Essential Oils: How to Use Them to Fix Your S#%*

I get the WORST headaches. I’ve always been plagued by random bodily issues, but migraines have definitely been the worst of it. I tried everything to keep them away: drinking tons of water, cutting my long hair, a whole cabinet full of pain relief witchcraftery... Nothing! I was at my wit’s end. One of my coworkers—the kind of overly-nice hippie lady at the farmer’s market type—recommended I try some of her essential oils she had with her. She pulled out her satchel and pulled out three bottles: lavender, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils. I had very little hope but I let her craft her oily concoction and slather it on me.

“Oh, hello,” I remember thinking a few minutes later. I felt my pain dissipate. I was shocked. I had never had anything work, and definitely not that quickly! I marched back to my hippie savior’s desk and demanded to know where I could purchase a pallet of whatever she had given me.

That was the beginning. Over the next couple years, I bought and researched oils constantly. I had so many issues that I wanted to heal myself: anxiety, muscle aches, colds as they came, etc. Essential oils became my means of self-healing.

Now, I am not here to recommend to you one company over another. There are many reputable oil brands, and I’ll give you some tools later to determine a brand’s credibility and worth (as far as the oils go). I am also not here to act in any way as a medical professional. I’ll put disclaimers where I can about health risks associated with oils, but there are so many oil-specific risks that I couldn’t list them here. I recommend that you do further research with your own medical issues in mind before using any essential oils. They’re potent, and they really work.

Essential Oil Basics

• Essential oils are very powerful, so each drop goes a long way. I got a feel for how much I should use for whatever the intended use was by looking online to see what others recommended. There are “recipes” to follow to concoct blends for different purposes, or that even tell you how many drops to put into whatever kind of diffuser you have.
• Not all oils are recommended to be used topically. There would be many reasons for that. For instance, severe burns can result after applying certain citrus oils to the skin and then going into the sun. Those oils are called phototoxic, and should only be used topically if you aren’t planning to go out. That’s just one example, so please research any oil before using it.
• Most oils can be used topically as long as they are diluted using a carrier oil. Good carrier oils include almond, coconut, jojoba, or olive. If you’d like to be precise, you can look up a “recipe” for dilution. I use a drop of lavender oil in my moisturizer every morning, my moisturizer acting as the carrier substance. I’m sure there are many others that could be used, but those are just a few.
• Using oils internally is tricky business. Many people like to put a drop or two in their water bottle at the beginning of the day to get the health benefits associated with the oil, or just for taste. This can be done, but the material of the container used is very important. NEVER add oil to water that is in a plastic container. The oils react with plastic and can corrode—and corroding plastic in anything we consume is never good. The bottle needs to be glass or stainless steel with a stainless steel straw. This is the only safe way to consume oils in water. I still choose not to consume oils, as the oil will never correctly disperse in water and I don’t want to get too much concentrated oil at once. It’s up to you, but please—NO PLASTIC!
• Finding a reputable oil manufacturer can be a challenge. I’ve heard some people say they just buy the most expensive oils as they must be the best choice. This is not true. I’ve come across a few companies who sell oils at very fair prices, and are still considered good quality, pure oils. One thing to look for is a manufacturer that posts the results of their oil testing, and it’s especially good if it says they use a third-party lab for testing. A third-party lab wouldn’t lie on their results because they have no personal tie to the company. However, I’ve always thought it was a good sign if any testing was posted, which is rare. As always, I urge you to do your research in order to make sure you are getting the safest and purest oils.
• • Many oils are toxic to pets and unsafe for children. There are too many to list, but please be aware of that when you are deciding what oils to bring into your home.

Top Oils and Their Uses

• Peppermint: One of my favorite oils, and one that is quite versatile. It can be diffused or be applied topically/internally. It is used to relieve aches and pains, for respiratory care, allergy relief, to energize, to repel bugs, and to freshen breath, to name a few.
• Lavender: This is my favorite oil. It can be diffused or applied topically. Culinary lavender can be bought to be used in food/drink, although there are none of the typical benefits in this type of processed lavender. BUT—it is quite yummy in lemonade. Lavender oil can be used as a sleep aid, to reduce inflammation (which is why I put it in my moisturizer, to reduce redness), as acne or hair loss treatment, to improve brain function, to aid in immune system and digestive health, and many more.
• Tea Tree: This is one of the most diverse oils there are. It has so many properties, which makes it useful in a million different ways. Those properties include antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and insecticidal properties. Tea tree is used to treat wounds, repel bugs, as an acne treatment, to stimulate hair growth, etc. This is definitely an *essential* oil.
• Eucalyptus: This oil commonly found in cough drops can be used topically or be diffused. This oil is often used to help boost immune functions, to soothe muscle pains, to treat respiratory problems, and to boost brain function and concentration.
• Lemon: This oil can be diffused or used internally/topically. Lemon is often used to improve mood, as a cleaning agent, in skincare regimens, to help hair loss, and to improve sleep. Many citrus oils have very similar properties as well.
• Frankincense: This oil can be diffused or used topically. My favorite use for this oil is in my skincare routine. When I was pregnant, I made a coconut oil rub using frankincense to reduce and prevent stretch marks. It has many skincare-related benefits, but it’s also used to improve concentration and mood and boost immunity, among many other uses. It has a fairly mild aroma that blends well with other oils.

Fix your S#%*, whatever it ss!

The world of essential oils is a beautiful place. I truly feel that I am “living my best life” (as the kids say), and much of that I can contribute to essential oils. I wish I could create an extensive list of ailments and give you very specific oil recommendations to improve them, but at that rate, I should just write a book. However, you would be amazed at the vastness of the benefits of EOs. I encourage everyone to research their ailments, whether they be physical or mental, and find the essential oils that can be used to treat them. There is almost always a natural treatment to save you a trip to the pharmacy or therapist. I also encourage you to look up essential oil alternatives to products you use everyday, like soaps and deodorants. Maybe you’ll stumble onto your next Pinterest DIY project! The uses are many and the benefits are even more with essential oils. They have helped me so much in the areas of skincare, sleep, and mental health, and I hope you can find a way to implement them in your daily life.