Essential oils
Don’t underestimate the power of plants — not only do essential oils smell great, but they also may have therapeutic properties, such as aiding relaxation. Whether you’re new to using them or want to up your game, it’s important to learn how to use essential oils.
Learning more about essential oils in general is a great first step, but you should also brush up on all the different ways you can use them and the benefits of particular essential oils. Luckily, we’ve got all the information you need to start your journey to becoming an essential oil pro.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are highly concentrated oils made from plants. Depending on the type of essential oil, they can be made from the flowers, fruits, leaves or stalks of plants, or a combination of two or more. Because they’re naturally scented, essential oils can be used as natural perfumes or air fresheners. They’re also used in aromatherapy, where studies suggest that they can be helpful as complementary therapies in people with anxiety, though proponents of essential oils claim you can use them to bring on a range of positive mental states, including focus and invigoration. What’s more, there’s evidence to suggest that some essential oils have antibacterial and antifungal properties when used topically, including tea tree oil and peppermint oil.
How to use essential oils
There are a range of ways you can use essential oils. The method that you choose will likely depend on factors, such as the equipment you have on hand and your reason for using essential oils — whether for therapeutic benefits or simply for scent.
In a diffuser
Using an essential oil diffuser — such as the SpaRoom Hugo Smart Essential Oil Diffuser — is one of the simplest ways to use essential oils to scent your home and for aromatherapy purposes. Simply add water and a few drops of essential oils to the chamber, switch it on and it will diffuse essential oils into the air.
In a burner
An essential oil burner or warmer is a device that holds a bowl of water mixed with essential oil over a small tea light candle. The candle heats the oil and water, releasing it into the air. One of our favorites is the Singeek Ceramic Essential Oil Burner. The only downside to essential oil burners is that the use of a candle can negatively impact indoor air quality.
On the skin
You can use essential oils directly on your skin for therapeutic or aromatherapy purposes, but you must always dilute them in a carrier oil before use. Pure essential oils are too strong to use directly on the skin and can cause serious irritation.
In the bath
Want to have a relaxing, soothing or invigorating bath? Add some essential oils into the water to set the mood. Just five or six drops in a bath will create enough aroma for most individuals, but you can experiment with quantities, as it’s very difficult to add excessive amounts of essential oils to a bath due to the high volume of water.
In homemade skincare products
If you make your own body butters, moisturizers, hand creams or similar, you can add a few drops of essential oils to the batch for scent, as well as for potential therapeutic benefits. The essential oils will be diluted by the other ingredients, making them safe to use on your skin. That said, we wouldn’t recommend using essential oils in any homemade skincare products designed for use on the face.
Inhalation
Those looking for instant calming or mood-boosting effects from their essential oils may wish to directly inhale their scent. You can do this by simply taking a big whiff from a bottle of essential oils, or by putting a couple of drops onto a piece of fabric and inhaling from that.
How to dilute essential oils
As we mentioned above, essential oils are of an extremely concentrated strength and can irritate the skin if used topically without first diluting them in a carrier oil. It’s possible to buy essential oils pre-diluted, but it’s cheaper to do the diluting yourself. You can use any skin-safe plant-based oil, but popular options include coconut oil, rosehip oil and avocado oil. If you want to use an oil you already have in your cupboards, olive oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and even canola oil will work just fine. You should generally use between 1% and 5% essential oils in your dilution. In real terms, when using an ounce of carrier oil, six drops of essential oils will give you a 1% dilution, 12 drops will give you a 2% dilution, 18 drops will give you a 3% dilution, 24 drops will give you a 4% dilution and 30 drops will give you a 5% dilution.
Popular essential oils and their uses
If you’re completely new to essential oils, you might be wondering about their uses and benefits. While there are too many essential oils to discuss the benefits of each here, we do want to discuss some of the most popular essential oils and their uses.
Lavender
Lavender is universally embraced for its calming properties and is often used to help people get to sleep. You can put a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow to help you doze off, or use it in any of the other ways discussed above.
Peppermint
Peppermint essential oil is a natural decongestant that can help improve respiratory function and is also thought to boost energy and focus.
Lemon
You can use lemon essential oil to lift your mood and to help reduce stress and anxiety. So, when life gives you lemons, smell them.
Bergamot
Another citrus-based essential oil, bergamot can be used for relaxation and to lower stress levels.
Chamomile
You might be aware of chamomile tea, which is often used for sleep and relaxation, but chamomile essential oil can be used to achieve similar effects.
Jasmine
Not only does jasmine essential oil have a wonderfully heady aroma, it’s also said to boost your mood and may have an aphrodisiac effect.
Tea tree
Due to its naturally antibacterial effects, tea tree oil is often diluted and used topically for acne and more, but it can also be used for aromatherapy, where it may boost mood.
Clary sage
Clary sage essential oil can be used for all kinds of stress relief and relaxation. One study even found that it reduces blood pressure and respiration rates.
Rosemary
Along with its pleasant herbal aroma, rosemary essential oil boosts energy and focus and may help with memory.
Can you blend essential oils?
Yes, you absolutely can blend essential oils, whether the goal is to create a delicious fragrance or produce a therapeutic blend. For example, if relaxation is your goal, you might blend lavender, chamomile and ylang ylang essential oils. You can also buy pre-blended essential oils for a range of purposes, such as Maple Holistics Uplift Joy Essential Oil Blend, which is designed to both uplift and calm. Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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