What’s all this hype about using essential oils? Should I be using them? I have no idea where to start and which ones I should be using….
If these questions resonate with you, then you are in the right spot. It’s no secret that essential oils have become the newest hype for the last couple years. It seems if you aren’t using them, you are the outcast. I felt that way a few years ago.
Then, a good friend of mine introduced them to me and I have never looked back! I now use them regularly on my homestead for sicknesses, skin concerns, preventative care, in the garden, and in all my cleaning products!
I feel confident and comfortable using my doTERRA essential oils on pretty much everything but there are a few things to remember when using them…
- They are very potent, so a little bit goes a long way!
- Some oils are “hot” or can irritate the skin so always start by using a carrier oil with them when applying them directly to your body.
- Understand that they are super effective in prevention, but they need to be used regularly! You can not just decide to use them when you get sick. Its best to use them when you’re healthy as well to prevent sicknesses in the first place!
There are many essential oil companies out there, so how do you know which brand to use? Here is my best advice… take the top essential oil brands and do your own research. Understand how the oils are extracted and what the company stands for. Know how the oils are tested, so you can build your own confidence in using them safely and effectively.
For my homestead, I have chosen doTERRA for a few reasons. First, I absolutely love the ethics they stand for. They are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of the farmers, harvesters, and distillers of their oils. They have started projects to ensure that the schools, water, and communities in the countries where the oils are harvested from, are getting improvements.
My second reason is each oil is rigorously tested with a 3-step process to ensure the oils are safe and effective before being placed for sale. If I am going to use these oils on my girls, it is very important to me on the safety of them. I feel confident in their testing process and there is no doubt in my mind that they are in their purest form and are safe to use on my children.
The last reason I have chosen doTERRA is they back their products. Each oil has a number on the bottom of the bottle that you can go and plug into www.sourcetoyou.com to read about the specific oil you are holding in your hand. You can learn all about that specific bottle of oil, which tells me they have nothing to hide and are as confident as I am about their testing and the safety of each and every oil.
With doTERRA you can purchase all your oils at wholesale cost, without having to be a wellness advocate. If you’re looking for direction in this, shoot me an email!
Now let’s talk about specific oils and which ones I use on a weekly if not daily basis…
1. Frankincense
This is probably my most used oil. It is my powerhouse! This is how I keep sicknesses away or shorten a sickness if we do get sick. I usually keep it on my nightstand and every night I put it on my glands before bed. I also put it on my girl’s feet before bed to help keep their immune systems up! I do not use a carrier oil with frankincense on my girls or myself. However, i recommend always using one when using it for the first time to know if you are going to have a reaction or not.
Another way I use it is in my first aid roller ball for cuts and scrapes. It can also be highly effective at reducing scars and wrinkles. Frankincense has so many uses!
2. Tea Tree
I use Tea Tree oil in almost all of my cleaning products. This oil is an antibacterial, so it is super effective at killing those unwanted germs. I usually add about 2-3 drops to my shower cleaner, mop solution, and all-purpose cleaner.
If someone in the house has been sick, I will also add a couple drops in a spray bottle with some water and go spray all the light switches and doorknobs to disinfect them! Such a great way to naturally fight against yucky germs!
3. Lemon
Lemon is a staple in our house. Since almost all of my cleaning products have vinegar in them, I use lemon to give a nice smell to my products. It also is an anti-greaser, so it has a great cleaning property in it!
You can also add a couple drops right in your water for a nice lemon water drink without the actual lemon or I have been known to drop a drop or 2 down the garbage disposal for a nicer smell.
I also use lemon on our necks when we are sick to open up airways and to combat the coughing and congestion, which makes it hard to breath at night. I will usually do this at night right before we go to bed. I add a carrier oil to the lemon when I do this. Some carrier oil options that I like are sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, or calendula oil.
4. Peppermint
I use peppermint in many beauty products such as chap stick, hand lotions, and soaps. The smell of peppermint is so wonderful!
I also use it to take head aches and fevers away. It is very safe and very effective but you will want to use it with a carrier oil as it is a “hot” oil and can burn. Remember with essential oils, a little bit goes a long way.
The last place I use peppermint is in the garden. Certain bugs like ants and even rodents do not like the smell of peppermint so they will stay away. It is incredibly safe to use in the garden and I always feel good when I can grab for my essential oils in more ways then just in the house.
5. Lavender
This oil is great to use when you are having a hard time sleeping. I tend to keep this oil on my nightstand as well for those nights that I am struggling to sleep. I will usually put a drop or two on the bottom of my feet or on my wrist and it will help to drift off nicely.
This oil is also good in my beauty products like lotions and chap stick and can be very effective at calming irritated skin. I will even put a drop or two into the girls bath every once in a while, when they are sick and need to be soothed and calmed.
These are my top 5 oils that I use almost daily. If you came into my house you will see these ones most likely floating around on counters, dressers, or nightstands from being used so often. If you are wondering where to start with essential oils these 5 would be my top picks.
Essential oils can be overwhelming at first so I would start slow and pick one thing you want to use them for. Maybe its cleaning products? Maybe its gardening? Maybe its skin concerns or sicknesses? Pick one area of your life to incorporate essential oils into and learn that one. Then you can slowly add them into more areas of your life.
Just like anything on my website. Don’t do what I often do and jump in full speed only to burn out and be so overwhelmed you don’t know what to do, so you do nothing. Just take it one step, or oil if you will, at a time! 😊
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