Exploring Essential Oils for Beginners

(This is not a sponsored post.)

Are you an essential oil user? Have you thought about essential oils but don’t really know where to begin? I found myself in that exact spot about 18 months – 2 years ago. Let me start by saying I am in no way any kind of expert or authority on essential oils, in fact I’m quite the opposite. I do like to dabble in them and thought maybe I could share what I’ve learned and use them for so far in case you’ve wondered about them too.

When I became curious about essential oils and I was hearing about lots of benefits and things they could do for you, I started doing some research to find out more. I knew about what I would call the two biggest essential oil companies, Young Living and DoTerra. I was just about ready to order a kit from Young Living and decided I’d do a little more investigating before jumping in with both feet. So where do head for information on such things? You guessed it. Google. I put “essential oils” in the search bar and all kinds of things popped up. I read quite a few different blog posts by women who’d done a lot of research and basically made it easier for me to make what I felt like was an informed decision.

There was one blog in particular that I found to be extremely thorough in her review of oils. Essential Oil Haven by Emma. After reading her review of companies I decided Edens Garden Essential Oils were the ones I wanted to try. They are “therapeutic grade”, which is a big buzz word in the essential oil community and much more affordable. They sell directly to the public which means no middle man, and no mark up. I actually contacted them to tell them I was doing this post and see if they would offer a discount code to share with my readers. They said they don’t ever do that because of the selling structure and keeping prices low. #ilikelowprices

So where do we begin? I can’t remember if I ordered more than one oil to start or not, but I do know I decided Lavender would be my first one to try. I’d heard so much praise and various ways to use it and I think Lavender is probably the most popular oil, so it’s a great place to start. It’s known to be good for the following:

• Calming/Rest
• Bee stings/Bug Bites
• Burns
• Cuts
• Cold Sores
• Respiratory Issues
• Relieves Joint Pain & Sore Muscles
• Perfume/Air Freshener

Essential oils are used either aromatically,  topically or by ingesting them. While a lot of people ingest them, you need to make sure the oils you have are suitable for this and not harmful. Every company is different. I can tell you the Eden’s Garden will not come right out and say that it is or isn’t okay to ingest them. They kind of dance around the topic, but I have ingested some in the past with no issues. You might want to check with your physician before doing so.

When using oils aromatically either through diffusing, smelling them in the bottle or rubbing it in your hands and them cupping them over your nose it takes 22 seconds for the oil to reach the brain.

When using topically by rubbing directly on the skin with or without a carrier oil, it takes 2-3 minutes to reach the blood stream, 20 minutes to affect every cell in the body, and is metabolized within 2 1/2 hours, meaning you need to apply them throughout the day to keep getting the benefits. They are most effective when rubbed on pulse points like the neck, wrists or bottoms of the feet.

A reflexology chart of the bottom of the fee shows where are the nerves are and what they control. By knowing where these are you can rub the appropriate oil on that nerve spot and it will go straight to that organ. Amazing, right?

Ingesting oils can be done several ways. Many people choose to place them in beverages, like lemon in water. Some people use them in place of herbs in cooking and other take them in a capsule.

So I already said I decided Lavender would be my first oil and I find myself reaching for it most frequently when I have a cut, scrape or burn. I keep a bottle in the kitchen cabinet for steam burns, etc… and upstairs for flat-iron burns (not that that ever happens, right??) Anytime I have a small cut, hangnail, scrape or abrasion, I’ll put a little lavender oil on that spot and I can really tell that it heals so much faster. (like when you get your nails done and your cuticle gets snipped…ouch! Put lavender oil on it)

I also now keep a bottle Lavender oil in the laundry room. I quit buying dryer sheets and switched to wool dryer balls. Dryer balls are eco-friendly, made from felted pure wool and  improve tumble drying. They help to soften your clothes, reduce drying time, static and wrinkling. I add a few drops of Lavender to each of the balls and when I get our things out of the dryer they smell lovely. I especially like the way it makes towels smell.

I’ve recently done a little research on oils and helping to reduce the symptoms and side effects of menopause. Clary Sage, Thyme and Ylang Ylang are all touted to be good to help with this lovely time in life. Roller ball bottles can be purchased on Amazon and are a great way to mix up oils and then roll them on either the bottom of your feet, temples, neck, wrists or inside of ankles.

A “carrier oil” is needed when mixing oils to go in roller ball bottles. Fractionated Coconut Oil is commonly used as a carrier oil, but there are a lot of options available.

Let’s talk cellulite. Such an ugly word, but a reality for many of us. I am sad to say that I have an abnormal amount of cellulite on my legs (I’m talking the front too) for a person my size. I’ve tried everything under the sun to try to help it. All kinds of topical creams and even a round of treatments years ago that were some kind of stimulation on the areas. Nothing has worked. Now I’m not going to go as far as to say that my cellulite is gone now, but I do think the appearance has lessened since I’ve started using the Eden’s Garden Cellulite oil in conjunction with a Cellulite Massager. (This one looks intriguing and might find its way to my house.) I massage the areas while I’m in the shower with soap on them to make it easier and then when I get out of the shower I add 4-6 drops of oil to a few pumps of lotion and rub/massage into the areas. I’m also using it on my arms because I can see the old lady arms trying make their debut.

DIFFUSING

Diffusing oils is a great way to get them into the air any time. There are so many options in diffusers, but I have this one. Essential oils are an alternative to candles and air fresheners. You can make any kind of mix you like by simply changing the oils you put in. To aid in getting better sleep Cedarwood and Lavender are recommended. I also have a “synergy blend” called Good Night that has a mix of oils that are known to help promote restful nights.

During winter or when you feel like you might be getting sick, diffusing Fighting Five (previously called Four Thieves) oil to support immune help is also a good idea. Thieves/Fighting Five  is touted as a great way to help the immune system and fight off the nasties.

Oils come in a variety of sizes from Edens Garden making it really easy to try different varieties. I typically start with a 5 oz or 10 oz bottle to see how I like one before ordering a larger quantity.

One of my other favorite oils is Peppermint Oil. I’ll rub it on my temples when I have a headache (just don’t get it too close to your eyes…trust me?). Peppermint Oil is also supposed to be good for tummy issues. You can rub it on your abdomen for relief from nausea.

SHOP THE POST

I hope you’ll find this helpful if you’ve been considering trying essential oils. Do you already use them, and if so what are your favorite ways to use them? I’d love to find new ways to incorporate them into my life.

Happy Hump Day!!!