Are essential oils right for me?

I’m sure by now you have heard about essential oils and all of the big brand names that come with it.
You’re probably wondering what all of the hype is about. What are they used for? Are there any benefits? How can such a small bottle go such a long way? Is the cost worth it?
So many questions!
Luckily for you, I’m here to help you get some answers and decide if essential oils are right for you.

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Let’s start from the beginning.

What are essential oils?
Essential oils are a highly concentrated extractions from plants. They are volatile (which means they will evaporate readily) and potent (a single drop of peppermint oil is equal to over 20 cups of peppermint tea!) which means they should always be used with caution and respect. Sounds scary, but I promise it isn’t!
The aromatherapy benefits of plants have been used for a long longggg time, but with the amazing power of modern technology we can now harness these amazing properties.
They promote many benefits, which we will cover shortly, and can be used both through aroma (diffusing) or topically (on your skin).

Diffusing

This is the most common practice when using essential oils. You simply add water and a few drops of your chosen oil to a diffuser and you’re good to go! The aroma will fill the room and inhalation of the oils will benefit all around.

Topical application

Topical application is when you place diluted oils onto your skin. Simply mix your chosen oil with a carrier oil (such as fractionated coconut oil) into a roller bottle and apply as needed.
Topical application has all the same benefits of diffusing with the added bonus of working faster as well as targeting selected areas.
For example, if you have an aching muscle then apply a muscle blend directly to the affected area.
The added bonus of topical use is that you can use it on just yourself. I find that my fiance doesn’t enjoy the smell of some oils, so if I want the benefits without bothering him I simply grab a roller and hey presto!

Related Topic
Essential Oil DIY Recipes

So now that we have covered the two main delivery methods of oils, let’s delve a little deeper.

What are the benefits of essential oils?

• These wonderful natural liquids have many benefits, which include:
• Promote a restful sleep
• Reduce anxiety
• Boost energy
• Reduce stress
• Minimise the appearance of bruises and skin issues while helping the healing process
• Reduces toxins around the home
• Replaces unwanted toxic chemicals
• Great for bug bites to reduce swelling and itching.
• Creates a healthy and positive environment
  And so much more!

Who are essential oils good for?

Everyone! These amazing little drops can do so much for you, no matter what you want them for.

If you have anxiety or depression these oils can provide emotional support to help you get through those long days.
I have severe generalised anxiety and have been on antidepressants for a while now, unfortunately with those come side effects such as insomnia and grinding my teeth.
Using oils in conjunction with my medications has been such an amazing lifesaver!
I have a roller that I apply to my feet every night and ever since then I have had no difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep! (you can read more about that and find a roller recipe on my post How essential oils saved my sleep!)

Oils can benefit those who want to minimise waste and live a healthier, non-toxic lifestyle.
It’s no secret that our planet is in trouble, the rate we produce waste is astonishing! Did you know that in the US alone, 50 billion bottles of water are consumed a year, with most of them ending up in landfill.
That is just water and doesn’t even bring into account all of the plastic we dispose of from everything else. Argh! But we will cover that another day.

Using oils in place of store bought cleaners not only greatly reduces your environmental impact but also allows you to live the toxic free life you’ve always dreamed.
Now instead of buying gross smelling store stuff every few weeks and disposing of the plastic packaging, I have a single glass spray bottle that has lasted me well over 12 months already. My conscious is clean and so is my house!

Your home will smell amazing
Even if you don’t choose to use your oils in some ways, your home will still smell and feel incredible.
There are blends from everything!
Want your house to smell like Gingerbread? There’s a combination for that! What about a nice breezy beach smell? You betcha!

What about safety?
As I said earlier, oils must be treated with respect. As with everything in life, too much can be bad.
We have a safety and dilution guide here. This is just a guideline but it’s definitely worth a read.

“I don’t want to be locked into a membership”
Again, totally understandable!
If you did choose to sign up with doTERRA then your membership would last 12 months, with the option to renew when that 12 months is up.
During that 12 months you are under no obligation (zero, zip, zilch!) to make any purchases. There are also no hidden costs in your membership.
Even without a membership a casual user or someone looking to trial oils can get sooooo much benefit.

“There’s an oil for that!”
Remember back when smart phones came out and everyone was saying “there’s an app for that”? Well, move over apps! Oils have stolen your catchphrase!
There is an oil for absolutely everything and anything. Not just one oil but there are alternatives as well. Need a good, natural anti-fungal oil but can’t stand the smell of clove? Tea tree is an excellent substitute.
Want some calming mood management but have no lavender? Bergamot works too!
The flexibility and uses of oils is amazing.

But they seem so expensive for such a small bottle?
Yes and no. While the initial cost can be a bit of a surprise to some, it is important to remember just how far one bottle will go!

The bottles may seem small at first, but I can promise you that they sure do go a long way.

Here is a cost example.
Let’s say that you want to diffuse 2 drops of lavender once a day. With ~200 drops per bottle. That’s times you can use the one bottle 100 times, only 28 cents per use!
Here’s another example.
DIY all purpose cleaner, one bottle of lemon can last 10-15 bottles of cleaner (depending on the amount you add). This is a tiny 0.90-1.35 per bottle of all purpose spray. Not only is it cheaper than store bought, you’ll be saving your family from nasty chemicals.
It’s all a matter of perspective!

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For anything not covered in this blog, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment!
I hope that this read has helped you on your way to a more mindful lifestyle, regardless of the path you choose!