Benefits of Essential Oils in the Home

We are seeing essential oils everywhere these days.  Therapists loves them for relaxation, makeup artists recommend them for your beauty routine… but essential oils are more than just an item within your makeup bag, you can find many uses for them in your home. While essential oils are sold almost everywhere, it is important to know what they are, and to always ensure they are pure. The price test usually tells you a lot. If its too cheap, chances are they potency and quality my be compromised.

But first things first: this day, the market has a lot of options for ‘oils’, and even some brands will offer you a mix of different oils, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that these types of oils work better when they are in their most natural state, that means without any mix or chemicals in that mix. For some chores, you can mix them, but it is always best recommended that you keep them as natural as possible, so you can take advantage of their properties. Besides that, you also must keep in mind that essential oils need to be taken care of. Normally, these oils come in dark bottles to protect them from the light, so you can do your fair share by keeping them in a fresh space away from the light and trying to use them as soon as possible so the composition doesn’t get affected by time. Before we talk about the main uses I have found for essential oils, let us educate ourselves about what they are. According to do-TERRA Essential oils:

Essential oils are naturally occurring, volatile, aromatic compounds that are found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant. Essential oils give plants their distinctive smells, essential oils protect plants and play a role in plant pollination. In addition to their intrinsic benefits to plants and their beautiful fragrance, essential oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health-care practices throughout centuries.

But what exactly is a volatile aromatic compound? In short, these compounds are small organic molecules that tend to change quickly from their solid or liquid state to a gas at room temperature. They are called volatile because they change state quickly. When you first open a bottle of essential oil, you instantly notice that the aroma is potent, and you can smell it typically even from some distance. The physical and chemical properties of the volatile aromatic compounds that compose essential oils allow them to quickly move through the air and directly interact with the olfactory sensors in the nose. Such unique properties make essential oils ideal for applications such as in aromatherapy.  These compounds from plants help to maintain a healthy mind and body – as well as other applications.

Over 3,000 varieties of volatile aromatic compounds have been identified to date. The nature of an essential oil varies from plant to plant, within botanical families, and from species to species. The delicate ratio of aromatic constituents found in any given essential oil are what make it unique and give it specific benefits.

Even with pure essential oils the composition of the oil can vary depending on the time of day, season, geographic location, method and duration of distillation, year grown, and the weather, making every step of the production process a critical determinant of the overall quality of the essential oil product.

Essential oils can be used for a wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. They can be used as single essential oils or in complex essential oil blends depending on user experience and desired benefit.

After you know all the basics, now it’s time to explore how essential oils can used around your household and which areas they work better. Have your shopping list ready, because you are about to add some items either here on the blog, or you can visit Simple Green Earth Organic market for a variety of oils at a discount cost.

Face and hair: yes, we are starting with the biggest trends. Lately, lavender, geranium, and rose, among others such as rosemary oil, are being praised in the beauty community for their anti-aging and moisturizing properties. You can add a few drops of these oils to your favorite cleanser or even apply them directly, like in the case of rose oil (which by the way is the best option to take off until the last bit of your mascara). When it comes to hair, go with favorites like Rosemary or Argan oil (which is basically in every new hair product these days). A good idea is to use them as a pre-shampoo for a few minutes or even to use a few drops to finalize your styling process.

For use in the kitchen: Lemon is famous for its cleaning properties, besides… who doesn’t love the smell of fresh citric? You can use 2 or three drops as a cleaning solution to remove any sticky residues both from your hands or any surface, and of course, it will smell amazing. A drop of tea tree, thyme or even lavender oil goes a long way in cleaning the kitchen. When I say kitchen, we don’t only mean cleaning your kitchen and making it smell delicious, we also mean cooking! Lavender and rose oil, for example, is being used in many dessert recipes; while cinnamon or almond oils are used in many baked goods.

Relaxation and beyond: Another popular use for essential oils is aromatherapy and relaxation. You can find many options of different kits to use in your bathtub or in your room with a diffuser and even rub in your hands in cases of extreme anxiety. Most popular ones are lavender (yes, it’s a multitalented scent), cedarwood and grapefruit, which will help you with your meditation efforts and the idea of staying in your happy place.

Purifying your spaces: In the same way that you use the diffuser for your meditation and relaxation purposes, you can use the same technique to spread lovely scents into your home. Depending on your mood or the occasion, you can switch to different types of oils. Eucalyptus will be perfect to make a recipe with soap and hot water and clean your floor while giving it a great smell, and rosemary will make your guests feel cozy and welcome.

Pets are included: Did you know that essential oils can have similar effects on dogs when used for aromatherapy? You can use them to help your best friend to soothe its anxiety, and you can even use some products to help with skin irritation or flea problems. However, there are some oils that are harmful to your dog’s health, so the best option is to talk to your vet about your options.

Thank you for exploring essential oils with me and I hope they will also become a mainstay in your homes. So far, I’ve had a diffuser going daily and I continue to try various oils since they are low cost from stores such as Simple Green Earth Organic Market this blog.  You can find them almost everywhere!  I’ve always used rosemary oil in both mine and my kids hair for a softer and more manageable look.  Lemon oil has been a staple in my kitchen especially when cooking fish and other strong flavored foods for cleanup and smell diffusing.  Finally, since my trip to Eastern Europe, Russian pine oil has been amazing in undertaking cold and stuffy nose symptoms. Again, please consult your physician before trying anything new.  Their opinions for you and your family will always override mine. How do you use essential oils in your daily life? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below.