I have always been a huge believer in the power of essential oils, as I have noticed the significant effects it has had on me and others around me. I have been particularly into essential oils lately both in my personal health regime and in my professional practice. I also use certain essential oils to clean my house! Today, I decided to talk about essential oils and aromatherapy. I will then share with you my favourite essential oils. Essential oils and aromatherapy can be a great addition to any holistic lifestyle and even part of some healing processes.
Essential oils are the living energy found in shrubs, trees, roots, bushes and seeds. They are the components to defend the plant against insects, environmental conditions and disease. They are vital for plants to grow, live, evolve and adapt to surroundings. Essential oils were used in ancient healing. Today, this ancient healing practice has expanded. Aromatherapy is the term used to describe the therapeutic use of these essential oils.
Essential oils are very powerful and can help with many issues. They can be useful in helping with inflammation, asthma, bronchial issues, muscle spasm, menstrual cramps, insect bites, increase focus, increase circulation, stimulate hair growth and stimulate immunity. Certain essential oils are good bug repellents and others are anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. Some essential oils may have a calming or relaxing effect on the body, while others have a stimulating effect. There are also some essential oils that can be used as household cleaners and can help with household mould. As you can tell, the uses are so expansive that the list can go on and on.
My Favorite Essential Oils
Lavender: Lavender has been a long time favourite of mine. Lavender has a very calming effect on the body, both physically and emotionally. I use it during times of stress and also put it on my pillow to aid a restful sleep. During a stressful period you can carry a bottle around with you and smell it throughout the day. Lavender can also be mixed with a carrier oil and applied on the body to relieve muscle aches and tensions. This is also a great oil to add to a bath for an extra relaxation effect.
Peppermint: Peppermint is a very energizing essential oil. This is great for a pick-me-up when needed and it also helps with focus. When I was in university I used to bring a bottle with me to exams and smell it to keep me awake, stimulated and to help my focus. Peppermint can also help to relieve headaches. When I have a tension headache I rub the oil on my temples and it almost instantly relieves the pain. Lastly, peppermint is useful in deterring insects and rodents, and therefor is great to put on floor after a clean.
Tea Tree: Tea tree is a very medicinal essential oil. It has great anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties. It can be used directly on the skin to disinfect cuts and scrapes. It can also be applied directly to the skin to treat acne or breakouts. Add a few drops to your shampoo to help with dandruff, too! Due to these strong anti-bacterial properties, tea-tree is also great to use as a household cleaner. To clean, I put about 10 drops with water in a small spray bottle and use that on surfaces.
Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is another medicinal quality essential oil. This is a great immune booster and helps clear out mucus from the respiratory system. During a cold, flu or respiratory infection you can put some eucalyptus oil on your chest, around your nose or on the bottoms of your feet to help clear the system and boost immune function. Whenever I have a cold I add a few drops of eucalyptus to a pot of boiling water, put a cloth over my head and breath deeply. This clears my sinuses up in no time.
Geranium: This is one of my favourites, simply for the smell. I absolutely love the smell and find it makes me feel happy and relaxed. When looking up the benefits, it does have an uplifting and relaxing effect- very balancing. Geranium, when applied to the skin with a carrier oil, is also commonly used to treat skin imbalances, such as acne.
Grapefruit: Again, this is one of my favourites solely for its smell. I literally crave the smell of this delicious grapefruit. Smelling it makes me feel alive, awake and just simply gives me a good feeling. The smell of grapefruit essential oil is also uplifting and stimulating, thus can help with anxiety and bad moods. Apparently, it is also useful in curbing sugar cravings and helps with the dreaded hangover.
Special mention goes to a few other favorites including cedar, pine and rosemary.
This list simply includes the essential oils that I love and the ones that work for me. I encourage you all to experiment with essential oils and see what smells appeal to you and what works best for you.
Where to Buy Essential Oils?
The good ol’ health food store is a great place to buy essential oils. Alternatively, you can buy online directly from the company. Some great brands are Divine Essence, Living Libations, Essential Aura, Auracacia and Young Living.
The study of essential oils and aromatherapy is intensive, intricate and multi-faceted. It truly can not be summed up in one article. However, I hope that this post inspired you to look into this wonderful world of essential oils to see how they may benefit you!
Resources:
The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood
roberttisserand.com/
Hi Sarah,
I like to use Divine Essence. Can I use some of the oils for cooking or ingesting?
For example: peppermint, frankincense, rosemary and others. I only buy the organic.
Thank you ,
Monica
Hi Monica!
Some brands are food grade, which means you can ingest them. As far as I know Divine Essence can be used for cooking and baking, they have some cooking and baking recipes on their site. I know I have used the peppermint and lemon essential oil in food before. Let me know how it goes! xo
I am new to the essential oil scene and would like to know your view on how Divine Essence compares to some other expensive brands like Young living and Doterra? I have a couple of co workers that are hooked on doterra but they are so expensive and not Canadian
Hi Teresa! I love Divine Essence. They are organic, easy to find at most health food stores, good quality and reasonably priced for what they offer. I also find them to be a very transparent company. I do not have a lot of experience using Young Living or DoTerra. It is important to keep in mind that both those companies are Multi Level Marketing (MLM) companies, which may be one reason why they are more expensive. I do know people swear by both Young Living and DoTerra, but I personally take all information with a grain of salt from representatives of such companies. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions! – Sarah
Hi Sarah, I am somewhat new to essential oils, but want to learn how to make use of the ones I have on hand. I just received a bottle of Divine Essence organic peppermint essential oil. It smells good but I don’t have a clue how to use it. Can you provide some information, please?
Hi Charmaine, one of my favourite uses for peppermint is for headaches. You can dab a bit on your temples if you feel like you are getting a headache- it works really well for me! I also use peppermint as a natural pest repellent. For this, I add peppermint to a spray bottle with water and spray on my floor a few times a week. Let me know if you have any more questions!