Essential Oils
for Beginners
Essential Oils for Beginners
2
Over the span of 4.5 billion years, the Earth has formed
colossal mountains, green valleys, leafy jungles, and vast
forests, providing a home for countless plants and animals.
On the 196,900,000 square miles of the planet’s surface,
scientists estimate that there are 390,000 plants—with new
species being discovered all the time.
The hundreds of thousands of plants actually perform a
number of important functions for the planet. Plants help
control the climate, process carbon dioxide and release
oxygen into the air to help us breathe, keep living organisms
alive, and can be used for food and health solutions, among
many other practical uses.
The Power of
the Entire Earth
in One Bottle
Our planet is a complicated
system, made up of intricate
ecosystems, endless molecules,
and powerful elements.
With so many benets, it is no
surprise that plants have been used
since the beginning of time to help
humans perform everyday tasks.
Introduction
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In our modern, industrial world, we’re exposed to a variety of toxins
in our daily lives through pollution, personal hygiene products,
cleaning agents, and even our own food. Because of these high
levels of toxin exposure, we have turned to equally synthetic
answers for our health problems.
People of ancient civilizations used entire
plants, extracts, and various plant parts to
make life easier, transforming the gifts of
the earth into everything from textiles to
remedies. Ancient people believed that the
earth gave them everything they needed to
solve all of their problems.
Ancient times
Fast-forward to modern day. Plants are
still everywhere around us, yet with new
inventions and technology, we’ve grown
accustomed to using synthetic products
rather than the gifts of nature to solve
everyday challenges. Technology has made
life easier, but along with technological
advancements, we’ve seen a decline in many
areas of quality of life.
Present day
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$8.7 trillion
Annual global healthcare
spending is anticipated to reach
by the year 2020
1
Despite the money that’s spent in the
pursuit of health, many of us are not truly
better o. Research shows that, while
the United States spends more than
other countries on healthcare, the nation
still ranks low for mortality and life
expectancy indicators when compared
to other countries.
2
Though it has become the norm, we don’t need to turn
to synthetic chemicals to improve our lives or solve our
problems. We can use what nature has already given us
to live healthy, happy lives. Taken straight from the earth,
essential oils allow us to capture the full power of nature
and bring it into our homes, combating toxins and giving our
bodies what they truly crave—gentle, natural solutions to
our problems. Building on ancient traditions, we now have
the scientic research and technology needed to put that
power into a bottle.
Throughout this book, you’ll learn about the history of
essential oils, their unique benets, how to use them safely,
and the power that comes from using these gifts of the
earth to transform your life. Our ancestors relied on the
natural world to care for themselves, create livelihoods,
protect their families, and move human civilization forward.
If we embrace the power of nature to do the same today,
just imagine what we can achieve.
New research and technological advances aren’t all bad, of course.
Thanks to innovation and technology, we’ve been able to harness the
power of nature to help us solve some of our problems—and we’re now
able to do it more safely and effectively than any generation before.
(1) World Industry Outlook, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, the Economist Intelligence Unit, June 2017.
(2) United Health Foundation, America’s Health Ranking Report, 2016.
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Not just a fad, or the latest
trend, essential oils are powerful
plant extracts that can be used to
promote well-being—just as they
did centuries ago.
The Case for
Essential Oils Today
In recent years, essential oils have become
increasingly popular and commonplace; however,
the use of essential oils actually dates back to
ancient times. Essential oils were used by ancient
Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, among others.
While many regions of the world have moved
away from using natural products and turned
instead to synthetic solutions, essential oils are
just as useful today as they once were. The people
of these ancient civilizations had the right idea—
using potent, natural plant materials to provide
the body with cleansing, soothing, preserving, or
fortifying benets.
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As you’re unloading the groceries, you might see a long,
complicated label on the back of your cereal box or dish
soap, lled with words you cannot pronounce or chemicals
you’ve never heard of. But you think, “Oh well.” Because
while you may have dierent brands to choose from, most
of the other products you nd on the shelves will also have
long lists of mysterious ingredients. So instead of thinking
about alternatives, you just keep going back to the store
to buy the supplies you need to keep cooking, cleaning,
sleeping, working, and so on. Without even thinking about it,
we expose ourselves to the harmful chemicals that lurk in
everyday products like shampoo, household cleaners, and
perfumes. The truth is that most of the time we don’t even
know they are there.
Our lives today are drastically
different compared to the people
of ancient Rome. Are plants
and plant extracts really a
relevant way to approach our
modern problems?
On any given day, we use a lot of products. We cook, clean,
play sports, sleep, work, and complete a wide variety of
activities. When you want to add avor to your food, you go
to the store to buy spices. When your child isn’t feeling well,
you go to the pharmacy. When you need to get a stain out
of your shirt, you buy laundry detergent.
Beyond a simple trip to the store, we often don’t take the
time to think about the items we are buying, what they are
made of, and where they really come from.
Despite the increasing industrialization of our world, many of
us are still searching for natural ways to care for our bodies
and our families. Though it requires a lot of work to maintain
a healthy body and healthy home, synthetic products aren’t
the only way to take care of ourselves and our families;
essential oils provide a natural alternative to chemical-
ridden products, giving you a safe option for protecting your
body and home from toxins.
When was the last time you
stopped to think, What am I
putting on (or in) my body? or
Where do my products come
from?
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Think about your daily routine
You wake up, maybe you shower
and get ready, brush your teeth, go
into the kitchen or bathroom, and
pop a few vitamins into your mouth.
1
Throughout the day, you complete
tasks like laundry, pouring a capful
of bleach into the washing machine.
Then wipe down your kitchen
counter with a cleaning chemical.
Maybe you light a synthetic candle
to bring an inviting smell into your
house while you clean.
In the afternoon, you might feel a
little sleepy, so you get a coee or
soda to give you a jolt.
In the evening, you go through
your nightly routine after a long
day: wash your face with a harsh
cleanser, brush your teeth again,
and perhaps you turn on a sound
machine that plays ocean waves to
help you fall asleep.
2
3
4
5
6
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You might not realize it, but essential oils can be used
to improve nearly any activity of the day. Here’s how
your day might go if you used essential oils.
You wake up feeling a little groggy,
so you inhale Grapefruit oil for an
energizing aroma.
1
You turn on the shower and use
a little Tea Tree oil on your scalp
to help your hair look fuller, or an
essential oil–infused soap that will
cleanse and smooth your skin.
As you prepare for the day, you
swallow a drop of Frankincense oil
for cellular health.
You wipe down the sticky kitchen
counter with Lemon oil and a rag,
breathing in the clean, refreshing
aroma as it permeates throughout
the entire room.
When you’re dragging in the
afternoon, you add a drop of
Peppermint to your water to wake
yourself up.
As you get ready for bed at night,
you place a few drops of Lavender
on your pillow to create a luxurious,
relaxing experience that helps you
drift o to sleep.
2
3
4
5
6
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Essential oils have gained
popularity in recent years because
they provide a natural alternative
for many everyday tasks.
They are safe and eective. Plus, they have unique and
beautiful aromas. Like we talked about, people of ancient
civilizations used essential oils for things like cooking,
bathing, beauty, health, and more. Essential oils are still
applicable for those things today, and thanks to years of
research and proven usage, they can be used for much,
much more.
Some people are put o by essential oils because
they seem dicult to use or understand. While a basic
knowledge is required, you don’t need to have a degree
in chemistry to safely and eectively use essential oils.
Even with a limited knowledge, you can experience the
benets of oils through small and simple ways. After all, the
reason so many people have adopted the use of essential
oils today is because they provide a natural way to make
everyday life easier.
Everyday tasks like cleaning, supplementation, boosting
immunity, sleep, and personal hygiene (the list goes on)
become much easier with the help of pure essential oils.
Cleaning Supplementation Boosting immunity Sleep Personal Hygiene
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What are
Essential Oils?
We’ve established that essential
oils can be a useful tool for those
looking to escape synthetic
chemicals and live a more holistic,
natural lifestyle. But what exactly
are essential oils? Where do they
come from? How do we get them?
Chapter one
For many plants, an essential oil is what gives the plant its
aroma. Beyond making the plant smell nice, the aroma can
help deter predators like insects or herbivores. Essential
oils also play a vital role in the reproductive processes of
plants and are useful during plant pollination. As mentioned,
not every plant produces an essential oil, and not every
essential oil found within a plant has signicant benets. But
if you consider how many dierent plant types exist (and are
still being discovered), there are plenty of powerful essential
oils to go around. Just as plants use essential oils to protect
themselves, we too can use the powerful, natural properties
of essential oils to protect ourselves and promote a healthy
body.
Plants produce essential oils
for a number of reasons, all of
which are important for supporting
plant life.
If you’re thinking to yourself that essential oils are
complicated, you’re not wrong. They do have extremely
intricate and complex chemical properties. However,
essential oils aren’t a complete mystery. In fact, they’re all
around us. Unseen by the naked eye, essential oils hide
within the seeds, stems, roots, barks, owers, needles, fruits,
and plants that we see every day. Not all plants produce
essential oils, but in plants where essential oils are found,
the oil typically resides in microscopic, specialized glands of
the plant. This is why essential oils aren’t easily seen at rst.
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These molecules are considered volatile because of how
quickly they change from a liquid to a gas. Because they’re
so volatile, the chemical compounds in essential oils can
move quickly through the air until they come into contact
with special sensors in the nose.
Essential oil molecules are often
referred to as “volatile aromatic
compounds.”
The benets of each essential oil are largely determined by
the kind of plant it comes from and the chemical properties
it contains. An oil might be cleansing, refreshing, or boosting
to the immune system—among any number of other
benets—depending on its chemical prole and origin plant.
Each essential oil has its own
unique chemical makeup.
From a scientic perspective, essential oils are small organic
molecules that change quickly from a liquid to a gas state
when they reach room temperature. This is why bottled
essential oils are so powerful. A bottle of essential oil
contains tiny molecules in a liquid state. When you unscrew
the cap and open the bottle, the molecules change quickly
from a liquid to a gas, which is why you can smell the oil
immediately—even from a distance.
So, we know that essential oils are
found in many types of plants, but
what are essential oils really?
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How, when, and why did people start using essential oils?
As discussed, the use of plants and plant extracts dates back to almost every ancient civilization in the world.
While some think that essential oils are a new trend, we know that using plants to promote a healthy body is a
time-honored tradition that’s been a part of societies for centuries.
The use of plant-based products has been
recorded as far back as 3000 BC with the
Egyptians, who used plant extracts for dozens of
tasks. When analyzing the mummy of Ramses V, an
ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the aromatic compounds
of juniper, camphor, and myrrh were discovered,
conrming their usage in sacred burial rituals.
Precious plant compounds such as peppercorn,
cinnamon bark, frankincense, and myrrh fed the
thriving trade routes that snaked through the arid
deserts of the region. The reverence that this
ancient culture had for plants is even evident in
the botanical depictions found in hieroglyphics and
other Egyptian art.
Ancient Egypt
Ayurvedic practice has developed over the span of
5,000 years in India—it consists of using the Earth’s
elements to nd balance in the body. Today, the
majority of people in India follow the Ayurvedic
tradition exclusively or combine it with Western
practices. Though the methods vary widely, the
Ayurvedic use of plants and aromatic compounds is
currently taught in over 100 accredited universities
in the country.
Early oil scholars in India
Around 2000 BC, Europe’s rst civilizations were emerging
in Greece, bringing with them an interest in perfumery
and other plant-based treatments. Men like Homer and
Hippocrates took the traditions of the Egyptians and
explored more about aromatics and plants. Their research
permeated throughout Greek culture, inuencing the
practices of the time. Written documentation exists of
solvent extractions using wine and fat sources to pull the
volatile compounds from plants.
Experimentation in
ancient Greece
In ancient Rome, aromatic compounds were a
vital part of both culture and health. Romans were
known to use plant extracts for things like scented
baths, massages, and perfumery. Bathing became
something of an art, with perfumes and oils playing
an important role. Roman men and women would
visit elaborate bathhouses to relax, socialize, or
recuperate after a large feast. Scientic literature
from this time period shows that plant extracts and
aromatic compounds were widely used for their
various benets.
Essential oils in
the Roman Empire
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Traditional Chinese practices have incorporated
the use of plant materials to promote wellness for
centuries. Between 500 and 1300 AD, China was a
leading world power, with advances in science and
technology that superseded any other civilization at
the time. Extensive research was conducted, leading
to many advances in the usage of plants and plant
parts.
Chinese legend speaks of a man named Shennong,
an emperor and teacher. Though legend tells us
that Shennong understood the eects of plants
due to having a transparent body—allowing him to
ingest many dierent herbs and directly “see” how
they aected his body—he also left behind texts
that described his research on hundreds of dierent
types of plants. Protocols based on his experiences
and research have been passed down through
generations and still inuence modern healthcare to
this day.
Historic Chinese health practices
In medieval Persia (known as modern-day Iran),
people regularly used and traded resins and
spices that were prized for perfumery and for
helping maintain health. A Persian doctor known as
Avicenna wrote extensively on health and wellness
and is credited as the father of aromatherapy as we
now know it. He also left a lasting mark in the eld
of chemistry for his experiments with distillation.
He attempted various distillation methods using
owers, eventually isolating the scent of the rose
and producing rose water.
Medieval Persia and
essential oil distillation
During the Middle Ages, early chemists were desperately
searching for what they called the “quintessence” of life—an
elusive fth element in addition to earth, re, water, and air.
Building on the discoveries of Avicenna, these alchemists
experimented with plant distillation. While experimenting,
they discovered a substance rising to the surface of the
water during the distillation process. At this point in history,
any substance that didn’t mix with water was classied as an
oil. With this discovery, the alchemists believed they’d found
the quintessence they had been looking for—the essence of
all life. This is how the term essential oil was born.
The quintessence of life
A major historical shift began in the nineteenth century,
when new developments in chemistry increased the
sophistication and understanding of essential oil extraction
methods. During this time, Rene Gattefosse (a chemist
and perfumer) coined the phrase aromatherapy. Medical
doctors in France dispensed essential oils in their places
of practice—and they still receive some medical school
training regarding safe usage today.
The birth of aromatherapy
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Many attempts have been made
through the years to capture the
essence of plants.
As you can see from this brief history
of essential oils, many cultures have
used plants for centuries to care for
their bodies. So, for those who think
that essential oils are simply a fad
that will soon pass, it’s important
to know that they’ve already been
around for hundreds of years.
Many attempts have been made through the years
to capture the essence of plants. How exactly do
you capture the sweet smell of a rose or bright
aroma of a lemon? How does an essential oil go
from inside a plant to inside a bottle? While it’s
relatively easy to know where to nd essential oils,
it requires a delicate, scientic process to grow
and care for an aromatic plant, extract its oil, and
process that oil properly in order to make it useful.
How are essential
oils made?
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The exact process of producing an essential oil varies
depending on what type of plant the oil comes from.
However, the basic idea is to separate the oil from its
original plant part. This is done using specialized machinery.
As mentioned earlier, essential oils can hide within dierent
parts of plants, often in microscopic amounts. Specialized
machinery helps separate the microscopic oil molecules
from their delicate plant parts.
While several methods exist for successfully extracting
essential oil from a plant and preparing it for use, each
How does a plant become
an essential oil?
method has one thing in common—it requires extreme
caution and care. Because plants are so delicate, careful
planning and precision are necessary to extract high-quality
essential oils. Producing quality essential oils also requires
a thorough knowledge of the plants being used and proper
extraction methods. Most importantly, it requires substantial
care and attention to detail at every stage of the process, as
cutting corners at any phase in the process will result in a
lower-quality essential oil.
Several uncontrollable factors can inuence the quality
and composition of an essential oil, but many things can be
done to preserve the potent aromatic compounds in the
plant parts.
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Planting and cultivating
aromatic plants
Producing a pure essential oil is a detailed process
that starts with choosing quality land, soil, and
seeds. The composition of an essential oil is
inuenced by environmental factors like weather
conditions, the amount of rainfall, and temperature.
Because of this, carefully choosing the geographic
location, specic climate, and time of year for
planting, growing, and harvesting plants will
inuence the quality of its essential oil.
For example, the region of Reggio Di Calabria, Italy,
has long been a sanctuary for growing bergamot
fruit because of its unique climate and soil. In fact,
this area is so optimal for growing bergamot that
it’s one of the primary areas in the world where the
fruit is grown. Because Reggio Di Calabria is close
to the ocean, the acidic soil and fresh air from the
sea help to strengthen the trees, which allows them
to produce the best fruit for Bergamot essential oil.
Similarly, the bitter orange tree—which produces
twigs and leaves used to create Petitgrain oil—has
been grown in Paraguay for centuries because of
the country’s abundant rainfall and vast amount
of optimal land. Because of the heavy rainfall and
room available for bitter orange trees to grow
wild in the jungle, Paraguay is an ideal country for
producing plant parts that’ll eventually become
Petitgrain essential oil.
Regardless of the geographic location, plant
type, or oil being produced, plants must also be
carefully planted, cared for, and closely watched
by knowledgeable growers and farmers. When the
best methods for planting, growing, and sustaining
healthy plants are used, they contribute to a high-
quality essential oil.
The composition of an essential oil is
inuenced by environmental factors
like weather conditions, the amount
of rainfall, and temperature.
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After plants have been carefully planted and cultivated,
they must be harvested at the optimal time to preserve
the delicate chemistry of the essential oils in the plant.
Just as fruits and vegetables taste best when picked at
the peak of ripeness, plants used to produce essential oils
must be harvested at just the right time in order to optimize
the chemical prole of the oil, and to produce as much oil
as possible. Preserving the chemical composition during
harvesting helps the essential oil retain potency and power.
Optimal harvesting practices
Preserving the chemical
composition during harvesting
helps the essential oil retain
potency and power.
Peak harvest time varies with the plant. It takes years for
harvesters to determine the perfect window for essential
oil production, but after enough observation and research,
they can narrow down the peak harvest time to the optimal
season—and even the preferred time of day.
For example, Jasmine essential oil is derived from the
delicate petals of jasmine owers. Once the owers
blossom, it doesn’t take long for them to lose their volatile
aromatic compounds, so it’s crucial that they’re harvested
at the right time in order to preserve the chemical prole.
The owers must be harvested early in the morning, before
the buds have had time to fully open—even waiting just an
hour too long will cause important chemical compounds to
be lost.
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The plant matter is suspended
above boiling water.
After proper harvesting, plant parts are transported to a
facility, where the oil is extracted. No matter how carefully
or expertly a plant is selected, cared for, and harvested, the
quality of an essential oil can either be preserved or ruined
during the extraction process. There are two main methods
for extracting essential oils: distillation and expression.
The main objective of each of these methods is to separate
the essential oil from the plant part to make it a useable
product. Distillation and expression are organic processes
that allow aromatic compounds to be gently separated from
the rest of the plant, while also preserving the potent and
delicate chemical components of the essential oil.
Extracting essential oils
When the oil cools, it
returns to a liquid state,
which is then collected.
Distillation is the process of
seperating the oil from the plant
material using heat.
During this process, distillers must be precise, paying
careful attention to temperature, time of distillation, the
amount of pressure used, and so on. Because of this
attention to detail, it becomes almost an art form.
Sandalwood essential oil
is created using steam
distillation.
The resulting steam extracts
the oil from the plant.
To retrieve the oil from the Hawaiian sandalwood
tree, the outer layers of the wood are stripped
away from the heartwood, or the wood located in
the center of the tree. The heartwood is chipped
into ne pieces, ltered, and then chipped even
further to create incredibly ne pieces. The wood
then undergoes a 36-hour steam distillation
process, using high heat and pressure to extract the
Sandalwood oil.
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For example, the Coriandrum
sativum plant produces two
kinds of essential oils: Cilantro
and Coriander. Cilantro oil is
derived from the leaves of the
plant, while Coriander oil is
taken from the seeds. Cilantro
and Coriander oils have a
completely different chemical
makeup,different properties,
and varying benefits. Some oils
require the distillation of the
entire plant, while others simply
come from a specific part, like
the leaves, roots, bark, or flowers.
The peel is removed and
placed in expression
machinery.
Using the expression process,
it takes roughly 50 grapefruit
peels to make a 15 ml bottle
of Grapefruit oil.
Rough cylinders in the
machine grate the peel,
releasing microscopic sacs
that contain essential oil.
The second oil extraction method, expression, is often
called “cold-pressing.” This is because it doesn’t involve
the use of heat. It’s frequently used for producing citrus
essential oils like Lime, Lemon, and Tangerine. For example,
Grapefruit essential oil is extracted from the peel of
the grapefruit.
Expression or “cold-pressing”
Because essential oils can be
found in several areas of a plant,
it’s important to use the correct
plant part when preparing for
distillation to ensure the proper
aromatic compounds are distilled.
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The benefits
of essentials
oils
If you are wondering, “Do I
really have a need for essential
oils in my normal, everyday
life?”, think back to our earlier
example of what your life might
be like if you used essential oils
in nearly every part of your day.
Chapter Two
Because essential oils have the power to soothe skin
irritations, promote healthy digestion when ingested,
create feelings of clear airways, and more, they’ve become
a popular solution for those wanting to experience and
maintain good health.
Everyone has his or her own reasons for using essential oils.
They’ve become a widespread alternative solution to other
health practices because they can be tailored to t specic
preferences and needs. This means that rather than settling
for a generic solution, you can be in control of your own
health. Because you have so many dierent oils to
choose from, even those with specic health concerns
and sensitivities can enjoy the benets essential oils have
to oer.
The Health Benefits of
Essential Oils
From washing your hair and cleaning your kitchen
counter to ingesting oils for digestive health and
beyond, essential oils can become a regular part of
your day. Essential oils have changed daily routines for
millions of people around the world, who, like you, want
to reduce the amount of toxins in their lives.
Because you have so many
different oils to choose from,
even those with specific health
concerns and sensitivities can
enjoy the benefits essential oils
have to offer.
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21
Many essential oils, such as Oregano and Thyme, contain
molecules with antioxidant benets. Taking these oils
internally can support your body’s immune system.
Additionally, a good number of people nd it helpful to take
certain essential oils internally because they have cleansing
properties, helping protect your body against environmental
threats.*
You can also use the aromatic benets of oils to care
for the environment around you. Scientic studies have
demonstrated that diusing essential oils can purify and
cleanse the air, providing added protection and supporting
a cleaner area around you. Lemon and Tea Tree essential
oils are especially popular choices for cleansing both the air
and surfaces in the home.
Caring for your
environment
Research suggests that essential oils with chemical
constituents alpha-pinene, limonene, and eucalyptol—
among others—can help support respiratory health. These
constituents are found in essential oils like Peppermint,
Lemon, and more.
When used properly, these essential oils and several others
are eective at promoting feelings of clear airways and easy
breathing. Peppermint, for example, has a strong cooling
and soothing vapor, which can be especially helpful for
creating the sensation of open airways.
Promoting feelings
of clear breathing
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Essential oils have been used for centuries to create
relaxing environments. The unique chemical properties
found in certain essential oils make them eective at
promoting an environment that’s conducive to restful sleep.
When essential oils contain chemical properties of a
soothing, calming, or relaxing nature, they cause positive
responses within the brain and body. Upon inhaling an
essential oil with a calming aroma, the brain processes the
aroma, and an eect will follow. Once you experience a
restful night of sleep after using the calming oil, the brain
makes what’s called a positive association with that aroma.
This means that the next time you smell that particular
oil, your brain will have a similar reaction—prepping for
bedtime. After successfully using an essential oil at night,
that oil can be continually used as part of a healthy sleep
regimen because of the positive connection your brain has
made between the smell of the oil and a good night’s rest.
Lavender, Roman Chamomile, and Bergamot essential oils
are useful for creating a restful environment at bedtime. By
creating a restful atmosphere, essential oils can be used as
powerful tools that assist your sleep routine.
Creating a restful bedtime
environment
Digestion makes it possible for your body to get the
nutrients and energy it needs to keep you healthy, happy,
and strong. Select essential oils can help support healthy
digestion and ease occasional discomfort when taken
internally. For example, Fennel, Ginger, and Peppermint
oils are popularly used around the world for their digestive
benets when ingested.
Though the digestive system is often associated with
just the stomach and intestines, it’s actually a lot more
complicated than that. To function at optimal levels, the
digestive system requires peak performance from all parts
of the GI tract (including the stomach and intestines), as well
as the liver, kidneys, and gallbladder.
Internal use of essential oils can aid in digestion, soothing
occasional stomach discomfort, reducing gas and
indigestion, and easing the eects of motion sickness.
Peppermint, thanks to the chemical constituent menthol, is
recognized for its positive eect on the digestive system,
helping maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract when
ingested. Ingesting Ginger is a prevalent choice for easing
feelings of nausea and motion sickness. Fennel is a go-to
oil to take when dealing with digestive complaints, such as
feelings of bloating and sluggishness that come after a big
meal.
Cultivating a healthy gut
and proper digestion
Once you experience a restful night
of sleep after using the calming oil,
the brain makes what's called a positive
association with that aroma.
Essential Oils for Beginners
23
Among their many uses, essential oils have vast applications
for personal care, including beautifying the skin and hair and
cleansing the mouth, gums, and teeth, among other general
hygiene uses. After all, essential oils were some of the rst
beauty products in ancient history.
Not only do their natural cleansing, soothing, and purifying
properties make essential oils an ideal choice for personal
care, but they also have lovely and inviting smells.
Essential oils with gentle soothing properties—like Rose,
Sandalwood, and Helichrysum—can be helpful to soothe
skin irritations and promote a healthy-looking complexion.
Others such as Tea Tree and Rosemary help to cleanse the
scalp and promote an abundant-looking head of hair. You
can even use oils with cleansing properties like Clove and
Cinnamon to clean your teeth, gums, and mouth, as well
as to promote fresh breath. Because Cinnamon and Clove
are considered strong oils, it’s a good idea to dilute them
in toothpaste before brushing or in a cup of water before
gargling.
Beautifying skin, hair,
and teeth
Did you know some essential oils contain properties that
can warm and soothe the body when applied topically?
Likewise, certain essential oils are cooling and can help
create a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. While
these oils don’t change the actual temperature of the body,
they’re referred to as “warming” and “cooling” oils because
their properties interact with nerve receptors on the skin to
provide a warming or cooling sensation. This is the hot and
cold feeling you experience after applying sports rubs and
topical creams.
People tend to use these types of warming or cooling oils
to soothe the body after physical activities like exercise or
manual labor. One of the best things about using essential
oils to soothe muscles and joints is that they can be applied
to targeted areas for focused comfort.
While participating in activities throughout your day, you
may encounter some muscle or joint discomfort, resulting
from overuse, stress, or other concerns. This can impede
movement and discourage you from exercising and
enjoying an active lifestyle. Essential oils like Wintergreen
and Cassia have warming properties that can be soothing,
while cooling essential oils like Peppermint, Lemongrass,
and Blue Tansy can give your body cooling comfort.
Soothing skin
Some essential oils can warm
and soothe the body when
applied topically.
Essential Oils for Beginners
24
In addition to health benets, essential oils have many
valuable applications far beyond the body. Some oils have
soothing, calming, and grounding properties, while others
are energizing, uplifting, or renewing. In a single day, we
have a wide array of experiences. Essential oils, with their
various benets, can help us manage and maintain our
feelings of well-being.
So what makes the aroma of an essential oil calming,
energizing, uplifting, and so on? The chemical design of an
essential oil inuences its specic benet. For example, with
a high concentration of ketones, mint essential oils typically
hold signicant energizing, invigorating, and uplifting
properties. Floral oils are composed mostly of monoterpene
alcohols and esters, which are known to promote toning
and calming properties. Rich in monoterpenes like limonene
and beta-pinene, citrus essential oils typically have strong
uplifting characteristics.
While the chemical prole of an oil plays a role in your
response, your experience also has a lot to do with the way
the brain works.
The Aromatic Benefits
of Essential Oils
The aroma of an essential oil elicits
responses. This is because aromas
go directly to the brain’s olfactory
system. The olfactory system
is responsible for processing
smells—essentially giving us the
ability to perceive scents.
Once processed by this system, information is
delivered directly to the limbic system, where your
memories live.
That means when you inhale an essential oil, the
limbic system creates a response based on the
memories you associate with that particular aroma.
Because responses in the limbic system are based
on memory, each person experiences something
dierent from a scent.
We have all experienced the rush of memories that comes
with the smell of fresh-baked cookies, for instance, or the
smell of the soap at grandma’s house. As you breathe in a
scent—and essential oils have particularly powerful scents—
your limbic system evokes emotions and memories to
accompany the aroma.
...
With so many dierent oils, chemical components, and
benets, it makes sense that essential oils have become
commonplace in today’s world. Understanding the
chemistry and basic functions of oils will be helpful as you
begin using them to improve your health and well-being.
Keep reading to learn how to integrate essential oils into
everyday life.
Essential Oils for Beginners
25
How to use
Essential Oils
If you still think learning to use
essential oils is complicated, you
might be surprised at how easy it
can be. In this chapter, you’ll learn
several uses for essential oils, but
their application is not limited to
these suggestions only.
Chapter Three
When it comes to using essential
oils, there are three basic application
methods—aromatic use, topical use,
and internal use.
Thankfully, you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy the
wide variety of benets that essential oils hold. All you need
is a basic understanding of how to safely and simply use
essential oils during your daily routine. There are millions
of people throughout the world who, while they are not
chemists, are passionate about using natural products to
protect their families and live a healthy lifestyle. If they can
do it, so can you!
Essential Oils for Beginners
26
disperse through the air quickly. You’ll also remember that
essential oils are considered volatile, meaning they change
quickly from a liquid to a gas. This allows us to experience
an essential oil’s aroma quickly and easily—even from the
exact second a bottle is opened.
Using essential oils aromatically oers many benets.
As already discussed, essential oils can inuence us in
a variety of ways. You can train your brain to respond in
specic ways to an oil. This is a powerful tool. If you pair an
oil with a relaxing or calming action, such as meditating,
journaling, or deep breathing, smelling that oil later helps
your mind recreate the calm you experienced the rst time.
Your mind starts to associate the state of calm with the
essential oil you chose.
Using Essential Oils
Aromatically
Using essential oils aromatically is as easy as
breathing. If you use an oil “aromatically,” it means
that you’re experiencing the aromatic properties,
the aroma of the oil, through the air. Aromatic
use typically includes breathing in or inhaling an
essential oil, allowing the scent to interact with
your senses.
Our sense of smell is a powerful tool. Think of what it feels
like when you inhale the lovely aroma of a favorite ower, or
when you enjoy the nostalgic smell of bread baking in the
oven. Think of what happens in your heart and mind when
you take in the scent of a Christmas tree, breathe deep
while standing near a salty ocean, or inhale as you walk past
freshly cut grass.
The sense of smell can produce signicant responses,
depending on the aroma. Think back to chapter 1—what
really are essential oils? We established that they’re
aromatic compounds, which means they have the ability to
You can enhance this by using oils with relaxing
chemistry, like Lavender or Roman Chamomile.
The same can be done with energizing oils.
Try inhaling Tangerine or Peppermint before
exercise. Applications for this are only limited by
your creativity.
Not only are essential oils useful for evoking a memory
and feeling, but they can help you change your external
environment. Perhaps you want to create a feeling of calm
tranquility in your bedroom. Or maybe you’d like your home
to feel uplifting as soon as someone walks through the door.
You can even transform a dreary cubicle into an oasis with
the lovely aromas of essential oils.
Essential Oils for Beginners
27
Another major benet of aromatic usage is that essential
oils can purify the air. By using oils with purifying properties,
you can dispel unwanted odors and replace them with pure,
pleasant aromas. Many of the air-purifying products on the
market—like candles or air fresheners—contain toxins and
synthetic chemicals, which makes using essential oils even
more desirable. If you use high-quality oils that are free
from contaminants and llers, they provide a safe, natural
way to purify the air in any room, avoiding having to inhale
harmful toxins. Essential oils like Tea Tree, Lemon, and
Eucalyptus are particularly known for their cleansing and
purifying properties.
What’s the best way to use
essential oils aromatically?
Diusion is one of the most eective ways of enjoying
essential oils aromatically and is most eciently
accomplished with an essential oil diuser. An essential
oil diuser takes an oil and transforms it into a mist—or
microscopic droplets—so you can experience the aroma of
the oil for an extended period. It’s important to remember
that essential oils have delicate chemical structures, so you
never want to use a diuser that could alter the chemical
prole of the oil by using heat. It’s best to stick with diusers
that use water or cold air to diuse.
While diusers do make it easy to use essential oils
aromatically, you can also experience the aromatic benets
of an oil without a special diusing device. Simply inhaling
an essential oil straight from the bottle or placing a drop in
your hands, rubbing the palms together, and inhaling will
allow you to receive its benets.
Consider placing an essential oil diuser in your kitchen
and diusing uplifting or cleansing essential oils such as
Spearmint, Lime, or Grapefruit. When you’re getting ready
for bed at night, diuse oils like Lavender or Sandalwood
to create a relaxing environment. If your teenager’s room
is starting to smell a little . . . stale, try diusing refreshing
essential oils like Wild Orange, Lemongrass, or Douglas
Fir. You can even place several dierent oils in the same
diuser to create a custom blend. The possibilities are
endless.
Essential Oils for Beginners
28
Using Essential Oils
Topically
Applying essential oils topically, or on the skin, is
a safe and eective way of enjoying the benets
that essential oils oer the skin and other functions
of the body. Due to their chemical makeup,
essential oils can easily penetrate the skin and
provide localized benets to the applied area.
Plus, by using an oil for its topical benets, you can
simultaneously enjoy its unique aroma as it sits on
your skin and you breathe it in.
While essential oils easily absorb into the skin,
you can prolong the benets of an oil by using a
carrier oil to slow down evaporation, allowing it to
moisturize your skin.
Your skin is an organ, just
like the liver or the heart? In
fact, it’s the largest organ
in the body because of its
weight and surface area.
As a major organ, the skin has many
functions, including protecting against
the environment, providing the sense of
touch, and regulating body temperature.
As you can see, the skin plays a vital role in
protecting the body and keeping it healthy.
This gives us a greater understanding of
how topical application of essential oils can
inuence our health.
What is a carrier oil?
Carrier oils are lipid-based substances that can dilute
essential oils. As the name suggests, a carrier oil will
literally help “carry” essential oils to your desired area.
Using a carrier oil like Fractionated Coconut Oil allows
you to eectively apply an essential oil topically, without
altering its potency. Some people worry that dilution makes
an essential oil less eective; however, when you dilute
an essential oil, it enhances the absorption by making it
easier to disperse the oil over a larger surface area, which
maximizes the topical benets.
One of the most important functions of a carrier oil is
preventing skin sensitivities without lowering the oil’s
ecacy. This is especially important if you’re using essential
oils on children, or other individuals with sensitive skin, or if
the oil is particularly strong.
Ideally, a carrier oil should be a pure vegetable oil so that
it easily dissolves an essential oil without damaging its
delicate chemical prole. If the chemical makeup of an
oil is altered or damaged in any way, the ecacy of the oil
will be reduced, and you won’t reap the desired benets.
Vegetable-based oils like avocado, walnut, macadamia nut,
sweet almond, linseed, sunower, olive, and coconut oil are
all appropriate choices for dilution.
Essential Oils for Beginners
29
Ideas for topical application
There are dozens of topical applications for essential
oils, you can virtually use them from head to toe.
Head
Starting at the head, you can add essential oils to your
daily skincare regimen in order to improve the skin and
maintain a clear complexion. To incorporate essential oils
to your skincare routine, simply add a few drops to your
facial cleanser, moisturizer, or body lotion. You can also
dilute oils with a carrier oil like Fractionated Coconut Oil and
apply them directly to your face. Lavender, Frankincense,
Cedarwood, and Tea Tree are all commonly used for their
beautifying properties.
Applying essential oils to areas like your temples, forehead,
base of the skull, and neck allows you to promote relaxation
and target feelings of tension. If you tend to hold a lot of
tension in your neck from working long days behind a desk,
or you just need to unwind after a tense day, consider a
soothing and relaxing massage on any of these areas.
In particular, Peppermint oil can be helpful for a tension-
relieving massage.
Remember, deciding when and how to dilute your
essential oils is a situation-specic decision that
should be based on an oil’s chemistry, your usage
preferences, and any personal sensitivities to
certain oils.
Essential Oils for Beginners
30
Ideas for topical application
Arms, wrists, legs & feet
Massaging essential oils onto the arms, wrists, legs, feet,
and back after a workout or any kind of physical activity
allows you to harness their soothing properties. Many
essential oils have cooling and warming properties, which
make for relaxing massages after exerting your body.
Wintergreen, Cassia, or Blue Tansy can all enhance the
relaxing eects of massages or stretching exercises. If
you use Cassia, make sure to dilute it before any topical
application.
Essential Oils for Beginners
31
Ideas for topical application
Chest
The cooling and invigorating properties of essential oils
can help promote feelings of clear breathing when applied
topically to the chest. Applying oils to your chest will provide
quick access to aromatic benets and can even help create
a cooling or soothing vapor that promotes feelings of clear
airways and easy breathing. Some good oils to use for this
include Eucalyptus, Cardamom, and Peppermint.
Essential Oils for Beginners
32
Ideas for topical application
Abdomen
You can also apply essential oils such as Clary Sage,
Lavender, and Geranium to the abdomen during your
menstrual cycle when you want a comforting massage.
Applying essential oils to your abdomen helps alleviate
occasional digestive discomfort. Fennel, Peppermint,
Ginger, and Coriander are just a few oils with soothing
properties.
Essential Oils for Beginners
33
Ideas for topical application
Feet
Another helpful way of applying essential oils topically is the
bottoms of your feet. When trying an oil for the rst time—or
when using oils on children—the bottoms of the feet are a
good place to start, because the skin there is thick and less
prone to sensitivity.
When applying oils topically to children or people
with sensitivities, be aware that there are some safety
considerations. We’ll address these in chapter 4.
Essential Oils for Beginners
34
Using Essential Oils
Internally
Both aromatic and topical applications of essential
oils are easy to experience. When you want
uplifting, energizing, or calming aromas, aromatic
usage provides a quick and simple access. When
you want to soothe, moisturize, nourish, or soften
your skin, topical usage can eciently deliver the
desired eect.
What then is the advantage of using essential
oils internally? While internal use of oils is a
mystery to some, research has found a myriad
of safe, benecial internal uses for essential
oils. Plus, internal usage of essential oils oers
some exclusive benets for the body that neither
aromatic nor topical can deliver.
Is it safe to take essential oils
internally?
Internal use has been greatly debated in the essential oil
community for years, but research continues to conrm
and validate its safety. If you’ve never taken essential
oils internally before, it might seem strange to consume
something so powerful and potent. However, essential oils
come from plants, fruits, and compounds found in nature;
therefore, they provide a safe way of receiving internal
benets. You’re likely already incorporating essential oils
into your daily diet, as many of the foods we eat contain a
small amount of essential oil.
Because our bodies are designed to metabolize and
process natural compounds like plants and fruit, we’re
already equipped to metabolize essential oils. Remember,
they’re just high concentrations of natural compounds—
what give plants their taste and smell. Because of the
way they interact with the body, it’s important to know
that some essential oils are never appropriate for internal
consumption, much like how certain plants should never be
eaten. However, plenty of oils—like plants—can be safely
ingested and processed by the body.
The French Model —
proven historical use
The French Model for essential oil application advocates for
the internal use of essential oils to achieve specic benets.
This model was backed by prominent professionals in the
world of aromatherapy, like Jean Valnet, Paul Belaiche, and
Henri Viaud. The French Model substantiates the idea that
oils can be used internally for health maintenance and other
wellness benets, as long as correct dosages are applied.
Essential Oils for Beginners
35
How internal usage works
So what happens when you take an essential oil internally?
When you ingest an oil, it directly enters your bloodstream
through your gastrointestinal tract, where it’s then
distributed throughout the rest of your body. Because oils
are lipid-soluble, they’re easily absorbed and transported
to your organs, including the brain. Though your body is
designed to metabolize and process natural compounds
like essential oils, it’s important to remember that the body
can only handle oils in appropriate doses.
Ideas for internal usage
While internal usage requires a little precaution and
education, you can safely use essential oils internally in your
daily life. Before you use essential oils this way, make sure
to read labels and instructions, paying particular attention to
oils that aren’t labeled as safe for internal use.
In a given day, you probably consume a variety of products
to try and strengthen, fortify, uplift, or energize your body.
While things like supplements and stimulants seem to help
the body function properly, essential oils provide a natural
way to keep yourself healthy and energized.
One of the simplest ways of enjoying the internal
benets of essential oils is to add a drop or two to
a glass of water. Not only will essential oils add a
fun and potent avor to plain water, but this also
provides an easy way to use oils internally. Because
you drink water every day, this method is one of the
most ecient for taking essential oils internally on a
consistent basis.
Add a drop of Lemon oil to a glass of water when
fresh lemons aren’t available, or when you’re trying
to avoid soda and sugary drinks. Consider placing a
drop or two of Lime oil in your water for enhanced
avor and antioxidant benets. You can add a drop of
Cinnamon oil with honey to hot water and sip slowly to
soothe your throat when it’s feeling scratchy. If you like
drinking tea, consider adding Peppermint, Cinnamon,
Roman Chamomile, or Lemon oils to your beverage.
Taking essential oils
with water
Essential oils can also be placed directly in your mouth
and swallowed for internal benets. Keep in mind that
essential oils are extremely potent, so even one drop
on or under the tongue will be quite powerful. For
essential oils that are too powerful to take directly,
dilute a drop in at least four ounces of water before
swallowing. Strong essential oils like Cassia, Cinnamon,
Clove, Oregano, and Thyme should always be diluted
before taking internally—or even better, place these
potent oils in a capsule before swallowing.
Taking essential oils
directly
Essential Oils for Beginners
36
There are many, many advantages to using essential
oil capsules. This is an eective method if you
don’t like the taste of essential oils, for ingesting
particularly potent oils, or when combining oils with
uncomplimentary avors. Using capsules provides a
quick and convenient way to deliver the benets of
oils to the body. When selecting supplement capsules,
look for ones that are easy to digest and are free from
preservatives.
Put a drop or two of Frankincense essential oil in a
capsule to promote cellular health, or add a drop of
Oregano to support your immune system. Whatever
oil you choose, using capsules makes it easy to
experience their benets internally.
Using essential
oil capsules
Adding essential oils to your favorite dishes and
beverages is a wonderful way of experiencing their
avors and their benets for the body. The smallest
amount of essential oil can enhance the avor of any
entrée, beverage, dessert, marinade, or other dish that
needs extra avor. Because oils are so potent, a little
goes a long way. To begin, dip a clean toothpick into
the essential oil, and then swirl into your dish. You can
always add more later if needed!
Consider using essential oils like Basil, Cilantro, and
Black Pepper to marinate and avor meat dishes. Oils
like Lavender, Wild Orange, and Rosemary are perfect
for adding a little avor to baked goods like breads,
muns, cakes, cookies, pies, and more.
The possibilities are endless. As you learn more about
how to use oils in cooking, you can start incorporating
them into any area of your cooking or baking.
Cooking and baking
with essential oils
As we’ve gone through the various uses for essential oils, hopefully you
can see how simple it can be. Before getting started, it’s important to
learn some rules of thumb for using them safely. In the next chapter,
we’ll talk about precautions to help you successfully and safely use oils
in your home. With a little knowledge about what essential oils are used
for, how to apply them, and safety practices, you’ll be ready to address
your health priorities with the best that nature has to offer.
Essential Oils for Beginners
37
Are Essential
Oils Safe?
One of the first things people want
to want to know about essential
oils is, “Are they really safe?”
Chapter Four
Not all oils are created equal,
and low-quality oils can have
synthetic additives or impurities.
Essential oils have a long history of safe and eective usage.
When you use pure essential oils in the appropriate amount,
they can absolutely be safe for your home, your family, and
yourself. Like anything else that you’d use in your home,
essential oils are safe when you adhere to recommended
dosage amounts and use them as intended.
Before using an oil, verify that it’s a high-quality and pure
essential oil. Only use essential oils that have gone through
extensive testing to ensure purity and safety. Not all oils
are created equal, and low-quality oils can have synthetic
additives or impurities. If you aren’t condent that an oil has
been tested for purity and safety, avoid using it.
Essential Oils for Beginners
38
How can I make sure I’m using
essential oils safely?
When it comes to using essential oils, there are a few safety
guidelines to keep in mind. Here are ve best practices for
safe essential oil usage:
1. Always read the labels
Each essential oil has certain uses and recommendations.
For example, not all oils can be taken internally, and
others require dilution when used topically. Pay attention
to any specic warnings on the essential oil’s packaging
and adhere to all recommendations provided by the
manufacturer.
Some essential oil labels warn against certain areas of
the body that should be avoided. However, even if the
label doesn’t mention it, always avoid putting oils into your
nose, inner ears, or eyes, as well as on broken skin or other
sensitive areas.
Some oils increase sun sensitivity.
This is particularly true of citrus
oils like Bergamot, Tangerine,
Grapefruit, Wild Orange, Lemon,
and Lime, as well as blends that
contain these oils.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, so it’s important to
check the labels for sun sensitivity warnings before
applying essential oils topically. Avoid direct sunlight
or UV rays—including tanning beds—for at least 12
hours following the use of such oils on your skin.
2. Be aware of possible sensitivity
It’s important to consider your personal needs when it
comes to safety. For example, if you have naturally sensitive
skin, you may need to dilute certain oils. You might nd that
specic oils cause sensitivity when you use them, even
when diluted. If that’s the case, you might avoid using that
oil, use a smaller amount, or alter your application method
to avoid sensitivity.
Some people might wonder about essential oils and
allergies. Can you have an allergic reaction to essential
oils? Allergic reactions occur when the body experiences
an abnormal immune reaction to a protein molecule.
Pure essential oils are completely made up of aromatic
compounds found in nature; they don’t contain protein
molecules. That means they don’t cause allergic reactions
in the same way that, for example, peanuts or eggs might.
However, essential oils can bind to proteins in the skin and
create a type of molecule that the body may recognize
as an allergen, thus creating an allergic response. This is
unusual and depends on many things, such as the type and
amount of oil being used, the individual’s protein levels, and
even genetics.
If you experience an adverse reaction to an essential oil,
stop using it immediately. For topical reactions, don’t try
washing the essential oil o with water, and do not apply
additional essential oils. Apply a neutral carrier oil to the
area instead. If the problem persists, talk to a healthcare
professional.
Essential Oils for Beginners
39
3. Pay attention to how much oil
you’re using.
Essential oils are safe to use, as long as the appropriate
dosage and application methods are observed and
followed. In the most extreme cases, exceeding dosage
recommendations for oils can lead to toxicity. Toxicity is
when a substance reaches a point that it becomes harmful
or damaging to the body. Any substance can be toxic if used
in an inappropriate dose or way. Even natural, seemingly
harmless substances like water, minerals, or vitamins can
become toxic when used or consumed in excess. Keep in
mind, you’d have to far exceed the recommended dosage
for an essential oil to reach toxic levels. As long as you’re
reading labels and adhering to safety recommendations,
you can avoid toxicity.
Whether you’re diusing essential oils, applying them to
your skin, or using them internally, it’s usually best to start
with smaller amounts. This makes it easy to see how your
body reacts, and then you can determine how much oil to
use on a regular basis.
You can minimize skin sensitivity when using oils topically
with one of the carrier oils discussed in chapter 3. Always
dilute an oil when using it for the rst time, applying it to
sensitive skin, or using with children. The suggested dilution
ratio is one drop of essential oil to ve drops of carrier oil.
Oils with a particularly strong chemistry should be diluted
even further, using one drop of oil with ten drops of carrier
oil. Some of these oils include Cassia, Cinnamon, Clove,
Oregano, and Thyme. Always pay attention to labels with
warnings about strong oils and dilute before applying them
to your skin.
Because essential oils are so potent, it’s always advisable to
use several small doses throughout the day rather than a single
large dose. Start with the lowest possible dose (one to two
drops), and then increase the dose as necessary to achieve
the desired benefit. After a certain point, using a higher dose
stops adding any noticeable benefit.
Essential Oils for Beginners
40
4. Supervise young children
Because children are smaller and more sensitive than
adults, it’s important to understand that the rules of
essential oils are dierent for them. Once you educate
yourself on the safety guidelines required for using essential
oils with children, it’s easy to help your kids reap the benets
that oils have to oer. If your children have specic health
conditions or concerns, consult with a physician. While
special precautions should be taken when using oils around
children, parents can still be condent that it’s safe for
children to use essential oils.
Always supervise essential oil application with your children.
Because children have more delicate skin, it’s always a
good idea to dilute oils before applying them topically. Try
applying the oil to the bottom of a child’s feet before other
areas. Store your essential oils out of reach of children to
prevent unsupervised use. In addition, you can also use
child-resistant caps to ensure your children don’t get into
your collection of essential oils accidentally.
5. When in doubt, talk to your
healthcare professional.
As mentioned, each person experiences essential oils
dierently. If you have specic health concerns, it’s a good
idea to consult with your doctor before using essential
oils. Your doctor knows you and your medical history and
can give you an informed opinion about the best ways to
use essential oils for your situation. Thankfully, even if you
have specic health issues or concerns, you can tailor your
essential oil usage to your needs and still enjoy their variety
of benets.
Essential Oils for Beginners
41
Using essential oils in special circumstances
In addition to these ve major guidelines, there are a few other common questions regarding essential oil safety.
Pregnancy
For example, people commonly wonder about
using essential oils during pregnancy and while
breastfeeding. Due to the ethical issue of testing
expecting mothers and their fetuses, limited
clinical studies address the safety of essential oils
during pregnancy. However, there’s a history of
safe use of essential oils during pregnancy, and
you can continue to use them while you
are expecting.
Pay attention to how you feel when using the
oils. During pregnancy, it’s not uncommon for a
woman to be more sensitive to oils. Due to these
sensitivities and all of the changes that occur in
the body when pregnant, it’s always a good idea to
consult with your doctor before using essential oils
during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
In addition to concerns about essential oils and
pregnancy, many ask about using essential
oils while breastfeeding. The body changes
signicantly during pregnancy, and these changes
don’t end with the baby’s birth—your body
continues to change as you adapt to postpartum
life. Just as you should discuss beforehand the use
of essential oils with your doctor for pregnancy,
you’ll also want to consult with him or her if you
choose to nurse.
Your healthcare provider is the best resource you
have for advice when it comes to your body, your
baby, and any special concerns you might have.
Pets
Another topic people commonly ask about is
essential oil use with pets and animals. While
there is some controversy surrounding the use
of essential oils on animals, they can be part of
a well-rounded program when used properly to
help your pets live happy, healthy lives. Be aware,
however, that some oils aren’t recommended
for use on animals. Before using them, educate
yourself on which oils are generally considered
safe for your particular pet.
When rst using essential oils on or around your
pet, start with a small amount of diused or
diluted oil, and then observe your pet’s behavior.
If you’re safely storing your essential oils, you
shouldn’t have to worry about pets accidentally
ingesting them.
Pets tend to be more sensitive to essential oils
than people. Before using oils topically on your
pets, it’s a good idea to dilute the oil—the smaller
your animal, the more you’ll need to dilute
before topical application. If you have concerns
about using essential oils on your pets, use your
veterinarian as a resource to determine best
practices for your specic animal.
Your healthcare provider is the
best resource you have for advice
when it comes to your body, your
baby, and any special concerns
you might have.
Essential Oils for Beginners
42
Your essential oil journey doesn’t end here.
Equipped with the best that Mother Nature has
to offer, you’re ready to harness the power of
the entire Earth to transform your whole life.
If you feel overwhelmed by all of these safety
guidelines, remember that essential oils are used
safely every day by millions of people. While it’s
important to educate yourself about safe uses for
oils, you have countless resources at your disposal
to continue your education and enjoy all that
essential oils have to oer.
When equipped with the proper education, you can
be an ambassador for wellness in your own home
and maybe even help others learn how to remove
synthetic products from their lives in order to
improve their health with
essential oils.
Never stop learning
Conclusion: Harnessing the
Power of the Entire Earth
When you started this book, you may have felt
concerned about the amount of toxins you
encounter each day and wondered if there was
anything you could do about it. You might have
been skeptical of essential oils, wondering if they
truly work. Or maybe you didn’t know exactly what
an essential oil even is.
Now, you’ve learned that essential oils are all
around us. You’ve seen how our ancestors used
the natural world to care for themselves and their
families. We’ve even walked through the journey
that a plant must take to become an essential oil.
You know that when you use essential oils, you
have the power of the Earth in your hands. With this
knowledge, hopefully it’s easy to see why people
around the world have used and continue to use
essential oils to improve their quality of life.
Want to learn more about
essential oils? Visit doterra.com
to continue your journey.
