I know essential oils are everywhere these days and its almost cliche that I’m writing about them (I know you thought it! Its ok :) but I feel like there is a gap that needs to be bridged between die-hard-oil-enthusiast and just-starting-out-newbie because there is a lot of information out there and knowing where to begin can be overwhelming.
My journey with EOs began when I was a child. My mom is a product of the 60’s and being a “flower child” believes in alternative medicines so putting drops of essential oils in a humidifier when I was congested was a common occurrence. Finding little glass vials in the refrigerator door was normal. I never really gave it any thought other than liking certain fragrances. Fast forward to now and oils are everywhere! It took me a solid year before I decided to try them out in my own home (2015) another few months researching what brand to use (through this podcast) and another countless hours learning how to use them. And it's still a learning process!
I will not tell you that I’ve replaced all my cleaning products and use just tea tree and water and vinegar because to me that isn't realistic. While I do believe green products are important and the majority of my products are, I admit that I still use bleach. And if I get a migraine I still reach for Tylenol.
I do not sell essential oils and am not sharing to make sales, though I have linked to Amazon products and can earn a small commission if you click on them to purchase, so thank you.
Plain and simple I use essential oils because they smell nice and I enjoy them.
I own 14 essential oils; 8 are synergies (blends of multiple EOs in one bottle) and 6 are pure. I have two carrier oils, coconut and almond that I alternate between. And I also have witch hazel on hand as a stabilizer when making room/linen sprays that mix with water. There is a diffuser in our room
and the girls room
and the girls room
Autumn gift set (seasonal oils)
Plant Therapy Vein Aid Synergy Pre-Diluted Roll-On
***If I was to tout a miracle oil it would be the Vein Aid above which cleared up a spider vein I had for 6 years on my left shin after two weeks of twice daily use.***
I like staring small and working my way up so no big starter kits for me- I also get overwhelmed easily which freezes me into inactivity (am I the only one?!) I simply began by diffusing a few drops of one essential oil in water and have since started combining oils to make more complex scents.
My top concerns are making sure the oils I use are safe for my kids and dog and making sure to properly dilute when using oils topically.
Peppermint is a firm no right now. I also will not use oils “neat” (applied directly to the skin without being mixed with another carrier oil) or ingest oils when extracts are more suited for baking and eating purposes.
But how do you know if an oil is safe? That was my biggest question and why I love Plant Therapy essential oils, every one of their products is clearly labeled and ones that can be used safely for children 2 years+ are deemed KidSafe (you can see the Kidsafe marking above). You can buy directly from their site or through Amazon which keeps costs down (no middleman) and their testing standards are the strictest in the business. Whichever company you trust is where you should purchase from.
Some other ways to use oils in daily life:
- Adding a few drops to liquid soap for added germ-killing properties.
- Adding to laundry detergent to impart fragrance and get rid of musty smells in towels. Alternatively, adding a few drops to wool dryer balls
.
- Adding to body lotion or other personal care items for fragrance (as a precaution always test a small part of your arm for sensitivity to any given oils before applying to larger areas of the body.)
- Making household cleaners/dusters/polishers.
- Making hand-sanitizer
.
As it turns out my mom was right about everything 
Have any questions? I'll try my hardest to answer them!
I'm that lady who has oils but always forgets to use them. We do diffuse them when the boys have colds though!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny that you grew up with them, too. My mom was an herbalist, so using essential oils was something she did daily. She used them more for aromatherapy benefits-added them to lotions, made her own cleaning products, bath salts for colds, etc. I'm like you, though...I still use bleach for cleaning certain things and medication for headaches/pain. I haven't had any luck with essential oils for anything other than aromatherapy, so that's how I use them! I ALWAYS use Eucalyptus oil when my kids are sick. It's kind of like Vick's, but more natural!
ReplyDeleteYES!!! The aromatherapy qualities are the only reason I use them but maybe it's because I havent had such a dramatic life experience with them?! Whatever the reason they still make me happy to use them! And I like that tip about eucalyptus oil, thanks!
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