If you’ve jumped on the essential oil bandwagon, kudos to you for taking the leap into this healthy world of goodness!
They not only smell good, but they are amazing, effective little bottles of nature’s goodness, but one must use caution, since they are so powerful.
I truly love learning about essential oils, and do so regularly with certified aromatherapist, Lea Jacobson, over at Using Essential Oils Safely. I highly recommend following her, as she is a wealth of knowledge!
“Essential oils are very concentrated substances. One drop can be powerful enough to relieve an itchy bug bite, soothe a burn, or stop a cold in its tracks. It is natural to assume that because essential oils originate from plant sources they are without risk, but this is not always the case. They also have the potential to cause minor reactions, such as skin irritation, or more serious consequences like respiratory distress and liver failure, when not used appropriately.” – Lea Jacobson
Being that these amazing little drops can also cause harm, it is so important to educate yourself on the proper use of each essential oil before using them. They were not all created equal, so knowing the differences on what each one can do for you is so wise, and the best way to do this is by heeding the advice of Certified Aromatherapists.
Certified Aromatherapists have studied the therapeutic uses, methods of administration, cautions and contraindications, and so much more, for each and every essential oil. They educate their clients about protocols to support, rebalance and/or restore wellness for good health, and they do so with the knowledge and certification behind them of essential oil safety.
There are also books you can pick up on Amazon that will help you as you create products to use around your home, or use them for health purposes. One of my most favorite resources for looking things up quickly is The Aromatherapy Companion.
I’m here today to just share with you 9 simple ways you can use essential oils safely in your own life, and around your home.
Let’s dive in together:
- Use a cold air diffuser – make sure it doesn’t heat the oil. This is personally, my favorite way to infuse my home with essential oils.
- Fill a mister bottle with distilled water and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to spray around your room, or on your furniture. Shake well before spraying, as water and essential oils don’t mix too well.
- Add a drop of essential oil to a cotton ball and place in front of your air return in your home.
- Add a few drops of essential oils to a fragrance free lotion or coconut oil to use as a body lotion.
- Apply a drop or two to the bottoms of your feet.
- Add a few drops of essential oils to epsom salt in a glass jar, shake to mix, and use in your bath for relaxation and detoxification.
- Fold a piece of cardstock in the form of a fan, add a drop on the cardstock, and fan yourself with the essential oil to breathe in deeply.
- Add 1-2 drops of essential oils to steaming hot water, lean over it while covering your head with a towel to breathe in for respiratory issues.
- Add a drop of peppermint essential oil to a warm wet washcloth, and lay it on your forehead or back of neck.
No matter what brand of essential oils you choose to use, always follow the guidance of a certified aromatherapist. I can’t stress this enough.
Your safety and health matters to me, as well as that of your family. So check out Lea’s resources she provides on her website and in the Facebook group she runs, and soak in the information to be a well-educated essential oil lover, like me. 😉
Lea also has some essential oil recipes that you can make today in your own home! Like this hand sanitizer spray or this bug off repellent recipe. She is such a wealth of knowledge!
Some people say essential oils are safe to ingest, but I personally, would never ingest an oil, unless I was under direct supervision of a Certified Aromatherapist, and he/she was helping with my health care in an alternative way.
I hope this little list helps you get started in using essential oils safely in your life and around your home! If you would like to add any more ideas for others to use, feel free to add them in the comments below.
