Incorporating essential oils into your life can help create rituals and experiences that will benefit your mind and body. Even better, essential oils don’t need to cost you the earth or involve signing away your soul to a subscription package or multi-level marketing scheme.
Here’s the down-low on essential oils, enjoy!
Choosing essential oils
Avoid synthetic oils or blends as these can be damaging your body or your furry friends. They are also not safe to inhale or expose your skin to.
We recommend you choose 100 percent pure essential oils. Some of our favourite essential oil brands can be found at HealthPost, ECO, Pure Nature, Natio, and The Aromatherapy Company.
ECO produces several tester packs and favourites packs that are worth trying if you’ve never used essential oils before. This way you get to know what oils work best for you without buying full-size straight away.Â
Using essential oils
First and foremost, do not drink or put essential oils directly inside your body. Even putting them into your water is not a safe choice as the oils separate from the water meaning they can wreak havoc on your insides. If you are on any medications, pregnant, or breastfeeding, please talk to your doctor before using essential oils.
The best ways to use essential oils are in diffusers, inhalation, and diluted application to the skin. Diffusers have become readily available at many homewares or health stores, something for every budget.
Inhalation works by taking the lid off of your essential oil and taking a few breaths in, remembering not to let it touch your skin. Another way to do this is to place a few drops on a cotton pad and place in slightly away from your nose as you focus on deep breathing.
Dilution for skin purposes is a great way to have long-lasting effects. You should always dilute your essential oils in a safe carrier oil. A safe ratio is 1-5 percent essential oil, to 99-95 percent carrier oil. My favourites are coconut oil, jojoba oil, and a mild olive oil. These can then be rubbed into the skin to enhance the therapeutic properties of the essential oil.
Furry friends beware
We all love and care for our pets, and the last thing we would want to do is hurt them. Some essential oils aren’t safe for certain pets that spend time in your home. Before using any essential oils in your home where there may be pets present, we recommend talking to a vet first. The most popular essential oils that are toxic to pets are pine, peppermint, cinnamon, lavender, tea tree, ylang-ylang, and citrus.
Benefits of essential oils
Here are what people commonly use different essential oils for. Keep in mind any beneficial effects are unique to each individual, and different individuals may react differently.
Lavender: Sleep, relaxation, cramping
Tea Tree: Acne, skin soothing
Rosemary: Respiratory health
Citrus: Blemishes, bug bites (do not use in direct sunlight)
Eucalyptus: Clear sinuses, revive tired feet
Essential oils make your house smell divine, they can be used instead of perfume on the body, and some say they can positively alter your mood. We recommend you try them out and let us know what you think!
