Essential Oils Made Easy

Essential Oils Made Easy

 

I have to admit my first experience with essential oils was not a good one. I received burns that required a visit to the doctor and I still have the scars from the experience. So why would I use essential oils you ask…

First let me explain. I was at a conference and had a splitting headache. One of the other attendees rubbed along my hair line on my head all the way around with one of her oils. She told me to sit back and relax, breathing in the oils so they could work. Well, my face started burning and turning red. It wouldn’t stop! We washed it off but I still had blisters all around my face!

While I still have the scars from the experience, it taught me several lessons.

First – just like repeating things someone tells you in another language.. NEVER use anything on or in your body that you are not sure what and where it came from!

Second – be just as cautious offering a treatment that works for you without educating the person that you are sharing the information or product on.

So I learned a life lesson and moved on. Honestly, I didn’t try essential oils again for several years. It wasn’t until my daughter started using them on her little one that I really got interested in them.

I still consider myself a novice when it comes to using essential oils, but I do have several favorites that I have come to depend on and use regularly. Note here: when purchasing essential oils, make sure to avoid oils that say “fragrance” or “perfume” in their name or ingredient list as these can be synthetic. You want to look for ingredient listing in the oils that say “pure essential oil” or “100% essential oil” for the best results and the highest quality of oil.

Frankincense
This is one of those love or can’t stand scents. I am not a fan of the scent but is does work great for me when used in a carrier oil and rubbed on my aching feet.

Commonly used by either inhaling the oil or absorbing it through the skin, usually mixed with a carrier oil

Historically it is used to help  with symptoms and discomfort from stress, anxiety, pain, and inflammation.

It is often used in natural oral care products and natural products to aid in the digestion of food.

Lavender
This essential oil is one of my favorites. I love just smelling it! My favorite way to use it is to place 2-3 drops of oil in my palm and gently rub them together. Then just breathe…oh yeah! After you have done this for a minute or two, rub your hands on your pillow or blanket. It is so calming and relaxing.

If you are not allergic to bee stings or insect bites, gently rub a drop of Lavender oil on the sting or bite to stop the itching. It also helps with the irritation.

I keep a bottle in the kitchen for burns. Once you rinse off the burn with cold water, place 2 to 3 drops Lavender oil on the burn. It stops my pain right away.

For those like several in my family that suffer motion sickness, try placing just a drop of oil behind each ear.

Eucalyptus
This oil is one that probably everyone has heard about as it dates back forever.

I enjoy the scent and will diffuse it when one of us has the sniffles or the beginning of a head or chest cold. I have had nice results from using it for colds by placing a couple of drops in a carrier oil or unscented lotion and using as a rub on my chest and feet.

According to the uses I have researched, Eucalyptus oil has been used as an antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and a decongestant. There are so many uses listed for this oil which makes sense since it has been around and used for so long.

I will say that it is a great treatment of lice! Ewwwww I know but it works!

This oil can also be found in soaps, detergents and household cleaners.

Lemon
Using lemons has been around for a long time. I use lemon essential oil all around the house.

Forget to reboot the washer? Rinse again with a couple of drops of lemon essential oil and the ewwww smell will be gone.

Do your guys get greasy or if when cooking you get stuff on your hands that just won’t wash off with soap. Just a couple drops of lemon combined with your soap and tada..clean hands! Especially great on smells like onions, etc.

Naturally disinfect your kitchen counter tops with a combination of 2 to 1 lemon to tea tree oil in 2 cups of water. Use a spray bottle or a towel to wipe down. No need to rinse so this is such a time saver too for me.

My daughter likes using lemon essential oil mixed with honey as a face mask. It makes me want to eat my face but she loves the way it leaves her skin soft.

Of course lemon is good for cleaning silver and solid wood floors, doors, and to remove the sticky left from your little ones stickers. Yeah we have all been there. The little one is so proud of their sticker work..on your <insert item> mine was the high chair that my then 3 year old covered in stickers aka stamps! Oh my… that was an expensive art project.

Orange
This one just makes me smile when I smell it. Maybe because I grew up in Florida, but orange scent takes me to a happy place.

Orange oil one of the oils that help me with headaches. I do have to use a carrier oil when I want to apply it on my body.

This oil can also be used in cleaners around the home. It does need to be used with a carrier oil or mixed in water and not applied directly to the skin.

Peppermint
This is the culprit that got me when I first tried oils. It is super strong and I still have to use more carrier oil than with other oils when applying it on my body anywhere but my feet. My feet love it! I love how it makes my feet feel! A win-win for me and peppermint essential oil.

Peppermint essential oil mixed with coconut or grape seed oil is my favorite sore muscle rub.

According to the information I have read, Peppermint can be used to help soothe digestive issues, freshen bad breath, relieve your headache, and help improve your mental focus.

I have learned that inhaling peppermint essential oil can hold off the mid afternoon snack cravings too!

Tea Tree
Most of us know about Tea Tree essential oil. It is listed on a ton of natural cleaners, hair care, and facial products.

It is one of the oils that a little bit goes a long way.

Try mixing just 2 drops of tea tree oil with a teaspoon of honey and massage it on your face or rough elbows. Leave on for a couple of minutes and then rinse off. It calms itchy skin and soothes chapped elbows.

Tea Tree Oil is included in several shampoos on the market. You can add several drops of tea tree essential oil to aloe vera gel for a calming lotion after a sun burn.

Got foot fungus? Apply tea tree oil directly to the nail using a clean cotton swab. My sister says she uses it on warts by applying with a cotton ball twice a day for a couple of weeks. I haven’t tried that but she swears by it. Says they just lift off after a couple of weeks and don’t return.

Patchouli
This is one that I have only recently heard about and started using. It has a unique smell, sweet but different. It is my answer to keeping the critters away when we are outside. A couple of drops in a spray bottle of water and mist away. It keeps me from being eaten alive when outside in the evening. You can also diffuse it to cover a larger area.

Rosemary
I love the scent of rosemary essential oil. I wish it could be consumed but from everything I read, it isn’t recommended because of the strength of the oil. I do like it in a diffuser. It is calming and helps me to relax. It can also be used as an air freshener by placing a couple of drops in a spray bottle of water and misting the room. Make sure you do a spot check before applying to material pieces like your couch. It would be great to spray the inside of the shower curtain liner after showering.

Silver Fir
Just what you need if you have stiff joins like me. Combined with a carrier oil or lotion, it really helps to ease the pain when massaged into sore joints and muscles.

Another great thing about essential oils is that you can create your own blends. Now before you dig in, take the time and do your research. Just like with other products, not everything plays nice with others. You would not want to create a blend of something that would have the potential to hurt you if too strong or if the oils react to each other. Learn your oils as single units before blending!

But, once you are comfortable the sky is the limit.

We are currently trying a starter box from Islands Miracle Essential Oils. This set contains 10 bottles of the most popular essential oils to get you started.

 

 

With this group of essential oils in your home, you will soon be using them for so many things. Island Miracle also sells a super nice diffuser. It is larger than most on the market and includes several great features. If you are looking for a diffuser to use with your oils, I would recommend theirs as a place to start.

What is your favorite essential oil? Do you have a blend that you enjoy using? Share below in the comments. We can all learn from each other.