What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are all around us. They’re in the zest of citrus fruits, the needles of pine trees, and the petals of roses. They’re simply the essence of the plant distilled into a usable oil. I get asked all the time why I use essential oils, and one of those reasons is because it makes me feel connected to nature.
Scientifically, essential oils are mixtures of natural chemicals that give plants their scents. Those natural chemicals are called volatile aromatic compounds. Volatile aromatic compounds are small organic molecules with distinct smells that easily change from their solid or liquid state to a gas at room temperature. The ability to quickly change from their solid state into a liquid or gas is what gives an essential oil its powerful scent.
Another important quality of these amazing substances is that they are lipid-soluble, or lipophilic. This means that they dissolve in fats as opposed to liquid.
Why I Use Essential Oils
1. Essential oils are safe.
-They are simply extracts from plants with amazing health benefits.
-They do not contain synthetic chemicals.
-They’re better for the environment.
-Using essential oils cuts down on the amount of toxic chemicals sprayed into the environment.
-If you use glass bottles to make your own cleaning products, it cuts down on plastic usage.
-Make sure you buy a brand of essential oils that harvests their plants in a sustainable way.
2. Essential oils are effective.
-Many common health issues can be addressed with essential oils as they contain many anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
-When you smell essential oils, the aromatic compounds travel from your olfactory nerve (in your nose) straight to your brain, producing quick changes throughout the entire body.
-They can be absorbed through the skin—it’s your largest organ after all!
-They make amazing safe, non-toxic cleaning products.
3. Essential oils are affordable.
-They’re just pennies per dose.
-While buying a bottle of an essential oil may be more expensive than buying a bottle of cleaner or even some over-the-counter drug, it turns out to be cheaper in the long run. The bottle of essential oil will last way longer than the bottle of conventional cleaner/OTC drug.
How to Use Essential Oils
1. Aromatically
-Use a diffuser (the number of drops will vary depending on diffuser size and brand of essential oil).
-Place a drop on your hand, rub your hands together, cup them over your nose, and inhale.
-Benefits: positively affects mood, cleanses the air, opens airways.
2. Topically
-Great for localized benefits.
-High-quality oils only require 1-2 drops.
-Dilute with fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil for best results.
3. Internally
-Put a few drops of food-grade essential oil into water, in veggie capsules, or under the tongue.
-To consume internally, the bottle of essential oil MUST have a “supplements facts” box on the label.
-These oils are extremely potent (depending on the brand). Do more research to determine if it’s right for your situation.
-The only brand that I know of that is safe to take internally is dōTERRA, which can be purchased online or through a dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, like myself.
A few notes regarding the brand of essential oils:
-Many essential oil companies will use synthetic chemicals instead of the real essential oil or dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil without specifying this information on the label to make a greater profit.
-Whatever brand you decide to use, make sure you do your research and are confident that they are a reputable brand.
-If you have any questions regarding brands or otherwise, feel free to ask me as I have tried many different ones and have done extensive research.
The Five Most Common Essential Oils
1. Lavender
Scent: Floral, airy
Benefits:
-Soothing for the skin
-Reduces anxious feelings or feelings of tension
-Provides relaxing qualities that can help promote a peaceful sleep
Common Uses:
-Add to shampoo to keep hair looking thick and healthy.
-Apply one drop to the skin to soothe occasional skin irritation.**
-Take one drop internally to soothe and calm the nervous system.*
-Diffuse to reduce anxious feelings and to ease feelings of tension.
-Take two drops internally to reduce anxious feelings and promote a peaceful sleep.*
2. Lemon
Scent: Clean, fresh, citrus, bright
Benefits:
-Supports healthy respiratory function
-Powerful cleansing and digestive benefits
-Uplifting and energizing properties that help improve mood
Common Uses:
-Take two drops internally to assist with seasonal respiratory discomfort.*
-Place a few drops on a rag to help remove stubborn, sticky residue.
-Add 5-10 drops to a spray bottle with water to clean tables, counter tops, and other surfaces.
-Take internally to provide antioxidant support and help defend against free radicals.*
-Add two drops to water for a refreshing flavor and to naturally cleanse the body and aid in digestion.*
3. Tea Tree
Scent: Herbaceous, green, leathery
Benefits:
-Soothes skin irritations
-Provides reinforcing and rejuvenating benefits for the hair, scalp, and fingernails
-Uses cleansing properties to protect against environmental and seasonal threats
Common Uses:
-Diffuse to help purify and freshen the air.
-Inhale to promote feelings of easy breathing.
-After exercising, apply tea tree to achy muscles for soothing relief.**
-Add five drops to a spray bottle with water, and use on household surfaces.
-Combine tea tree and cedarwood and apply to face after shaving for an invigorating aftershave.**
4. Peppermint
Scent: Minty, fresh, herbaceous
Benefits:
-Invigorates and enlivens the senses
-Promotes healthy respiratory function and clear breathing
-Soothes upset stomach and promotes digestive health
Common Uses:
-Massage into neck and shoulders to relieve feelings of tension.**
-Add to cold water compress or foot bath to cool off when overheated.
-Diffuse five drops in a diffuser when feelings fatigued or low on energy.
-Take two drops internally to soothe occasional upset stomach and promote digestive health.*
-Place a few drops of peppermint in a spray bottle with water and spritz around windows and doors to repel bugs naturally.
5. Frankincense
Scent: Warm, spicy, clean
Benefits:
-Helps maintain healthy cellular function
-May help support a healthy digestive system
-Balances and uplifts mood
-Helps support healthy immune function
Common Uses:
-Take two drops internally to support healthy immune, respiratory, and digestive function.*
-Add two drops to a moisturizer to reduce appearance of blemishes and rejuvenate skin.**
-Diffuse to encourage feelings of peace, satisfaction, and overall wellness.
-Massage into hands and feet for a warm, soothing effect after strenuous activity.**
-Apply to cuticles and nail beds to maintain healthy-looking fingernails and toenails.**
*IMPORTANT: Make sure that you use essential oils from a brand that is certified for internal use if you decide to use them internally. Again, Do your own research and consider your personal health situation before taking essential oils internally.
**REMEMBER: It’s important to dilute the essential oil with fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil when applying it to your skin, especially for those with sensitive skin. Some oils can be applied “neat,” or without dilution, but it's best to use a carrier oil to help the oil absorb into your skin instead of evaporating since they are volatile compounds. Plus, using a carrier oil allows the essential oil to cover a larger area while using less essential oil, which saves money. For generalized benefits, some of the best places to apply essential oils topically are on the hands and bottoms of the feet (fastest absorption) and on your pulse points (wrists, front of neck, temples, etc.).
My Favorite Ways to Use Essential Oils
1. Homemade soap!
-First, buy a foaming hand soap dispenser (I got mine at Walmart—they’re pretty cheap!), unscented liquid Castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s), and fractionated coconut oil (optional, but helpful if you don’t want to dry out your hands).
-Then, pick out your essential oils (one of my favorite combos is rosemary and wild orange or a blend from dōTERRA called On Guard mixed with lemon).
-Once you have all your materials, fill the hand soap dispenser about an inch high with Castile soap, add 15-30 drops of essential oils (depending on how strong of a scent you want and how big your hand soap dispenser is), add about 1 tablespoon of fractionated coconut oil for a moisturizer, and then fill the rest of the bottle with water, making sure to leave a little room to screw on the top.
-Then, screw on the top, and ta-da! You have a beautiful smelling, non-toxic, cheap hand soap!
2. Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
-Buy a 16 oz. glass spray bottle (I got mine off of Amazon), and 70% isopropyl alcohol or vinegar.
-Choose your essential oils (again, I love dōTERRA On Guard for its antibacterial, antiviral properties and lemon for its cleansing properties).
-Fill the spray bottle with:
-Option 1:
-1/4 cup vinegar
-1 & 3/4 cups water
-30 drops essential oil of your choice
-Option 2:
-1 cup 70% isopropyl alcohol (or to make it stronger, use only isopropyl alcohol and no water)
-1 cup water
-30 drops essential oil of your choice
-Add all ingredients to a 16 oz. glass spray bottle.
-Shake thoroughly. Spritz on surfaces and wipe clean.
3. Nighty-Night Pillow Spray
-Buy a 1 oz. glass spray bottle and pure, unscented witch hazel.
-Make sure you have vetiver, lavender, and frankincense essential oils.
-Place 15 drops of each essential oil in the glass spray bottle, add 2 teaspoons of witch hazel, and top it off with water.
-Shake the bottle and let it sit for a little bit to allow the scents to dissolve and come together.
-Spray on your forehead and pillow before going to bed.
4. Castor Oil Pack
-Materials: hot pack, wool cloth or a dry rag, blanket, castor oil, essential oils of choice (I like to use frankincense, peppermint, or any kind of citrus oil, such as wild orange, lemon, or grapefruit as these are great oils for digestion, inflammation, and cleansing).
-Once you have all your materials, rub your abdomen in a clockwise motion with some castor oil and a couple drops of your essential oils of choice, making sure to rub over your liver.
-Lay down and place the wool cloth or dry rag over your liver followed by the hot pack.
-Cover up with a warm blanket to keep the heat in and relax.
-Bonus points: lay down with your legs up the wall to increase relaxation and circulation and decrease stress.
-Benefits: supports the liver, increased circulation, decreased inflammation, improved digestion, and lymphatic stimulation
5. Miscellaneous Helpful Tips and Tricks
-Healthy scalp and hair: Add a drop of rosemary to your palm with your shampoo and massage your scalp thoroughly.
-Cuts, wounds and scars: Gently rub wound, cut, or scar with fractionated coconut oil and a drop of frankincense (do not use for deep wounds—allow it to heal a little bit first).
-Better sleep: Massage a drop of vetiver or cedarwood on the bottom of your feet.
-Sore neck/shoulders or other achy muscles and joints: massage sore areas with a drop of peppermint, a drop of wintergreen, and fractionated coconut oil.
-Fresh start: Place a drop of wild orange on your pulse points to uplift your mood and energize you for the day.
-Ease nausea or get rid of bad breath: Place a drop of peppermint in your palm, dip your finger in the drop, and place that finger to the roof of your mouth (only do this with a food-grade peppermint essential oil—otherwise, just inhale to ease nausea).
Want to know if you can use an essential oil for something, but you’re not sure how? Ask me!
Remember: Everyone’s body is unique, therefore, different oils will work differently for different people despite the researched benefits. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t experience the same benefits as someone else. There are so many different options out there, so have fun experimenting and finding what works best for you!
