There are so many different essential oils available these days that picking the right one can be quite overwhelming. With each oil having very strong and unique properties, it’s important to understand which oils to use for various occasions to look after your health, well-being, and for your home.
When you hold a bottle of essential oil, you are a literally looking at the pure essence of a plant.We are excited to show you how to use this plant power to the max.
1. Treat bruises
Arnica oil is known for increasing blood circulation and can really help with bruising, swelling and inflammation. You can rub it directly on the site of bruising or swelling or dilute it into a bath and soak in it. But keep in mind that arnica is poisonous and should not be used on a regular basis — it’s definitely not suitable for oral use.
2. Headache relief
To get rid of a headache, mix a couple of drops each of peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender oil per six drops of carrier oil. Slightly massage behind the ears, on the back of the neck, across the forehead, and under the nose.
3. Mosquito repellent
Use cedarwood, citronella or clove oils to keep these nasty little mosquitos away. Use these oils in a diffuser or mix a few drops with coconut oil, let it harden and then simply spread it onto the skin.
4. Purify your home
Replace nasty chemicals with eucalyptus or tea tree essential oils. These oils are known to have excellent disinfecting properties. The important thing you need to be aware of is that oils are not water-soluble, so if you just splash some oil in the spray bottle with water, it simply will float to the top. The way to effectively make cleaning solution is to dissolve the oil in alcohol first and then add it into the mixture of vinegar and water.
5. Refine your skin
[
Essential oils are great to use for skincare. The best oils for skin are lavender, jojoba, geranium and rosehip oils. For regular skin care use, add a few drops into a carrier with oil or warm honey, leave it on your face for 10-15 minutes and then wash. For everyday use, add a few drops into your favorite cream.
6. Deodorize the trash bins
These bins do lots of dirty work and it’s no wonder they can develop an unpleasant odor. Put a few drops of geranium, grapefruit or lemon oil into baking soda, mix it well and sprinkle it into the bottom of the bin.
7. Hair treatment
Mix a few drops of jojoba, ginger, rosehip, lavender, rosemary and thyme oils with a carrier oil, place on your hair — including the roots — and leave on for 30 minutes, then wash. If you do it couple times a month, the results will be very impressive.
8. Relieve tension
You can get tension relief by massaging a few drops of lavender oil under the ear just behind the jaw, into temples, and over stiff neck muscles.
9. Freshen your fridge
Use lime, grapefruit, bergamot or lemongrass oils in the fridge after cleaning for a nice and fresh smell.
10. Clean the bathroom
Use lemon, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary or geranium oil in a diffuser to freshen the air in your bathroom.
11. Dissolve stubborn spots
If you have stubborn spots that you’ve tried to clean many times, it’s time to try lemon oil. It works exceptionally well with stains from wax, oil, chewing gum, or glue. But keep in mind that lemon oil is very acidic and can damage plastic and irritate skin.
12. Refresh your carpets
Freshen the carpet using geranium, lavender, lemon, or peppermint oil. Just add the oil to baking soda, sprinkle it into the carpet, leave for 10-15 minutes and then vacuum.
13. Scent the bath towels
Sprinkle a few drops of your favorite oil onto a cloth and place it in the dryer with clean towels to produce a nice, delicate smell.
14. Relax
Do you need a nice, hot relaxing bath? Add chamomile, lavender or jasmine oil to your bath water and enjoy.
15. Stay alert
If you are very tired but need to be fully awake, rosemary oil is your friend. Use it in a diffuser or put a few drops onto a cloth. It might be a good idea to keep a little bottle in your car if you have to drive a lot so you can use it when you feel a bit tired but can’t take a break.
16. Sore feet
Our feet often feel very sore and tired by the end of a long day. Relieve them by adding a few drops of peppermint oil to an Epsom salt foot bath.
17. Boost your immune system
Oregano oil is known for its ability to strengthen the immune system. Simply rub the oil on the bottoms of your feet.
18. Detoxify your body
Do a body detox by soaking in a warm Epsom salt bath with rosemary and juniper oils.
19. Relax stiff muscles
Mix 30 mL of wintergreen oil and 1 mL of peppermint oil with half of cup of alcohol (70% is preferable, but it depends on what you have available), then rub onto the area of the stiff muscle. Do not use it immediately after exercising while the muscles are hot because it will be painful.
20. Air conditioner
Freshen your air conditioner by clipping a cotton ball in front of an air vent and adding a few drops of your favorite oil.
Bonus:
Unfortunately there are a lot of fake essential oils on the market these days that you should be weary of. Some dishonest vendors dilute genuine essential oils with cheap cooking oils to decrease the cost. The good news is, there is a way to check that. Place one drop of oil on a paper tower and leave for a few hours. Pure 100% oil will evaporate without any greasy residue. Keep in mind, that this test is applicable only for essential oils, not for fixed or infused oils. Arnica is an example of an infused oil and jojoba oil is fixed.
