I am a “late adopter”. I am so skeptical of new fads I have one eye permanently squinty because I am chronically dubious. Five years ago I had heard of essential oils but really didn’t know what they were. I was like “whateves, new fad with over enthusiastic representatives trying to sell me product that cures everything. Not buyin it.”
I had heard of Lavender oil being good for relaxation and sleep but until recently I didn’t know much beyond that about the benefits of using essential oils for your health. I started using a diffuser with different oils in my office, and my patients loved it. I found that I loved them too! I’m no longer squinty-eyed about essential oils, and since I recieve so many questions about them, I thought I would share the essentials.
THE SIX “ESSENTIALS” YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS
- What are they? Essential oils are natural oils typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic fragrance of the plant or other source from which they are extracted.
- From whence do essential oils hail? Essential oils have become very popular in the last several years. But they have been used for health and wellness for thousands of years! Some people refer to essential oils as mankind’s first medicine. There are 188 references to essential oils in the Bible! Oils are extracted and bottled all over the world. Less important than where the oil is from, is how it is produced and processed. You want to make sure that your oil is of excellent quality and is processed and packaged with the relative instability of the oil in mind.
- What do you use them for? There are many applications of essential oils from relaxation to fighting viruses. essential oils hold incredible power because of their ability to be absorbed quickly and affect change at the cellular level. It is important to treat essential oils as carefully as you would a medication. More is not necessarily better and using them on children and pets should be done with great caution. For a list of basic uses of essential oils Click HERE.
- What types of oils should I start with? I like to recommend starting with some of the most widely applicable oils.
- Lavender: “Lavender oil is known for its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial benefits. It also has antispasmodic, analgesic, detoxifying, hypotensive, and sedative effects. Lavender oil is one of the most well-known essential oils in aromatherapy” (Mercola.com)
- Lemon: “The health benefits of lemon oil can be attributed to its stimulating, calming, carminative, anti-infection, astringent, detoxifying, antiseptic, disinfectant, sleep inducing, and antifungal properties.” (Organicfacts.net)
- Tea Tree: Tea tree oil’s popularity can be attributed to its properties as an antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, balsamic, cicatrisant, expectorant, fungicide, insecticide, stimulant and sudorific substance.
- Peppermint: has excellent ability to treat indigestion, respiratory problems, headache, nausea, fever, stomach and bowel spasms as well, it can be used for general pain relief.
- Frankincense: If the wise men brought Frankincense to Jesus it must be pretty special. It is!. Frankincense can help with colds and respiratory problems. It also can be very helpful with digestive issues and oral hygiene.
- Oregano: This stuff is the bomb. Anti-viral, Anti-Bacterial, Anti-fungal, Anti-parasitic ad anti-oxidant. This is the super-hero of essential oils. Check out this Article By The Prairie Homestead on HOW TO PUT TOGETHER AND ESSENTIAL OIL TOOLKIT.
- How do I use them? There are so many ways to work essential oils into your life. A diffuser is probably one of the top choices as it makes a room smell lovely, oxygenates the air, adds humidity, and gives you all the benefit of the oil’s healing properties by simply breathing. You can also use oils topically but it is best to use a carrier oil like almond or fractionated coconut oil when using essential oils directly on your skin. There is controversy regarding using oils internally but I have certainly added a drop of peppermint oil to a liter of water to help with digestive relief. But use oils internally with great caution and with professional guidance. Most oils are just as effective used topically or diffused. Finally, you can add your oils to homemade cleaning and skin care products. Click HERE for a link to fun DIY projects to create healthy home and skin care products.
- Why are they so costly? It can take hundreds, even thousands of pounds of a plant to produce a very small amount of essential oil. If done correctly the process of oil extraction is relatively expensive and therefore tends to have a high price point once the bottle reaches the shelf. Note that cheaper oils tend to be highly processed and exposed to chemicals. These chemicals are used to extend how far an amount of extracted oil can go (better profit margin). These oils will smell just as lovely and may be placed in a very pretty bottle at a cheaper price but don’t be fooled. These impure oils will not carry the same therapeutic benefit of a therapeutic grade essential oil.
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If you have any questions about essential oils I am happy to consult with you for free! Click HERE to get started.
FIRST STEPS: How about you start with an easy DIY essential oil project this week? Want to make a great body wash? Take an 8-ounce dark glass pump bottle and add your ½ cup of your favorite unscented liquid soap. Then add 4 tablespoons glycerin and 3 tablespoons fractionated coconut oil. Finally, the best part, add ten drops of your favorite essential oil. I love Citrus Bliss Blend the best!
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52 Responses
I’ve been using essential oils for about a year now and LOVE them! They have totally hanged the way we do everything. My kids haven’t been as sick and when they do get sick, they get over it so much quicker.
I know! Aren’t they great? What brand do you like, Logan?
great info! i love oregano, whenever we even get a little bit of a cold/cough, i rub in on our feet!
SO smart Jess! I only really learned about the feet connection recently. Makes total sense.
I have all of those at home, and plenty more too 🙂 I love my essential oils!
Me too! What are some of your other favorites?
I love my EOs! I use them for everything. And top 3 on your list are the ones I use the most 🙂
-Jen
http://www.asipofbliss.com
Oh. That is great, Jess. I am glad my list is relevant! 🙂
Love essential oils and am slowly getting the basic downs.
There is a lot to learn, right Candy? I’m in the same boat!
Thank you! My curiosity about essential oils is getting a little intense, so I love that you packed all of this info into one post. I think it’s time to get a diffuser and a starter kit. 🙂
Samantha! That is a great idea. Let me know if I can talk you through the basics and how to get 25% off your oils. 🙂
I’m with you about being reluctant to jump into fads. In fact, I’ve just recently started wondering more about essential oils. Thanks for sharing the basics with me!
You bet Lori. Let me know if I can help guise you to the right oils specifically for you! 🙂
Thanks for sharing these! I love my tea tree oil, I use it for acne and it has done more for my skin in a few months than anything else has every done! I’ve been considering buying more 🙂
I love Tea Tree for so many things! If you would like to learn about some of the other great ones. Let me know. I am happy to work with you to get the right “medicine chest” for you and your family. 🙂
Essential oils are best for everything, I especially love how refreshing the home feels after spraying some of it around the house. These are some of my favorite fragrances too 🙂
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
It seems the general consensus is the I mentioned are good go to fragrances. am glad to hear that! Thanks for stopping by Kusum. 🙂
So many benefits. I love orange and lemongrass. They really help me with my stress and anxiety. It makes sense that Lavender would have so many benefits since it’s so known for it’s calming effects. Thanks for sharing this guide/
Oh, Dia….I love lemon grass!! And lemon verbena too! There are so many it is hard to chose!
I’ve always been interested in essential oils but haven’t known much about them. Until now! Thank you for all of the helpful information!
http://mykindofsweet.com/
Of course Suzanne! Let me know if I can provide answers to any other questions!
This is loaded with so much information!! I hate lavender… But I love the smells of all the rest!! I need to grab some lemon!!
Ha ha. Isn’t that funny with essential oils? Certain scents you either love or hate. I think Lavender has been terribly over-used. I am surprized EVERYONE isn’t sick of it. 🙂
I use lavendar essential oils when I wash my sheets but that about the extent of my knowledge. Thanks for all this info!
Kristen….such a great idea. I love that. Do you just put a couple drops in the washer?
I love my Essential Oils too! Thanks for sharing your journey & being a great resource. This time of year the lemon, lavender, peppermint work miracles for the allergies! Nature should be enjoyed, not sneezed at 😉
Ha ha! So true Erica! You always have such great suggestions!
I am also a skeptic when new “fads” come out. However, when my daughter came down with a terribly painful and mysterious illness last year that left her unable to eat due to her gums being swollen, I finally gave in and got some oils that a rep thought might help. After the FIRST application (which did not taste good), my daughter was able to eat again and the pain went away. She didn’t care how bad it tasted when they started to swell again, she wanted her medicine. That sold me. The mysterious illness was gone within two days. I believe in their powers and everything people write.
DYING to know which oils you were using for her. That is fantastic!
I’m such an essential oils newbie…thank you for sharing this! Need to dive in and figure out what’s best for my daily routine.
Coming Up Roses
Erica! I can help you with that. Let me know if you would like a complimentary consultation. 🙂
Tea tree and peppermint are my favorite! I even use the tea tree on my face. It’s so good!
Tea tree is like “Windex” on MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. It works for EVERYTHING!
I got really into oils when I was pregnant last year and haven’t stopped! My latest favorite way to use them is in homemade soap
Love that! I also love using them in my bath. I think about how I am feeling, how I want to feel and create a recipe on the spot! So fun playing apothecary.
I keep oil of oregano in my house at all times. It is amazing.
Oregano oil is like sick man’s salve. So great! I have a little travellers bug right now and it is helping immensely.
I don’t think most people know that peppermint is not recommended for use with kids under 6. I’ve been using oils for a long time (and use them daily) and only recently learned more about oil safety with children. Eucalyptus, which is used in many breathe blends, can slow breathing in children. A site with safety info that is not a multi level marketing company is http://www.learningabouteos.com/index.php/2014/02/07/essential-oils-and-children/
So helpful to me and my readers! Thank you. I also learned that animals are extremely sensitive and that you are better to just diffuse or wear the oil on yourself then put it on them. 🙂
That’s so interesting! I am clearly a late adopter too because I never knew half of that stuff. I thought lavender made you more relaxed and teatree oil was a good spot treatment haha that’s about the sum total of my knowledge of essential oils! I may have to purchase a few more.
Alison, I was totally there too. It has been fun to learn more! The Doterra oils are amazing if you want to get a really good quality oils! Let me know if you need any more information! 🙂
My friends are having me try some essential oils to help me get through some of the aches and pains and nausea of my pregnancy so far. Before now, I’ve never tried essential oils. I’m looking forward to seeing how they end up working for me but you’ve definitely given me way more knowledge then I had before.
xo, Laura
Have Need Want
Fantastic Laura, Good luck with your pregnancy!
I am an NUT for EO’s. I use them everywhere I can:) I recently started adding them to my laundry too to help get the stank out of my teen sons bball uniform. What a difference it has made.
SO smart! I love my EOs as well. Hey check out my post on RUSSIAN SOLUTION for your sons icky bball bag and helmet!https://www.wellfitandfed.com/well/learn-the-secret-to-fresh-smelling-workout-gear-russian-solution-to-the-rescue/
I love all of those oils. I just did a post on my 6 favorites and we are similar but I have orange and eucalyptus.
Oh, I love those both too! I love Eucalyptus in the bath and Orange is so great for energy and inspiration!
So many wonderful benefits to using these oils! Lavender and tea tree are my favorite!
One of mine too, Jenny. It is so hard to pick.
I use my peppermint oil on a daily basis!! It is one of the only things that helps with my headaches. My life has been changed since I started using oils!
I love peppermint too. It is such a Go-To, right?