4 Tips Getting Started with Essential Oils
Starting with essential oils is like getting to know someone new. Each oil has different properties and there are ways to safely use these incredibly powerful tools in your home and with your body to live the highest vibe and holistically healthy life possible.
Use Resources
There are two books that are my absolute favorites: The Essential Life and Emotions and Essential Oils. I purchased both of them from www.shareoils.com but there are many shops that carry these books. The Essential Life is an extensive wealth of information on both the oils and ways to use them to optimize your health. Emotions and Essential Oils is targeted at, you guessed it, emotions. I use this book in two ways: First, if my daughter or myself are feeling a certain way, say anxious, I will look up all the oils that support feelings of being grounded and feelings of strength and make a personalized blend just for that specific purpose. The other way that I use this book is to reverse engineer my intuition. Sometimes I find myself drawn to an oil (maybe one I don't usually use). I will pull out this book and look at what the oil is known for emotionally to see if there is something I am avoiding in my life- it is a good gut check.
Use a Diffuser
This is the easiest way to integrate essential oils into your life and to get to know them. I usually make my blends intuitively but I almost always gather the bottles together and hold them under my nose for a scent check. Sometimes I simply realize in that moment the blend will need more of one oil than another... sometimes I take one out or add another. The more you use your oils the more confident you will be making your blends for your home. Just starting out a guide can be helpful. I have put together a list of blends that I have used and loved. You can find that guide here.
Learn about Safety
A few quick safety guidelines: Always dilute when using topically. You can dilute with any carrier oil (coconut, sweet almond, apricot kernel, etc) you like. Do not use internally unless the bottle has a supplement facts box. Some oils no matter how pure and lovely are not meant to be used internally (such as wintergreen). If any reaction occurs, dilute further with a carrier oil to remove. DO NOT USE WATER TO REMOVE. Water drives the oil deeper into your skin which is great when you have sore muscles and put on Marjoram to help soothe them, not so great when you are trying to get an oil off. The same goes for if an oil gets into your eye. Always remember oil and water don't mix. If you need to get an oil out of your eyes you need a carrier oil to dilute the oil so your body can get it out. Use caution with citrus oils as they can cause photosensitivity. If you use a citrus oil topically either make sure the area is well covered before you go sit outside (tanning beds are included in this) OR use them 12 hours prior to going outside.
Commit to being a student
I have been using essential oils for 10+ years for various purposes and using doTERRA oils in all of their glorious goodness for over a year. I am still learning. Learning about the oils and how they support our body systems is something I am happy to be a student of. I love knowing that there are a growing amount of studies being done on these oils and what they can mean for a holistically healthy life. This research excites me as much as I love learning from my own body what it needs and what helps me live my best life.
We have been given an incredible gift in these oils. I hope you feel empowered to use your oils and to give the gift of health to those in your family.