High-grade essential oils are part of every treatment in my office, included at no extra cost 🙂 A few drops of the right oil can help you relax, breathe deeper and settle into your session. I also love sharing my favorite ways to use them at home!
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils have been used for thousands of years in many cultures for health and wellness. Their uses range from aromatherapy and household cleaning to personal beauty care and natural remedies.
Essential oils are made by distilling or extracting different parts of plants, including the flowers, leaves, bark, roots, resin and peels. In ancient times, Jews and Egyptians made them by soaking plants in oil and then filtering the oil through a linen bag.
Essential oils are treasured for their soothing scents and for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. My #1 tip: before putting oils on your skin, mix them with a carrier oil such as coconut or almond oil.
Essential oils for spa and relaxation
For Relaxation and Sleep
Improve sleep: Sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow to help you fall asleep.
Relieve tension: Put a single drop of lavender oil on your hands, rub them together, cup your hands to your nose and let the smell flood your senses.
Immediate relaxation: Mix a drop of lavender with a little carrier oil and gently rub it on your temples.
Massage: Mix a few drops of cedarwood or lavender oil with an unscented lotion for a relaxing massage.
Relaxing bath: Add lavender oil, Epsom salts and sea salt to a warm bath to unwind and rejuvenate.
Foot bath: Add a few drops of lemon or eucalyptus oil to a large bowl of warm water to soothe tired feet.
Calm an upset child: Add a drop of lavender or chamomile to a favorite stuffed animal.
Yoga and meditation: Inhale lavender or sandalwood before class to relax, and mix clove and citrus oils with water to freshen your yoga mat.
Ease nausea: Breathe in peppermint oil through your nose. Ginger and lavender may also help.
For Skin and Beauty
Natural perfume: Use 1–2 drops of jasmine oil on your wrist as a fresh natural fragrance. Lavender and vanilla agree with most women, while cypress and clove work well for men’s cologne.
Body butter lotion: Mix coconut oil, shea butter, magnesium oil and your favorite essential oils for a moisturizing body lotion.
Homemade lip balm: Combine coconut oil, beeswax and lavender oil for an amazing balm for chapped lips.
Sugar scrub: Mix a few drops of an essential oil with almond oil and sugar or salt to make your own scrub.
Made my own body scrub with essential oils 🙂
Homemade deodorant: Combine coconut oil, beeswax and your favorite essential oils, such as cedarwood and clove for men, or lavender and tea tree for women.
Body spray: Add 5–10 drops to four ounces of water with a splash of witch hazel, and shake well before each use.
Acne face wash: Mix tea tree oil (melaleuca) with raw honey, rub gently on your face and rinse with water.
Freshen breath: Breathe in a little peppermint oil for a fresh, minty feeling.
Itchy scalp: Add lavender, cedarwood or basil oil to your shampoo.
Fuller-looking hair: Add rosemary oil to your shampoo for more volume.
Oily hair: Mix 10 drops of ylang ylang, lime and rosemary oil with two ounces of unscented oil, massage into your scalp 2–3 times a week and wash out as usual.
Deep hair conditioner: Mix 15 drops of rosewood with five drops of sandalwood and lavender into an unscented oil. Warm the mixture by placing it in a small plastic bag in warm water, apply to your hair, wrap for 20 minutes, then shampoo as usual.
Natural skin toner: Mix eight ounces of water with two drops of lavender, geranium and frankincense.
Strengthen nails: Mix 10 drops of frankincense, myrrh and lemon oils into two tablespoons of vitamin E oil, and rub on your cuticles.
Heal dry cracked feet: Add three drops of lavender oil to two tablespoons of coconut oil, apply to your feet at night and put on some socks.
Homemade toothpaste: Combine sea salt, baking soda, coconut oil and xylitol with a drop of peppermint oil, then brush.
Ingredients you need for toothpaste – takes 3–5 minutes to make 🙂
My Natural Bug Spray
It’s hot in Florida, and the bugs know it! Tired of little pests but don’t want (or can’t tolerate) chemicals? Try my homemade natural bug spray that works, AND smells good 🙂 Add 10–20 drops total of lemongrass, eucalyptus, citronella, peppermint and clove to a 2-ounce spray bottle filled with half witch hazel and half water. Shake well, then spray on your skin and clothes.
