxin-free home cleaning solutions.

Enter Adina Grigore, owner and founder of the wildly popular all-natural skincare line SW Basics. A former essential oil skeptic, Grigore learned everything she could about these potent plant-based compounds when she began formulating her products. And what she learned was that essential oils are some of the most powerful, healing, health-promoting compounds found in nature. That, and they smell pretty great too.

In Just the Essentials, Grigore offers a 21st-century guide to these ancient oils, offering a fresh, fun, and authoritative overview of what they are and how they can be easily incorporated into anyone’s life. From plant-based medicine to all-natural skincare to safer and cleaner household products to aromatherapy, this handy and entertaining guide provides detailed advice for a wide array of oils, safety guidelines, and a range of do-it-yourself recipes to get started. Inside you’ll discover such fun facts as:

• Tea tree oil is a powerful antibacterial that is proven to be as effective for treating acne as benzoyl peroxide; it also kills oral bacteria and is a life-saver for tooth infections.
• Cinnamon oil is a circulation-booster that helps to ease everyday aches and pains as well as headaches (even migraines).
• Peppermint oil is brimming with antimicrobial properties; peppermint oil can be used for everything from alleviating digestive problems to cleaning your kitchen counters.

With lists of the best oils for beginners; instructions for diffusing and safe handling; and DIY recipes from dish soap to toothpaste to facial masks, Just the Essentials makes it easy and enjoyable to reap the many benefits of these pure plant extracts. 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

About Adina Grigore

Adina Grigore is the founder and CEO of the all-natural, sustainable skin-care line S.W. Basics, which she started out of her kitchen in 2011. A graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Adina has worked in the wellness industry since 2007 as a private holistic nutritionist, a personal trainer, and a workshop coordinator teaching people about the DIY nature of wellness. S.W. Basics products are now sold internationally and have been featured in Vogue, O Magazine, W Magazine, the New York Times, InStyle, Real Simple, and Martha Stewart Living, among others.
Follow Adina on Instagram.

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My Thoughts:

I love essential oils, always have.  A few years ago I was lucky enough to be sent some to review and try out and since then I've been hooked.

I truly believe in the power of essential oils for a myriad of things, from well being to healing wounds, to helping pets and just overall well being.

I was so excited to be able to partake in this review, I have quite a few essential oils and have done a lot of research on them, but I'm always willing to learn new tips and tricks. 

I guess you could say this book is geared more towards a complete newbie when it comes to the oiles, which is not a bad thing because it really gets down to the nitty gritty, explains it in an easy form and teaches you about the different oils and their uses. 

You want recipes, there are recipes too, which I can not wait to try.  Face masks, skin care, simmer pots and all sorts of great ways to use your oils.

I love that it's a small book, easy to read and go back to for reference, but contains enough information to get you started on your own journey to a healthier you.

I know that I'll be using it over and over as I make the switch to possibly all natural, I already use tea tree oil, lavender, peppermint and a few others, so it will be great to incorporate a bunch more and figure out how they can help me detox and feel healthier.