How To Use Essential Oils: A Guide For Beginners
Essential oils are therapeutic grade oils extracted from various botanicals, like plants. Essential oils have been used for therapeutic reasons for thousands of years. They offer many benefits, each dependent on the plant they are derived from.
So, you’ve heard about the many great benefits that essential oils could have for you; congratulations, you’re well on your way to a better you. Now, you just need to figure out the best application process for you.
This varies based on the type of oil, what it’s being used to treat, and the tools you have available to you. In this article, we’ll walk you through the many different essential oil applications to help you figure out how to use your essential oils to get the most out of them.
Aromatically
Essential oils can be “absorbed into the bloodstream when inhaled,” which is done through the blood vessels located in the lungs. A diffuser is a good option for aromatically absorbing essential oils. You can diffuse any of your essential oils and receive their many benefits like reduced stress, improved mood, better focus, and much more.
Homemade Items
It’s becoming fairly trendy to make your own items containing essential oils to reap their benefits in your own way. For example, you could make candles or bar soap containing a combination of essential oils and other good things and reap the benefits when you use the soap, absorbing the oils in your skin, or burn the candle and inhale. You could also make shampoos, toothpastes, household cleaners, body butters, bug spray, lip balm, and more.
Topically
Essential oils can be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream for you to reap their many healing benefits. You can either rub the essential oils yourself on the affected area or, if you’d prefer, there are many lotions, body washes, and shampoos made with essential oils in them that you could use as well.
You could also put essential oils in your bath by dropping them on a sponge and placing the sponge in the bath water with you. Be sure to only use the essential oils as indicated by the bottle, as over using could become a problem.
Almost all essential oils must be diluted with a carrier oil, such as Jojoba, avocado, almond or walnut before applying them to the skin.
If you’re applying essential oils topically, you should test first, by applying a small amount of the diluted oil on your wrist to test for any adverse reaction. This is especially important for those with highly sensitive skin.
Benefits of Essential Oils
Essential oils have a world of various benefits they can offer their users. For instance, lavender oil can help to relax you, peppermint oil can help you focus, and rosemary oil can help to minimize hair loss.
There are a wide variety of essential oils that offer several healing benefits each. Each essential oil is different, however, and has unique properties; many have specific ways they need to be applied or taken and certain limitations. You need to do your research before consuming the essential oils.
Essential oils can offer many healing benefits that can improve the health and appearance of your skin and hair, your digestion, treat your pain, help with inflammation, and even reduce the frequency and intensity of your headaches.
There are many ways from which you can choose to apply or take your essential oils. As we’ve shown, this choice depends on the type of essential oil your using and the benefit you’re hoping to receive from it.
Getting essential oils into the eyes or mucous membranes may also cause burning and damage in the area. If essential oils come into contact with the eyes, rinse them thoroughly with water and contact a doctor.
Store essential oils out of reach of children and keep them apart from other products. Some essential oils can be deadly to pets, even if a person only uses them in a diffuser. Always research which oils are safe to use around pets, or ask a veterinarian.
It is still unclear what effect essential oils have on pregnant or breastfeeding women and their children. While some consider them safe to use, many doctors advise pregnant women to avoid essential oils.
Essential oils are generally safe when a person uses them correctly. Always dilute essential oils before applying them to the skin and never ingest them.
