“I want to learn more about essential oils, but I’m not sure where to start…” I was in that boat not long ago, and I wrote this article about essential oil basics for moms to help other moms learn to use essential oils.
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In this article I share what essential oils are, benefits and practical ways to use essential oils, three popular essential oils and some of their uses, and how to get started with essential oils.
This guide also includes information about the Young Living Premium Starter Kit. You will also learn how you can get free essential oils, a free reference guide to essential oils, and one-on-one support to make learning to use essential oils easy and fun!
I’m ready! Take me to the oils!
Let’s get started…
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. They are produced through steam distillation, resin tapping, or cold pressing, depending on what essential oil is being produced.
Essential Oil Basics For Self-care
Essential oils can be used as part of your self-care routine, from baths and skincare to aromatherapy and meditation. There are many ways to use essential oils to nurture yourself.
Essential Oil Basics to Reduce Chemicals In the Home
I try to avoid harmful or questionable chemicals whenever possible. Many essential oils have properties that make them good alternatives for various products used in the home. Many people use essential oils to freshen the air naturally, to help deter pests, to freshen laundry, for cleaning, and more.
Essential Oil Basics to Promote Wellness
Many essential oils have therapeutic qualities. For example, many moms use Thieves oil as part of their back-to-school routine to help promote wellness. Lavender is a wonderful oil we use as a general first aid and anti-itch option. And tea tree oil is well-known for its antibacterial properties. Copaiba essential oil is being researched for its use in reducing inflammation. These are just a handful of examples.
Essential Oil Basics For Emotional Well-being
Research has shown that aromatherapy is effective for reducing the effects of stress, such as anxiety and depression. This article describes a study in which elementary teachers in Taiwan experienced noticeably reduced levels of anxiety after inhaling diffused bergamot essential oil. Lavender is also commonly used to promote feelings of relaxation and calm. I like to diffuse lavender during homework time, and sometimes we use it at nighttime to help with sleep.
How to Use Essential Oils Aromatically
1. Diffuse
Young Living has many excellent diffusers to choose from. They’re super simple to use. I have the Dewdrop Diffuser. It’s small, quiet, and works great. I love the auto shutoff feature.
2. Inhale
You can add a drop of essential oil to your palm, rub your hands together, and cup your hands over your nose and inhale. Or you can simply inhale from the bottle. (I’ll be grabbing my bottle of bergamot when things get stressful around here.)
Another option is to add oils to a bowl of hot water, and then lean over it with a towel covering your head and bowl as your breathe deeply.
3. Spray
You can make a room spray to freshen the air around you or your linens. You can also make your own custom “monsters-away” or “Happy Dreams” spray with relaxing lavender if your child is experiencing night-time fears.
Topically
Many essential oils can be used safely on the skin. While some can be applied directly, most need to be diluted. There are dilution instructions on the label as well as in the Reference Guide to Essential Oils.
When I started using essential oils topically, I wondered how to dilute them, practically speaking, and not knowing this actually kept me from trying it for a while. I don’t want it to stop you, so here are the details about how to dilute essential oils.
How to Dilute Essential Oils (Practically Speaking)
I take a small glass or ceramic bowl and add a little bit oil. (I usually use coconut oil, but olive oil, or Young Living’s V-6 oil are other good options.)
I use a teaspoon or other small spoon from my silverware drawer and scoop out a very small amount.
I place the spoon in the bowl, and then add drops of essential oil. I use the dilution instructions on the bottle as my guide. For example, if it says dilute 1 drop of oil to 4 drops carrier oil, I try to make sure there is about four times the carrier oil. I don’t measure exactly.
After adding the drops of essential oil, I just use the spoon to mix it all together before applying.
Sometimes I do further mixing with my fingers as needed.
After applying the diluted oil, I wipe off my fingers with a paper towel, and depending on the oils, I then wash my hands.
Internally
Some oils may be taken internally. Here are some different ways one can do so:
(Note: Always check the label for usage instructions. Some oils should not be taken internally.)
1. Mix one or two drops to a glass of water.
2. Add 1 to 2 drops to food when cooking.
3. Place several drops into a vegetable capsule with carrier oil and swallow with water.
Three Popular Essential Oils: Specific Uses
Lavender
Lavender is perhaps the most popular essential, and for good reason. It has many benefits, from aromatherapy, to supporting skin wellness, to creating a relaxing environment in the bath or home.
Peppermint
Peppermint is also extremely popular. From one drop in a batch of brownies, to inhaling to feel energized or diffusing to freshen the air, peppermint is awesome. It’s also a good natural way to relieve feelings of nausea.
Thieves
Thieves is a blend of clove, cinnamon, rosemary, lemon, and eucalyptus oils. It can be diffused, directly inhaled, or diluted and applied topically to help promote immune function. Thieves Vitality, which is labeled for internal use, can also be used as a dietary supplement or to add flavor to food and drinks. Thieves oil is also present in many different products, from cough drops to toothpaste to all-purpose cleaner, and more. It smells amazing. I love it.
Favorite Essential Oils From the Young Living Premium Starter Kit and Beyond
It’s amazing to see how different people respond to different oils. When my oldest daughter smelled Frankincense, she said, “It smells like home.” While she really likes it, I’m personally not that crazy about the smell. It’s fun to take note of which scents appeal to different people.
However, even if you don’t like the smell of a particular oil, the benefits are still there. Frankincense has myriad uses, including promoting feelings of spirituality. It is also used in many skincare products.
During my morning routine, sometimes I choose oils related to how I want to feel or what I want to invite into my life that day, such as Joy, Release, or Abundance.
A more recent favorite is Valor. I love how it smells. Plus, it’s blue!!
I love having a relaxing bath with lavender for me. Or sometimes I’ll add lavender or other essential oils to the shower or to a cotton ball placed in the shower, so I can enjoy them even when I don’t have time for a bath.
We love diffusing different oils at different times, depending on our moods, feelings, and needs. For example, something bright and energizing is good for the morning, to help us wake up and start the day, such as Citrus Fresh or Peppermint.
I really appreciate having natural ways to promote wellness when my girls are sick. Right now since we’re fighting a cold, and we’re diffusing R.C., which is a blend that contains three kinds of eucalyptus.
We also use Thieves diluted on the bottoms of our feet to help boost immunity. (And now Young Living has Thieves Cough Drops, which I really wish I had right at this moment.)
Purification is a blend that smells great and helps repel insects, such as mosquitoes. When we do get mosquito bites, we can use lavender essential oil directly on the skin to help relieve itching.
How to Get Started With Essential Oils
The Premium Starter Kit from Young Living offers 11 bottles of essential oils, plus a home diffuser, as well as some other goodies, like 2 packets of Ningxia Red, small samples and sample bottles for sharing, and some literature to get you started.
What Essential Oils Are In the Premium Starter Kit?
The Premium Starter Kit is a great way to get started with a variety of oils. The oils in the starter kit are Stress Away, Peppermint, Lemon, Lavender, Frankincense, Purification, R.C., Panaway, Digize, Thieves, and Copaiba.
The bottle of Stress Away comes with a roller ball so you can get started right away rolling it on.
The Young Living Premium Starter Kit also contains samples of Ningxia Red, a superfruit blend of wolfberry extract (goji berry), other fruit extracts, such as blueberry and acai, and a blend of essential oils.
I like to drink a shot of it as part of my morning routine to promote everyday wellness. Plus, it tastes delicious. Drinking Ningxia Red is a powerful way to promote wellness and energy.
I Have My Premium Starter Kit. Now What Do I Do With It?
Pick One Essential Oil
Once you get your Starter Kit, one way to get started is to pick one essential oil that you’re curious to try. Open it, smell it, and notice your feelings and thoughts. You might like to take notes or journal about the oils as you begin and continue to use them.
Use It
After you note any thoughts or feelings, begin to use the oil in ways that you already know how. For example, if you’re starting with lavender, you could run a hot bath, add some epsom salts, and 5 to 10 drops of lavender for a relaxing, self-soothing bit of mama me-time.
Learn More
It’s very helpful and fascinating to learn more about the essential oil. The Reference Guide For Essential Oils is my go-to source of information about essential oils.
How to Use the Reference Guide to Essential Oils
I use my Reference Guide all the time. Sometimes I use it to learn more about specific oils and oil-infused products and their benefits and uses.
Sometimes I have an issue that might benefit from the use of essential oils, and I use the Reference Guide to look up the issue and learn which essential oils can be used for that issue and how to use them.
Goodies and Guidance When You Order Your Kit Through Me
You’d like to get started with essential oils? There are many benefits to becoming a Young Living Member, including 24% off retail prices, and an Essential Rewards program for lots of perks to make essential oils affordable.
When you buy a Young Living Premium Starter Kit through me, I will send you either a Quick Reference Guide for Essential Oils or a handy app for your phone.
I will also be here to help you get started by answering any questions you might have. Just get in touch, and I’ll help you get started with essential oils and make sure you get your extra goodies from me.
Questions About Essential Oils?
Do you have any questions about essential oils? Post them in the comments below, or come and chat with me in the Happiness Mama Community on Facebook.
You can also email me at heather (at) happinessmama (dot) com. I’m happy to help!
Please Share
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Take care!
Love, Heather
