Essential Oils 101: What They Are & How to Use Them EVERYDAY For a Healthy Life

Being the health nut that I am, I’ve dabbled in just about everything imaginable when it comes to holistic living. 

• Oil pulling
• Homemade beauty products and home remedies
• Natural parenting practices  

…to name a few.

Essential oils are also on this list, but until recently, I was a total hack, using them only for their aromatic qualities to make my laundry or dish soap smell nice, rather than their therapeutic properties which are INCREDIBLY powerful. 

I can honestly say, I missed the boat for a long time and wish I had jumped on this train a lot sooner. Lately, I’ve been using essential oils in my everyday life for just about everything, and I’m still learning more and more every day.

Of course, you are going to cash in on this information train too – because you KNOW how much I adore sharing the things I love with my peeps, right? Here is everything you need to know about essential oils and more!

What Are Essential Oils?

If you haven’t hopped on the essential oils train yet, fear not. I used to be in the same boat and because I like to get the best bang for my buck, I picked up this starter kit to get the best value and be able to really my feet wet oily with a nice cross-section of oils. 

Permission to geek out? Here’s the science behind it…

Essential oils are the volatile liquids that are taken from plants (trees, herbs, grasses, shrubs, flowers, and more) that can be distilled and evaporated without much effort. This makes them easy to extract.

In a nutshell, these liquids are made up of different chemicals that carry various properties, which help the plants survive. Some serve to:

• Repair damaged tissue
• Strengthen immune response
• Attract pollinators
• Boost growth

As you can imagine, all of these qualities are super important when it comes to growing healthy plants. These oils are pretty much the “life force” of the plants themselves, which explains the “essential” component in the name.

As amazing as these oils are for plant life – the same benefits (and a whole lot more) can be carried over to us when we incorporate essential oils into our lives. Check out the RIDICULOUS list of benefits below! 

What Can Essential Oils Be Used For?

The power of these essential oils cannot and should not be underestimated. When I said I use essential oils for just about everything, I was NOT kidding – like EVERYTHING. Here are just a few of my favorites that come in the Premium Starter Kit that I bought and their benefits:

Lavender

• This is the perfect oil for relaxation! It’s very calming and balancing and GREAT in the diffuser at bedtime.
• Lavender is amazing for vibrant skin and hair.
• Use in homemade bath salts for a relaxing bath.

Peppermint

• Apply to muscles after exercise.
• Wake up the mind and improve focus.
• Rub into the abdomen to support the digestive system.

Lemon

• Very uplifting aroma — I rub a drop into my palms and inhale deeply.
• Stained clothes? Rub the oil all over the stain, then immediately put the item in the washing machine. Works like no other stain remover – even on dried-out stains!
• Works great as a natural ‘goo’ gone on those pesky sticker labels.
• A drop in a glass of water is fantastic for liver support.

Frankincense

• Support your immune system by dabbing a few drops on the bottoms of your feet.
• Prized for skin support! Healthy, glowing skin is just a drop away.
• Frankincense is deeply supportive of emotional well being. I diffuse often during times of stress. In other words, D-A-I-L-Y. 

PanAway  

• An oil blend containing wintergreen, helichrysum, clove and peppermint.
• Massage into neck, back and shoulders to relieve tension.
• Rub it onto sore and achy muscles after exercise.

Copaiba

• Supports emotional wellness.
• Use to support respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
• “Amplifies” other oils — use with other essential oils like PanAway or DiGize to enhance their effects.

Thieves

• An oil blend containing clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary.
• This is my go-to oil for homemade cleaning recipes.
• Massage into feet for immune system support and take as a dietary supplement (I personally LOVE a drop in raw, local honey). 

Purification

• An oil blend containing citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, tea tree and myrtle.
• Add a few drops to shoes to help neutralize odors.
• Dab on a drop to soothe itchy bug bites.
• Rub into feet or diffuse to clear the air and calm negative feelings.

R.C.

• This essential oil blend contains eucalyptus globulus, myrtle, pine, marjoram, eucalyptus radiata, eucalyptus citriodora, lavender, cypress, tsuga, and peppermint.
• Extremely powerful support for your respiratory system.
• Also supports the immune system.
• Massage into chest, throat, and over the bridge of the nose as needed.

DiGize

• An essential oil blend of tarragon, ginger, peppermint, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise, and patchouli.
• Powerful support for the digestive system.
• Rub into the abdomen or place one drop under the tongue after a meal or as needed.

Stress Away

• An essential oil blend containing copaiba, lime, cedarwood, vanilla, ocotea and lavender.
• Apply it generously to your wrists or the back of your neck, or use it in a diffuser daily or during times of stress.
• Add to bath salts for a relaxing bath at the end of a long day.

Keep in mind that there are HUNDREDS of different oils and various blends out there, each with their own unique properties. Whether you’re mixing them with a carrier oil or other essential oils, the benefits can be changed to your liking and improved on depending on how you use them. 

Where Did Essential Oils Come From?

Believe it or not, they’ve actually been used by humans for thousands of years, dating all the way back to the ancient Egyptians. They used them for all sorts of medical and beauty treatments, and it wasn’t long before their uses spread into different parts of Europe and Asia. Skip forward a few thousand years, and their abundance started to die down – likely due to the development of other medicines that were easier to obtain. Case in point: It can take OVER 60,000 roses to get 1 ounce of rose oil. That’s some Valentine’s Day present!

It wasn’t until the late 1930s that essential oils finally resurfaced and became the core of aromatherapy and the center of western, alternative medicine. After the healing effects of lavender oils were discovered for the skin, scientists started looking into other plant oils for their benefits.

And as they say, the rest is history!

How Do You Use Essential Oils?

There are three recommended methods to use essential oils:

• Topically: All oils can be applied directly to the skin, added to bath water mixed with Epsom salts, or used with body and foot massage. I always err on the side of caution and dilute 50:50 with a carrier oil like sweet almond oil or coconut oil, particularly when using on my kiddos. When applied topically, it takes 2-3 minutes for an oil to reach the bloodstream, 20 minutes to affect every cell in the body, and 2 ½ hours to fully metabolize! Crazy, right? 
• Aromatically: All oils may be diffused using a diffuser, which combines a humidifier, air purifier, atomizer, and aromatherapy diffuser into one that safely releases essential oils into the air to eliminate odors and create a spa-like atmosphere. The ultrasonic diffusing allows the oils to stay suspended in the air to reduce bacteria, fungi, and mold. The Premium Starter Kit that I bought came with a diffuser – total score! 
• Internally: This is a very hot topic and not something I practice on a routine basis. Some therapeutic-grade essential oils can be ingested by dropping into empty capsules and swallowing or dripping in the throat or under the tongue. It’s important to note, that not all oils are created equal and many are labeled as “not for internal use”. This is a potential red flag that the essential oil could potentially be adulterated and not 100% pure. The brand of oils that I use is labeled as “safe for internal use”, so if and when a situation comes up where I feel compelled to ingest essential oils, I’m comfortable doing so. Ingesting of oils should only be under the guidance of a skilled practitioner. There’s your disclaimer. 

Some low-quality essential oils can be made from plants that were treated with pesticides and extracted with chemical solvents. Trust me when I say, you get what you pay for and you do not want to use these on your family. Instead, opt for pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils made from high-quality plants and herbs that don’t contain GMOs, pesticides, or other harmful chemicals. Find out where to buy quality essential oils at wholesale HERE.

Here’s the crazy part. Creating an essential oil is a very arduous process and in some cases, takes a crap ton of plant material to make the smallest amount of essential oil. For instance:

• It takes 60,000 roses to create just 1 ounce of rose essential oil. 
• You need approximately 220 pounds of lavender flowers to make 1 gallon of lavender essential oil. 
• In some cases, timing is everything. For example, jasmine must be picked as soon as the flowers open, and sandalwood must be 30 years old before harvesting

Is it any wonder high-quality essential oils are a bit pricey?

Another thing to consider that affects pricing is the rarity of the plant needed and each distiller’s quality of standards.

The bottom line is this…

When you think about how much money you’ll be saving by replacing {potentially toxic} conventional medicines, bath, body, beauty, and cleaning products with essential oils, it’s a no brainer. Mother Nature always wins! 

How to Get Started with Essential Oils

First, start with high-quality, therapeutic-grade essential oils. Find out where to buy essential oils for at wholesale HERE. Then, get started using essential oils in your everyday life. Over the next few months, I’ll be profiling some of my favorite oils. Be sure to sign up for my free newsletter so you don’t miss out! Sign up here. 

Want to Learn Even More?

Register for my F*R*E*E 14 day Essential Oils E-course that will walk you step-by-step through the basics! Did I mention that it’s FREE?

Essential Oils Facebook Group

Also, be sure to join me over in my PRIVATE Facebook Group, for other ideas on how to use essential oils every day. Find natural remedies, DIY beauty recipes, household solutions and much more. 

Now it’s your turn. Tell me, what is your favorite essential oil and what do you use it for? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear!