Essential oils are a hot topic with many varied opinions on uses, effectiveness and safety. We definitely recommend that you do your research with any oils you use, especially if consuming internally. Aromatherapy, usually with a diffuser, is one of the most common ways that people know to use essential oils and it’s definitely a wonderful way to change your mood or your space but there are so many wonderful ways that we can use essential oils. Part of what I love about essential oils is that it's like getting to do science at home. I love doing research to see what’s recommended and then getting to experiment and mix and match on my own. I will spare you my home recipes because I’m no expert but one of the other things I’ve loved about playing with oils is the many ways I’ve learned how to use them. Here are some of my favorite ways to use essential oils.
For Cleaning - With a theme of cleanse for March, we had to start with essential oils for cleaning. Essential oils can be a great addition to cleaning waters to help not only make the cleaning more effective but also to make the experience more enjoyable. Cleaning is so much more fun when it smells great! I also love a good room spray to refresh that scent in between cleanings.
Insect Spray - Whether it’s to repel insects or treat an insect bite, essential oils are a great tool that’s less toxic. A few months ago I saw a spider and while I love that they keep mosquitoes at bay, I don’t want to see my 8 legged roommates. I was doing some research and found a blend for repelling spiders and sprayed it where I ran into my friend and in the corners. That was a few months ago and I have not run into any more roommates.
Bath Blends - I love taking baths and using a little epsom salt to soak the day away. A few years ago, I started adding a couple drops of essential oil. There are so many combinations and blends that you can use depending on what you need from a simple mood lift to a spiritual cleansing.
Aroma Jewelry - Need to carry some scents with you? There is jewelry that is designed to carry your essential oils with you to help you smell the day away. While dedicated jewelry is designed for this, and will help your blends linger longer, depending on what it’s made of, you can also use oils with your regular jewelry. I occasionally dab a little oil on my crystals that I wear to brighten my day. Make sure you check first so that you are not ruining your favorite jewelry.
First Aid - I love using oils for healing and have officially become that lady that keeps tea tree oil in my purse for emergencies. Essential oils can be really great for healing minor scrapes, burns and bruises. I have learned that a couple drops in a band aid of the right oil often does the trick for anything minor. Make sure you are doing your research on both what to use and the brands you use, especially when applying to any sort of wound or injury.
Hair Care - Adding essential oils to your hair can be a great way to carry the scent with you throughout the day. The heat from your scalp will help activate the oils which can do double duty and help condition your hair. You can add a couple drops to your shampoo or conditioner or use a diluted massage oil.
Massage - Often times when we talk about massage, people’s first thought is to others but I love to practice self massage. I add a drop to my Palmer’s cocoa butter and take a moment after I bathe everyday to really massage my biggest organ, my skin. Our skin needs love and attention too and adding a little essential oil boast can make those morning moments really nice.
Nail Care - After a year of increased hand washing, my nails are in need of some TLC. I have started keeping an essential oil blend in my purse to keep my nails (and hands) from getting too neglected from all the extra soap these days. It’s also a nice little moment of zen during my day to help ground me with everything that is going one.
Make Your Own Perfume - We all have our own natural scents that act as our baseline. What we eat, the soaps and lotions we use add layers to it so it can sometimes be hard to find the right perfume match to compliment our base. So if you can’t find the scent you love, make it yourself! Find the scents that speak to you and play a little to find your combination.
Pet Care - Please consult with your vet first because I am no pet expert and every animal is different. I am not a pet parent but I have seen a lot of pet parents talk about using oils to help calm their pet down. After this year of so much time at home, it might be worth figuring out the best blend for your pets, especially as we start to
Bonus Use: With so many people affected by Covid-19 and suffering a loss of smell, I recently learned that many are using essential oils for scent retraining to help them work back to where they were sick with Covid.
