Essential Oils in the Home: Getting Started.

Essential oils can be confusing! What should you use, and when? This article will give you simple ways to use essential oils throughout your home.

Note: This article is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. If you have any questions, be sure to contact your healthcare provider. 

Essential oils are so super popular right now. Many people are interested in learning more about how to use them, whether it be for medicinal purposes, beauty, or aromatherapy.

Essential oils are highly concentrated  botanical oils that contain the aromas from plants.  (They are not the fragrance oils you can get at Bath and Body Works or the Body Shop.  Those are artificial fragrances.  Essential oils are pure, and from nature, taken straight from the plant.).

With all of the information out there on essential oils and their uses, and the different companies that distribute them, it can be very overwhelming. Today I’m going to talk about some VERY simple ways that you can use these oils in your home. Once you get started, you can learn more about what applications work for you. I

What is aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is when you diffuse essential oils into the air, whether you use an oil burner or a diffuser.  Certain oils have different properties that will help you emotionally, or physically.  For example, lavender is calming, eucalyptus oil is good for a cold, etc.  There are tons of different oils and they have different uses…you can research them online, or get a book about them.

One thing that I do to improve my mood, or the mood in our home, is to burn essential oils in an oil warmer.  I have a few favorite oils, and some favorite combinations, so I thought I’d share them.  If you have some, please share them in the comments!

What type of essential oil diffuser is best?

To diffuse the aroma from the oil throughout your home, you need an oil warmer or diffuser.  An oil warmer is a container that has two compartments…the one above holds water and the essential oils, and the one below holds a tea light to warm the oil/water mix.  I have two oil warmers, one is made of metal and the other is ceramic. (affiliate link)

I fill the top compartment about ¾ with water and then drip in my oils.  I usually use about 4-5 drops of each oil.  Then you light the candle, and the heat warms the oil and the fragrance fills your home.  You need to make sure that the water in the top compartment does not get too low, or the oil will start to burn on to your oil warmer.

There are also diffusers that are ultrasonic, and they work without any heat. The essential oil is diffused with a very fine water mist.

Some essential oil combinations to diffuse in your home:

:: lavender and tangerine (this is my default combo for when I am stressed…if I am super stressed, I may just do lavender only)
:: sweet orange (good for children)
:: grapefruit and tangerine
:: lemongrass (good for anxiety)
:: bergamot and grapefruit

Making Your Own Beauty Products with Essential Oils

Another way to use essential oils is to make your own beauty products and use them for adding fragrance. I personally try to avoid scary ingredients and preservatives in my bath and body products, so I enjoy making my own products at home. I’ve posted about a few of them here on the blog:

How to make your own deodorant

How to make your own lotion

How to make your own lip balm

Where to buy essential oils:

You can buy many essential oils at various health stores or online. My favorite trusted brand of essential oils is Plant Therapy. The quality and customer service is the best. It’s easy to go online, select your oils, and then enjoy fast and free shipping!

More Simple Ways to Use Essential Oils Around the House

I have burned myself on the oven, and with an iron (that one really stung, one of the many reasons I hate ironing!) and I have applied lavender essential oil directly to the burn and found it to be very soothing. It also prevented scarring. Of course, if you have a severe burn, you need to head to the emergency room.

Lavender is also very calming. When I’ve had a doctor’s appointment and been nervous, I’ve put a few drops on a handkerchief and tucked it in my purse to carry the soothing aroma with me.

Peppermint oil helps keep spiders and bugs out of your house. Combine 5-10 drops of peppermint oil with 4 ounces of water in a spray bottle and spray around the edges of doors and windows.

Lemon oil is a great room freshener. You can combine a few drops in a spray bottle with some distilled water and spray in a room for a fresh citrus scent.

If you want to get started very inexpensively, you could just pick a few oils to start with. Maybe a citrus oil, lavender, and one other…perhaps tea tree oil. From there, you can add to your collection when you are able to.

Of course there are some oils that should be avoided in certain situations, for example during pregnancy or around infants.  You can read about essential oil safety here.

Do any of you use essential oils in your home?  What oils do you like?