Ways to Use Essential Oils

Once you learn the myriad ways you can include essential oils to make your life-style a healthier one, you will be amazed. The listings below are the most popular ways (this is a starter list). However, essential oils are truly multipurpose.

Bathing

There is no other way to experience the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy than this. You get to inhale the aroma as well allowing your body to absorb what your body needs from the oils. The joy of aromatic bathing can only be recognized through the experience. Your essential oils will help you at the end of a long day when all you want to do is relax and relieve tension. All you do is fill the bath with warm water, add your oils, and create an ambiance suitable to you. A good dilution rate is 6-10 drops of essential oil in a warm tub (half that for children). Some oils may be irritating to the skin.

See bath recipes.

Diffuse Essential Oils

Every home needs a tea light diffuser or nebulizer. We recommend both! Having this simple tool will help improve your physical and emotional well-being and more. Diffusing oils into your environment will give you options such as the need to eliminate germs, as a mood enhancer to relax your senses or stimulate them, for a therapeutic purpose such as to calm an over-active child, or simply to enjoy the natural aromas rather than pesky synthetic ones. Diffusion also helps with respiratory issues. You choose the oils you need for your purpose. You might simply want to set a nice ambiance for an evening with your loved one. For tea light diffusers, 8-15 drops is good. A nebulizer usually needs around 8-10 drops.

See diffusion recipes.

Compresses

There are two specific uses for a compress. For facial care, it is a gentle and soothing way to soften the skin and promote cell regeneration. For therapeutic applications, a compress is used for strains, pain, swelling, nervous tension, or headaches. Soak a washcloth in 8 oz. of warm or cold water (depending on the need) to which 15-20 drops of essential oils have been added. Wring out the compress and apply to the affected area.

See compress recipes.

Steam Inhalation

Steam inhalation is a time-tested remedy used to ease congestion in the respiratory passage caused by colds and coughs. It is also a great way to give yourself a facial by opening up your pores! Add 3-5 drops of essential oil to a bowl of steaming water. Cover your head with a towel and carefully place your head over the bowl. Inhale for 3-5 minutes.

See recipes for uses.

Spray Mists

Just add water! For commercial terms, spray mists are a little more complicated than just adding water. For home use, spray mists are wonderful as air fresheners, germ busters, facial toners, or for use during the day as a pick-me-up. They are so easy to make yourself and are terrific! A good dilution rate is 20 drops of essential oil mix per 1oz. of distilled water in a spray bottle.

See recipes for spray mists.

Footbaths

Everyone loves are good foot soak. They are terrific in helping improve circulation and for easing mental and physical fatigue. Depending on the oils you use, a good foot soak can immediately calm your whole body or invigorate you. Simply fill a plastic bowl large enough to fit your feet in, add warm water and 8- 12 drops of essential oil mix per 1½ gallons of water, and soak.

See recipes for footbaths.

Your Health and Beauty

Our skin deserves the best possible treatment and aromatherapy is the pathway. Taking care of your skin for optimal skin health is actually incredibly easy when we decide to keep it simple and not buy into all the items we are told we need to be youthful. Our earth has provided everything you need to stay beautiful. It doesn’t take long to see the benefits that essential oils have to protect our skin. An added benefit is that now we introduce what are known as carrier oils. Carrier or base oils are pure vegetable oils which contain their own benefits such as vitamins and minerals. Carrier oils are our base for health and beauty treatments or other treatments that require covering a large surface area on the body.

Please note: While pure carrier oils are usually the best choice for blending, essential oils are also blended with many other carriers or bases such as unscented lotions, gel, and emulsions.

For adults, a good dilution rate for carrier oil recipes is about 10-15 drops per 1oz. of carrier oil. For children and frail people, reduce drops to half per 1oz. of carrier oil.

Carrier Oils
Sweet Almond is light in texture, high in vitamins, and rich in nutrients. It is good for all skin types and is excellent for your face oils and for a massage base. Almond oil helps relieve itching, dryness, and inflammation. It helps soften wrinkles around the eyes. It can be used 100% in dilution as a carrier.

Grapeseed oil is very light in texture and is quickly absorbed. It is high in vitamins and minerals. It is good for all skin types and effective for acne or oily skin. Good for massage use. It can be used 100% in dilution as a carrier.

Jojoba oil is excellent for all skin types. A wonderful emollient, it makes skin soft and smooth and is good for aging skin. Jojoba is most commonly used in a blend with carrier oil. A 10-20% dilution rate is suitable. Jojoba is high in protein and minerals. This natural fluid wax is extremely nourishing for your skin and hair. A good base choice for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

Rosehip oil is extremely beneficial in tissue regeneration from conditions such as burns, facial wrinkles, and scar treatment. Used to reduce wrinkles and signs of pre-mature aging, it also helps to counter the drying effects of the sun. Rosehip oil can be used to help heal scars by reducing redness and the formation of keloid scar tissue.

See recipes for health and beauty.

Hair

Essential oils can help enhance the look of your hair. Herbal preparations have been used for hundreds of years to improve the health of hair and to add luster and shine. One of the pathways that essential oils enter the body is via hair follicles, so hair treatments and rinses are wonderful ways to use essential oils.

See recipes for hair care.

Household Cleanliness and Ambiance

The first thing people recognize when they visit is the aroma your home evokes. Smell is a powerful sense and it is connected to our emotions. Smells in our home tell a lot about us such as the food we cook or if there is a smoker or a pet in the home. Essential oils allow you to choose the aromas you wish to create for home ambiance without worrying about the dangers synthetic fragrances add to the air quality of your home. However, essential oils offer more than just fragrances. Essential oils are very useful for your household cleaning and purifying purposes.

See recipes for household uses.

Massage

Blending your own massage oils is fun, rewarding, and healthy. It gives you the freedom to choose the oils you want to use for the therapeutic effect you intend for your body. Your Body Needs has several options for massage blends in our treatment rooms. We have created blends to help for a range of issues, from muscle fatigue to relaxation, and our customers love them. When you provide massage to someone at home, you can easily create your own blend and it will show you care about what you put on your recipient’s skin as well as his or her muscle tissue. Using true aromatherapy will give you a richer therapeutic result from the physical to emotional well-being.

To prepare your massage oil, pour 1oz. of your chosen carrier oil in a small glass bottle. (See Your Health and Beauty for choices. However, for massage purposes, grapeseed should be sufficient.) Add 8-12 drops of the essential oil, or a blend of up to three oils, of your choice. You should have some leftover massage oil that you can store.

See massage blend recipes.

First Aid

Essential oils are excellent for use in minor first aid treatment. Many essential oils have antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral properties. You will be amazed how effective essential oils are. They are a welcome addition to your medicine cabinet.

See some first aid recipes.