Aromatherapy Basics For Beginners Experimenting With Essential Oils

How To Use Essential Oils For Aromatherapy

You can add a few drops of Essential Oil to water in a spray bottle, shake well, and use as an air freshener. (Do not spray on or near polished surfaces.)

Have some unscented candles? What about candles that seem to have lost their scent?... Simply place a drop of Essential Oil on the candle before you light it, and you'll benefit from the therapeutic properties of that particular scent.

Some Essential Oils work best when they're massaged directly onto the skin. For example, you can ease headache pain by rubbing one drop of neat Lavender Essential Oil onto your temples. Always use a base oil (like olive oil, safflower oil, or any other vegetable oil), and add a couple drops to that before applying to your skin. The only exceptions are Lavender and Tea Tree oil, which can be applied undiluted, if desired.

If you have high blood pressure, you should NOT use the following Essential Oils in your aromatherapy routines: Cypress, eucalyptus, ginger, rose, rosemary, sage and thyme. (Here are the Essential Oils that should be avoided if you have low blood pressure, epilepsy, if you're pregnant, or you're breastfeeding.)

Some Essential Oils have cleansing and odor-repelling properties. For example, you can freshen a pair of smelly shoes by dropping a few drops of Geranium Essential Oil directly into your shoes or place a cotton ball dabbed with a few drops of Lemon Essential Oil and leave in the shoes overnight.

The scent from aromatherapy oils is so strong that they can make the best air fresheners in your home. For example, place a few drops of your favorite Essential Oil onto a small piece of cloth and toss into the clothes dryer. The heat from the dryer will activate the scent and make your clothes (and the entire room) smell great!

Check out the 10 most popular Essential Oils and their properties.

Little-Known Facts About Essential Oils

Most Essential Oils last from 1 to 3 years, when stored in a GLASS vial or jar (amber- or cobalt-colored is best). The exception is any Citrus oil, which only lasts for 6 months to 1 year.

Even though some Essential Oils are good for a few years, once they are mixed with a Carrier Oil, the shelf life of the mixture will equal that of the vegetable oil -- approximately 6 months, if kept under refrigeration and tightly capped. Therefore, you should add an antioxidant to your Essential Oil blends to prolong their shelf life.

When you buy a new Essential Oil, write the date on the vial.

Store all of your Essential Oils in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight.

Use a separate glass eyedropper for each bottle of Essential Oil that you own. This is to prevent cross-contamination. It will also dilute your Essential Oils and make them less effective for Aromatherapy purposes.

They make eyedropper lids to fit all sizes of aromatherapy bottles. Your bottles should be stored with the eyedropper lid on securely, but NOT tightly. Why? Too tight, and you will lessen the life of your Essential Oils and your eyedropper lids. A sign you've got it on too tight: The rubber dropper part is puckering and the Essential Oil is traveling up the dropper toward the lid.

If you won't be using a particular Essential Oil for awhile, replace the dropper lid with the bottle's own screw-on lid. This will assure a tighter seal, and prolong the life of your lesser used Essential Oils.

Here are the best Carrier Oils to use.

The Absolute Best Aromatherapy Book

This is my all-time favorite aromatherapy book...

It's the one I've owned for years -- and refer to often -- because it's LOADED with hundreds of aromatherapy recipes and Essential Oil blends for virtually everything under the sun!

Some of my favorites:

How to make your own "Bug Off" spray to repel all bugs and insects
How to make an allergy-relief formula to clear your head & sinuses during allergy season
How to make soothing aromatic baths by combining a variety of Essential Oils
How to make an aromatic bath for hypertension & high blood pressure
How you can rub a few drops of Lavender into your temples for tension headache relief
How to mix your own blend of Essential Oils to lower your blood pressure
How to relieve headaches and toothaches with Essential Oils
How to make an anti-gas lozenge with a drop of peppermint Essential Oil and a sugar cube
How to make an antiseptic ointment to apply to minor wounds
How to make a variety of anti-stress deep relaxation blends with Essential Oils
How to make your own calming, soothing or energizing body lotion using the Essential Oil of your choice
How to improve your memory and mental clarity
How to get the most peaceful sleep thanks to calming Essential Oils

NaturesGift.com is the best online source of info about Aromatherapy and Essential Oils.

Other Great Aromatherapy Resources:

• A to Z Remedies Using Essential Oils

• Essential Oil Properties & Uses

• Aromatherapy Recipes

• Essential Oil Directory

• Common Ailments and Essential Oils

• The Beginner's Guide To Essential Oils

• The Best Aromatherapy Diffusers