How to Use Essential Oils

Essential oil is a distilled solution, a pure essence extracted from the fruit, bark, twigs, leaves or flowers of a certain plant. They are used in aromatherapy to improve mental and physical health. You can apply essential oils directly to the skin such as a water- or oil-based essential oil, smell the essential oil through a diffuser, and combine many other ingredients to form an essential oil spray. Continue reading the article to learn how to use essential oils.

Table of Contents

Selection of Essential Oils

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Consider the quality of the essential oil before you choose to buy. Since you will be using essential oils on your body and around your home, you should opt for high quality essential oils. There aren’t any specific quality standards that essential oil companies must follow, so you’ll need to consider many other factors before you decide to buy an essential oil.

Have you heard the company’s name and/or used their products before? You should only buy essential oils from reputable companies.
Is the price of the essential oil similar to other products or is it cheaper? You should be careful with cheap essential oils because they may not be pure.
Does the product list the Latin names of the plants used to make the essential oils and/or the origin of the product? These details are a sign that the company is especially interested in knowledgeable customers and therefore will be more trustworthy.
Does the product packaging make a claim of purity? You should look for products that contain 100% essential oils and stay away from those that contain little or no specified percentage of essential oils.
How does the product smell? If the products don’t smell like you’d expect, they’re probably not quality products.
Does the product packaging say it’s made entirely from organic or “harvested from natural plants”? Otherwise, the plants used to make the essential oils may be mass-produced and/or sprayed with pesticides, so they should be avoided. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Find out about the chemical phenotype (chemotype) of essential oils before choosing to buy. Some essential oil manufacturers offer additional products of the same essential oil. They are many different essential oils, or chemical phenotypes of the same essential oil, with slight variations in scent due to climate, soil, environmental, and other factors. The benefit of choosing a specific chemotype is that you can customize the dilution as you wish.

For example, basil has two major chemotypes: sweet basil oil and Reunion basil oil. Basil oil has a sweeter scent while Reunion basil oil is more woody. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Review product packaging. Essential oils will often quickly degrade when exposed to sunlight and hot temperatures. You should make sure that the product you purchase comes in a dark glass container (usually brown) and that it is completely sealed. Avoid buying essential oils that have been opened or have been exposed to a lot of sun or heat. ^{[3] X Research Sources} .

Dilute Essential Oils for External Use

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You must not eat/drink essential oils. Many essential oils can make you sick or even fatal if you eat/drink them, so you shouldn’t do this. You can safely apply essential oils to your skin, but most essential oils need to be diluted before they can be applied topically. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Determine the best method to use essential oils for your purpose. Essential oils can be mixed with a carrier oil, diluted in water for use as a spray, or mixed with other ingredients such as bath salts. Determine the right method of using essential oils before deciding how you will dilute it.

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Dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil or water if you plan to apply it to your skin. Almond oil, apricot kernel oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil can all be used as carrier oils for essential oils. The carrier oils themselves don’t have a strong smell, so it won’t overwhelm or compete with the essential oil of your choice. You can also use water as a background. Before proceeding to blend your essential oils, you need to make sure that you have carefully planned out how you will use it.

To apply essential oils in a concentrated spot on an adult body, you can prepare a solution of 3-5% essential oil. Add 3 – 5 drops of essential oil for each teaspoon of carrier oil or water that you will be using. This diluent would be ideal for applying a small amount of essential oil to the temples or wrists.
To apply essential oils over a large area of an adult body, you can prepare a mixture of 1% essential oil. Add 1 drop of essential oil to each teaspoon of carrier oil or water of your choice. This diluted solution is ideal for forming a massage oil or body spray.
If you plan to use essential oils on your baby, you need to create a milder solution that contains 0.25% essential oils. To make this solution, you can add 1 drop of essential oil to 4 teaspoons of carrier oil or water. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
To use essential oils in the shower. You can add 3-5 drops of essential oils to bath salts or to a teaspoon of carrier oil. Then add the mixture to the bath water. Blending essential oils with a carrier oil before adding them to your bath water will help prevent essential oils from coming into direct contact with your skin and possibly causing irritation.

Using Essential Oils as a Natural Remedy

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Use essential oils to relieve headaches. Essential oils can be quite helpful in soothing mild headaches. Dilute the oil in proportions for concentrated use in one area of the body. Then, apply the solution on the forehead, temples and back of the neck. Massage the oil onto your skin in a circular motion, while taking a deep breath of the essential oil into your nose. The best essential oils for headaches include:

Lavender
Mint ^{[8] X Research Source}
Ginger ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Treat acne with tea tree oil. Essential oils can be used as an effective acne treatment and are a good alternative to the harsh chemicals commonly found in acne creams or prescription medications. One scientific study found that a gel containing 5% tea tree oil was just as effective as benzoyl peroxide (a common ingredient in over-the-counter or prescription acne creams) for treating acne. fish eggs. ^{[10] X Research Source}

To make a gel containing 5% tea tree oil to treat acne, you can add 5 drops of tea tree oil to 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel tea. Mix the oil with aloe vera and then, use your fingertips or a cotton swab to apply the gel to the pimple. Place the mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate for use within 1 week.

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Treat insomnia with essential oils of lavender, chamomile, and sage. Using essential oils won’t cure your insomnia, but using soothing and relaxing essential oils before bed can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply until now. wake up. Three essential oils that will help you in dealing with insomnia are lavender, which promotes relaxation, chamomile, which is a natural sedative, and sage, which has medicinal properties. like sleeping pills. ^{[11] X Research Source}^{[12] X Research Source}^{[13] X Research Source}

If you have a vaporizer available, you can add a few drops of lavender, chamomile, or sage oil to it before bed.
You should add a few drops of oil to the bath, or massage the diluted essential oil in the ratio used to apply over a large area to the legs and feet before going to bed.
Remember that many essential oils, such as rosemary, cypress, grapeseed, lemon, and mint, can be energizing and quite stimulating, so you should avoid using them before bedtime. .

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Relieve stress with essential oils. Perhaps the most common use of essential oils is to promote mental health by reducing stress and encouraging calm and relaxation. Essential oils affect our emotions in a positive way because our sense of smell connects to the limbic system – the area responsible for emotions, memories, and sexual arousal. ^{[14] X Research Source} Five essential oils that are particularly effective at reducing stress include:

Lavender, with its light, calming, and sweet floral scent, is a widely loved essential oil for the relaxing and balancing properties it provides, both physically and mentally.
Frankincense essential oil, with its warm, exotic scent, is widely used for its stress-relieving properties.
Roses are well known for their ability to reduce stress, while it also helps you deal with depression and grief.
Chamomile essential oil, especially Roman chamomile, helps you deal with stress caused by mental anxiety, as well as helps you deal with paranoia and feelings of hostility.
Vanilla essential oil is well known for its healing properties, and many aromatherapists have stated that this is because vanilla oil has a scent that most closely resembles breast milk. Vanilla brings tranquility and stimulates mental clarity.

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Use thyme essential oil to stop snoring. Thyme essential oil is the leading solution for snoring. To use this essential oil as a remedy for snoring, you can dilute the essential oil in proportions to use it concentratedly in one area (3 – 5 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil). . Rub the oil into the soles of your feet before going to bed. ^{[15] X Source of Study}^{[16] X Source of Research} Other oils that can be used as substitutes include cedar and marjoram.

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Repel insects with lemon eucalyptus essential oil. Many store-bought insect repellents contain quite a bit of strong synthetic chemicals, and will often have an unpleasant odor and cause irritation to your skin. Diluted lemon eucalyptus essential oil blends are a great alternative (and more fragrant) for repelling insects. ^{[17] X Source of Research} You can mix essential oils with a carrier oil and apply them directly to your skin, or you can put them in a diffuser or burner next to a window.

To make your own repellent, you can mix 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml) of carrier oil, 2 tablespoons of witch hazel, and about 50 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil, 10 drops of lavender oil, and 10 drops of oil. cedarwood, and 10 drops of rosemary oil. Mix all ingredients in a small spray bottle and shake well before use. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

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Use essential oils to soothe earaches. Certain essential oils when applied topically can help clear up ear infections and ease any pain associated with them. You should not apply essential oils in the ear, but should only apply along the neck and behind the infected ear.

Tea tree oil is one of the best oils for soothing an earache. Dilute essential oils to use, concentrate on one area (3 – 5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil) and massage behind the ears and on the neck. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Soothe dizziness with menthol. Essential oils can help relieve symptoms of vertigo. Peppermint is also often considered the most effective essential oil in treating dizziness. It is widely used to treat vomiting and headaches because it contains menthp, menthyl esters, and menthone – the ingredients responsible for giving you a cooling and invigorating effect. When vertigo occurs, put a few drops of peppermint oil on a cotton ball or handkerchief to smell it. ^{[20] X Research Source} Other oils that also help with headaches include:

Fir
Basil
Sage tree
Myrtle
Lavender
Ginger
Rose
Rosemary
Tangerine

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Use essential oils to soothe sunburn. Certain essential oils have been used to treat sunburn for thousands of years because of their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. The best essential oils for sunburn relief include lavender oil, helichrysum oil (from the daisy family), rose oil and Australian Blue oil (a blend of different essential oils). The most effective way to apply essential oils is to mix them with some aloe vera gel (1 drop per teaspoon of aloe vera gel tea) and apply it directly to the sunburned area. ^{[21] X Research Source}

You can also make your own spray to deal with sunburn by mixing:
- 230 ml + 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Juice
- 60 ml coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E tea
- 8 drops lavender essential oil
- 8 drops tea tree oil
- 8 drops Roman chamomile essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a glass spray bottle and shake well.

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Treat minor wounds with essential oils. Lavender, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and many other essential oils can be used to treat minor injuries such as cuts, burns, or insect bites thanks to their special properties. their antibiotic properties. To use essential oils for minor wounds, you need to first clean the wound. You need to make sure that the wound is not bleeding. Then, apply a small amount of about 2 – 3% of the diluted essential oil (2 – 3 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil). ^{[22] X Research Source}

Apply the oil on the skin 2 to 5 times a day until the wound is completely healed. Once applied, you can apply a cold compress to the wound to minimize bleeding and swelling and allow the essential oil to penetrate the skin.

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Use menthol to ease symptoms of digestive disorders. You’ve probably heard that peppermint tea can help reduce symptoms of digestive disorders. Similarly, menthol can also be used to relieve nausea and digestive problems. You just need to dilute the essential oil in proportion to use for a large area (3 – 5 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil) and rub the mixture on your abdomen to relieve abdominal pain. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

Other essential oils that can also be used to treat the same problem include ginger, nutmeg, and peppermint.
Applying warmth to the abdomen after applying essential oils can also help ease pain and discomfort.
Many scientific studies have found that eating/drinking peppermint oil can be effective in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome. ^{[24] X Research Sources}

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Relieve a stuffy nose with eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil can be used to relieve nasal congestion. It clears the sinuses and cools the nasal passages. Quite a few people often use eucalyptus oil to deal with nasal congestion associated with colds and allergies. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

To use eucalyptus oil as a topical decongestant, you can mix eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil (3 – 5 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil). Apply a small amount of the mixture under your nose and you should also rub the mixture on your chest.
If you are struggling with severe nasal congestion, you can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a humidifier or aromatherapy diffuser.

Use Essential Oils to Refresh Your Home

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Add a few drops of essential oils to a diffuser to scent your home. Put a few teaspoons of water in the bowl above the diffuser. Light a candle underneath the machine and add a few drops of essential oil of your choice to the water. The scent of essential oils will gently spread around your room.

You can also use an essential oil diffuser to diffuse the scent into the air. ^{[26] X Research Source}

Advice

If you’d like to learn more about essential oil uses and aromatherapy, you might consider enrolling in a course on the subject. Thanh Ngoc Cosmetology Vocational Training School offers quality aromatherapy classes.

Warning

Remember to be careful when using diffusers, candles, matches, and lighters.
You should know that many essential oils cannot be taken by mouth as they can become fatal poisons if you drink/eat but are completely harmless when applied topically.
Be careful when handling essential oils, as they are highly flammable and can cause damage to the skin.
Make sure you consult an apothecary or an accredited aromatherapist before using essential oils.

Steps