Use Essential Oils for Everyday Wellness Support
Uses of different Essential Oils for common concerns can be confusing for many, and that’s not good because it should be fun! There are many different ways you can use essential oils. As well as a wide variety of different essential oils and essential oil blends available in the market. I hope this blog post helps you decipher how easy it is to use them and how each oil has more than one use to offer. Please be aware of the general safety tips when using essential oils, especially if pregnant and/or with young children.
Ways to Use Essential Oils
You can use essential oils in various ways. Oils can be applied topically to your skin in cream, lotion, oil, or roll-on form. Different essential oils can be used in the shower or bath with bath salts, shower oils, and soaps. They are easy to carry with you in a roll-on or as an aroma inhaler. All you have to do is take a deep breath when needed. You can also use them throughout the home in a room spray or diffuser.
When working with emotions, I favor using a diffuser or aroma inhaler. For skin care or muscle soreness, it works best topically. Dilution rates are also important when using essential oils. Usually, adding 3-4 drops of an essential oil or blend to a diffuser is enough. If you are making a cream or lotion, 10-12 drops per ounce works well. For more dilution rates, check out our downloadable dilution guide.
Essential Oil Basics
Essential Oil Basics
Essential Oils capture the energy of the plant and come from various parts of plants (flowers, leaves, stems, bark, wood, etc). It’s this individuality that gives essential oils their therapeutic benefits. Also, since they come from plants, all essential oils have a botanical name. This botanical name distinguishes one form of Lavender from another, such as Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula latifolia. Even though there are several types of Lavender, it is the oil’s botanical name that references its properties.
Not only does an oil have a botanical name, all essential oils also belong to chemical families. An oil can have one or two families or five or six chemical families. There are ten different chemical families, and they are monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenols, sesquiterpenols, esters, aldehydes, phenols, ketones, oxides, and ethers. These chemical families, as well as the terpenes (constituents) found within these chemical families, are what give the essential oils their properties, aromas, and benefits. To summarize, the benefits of an essential oil are often defined by its botanical and chemical family as well as its terpenes.
Common Wellness Uses
There are lots of essential oils and essential oil blends in today’s marketplace. I am writing this brief article because many people have shared with me that even though there are a lot of oils available, they still don’t know how to really use them by themselves. I looked at several companies’ essential oil starter kits to get an idea of which essential oils many of you might have at home, and found 6 to be pretty common.
The six oils are Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, and Tea Tree.
Below is a list of common concerns and the uses of different essential oils that may be beneficial.
- Abdominal Cramping / Digestive Discomfort – Lavender, Peppermint
- Muscular Tension, Spasms, and Aches – Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Tea Tree
- Chest and Sinus Congestion – Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint, Tea Tree
- Circulation / Lymphatic Congestion – Lemon, Peppermint
- Painful Joints – Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint
- Immune System Support – Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Tea Tree
- Headaches – Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint
- Stress and Anxiety – Frankincense, Lavender
- Sleep – Frankincense, Lavender
- Uplifting / Energizing – Eucalyptus, Lemon, Peppermint, Tea Tree
Individual Essential Oil Profiles
Eucalyptus Essential Oil (Eucalyptus globulus)
Eucalyptus has a strong, powerfully fresh, green, yet medicinal aroma. It is a cooling oil. Its most dominant chemical family is oxides. Eucalyptus contains a high percentage of 1,8-cineole. This property is what gives Eucalyptus its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic properties. Making it a great oil to use as an expectorant, mucolytic, and for immune system support. It makes a great airborne antimicrobial and promotes cerebral blood flow.
Eucalyptus makes a wonderful oil to use with any type of respiratory illness. You can use it as a steam for several days when you feel a cold coming on or in a diffuser. You can also create a rub for your chest to help break up congestion or help with a cough. Because of its fresh scent, it helps with energy as well as mental fatigue.
One word of caution with Eucalyptus is that you need to be careful when using it with Children under 10 years of age and with people who have asthma.
Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia carterii)
Frankincense has a woodsy and slightly resinous aroma. It’s part of the monoterpene, sesquiterpenol, monoterpenol, and sesquiterpene family and is dominant in the monoterpene family due to its high content of a-pinene. The a-pinene gives Frankincense many of its analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal (candida), anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiviral, and gastroprotective properties. It also works wonders for the skin, and overall tonic, and for immune support.
Frankincense is a famous oil dating back to biblical times. Using this oil can help calm stress, improve focus, and promote meditation. It works well for tension in the head and neck as well as for joint pain. It is also great for respiratory conditions. When you add Frankincense to any blend, you will only need a small amount. Its wonderful properties and benefits work well.
Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender has a wonderful floral and herbal aroma. I love its aroma! This oil belongs to the chemical families of monoterpenols and esters. It contains a high percentage of linalool and linalyl acetate, which gives Lavender the properties of being a great airborne antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-anxiety, antibacterial, antifungal (candida), anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antispasmodic, antiviral, hypotensive, immunostimulant, sedative, and vasorelaxant properties. It has so much to offer, I am not surprised that so many of us use it.
I call Lavender the feel-good oil. If you have physical or emotional discomfort, lavender is definitely going to be your friend. Lavender is very calming and helps in reducing anxiety and fear. It also helps calm you when you are having trouble falling asleep. It works well for headaches, general muscle aches, and pain, including helping to relieve rheumatic pain. Because of its antimicrobial properties, it helps support and protect your immune system. It is even a friend of the skin, aiding in wound and scar healing.
Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus limon)
I love the aroma of lemon. It is fresh, clean, and energizing! Lemon belongs to the chemical families of monoterpenes and aldehydes. It contains a high percentage of d-limonene, giving it analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-spasmodic, antiviral, astringent, cooling, diuretic, and immunostimulant properties.
Lemons work well for so many things. Lemon essential oil promotes circulation, helping to reduce swelling and pain associated with varicose veins. The aroma of lemon uplifts the mood as well as helps to counteract pain and inflammation. If you use lemon for skin care, it will make a wonderful astringent.
One note of caution: Lemon, like many citrus oils, is phototoxic and should be used at a low dilution (1%) for topical application.
Peppermint Essential Oil (Mentha x piperita)
Peppermint definitely has a strong, fresh yet menthol scent and is very cooling. It belongs to several chemical families, including monoterpenols and ketones. It contains a high percentage of menthol. This gives peppermint its analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic (itching), antispasmodic, antitussive (coughs), choleretic, CNS stimulant, dopaminergic, hypotensive, skin penetration enhancer properties.
Peppermint is widely known for supporting and dealing with a wide range of digestive issues, including spasms. Many people drink peppermint tea to soothe an upset stomach. If you have nausea or travel sickness, ginger can help. It is also very energizing and stimulating, helping to relieve fatigue and promoting alertness. It can also assist with pain relief and respiratory congestion.
A note of caution with peppermint essential oil. You should not use it with children under 5 years of age and avoid applying it near the face of children. Oils high in menthol should not be used by people with clotting disorders and in cases of cardiac fibrillation.
Tea Tree Essential Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Tea Tree essential oil definitely has a medicinal aroma. It belongs to several chemical families, most prominent in monoterpenes and monoterpenols. It contains a high percentage of terpinen-4-ol and a-terpene, making it a great airborne microbial, analgesic, anti-acne, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antispasmodic, antiviral, decongestant, expectorant, immunostimulant, and vasodilator.
Tea Tree essential oil supports the immune system and helps fight respiratory infections, as well as supporting oral and skin care. It is also uplifting.
If you are interested in purchasing high-quality essential oils, I recommend Aromatics International. Their oils are wonderful; they are pure, potent, and very affordable. They also offer single oils, essential oil blends, as well as diffusers and empty roll-ons. Essential oils can be used for many common wellness concerns. It is important to make sure you are using high-quality essential oils because chemically laden oils can add to your toxicity exposure.
Ready to get started? Browse our essential oils and explore our companion articles on Essential Oil Safety Tips, Essential Oil Properties, and Carrier Oils.