Welcome to my blog where I hope you will enjoy learning more about essential oils and aromatherapy, in general.
Here, you'll find a growing list of trends and topics to address all of those questions I know you must have or you would not be here. I remember when I first started oiling, I wanted to learn as much as I could. I was like a sponge and I even went to in-person classes in my area at strangers' homes and would often ask myself who am I?!
I was someone who shied away from even hanging out with my dearest friends. I had major social anxiety yet here I was looking up events in my Facebook oil groups and adding them to the calendar. Why? Because once I saw my life change and felt increasingly more empowered as I took charge of my own health, wellness and self-care, I wanted to be a part of this movement, and learn as much as I could, and before I knew it, I was sharing and teaching myself. I continue to enjoy building on my knowledge through at-home experiences, online courses and certifications.
But it's the tribal connections that keep me oiling. I have so enjoyed meeting people just like me who were struggling to keep it together with work, home, and family, and want to continue paying it forward. Here, I'll start with some of the basics such as What is Aromatherapy, followed by my favorite products that I use to support my oily habit!
Enjoy and come back often. I'll update this page frequently and invite you to reach out to me with requests!
Let me guess why you're here. Perhaps you felt like something was missing or you were feeling depleted or wanting to be more empowered when it comes to your own health and well-being and that of your family's. Regardless, I bet you've come to learn that oils are so much more than you ever could've imagined, and if you're not yet aware but curious, we are here today and everyday to share with you all the benefits of Young Living essential oils and why prioritizing self-care with natural products will change your life! And don't forget there are tons of self-serve resources here from searching terms using the magnifying glass to the pinned post for group guidelines and oil safety tips to the Albums + Files sections for recipes and how-to info! So, when and why did you order your kit or why are you inspired to do so soon?
Body + Mind + Spirit
Once you start oiling, your entire world opens up to new possibilities. But why? After all, essential oils don't treat or cure. They aren't the answer to everything. So why have they become such a powerful tool in our toolbox? Because they stimulate and support our body's natural healing process and that can be a powerful thing!
As Aristotle said, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" and holistic recognizes that! Holistic addresses the whole being. Aromatherapy can have the same impact. Perhaps you got your kit because you wanted your home to smell nice then you realized you were sleeping better, which led you to feel better all around. Or maybe you applied an oil to a specific spot that was crying out in need of your attention only to realize that once it was addressed you could focus more on your work, leaving you feeling more productive and fulfilled. Or did you get your kit to support healthy immunities and begin to notice that you were feeling less nervous and stressed, which brought about a more positive outlook and overall balance in your personal life? It's because you're addressing your whole being and it feels good because our natural bodies love natural methods!
For me, it was Lavender. I got the kit because the bottles were pretty and never realized the benefits of aromatherapy, which is the case for many here in the U.S. after years of market saturation with perfume-grade oils. We forgot their holistic benefits! Lavender paved the way for me to right a lot of dominos in my life from constantly feeling tired, overwhelmed and anxious. Once I addressed one issue and felt empowered over it, I was able to peal back that layer and see and address what was underneath. What I came to realize is that I was pretty stressed and fearful under those physical issues. This was HUGE and it freed me up to focus on learning more about oils and holistic methods, which led to me to incorporate meditation into my daily life, which inspired me to study Reiki to help others.
See what I mean about body, mind and spirit? Having oils at my finger tips and taking the time to educate myself on all of their uses and how to use them safely, has allowed me to be more proactive in managing my own health, which gives me peace of mind and makes me feel in control. Oils can be a powerful catalyst to support our body's own abilities, which in turn, can provide us time, energy and inspiration to create more change for the better.
Spritzers & Scrubs
Spritzers and Scrubs are so fun and there are a ton of different options so I'll just go over a few here. Obviously, aromatic spritzers (or sprays) can give you that therapeutic benefit of inhalation without a diffuser or if you're just in a hurry. Sometimes I'll spray around myself and take in a few breaths before I leave the house or I'll spray it in the car or I'll give it as a gift. If I'm traveling, I'll take an empty glass spray bottle with me and then I'll add my oil or synergy of oils into the bottle then add the water so I can smell it first and allow the EOs to combine more easily, as we discussed.
For Aromatic Spritzers, use glass or stainless steal sprays. Fill a 2-4 ounce bottle with water, then add 15-30 drops of your essential oil or synergy of EOs and shake, and be sure to shake every time before use b/c there is no dispersant in there. However, if you have vodka handy, that can make an excellent dispersant. Often times, I don't bother with the vodka and just know to shake every time, but that's up to you! Clearly milk won't keep and honey won't spray, so those aren't good dispersants as they are in a bath!
Now, onto scrubs! OMG there are so many options, but most are salt or sugar based. Both make great exfoliants and you can add carrier oil to the salts or the sugar, although I often leave out the carrier from the salts and let them just be dry with the EOs in there. Chopsticks BTW make great mixers if you're just making the salts or sugar scrubs right in the mason jar (wide mouth is my favorite for pouring), but others like tall jars or the ones that have the metal flip on a glass top that locks into place, old school style. Another option is plastic but PET plastic only as it will be less likely to break down but honestly, I'd use glass or stainless.
In a small glass or metal mixing bowl combine 2 cups of sea salt + 1/2 cup of unscented vegetable oil (almond, apricot, sunflower oil but YL's V-6, almond or fractionated coconut are are fine too!)
Add 7-25 drops of essential oil or synergy of essential oils; stir well (total drops based upon EOs used and the strength desired.)
Diffusing can be a powerful way to receive aromatherapy. Three goals of diffusing are to reduce microbes in the air, address emotions, and support the respiratory system.
Extensive research demonstrates how essential oils can aid in the elimination of airborne pathogens. Harris reported that Cinnamon...Rosemary, Eucalyptus and Lemon EOs had been found to prevent the transmission of airborne bacteria...when diffused into the air. Dr. Jane Buckle, a critical care nurse, trained in clinical aromatherapy says, “In the ER we use essential oils such as..Lavender...so [patients] can [calmly] tell us what has happened to them more coherently. We also use Peppermint, Spearmint, and Ginger [for] nausea and...Rose for...distress.” WOW. Amazing!
But what if you're out in the world and you can't diffuse? There are several ways you can access the benefits of aromatherapy on the go including direct inhalation (from the bottle), adding a drop of a single or synergy of oils in your hand then rubbing them together and cupping your hands over your nose and mouth (breath in through the nose, out of the mouth), or packing aromatic inhalers, spritzers, smelling salts or even wearing a diffuser necklace. You can check out my previous posts on these topics or search the group for terms like spritzer, inhaler, etc.
If you're at home, an aromatic bath can be incredibly therapeutic (again, get in the bath FIRST, then add EO-infused salts, honey or whole fat milk to your bath). If you'd like to do a concentrated diffusing, there's tenting with a diffuser (you can buy one through YL's accessories section, it's called the AromaLux/AromaDome Combo) or steam inhalation for stronger sinus and respiratory support (over the sink, eyes closed, towel over your head, a lot like tenting).
For now, please share with us your favorite method of aromatherapy, and what oils you used just today alone!
What's a synergy? A synergy is a combination of essential oils without carrier oil added. Once the carrier is added it's a blend. I know YL calls their undiluted blends BLENDS but this is just not to confuse non-industry people about what they are getting in a bottle as most won't know what synergy means, but blend is pretty understandable. However, I think you guys totally get this difference and may find it of interest to know the aromatherapy terms, so technically, these combos are synergies!
Ok, so let's make a synergy. Always use glass. I like 1oz glass droppers because I don't want to have a blend sit too long and I say blend b/c I'm adding carrier oil to dilute in there. So, you have your 1oz bottle and 15 drops is fairly standard for a synergy to which you're going to fill up the rest of the way with carrier and apply to the skin, although feel free to dial that back if you've got some serious oils in there like Oregano for example. If you're just wanting to make a synergy for use in the diffuser, then you'd want to, for example, create a synergy of 100 drops in a 5ml glass bottle (great way to reuse those YL empties), then re-label.
So, just make a synergy of Lavender and Stress Away. Now Stress Away is already a synergy of Lavender, Cedarwood, Copaiba, Lime, Ocotea, Vanilla and others, and while these types of pre-made combos created by YL are meant to stand on their own (so don't blend blends/synergies together or it will be absolutely overwhelming), I like to customize my YL blends/synergies sometimes to meet my specific needs. But you see how I'm using a single (Lavender) in the synergy that's already in the StressAway? That way, I'm not adding anything to the StressAway that isn't already in there. So it won't mess with the therapeutic benefits or confuse the synergy and be too overwhelming for me to smell, apply or inhale. I'm just customizing the StressAway, really.
I'll want about 15 drops in the 1oz bottle total for a topical synergy so I would probably do 7 drops StressAway and 8 drops Lavender but first SMELL IT, then if I like it, I will fill the rest of the bottle with carrier oil of my choice (YL V-6 oil, Grape Seed, Almond, Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, which doesn't solidify, etc.). If I'd like more Lavender to come through I would just add a couple more drops and smell again, then I'd smell, then I'd add the carrier once I was happy! Leave some room at the top (the neck of the dropper bottle) empty so the dropper can fit without overflowing your oil! Then I would use on my pulse points at night. If I'm making a synergy for my diffuser and therefore not adding carrier oil, I would take my 5ml bottle and add 50 drops StressAway, 50 Drops Lavender. Boom. Now that will sit next to my diffuser for night time awesomeness!
Now you make a synergy. The best way to start is to smell those 3-5 oils together to see how it smells together and consider adding more drops of the less prominent ones, and less drops of the stronger ones so they are balanced in the aroma. And let me know how it turns out!
Aromatic Baths
Since ancient times, aromatic baths have been used for their health benefits. Greek physician, Hippocrates, to which the "do no harm" hippocratic oath is attributed employed ‘hydrotherapy’ with aromatic oils and wrote of how baths are essential to good health. And now that we understand from previous class posts the importance of smells to emotion which is connected to physiological health, we can only begin to imagine how specific oil combinations to support both emotions and physical needs can be used in an aromatic bath to give us the best of both worlds!
While I'm sure you're all experts on taking a bath, let me share with you some tips and suggestions on how to safely enjoy an aromatic one! First, make your oily concoction before you get in the bath but do not add it to the bath until after you've gotten in. This is because adding oils even with a dispersant (for dispersing the oils so they don't float around on top and potentially irritate the skin or just not provide the therapeutic benefit work if not completely dissolved into the water), you can imagine how that might then irritate mucus membranes, particularly the most private ones! Examples of dispersants that work well with EOs are: sea salt, epsom salt, honey or whole fat milk. You can use a carrier oil but then it won't disperse.
So, how do we make an oily concoction for an aromatic bath to stimulate or support emotions, relaxation, muscles, circulation, lymph circulation, detoxification, and more? First, pick your dispersant. Let's use Sea Salt in this example because I love sea salt for it's skin softening and detoxing and energetic support (as in I had crazy energy around me today, I'd like to wash it off). One to two cups for a full bath with an adult is recommended. If it's honey or whole fat milk, a couple tablespoons will do w/ the EOs.
Then chose an EO that is going to support what you're looking to achieve. I like Copaiba, Frankincense and Lemongrass because it's a great combo on sore, stiff muscles, they are not too irritating or strong on skin and actually help w/ puffiness and circulation, plus that blend is super meditative and up-lifting. Typically, for an adult, 5 to 10 drops TOTAL of essential oils into a full-body bath is suggested. If it's a more mild EO like Lavender, you can bump that up to 15. But if it's a super strong floral like Jasmine, for example, just a few drops would be sufficient. Avoid EOs that can be dermal irritants like Thieves, Peppermint, Panaway or hot oils like Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, etc. When in doubt, go w/ Lavender!
Now, get in the full bath, THEN pour your concoction in there and move it around to disperse. For kids and other baths like sitz baths (just your bum), let's chat about those in comments if you'd like!
Inhalers & Smelling Salts
Who wants to be one of those Oilers who has it all together, an answer to everything right in your purse, just like Mary Poppins? Inhalers are a great way to be Mary Poppins and act quickly to get the aromatic benefit of essential oils, even on the go! These are fun to make and customize too.
Have you made an inhaler before? I would suggest refillable aluminum or stainless with glass inside and organic cotton wicks, if you can find them as cotton is considered a dirty crop, so it's best to do organic if the sole purpose is to inhale through it. Don't sweat it if you can't find the organic wicks b/c you can always get organic cotton strips and cut them to fit. It's more important that you don't use plastic inhaler tubes and opt for aluminum or stainless instead.
So, how do you make them once you have these materials? Place 25-30 drops of EO or synergy in a small glass or metal bowl. Using an organic cotton pad cut to size, soak up the EO. Place pad into inhaler tube and close the end of tube with cap. Inhaler tube is now ready for use! Use throughout the day, as needed.
Smelling salts are pretty similar. Create a synergy with a total of 20-30 drops using 3-5 EOs that work together aromatically and to achieve whatever benefit you're seeking. Then place in a 10ml glass bottle or roller without the roller on top as many of us have 10ml glass roller bottles, so you may find this is easiest.
Once the synergy (your mixture of desired single oils) is in the bottle, fill the rest up with either fine or coarse sea salts. Then you can waft the bottle under your nose while taking deep inhalations (be sure it's a YLEO that is for aromatic use). This can be done 3-4x a day or as needed.
See Files section for links to inhalers and other pampering accessories (most Amazon Prime).
Soothing Gels
Are you gel'n? Of course you are. All the cool kids do. They are fun and easy to make too and what a perfect pampering tip for Self-Care (I mean Valentines) Day! The base can either be aloe vera jelly or there is a product that's thicker called gelly (I'll update the files section with a link to both). As, I'm sure most--probably ALL--of you know, aloe vera comes from the succulent plant and has been used for centuries as a natural healing agent, immune-enhancer and anti-fungal activity. So, imagine the benefits if you incorporate essential oils allowing those two natural methods to combine and work their magic together!
Essential oil-infused gels can cool, hydrate or even be used on localized areas for angry muscles or puffy veins or minor little zaps from the buggies or toaster oven, for examples. Gels should not be used on serious burns or deep wounds or deep vertical wounds like a c-section. Also, do a spot test to be sure you don't have any allergy or sensitivity to gel and I'd not use it on your face either.
Here's a simple recipe for Summer Sun!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup aloe vera gel
1 tbsp Witch hazel
5 drops German chamomile essential oil (alternatively, you can add a couple drops of Peppermint if you don't have GC if Peppermint is cooling to your skin, for some it's hot)
7-10 drops Lavender EO
*you can put this in a glass jar or spray, just add distilled water to create a consistency for the spray
In a glass or metal measuring cup or bowl combine aloe vera gel, witch hazel and EOs. Use a stainless steel whisk to mix ingredients.
Add essential oils and whisk until well combined. Enjoy and be sure to label, store in a glass jar and keep in refrigerator! Ahhhhhhh!