Get Ready To Relax With These 10 Surefire Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Essential Oils
We all want to be calm and zen, so here are some ways to get there!
Essential oils are honestly some of the greatest possessions I own. I remember when I was little, my mom would give me lavender oil to put on my pillow and eucalyptus oil to soothe my head colds. Now that essential oils have come into the spotlight, I figured it would be fun to share some of my favorite ways to use them. I have collected these habits from many amazing people in my life (you know who you are!!) and I hope that you all benefit from this list that goes well beyond your standard oil uses!
1. Diffusing
The elephant in the room, the crowd favorite, the first step of the essential oil journey.
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I feel like diffusing essential oils is a no brainer. This practice has made a huge splash in modern healing and meditation techniques and has likely become the most common way to use essential oils.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love diffusing oils. The ability to transform the energy of a space with a few drops is such an incredible reality. The variability of diffusing is also amazing; you can mix oils together in order to create an aroma that matches your desired state. Most of all, I feel as though this can serve as a great alternative to candles due to its lack of flame. If you want to omit a certain fragrance before bed, you don't have to worry about any fire hazards!
I would highly recommend investing in a diffuser if you are interested in essential oils. You can find tons of different options online at all different price ranges!
2. In The Shower
My go-to shower trio!
Bridget MacPherson
If you don't own a diffuser, then I have good news! Did you know that you can super easily diffuse oils in your shower? This is one of my favorite ways to use my oils. Whether I am suffering from a headache or just craving some relaxation, I can sprinkle a few drops around the floor of my shower and let the steam do the rest!
My mom turned me on to rosemary essential oil this past summer. She discovered that when put in the shower, it smells just like rain! I love nothing more than the smell of rain on a summer night, and this oil helps to take me there any night of the week! Other oils like peppermint or eucalyptus can help with headaches and sinus issues as well!
3. Spicing Up Your Lotion
Unscented lotion: meet your new best friend!
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Another great way to incorporate essential oils into your daily routine is by pairing them with unscented lotion! This combo is not only a money saver, but it can help those of us who may experience irritation when using scented products.
Many oil distributors sell their own unscented lotion that is designed to pick up oils better than other unscented lotions, but I have had luck with drugstore brand lotion as well! Either way, this is a great way to stretch your dollar and nourish your skin without an abundance of chemicals and fragrance!
4. Bedside Zen
Peek Mr. Fredricksen
Bridget MacPherson
I like to keep some of my favorite calming essential oils by my bed. Sometimes I will use them as a substitute pillow spray, or I will place a bit under my nose to help me drift to sleep. Most of the time, I just like having them nearby to smell in case I am having issues falling asleep and vice versa, or if I wake up feeling especially anxious.
5. Laundry
I cannot tell you how much this oil has changed my attitude about laundry.
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Essential oils have seriously changed my laundry game within the last few years. Purification oil is my specific favorite, but really any oil with hints of citrus will do the job. I just love the smell of this oil and I much prefer sprinkling a few drops of oil in my washing machine instead of using things like unnatural scent beads.
I should mention that I have never had issues with oils staining my clothes! These oils are much lighter in consistency than something like oil or grease that might have stained your clothing in the past, so don't be afraid to try some oils in your next load of laundry!
6. *Edible* Oils For Your Water/Cooking
Here are just a few of the many dietary oils that Young Living distributes!
https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/vitality
For those of you who have heard that you are not supposed to consume essential oils, you are RIGHT — well, mostly.
Certain oil distributors, such as Young Living, have started making dietary essential oils for your enjoyment and consumption! I have a lime vitality oil and absolutely love putting it in my water, and the best part is that it doubles as a regular oil. I can diffuse my vitality oil and do all the other things in the article with it, but I can drink/eat it as well!
Please please please make sure that if you are going to try consuming oils that they are specifically dietary oils since it is very unsafe to consume regular essential oils.
7. High-Stress Situations
Although I seem calm and collected in this photo, I had just recovered from a complete mental breakdown while riding Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios...
Bridget MacPherson
Life is full of stressful situations. School, work, travel, (theme parks with roller coasters) the list goes on. When I am hit with anxiety or stress, I love having calming oils with me. I specifically carry around Peace and Calming by Young Living in my backpack so I have it whenever I feel like I might need it.
Whether or not you believe in the power of essential oils when it comes to aiding anxiety, it works for me! I can just put a bit of oil on my finger tip and breathing it in helps me to calm down. Even if it is just a placebo, I am thankful to have my oils in situations like these.
8. Meditation
Meditation is time to be with YOU
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Weekly meditation is probably my favorite way to incorporate my oils. On Sunday mornings especially, I love to sit on my yoga mat, do some stretching, put some oils on my finger tips, and practice some meridian tapping (check out this link to find out all about meridian tapping. Its a game changer: https://www.thetappingsolution.com/what-is-eft-tap... )
9. Remedies
I couldn't help myself with this photo
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Essential oils are not only good for the mind and spirit, but for your body as well! As I mentioned earlier, eucalyptus or peppermint oil is great for curing headaches or sinus issues. By using these oils in the shower or sprinkling some on a warm washcloth, you can fight off some of the pain.
Something that most people don't know is that frankincense is basically miracle healing oil. I use it pretty much anytime I would use something like aloe or Neosporin and it works like a charm. It can be a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way and the results are incomparable.
10. Cleaning
I can smell the clean already.
https://www.recipestonourish.com/essential-oils/
And finally, the thing that most of us dread, cleaning. Much like the rest of us, I am not as neat as I would like to be, but I must say that using oils and natural cleaning products in general has really inspired me to keep up with a (loose) cleaning routine!
Combining oils with water can be a great way to create a room spray for your bathroom or kitchen where you might not have space for a diffuser. I also find that sprinkling a few drops of citrus oil into my sink or shower can help to purify those areas or hide the smell of more stringent cleaning products.
I hope you all enjoyed this journey through my essential oil habits, and maybe you picked up a few things you didn't know before! Keep finding your zen, friends, I know you have it in you!