Essential Oils for Personal Use

What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy refers to the use of essential oils that have been extracted from plants, shrubs and trees. These essential oils can be used for a wide variety of purposes. They can be used to treat medical conditions or alleviate psychological ailments. Aromatherapy can also be used simply for pleasure, to help improve your mood or to reduce your stress. The essential oils of aromatherapy have the power to affect both your physical and mental state.

We often practice aromatherapy on a daily basis without realizing it. When we choose aromas, bath oils, and air fresheners, we usually choose based on what we like, or on how the fragrance makes us feel. The refreshing scent of a pine forest, the pleasurable aromas of herbs, or the many other experiences we have with the scents of plant-derived substances indicate that we are actually practicing and experiencing aromatherapy in many ways.

My Experience with Essential Oils

I first discovered aromatherapy many years ago when my mother bought a few oils and raved about how useful they were. I then subscribed to a monthly magazine called Aromatherapy and Natural Health and each month received a sample of a different oil and all the information on how it was produced and used.  I would use various oils in my daily life not just in incense burners but I would make my own room sprays, insect repellents and ‘healing potions’ as I used to call them, mostly tea tree and lavender for spots, cuts and grazes etc.

Not only did this subscription teach me about essential oils but also about many other therapies and this is what led me onto the complementary therapy and self-healing path. I continued the subscription for years and here is a picture of two of the four large files I accumulated. They are a lovely recourse and reference for all essential oils and other natural remedies.

I use them more often these days, for the same reasons as above but also I like to put them in home-made healing balms, massage oils, face creams and candles.

I never trained as an aromatherapist though, so I can’t use my products on clients but I make gifts for friends and family who all love them.   In my work I buy products from reputable suppliers that contain natural organic ingredients. I have done a course on how to make essential oils although I haven’t attempted to make any yet as I don’t have the equipment but maybe one day, I will give it a go.   However the course gave me a lot more understanding of the oils and their benefits.    I can tell you about the oils I use and for what purpose but the oils are quite powerful so you need to be cautious when using them, I’ll explain more about that later.

I’d like to share the knowledge I have gained over the years and I’ll start this article with basic advice and then do an individual one on particular oils and uses etc.

Some Benefits of Essential Oils in general (different oils have different uses)

• Boost mood
• Reduce stress
• Improve Sleep
• Kill bacteria, fungus and viruses
• Reduce anxiety and pain
• Reduce Inflammation
• Reduce nausea
• Relieve Headaches

How to Benefit from Essential Oils Yourself

You can go to see an aromatherapist for a therapeutic massage and advice on what oils you can use for whatever condition or purpose etc. They are experts in the field and can recommend products they believe in. However, you can still benefit from the use of these oils yourself, here are a few tips on getting started:

1. Buy One or Two Aromatherapy Books

Choose just one or two books to start your aromatherapy library. Select books that are general resources, which will give you some basic information and help you discover the areas in which you have the most interest.

2. Join Aromatherapy Discussion Forums

Facebook Groups, Instagram pages and other forums are great resources for aromatherapy newbies. Read past discussions, ask questions, and learn from others.

3. Choose Just a Few Essential Oils to Start

Though you may be tempted to buy more, but try to begin with two or three different essential oils. Essential oils can be quite expensive, so you may want to experiment with a few at first and then invest in more if you decide to pursue aromatherapy further.

4. Make Sure to Buy 100%, Pure, Unadulterated Essential Oils

Choose a well-known and reputable manufacturer. Synthetic, fragrance, and perfume oils are not essential oils; they contain man-made chemicals and have no aroma therapeutic value.

5. Buy at Least One Carrier Oil

For nearly all topical aromatherapy applications, you will need to dilute essential oils into a carrier oil. Good all-purpose carrier oils include sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil and grapeseed oil.

6. Store Your Oils Properly

Essential oils should be stored only in dark glass containers. Since essential oils are volatile, keep the lids tightly closed. Essential oils and carrier oils should be stored away from heat and light.

7. Do a Patch Test

Essential oils are very strong and can cause adverse reactions, due to allergy or sensitivity over time. A patch test helps to determine whether you might react to a particular essential oil.

8. Don’t Use Aromatherapy with Children or Pets

Until you are thoroughly familiar with essential oils and associated safety issues, don’t use them on children or pets, or while pregnant or breastfeeding. Make sure essential oils are kept out of reach of children.

9. Don’t Ingest Essential Oils

Though you will read conflicting information about taking essential oils internally, you should avoid doing this. Some essential oils may be quite toxic if taken internally and some essential oils may interact with prescription or over the counter drugs.

As you experiment with and learn more about aromatherapy, you will become more confident using essential oils. There is so much to explore, so be safe and have fun!

Oils You May Want to Start With

I plan to write about individual oils in more detail but to get you started I’ll give you a little bit of information on two of the oils I use most often.

Lavender

Lavender is one of my favourite oils and I use it in most things, I use it in a diffusers, room sprays, in massage oils and balms and on the skin for bruises and rashes. It’s also great for helping with sleep if you put a few drops on your pillow or in your bath before bedtime.

Tea Tree

This is one I always have on hand in my first aid box, it is antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal. It can be used to treat acne, athlete’s foot, head lice, nail fungus and insect bites.

Peppermint

There are many uses for peppermint oil but I mainly use it in a cooling mist spray, insect repellent and homemade toothpaste.

The three oils above are the ones I replace most often, as I use them all the time. You must be careful using them though, if you are going to apply them to the skin they should be diluted in a carrier oil as they can cause irritation. You can get a lot of information about these from your supplier, an aromatherapist, or from a good book on the subject. Many oils are toxic to pets so be careful, also be extra cautious using them for children or when pregnant. Some of them can be safe though so get advice from a professional in these circumstances.

I will write more in depth articles on individual essential oils and as soon as I publish the ones listed below I will add a link to the page so you can find it easily.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If you like this article please take look at some of my other pages or blog posts where I talk about different therapies and my own wellbeing journey and if you’d like to see future posts then please enter your email address and click on the subscribe button below and you will be notified of future content. I have no plans to use your email address for any other purpose. Feel free to share my page with anyone you feel may be interested and if you have any feedback about what I write or suggestions for further articles then please use the comment box further down the page. Warmest Wishes, Janet x