What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are sourced from nature and are a collection of aromatic compounds extracted and distilled from plants. Yes it’s all about chemistry.
You will have used essential oils and never have known it – if you’ve had a diet soft drink or ate a lolly/sweet you are likely to have ingested an essential oil. They are not a new phenomenon. Proof of essential oil use dates back to ancient civilisations where they were used for beauty, as medicines, and as part of spiritual practice.
They can be grouped into 6 ‘families’ and within each family there are many oils each which can have their own unique chemical composition.
- Citrus
- Mints
- Herbs & Grasses
- Spices
- Trees
- Florals
Are all Essential Oils created equal?
Sadly not all oils in the market are pure essential oil. In order to be called an essential oil in the Australian market there only needs to be a small percentage of the oil itself in a bottle. Many oils include chemical fillers or lower grade with similar chemical properties.
Where the crop is grown and when it is harvested also has an impact on the oil and its chemical composition. In order to know what you have in a bottle of oil its important to buy from a company who has rigorous testing and quality standards.
At HMF we use only doTERRA essential oils. With the testing regime and the sourcing of oils from where they are their most potent, we can be confident with what is in the bottle and that we can get similar results from a particular oil over time as the chemical composition can be relied upon.
How can I use good quality Essential oils?
Good quality essential oils can be used in up to three different ways. Not all oils can be used in all three ways – make sure you read the instructions on each bottle and do your research.
Aromatically
This simply means you are breathing in the aroma of the oil. This is one of the quickest ways to lift or change your mood and the mood of a room.
You can do this by:
- Taking the top off the bottle and taking three deep breaths
- Popping a drop or two on some aromatherapy jewellery like HMFs own earrings
- Using a diffuser. No longer do we pop oils in a ‘burner’ – rather we use a water diffuser which creates a cool water mist.
Topically
This is simply mixing a drop or two of an essential oil with an appropriate carrier oil and then applying directly to our skin.
Why use a carrier oil like Fractionated Coconut Oil? It does two things – it keeps the oil in place for a little longer and limits evaporation, and it reduces the risk of developing a skin sensitivity
Remember one drop is almost always enough – check your dilution rates which will differ from human to human and to pets. The smaller the human and the smaller the pet the more carrier oil required. Less is more in the world of oil.
Hot oils also mean dilution will be higher. Hot oils are those that really give you a pow when you breathe it in – peppermint is a prime example.
Food Flavouring
Certain oils that are good quality can be used as a food flavouring. Not all oils can or should be used in this way. Always read the instructions on the bottle. Citruses, Mints and Herbs tend to be the families that are commonly used in this way.
As the oil is so concentrated only a drop or in some case a toothpick of the oil is needed in a recipe.
How do I use my oils Safely?
Here are some common tips
- Read the label and educate yourself by researching the oil
- Make sure you are using good quality oil with a quality regime you trust
- Less is more – we get into trouble when we think more is a good idea in oils –its not
- Start off slowly – introduce a new oil aromatically; if using topically dilute it appropriately and pop it on your feet
- If it’s a hot oil treat it with the respect it deserves
- Listen to your body and those of your family. If an oil turns off your child then find one that doesn’t. Many oils overlap in their chemistry.
- Keep your oils away from your sensitive body parts including eyes, ears etc. If you do eg rub your eyes after using an oil dab a cotton ball with Fractionated Coconut Oil or any other CARRIER oil you can find and gently dab the area
- Treat your oils as you would a knife drawer with young children. Store them away in a place they cannot reach or access. As they get older and you know oils that they can use safely you can have those in a place they can access. For example a roller ball with lavender may be just right for them at bedtime.
- If you are adding oils to a bath – make sure they are safe to use in that way and then mix a drop or two with Epsom salts and pop that in your bath. That will ensure the oil doesn’t sit on the top of the water.
- When diffusing use a good quality diffuser with an automatic shutoff if it runs out of water, and the ability to vary the times and flow of mist.
- If diffusing in an enclosed space with children and animals ensure there is an open door/window or a way of escape.
- Grab some great resources – there are many books, websites apps etc that you can tap into for lots of ways to use your oils safely. Have them on hand.
- Learn from each other – we are all experts in what we know
