Since I began dabbling in aromatherapy nearly 20 years ago, I learned quickly to assemble a first aid kit to keep in the house and one in small bottles to carry with me. It takes time to assemble the blends, seal the bottles, label them, etc., so you don't want to be doing it when your child is standing in front of you, blood dripping from a skinned knee.
How to purchase quality oils
Firstly, when using essential oils it's important to always buy quality oils. They should come from organically grown plants and be low steam distilled. If you purchase cheap oils that have been heated during the distillation process, you will not achieve the healing you need. Cheap oils are great when you are wanting to put a little peppermint down to repel ants, but not for healing.
Secondly, be sure to test oils on a small spot on the sole of your foot before using. If you are highly allergic to a lot of things, then for sure check out each oil, so an Internet search for allergens with the oils. Most of all, always use a carrier oil, such as: extra virgin olive oil; sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, macadamia nut oil, hemp oil or rosehip oil.
A great store for buy organic essential oils, carrier oils and bottles is Mountain Rose Herbs. Young Living Oils is another wonderful source, but you have to be a consultant and member – it's network marketing. Most of Mountain Rose Herbs' oils are organically grown. They are of the highest quality and their customer service is outstanding, as are their prices.
A carrier oil will help to dilute the volatile essential oils. Volatile is the key word here. Just because you utilize essential oils by the drop, doesn't make them ineffective in small quantities. In fact, many oils are quite powerful in small quantities of drops.
Less is always more.
Recipes ... how to mix up the oils
This one stumped me when I first began working with oils. I had no idea what to do or how people figured this out. Sure enough, you can start with a recipe and as you learn more and more about the oils, then you can add some here or take some away there.
Hands down, the best book I've found out there is The Essential Oils Desk Reference, published by Life Science Publishing and used by Young Living Oils. It comes in hardcover and a smaller, spiral bound edition. It is expensive, but if you are serious about working with essential oils – this book is, well – essential.
You can purchase the book online, even at Amazon. Though going directly to the link above, through the publisher, I found the book less expensive than elsewhere. You don't have to be a YL distributor to use this book. It has recipes in the back that I have used exclusively for the last 14 years, and I am no longer a YL distributor.
There are also specific techniques in the book for reflexology, vita flex and raindrop therapy.
I have personally developed my own shingles blend, bruise, first aid, respiratory support, pain-relief, stress-relief, skin moisturizer and more. When I am sick or hurting, I turn to the oils for relief.
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is another good book full of great recipes, including perfumes and fragrances, gifts, etc., if you are interested.
How do you use essential oils
• Direct Application: Apply directly to the skin. Dilute most essential oils unless you've used them before and can tolerate them applied "neat." Dilute with a drop or two of carrier oil.
• Direct Inhalation: Place several drops of an essential oil or blend into the palm of your hand, rub your palms together, cup your hands over your nose and inhale/exhale several times. Be sure that when you use the oils you are keeping them out and away from your eyes and not getting the oils in direct contact with the eyes or nose – a little drop of peppermint on the nostril will make your eyes water!
• Layering: Rub an oil or blend onto an area and once it is dry, you rub another oil or blend onto the same area for additional benefits.
• Massage: Essential oils are wonderful when added to massage or reflexology treatments. You can mix 10-12 drops of your favorite essential oils or blend with one ounce of massage oil (carrier oil) and apply to the body. This is wonderful for the back, legs, arms, hands and feet. You can even rub it onto the ear lobes or temples for wonderful relief of stress.
• Bath: You can add 2-3 drops of essential oil such as lavender to your bath and soak off the day. Be careful not to slip when getting into the tub.
• Compress: I often place a warm or hot compress over an essential oil application in cases such as: kidney ailments, upset or nauseous tummy, aches, pains and bruises and headache.
• Bruising: A great recipe for bruising will be in a future blog. However, it is important to remember to add a few drops from your bruise blend to the bruise ASAP after injury. The quicker the better. I recently was throwing something into a dumpster when an entire box spring that someone had not secured into the dumpster carefully, fell on me. It bruised and scraped my wrist, forearm, elbow and back of the upper arm. I ran into the house immediately and applied my bruise blend and applied a COLD compress to keep the swelling down. I never turned blue on any of the injured spots - EXCEPT for the back of the upper arm – where I had not realized I had been injured. However, applying the bruise blend later gave me pain relief. By applying the blend immediately after injury, you can often prevent a bruise from forming and reduce healing time. You can apply the blend as often as needed.
Safe use of essential oils
• Always keep a bottle of carrier oil handy to dilute the oils.
• Keep bottles of oils tightly closed and stored away from direct sunlight.
• Keep oils out of reach of children.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing, or infants should not use essential oils unless recommended by their physician.
• Oils rich in menthol (such as peppermint) should not be used on the throat or neck of children under the age of 30 months.
• Citrus based oils can cause a sensitivity to sunlight. Avoid exposure to sunlight 3-6 hours after applying these oils.
• Keep oils away from the eyes – again – you've no idea how this will burn! In case of contact, be sure to wash out the eye with a vegetable oil, NOT water.
• Essential oils are not for internal use. However, a few drops of lemon essential oil to boiling water can give a wonderful lemony taste to pasta. You can add 1-2 drops of an herb essential oil such as basil, oregano, marjoram or thyme to a pasta sauce or other dish. Remember: less is more.
• If you are suffering from any disease, be sure to consult a physician before use.
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