Essential oils have been used since the beginning of time, yet they are still a mystery to us. How do we use essential oils at home? What do we use them for? Which oils should we always have near us?
Welcome to the magic world of mystical scents which will give your home and your family a holistic and natural way to improve overall health.
Natural Living with Essential Oils
Learning about essential oils is a lifelong process. However, our goal is to go through the basics and point out the relevance they have for a healthy home. It is important to understand that these oils, while natural, need to be used carefully since they are not without side effects.
So let’s start discovering the do’s and don’ts of essential oils.
The Quality of Essential Oils
As with any other natural product, finding a trusted producer is not always easy. Make a simple test: spill a drop on a tissue. If it doesn’t evaporate after a few minutes, it’s not pure essential oil.
You have to keep in mind that packaging is another issue for essential oils, and the quality depends directly from the plant compound.
Mass produced essential oils aren’t usually harmful because they contain vegetable oils, but they don’t have the same effects and can be rather useless.
If you find a seller who has all the essential oils at the same price, run. That’s a sign that they’re synthetic or of lesser quality.
Know Your Oils
There are several essential oils that represent the intro to aromatherapy and they are:
- Rosemary essential oil improves memory and brain function.
- Lemon essential oilis the perfect cleansing oil. Add a few drops to a spray bottle for cleaning.
- Lavender essential oil is perfect for calming down and relaxing an anxious mind. You can add a sprinkle to your pillow to help you relax before sleeping.
- Both chamomile and lavender essential oils send your brain a calming message. Just by smelling the oils or rubbing diluted versions will help you feel a bit more relaxed.
- Peppermint essential oil smells amazing and they are helpful muscle relaxers and bug repellents. Sprinkle a few drops onto your scalp or back of your neck for relief.
Chamomile oils are both anti-inflammatory and calming, helping with depression, anxiety as well as skin irritation.
Frankincense essential oil can be taken both internally and externally. This potent oil can support a healthy immune system and clear up skin imperfections.
Tea tree oil is antibiotic, anti-fungal, antiseptic, expectorant and antiviral, but you can also use it as a facial cleanser and natural shampoo.
What are Carrier Oils and Why Are They Important
Undiluted essential oils are too strong to use straight. They are too potent to be used on their own which is why we wouldn’t be able to use them without carrier oils. Most of us are very familiar with a select few carriers such as coconut, olive, jojoba sweet almond oils, to name a few.
Pay Extra Attention to the Following:
Storage: Keep your oils away from children and in darkened glass bottles.
Safety: If you are uncertain on how to use an essential oil, ask your doctor. If you have an allergic reaction, simply stop using the oil.
Oils are not medications. You cannot expect these oils to work miracles, especially not in a short period of time. They do treat illnesses. They can help boost your immune system, help with cleaning your home, make you relax, but they aren’t miracle workers.
Less is More: Not only that it is wasteful to overuse essential oils (It takes over 60,000 roses to make one ounce of rose oil,), it can also be dangerous. With natural essential oil and a good carrier, you need a drop for every issue you want to resolve.
Essential oils can be used for making natural, homemade cleaning and beauty products, but there is no certain way to tell which one is ideal for you. Try out several and find the ones that suit you the best.
If you are enjoying learning about the world of essential oils and their power, you can take a class or an online course, read books and create a helpful hobby you can enjoy for a long time.
