What are Essential oils? 

Essential Oils are volatile compounds derived from pressing or distilling plant materials like chamomile, rose, peppermint, lavender, orange, and geranium. Before use, it is extremely important to dilute essential oils in their proper ratios with carrier oils such as jojoba, grapeseed, coconut, or almond oil.

Most of us have enjoyed a London Fog or Earl Grey tea once in our lives, many without realizing that the sweet citrusy aroma and taste stems from energizing and uplifting bergamot oil. And who hasn’t brushed their teeth with peppermint toothpaste at least once?

Entire books have been written on these precious oils, listing hundreds of uses and thousands of ways to blend them. I’m here to take you on a short journey through some popular and interesting favorites we all can incorporate into our lives.

Essential Oils in History:

An essential oil story I absolutely adore, is that of the Thieves combination:  A gang of French robbers, stealing from both living and dead plague victims is brought to a court for judgement. The king exclaims, “Share with me your defense against contracting this deadly plague and I will spare your lives.”

Dawning the plague doctor masks, the thieves would douse themselves and their masks with eucalyptus, rosemary, clove, cinnamon, and lemon. Through time this recipe has been passed down and is well known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties as well as its respiratory and anesthetic benefits.

How can we use these oils today? 

Let’s start with Rosemary. This oil is often used as a preservative and to promote hair growth! For the latter, mix a drop or 2 with castor oil or shampoo and conditioner and massage into the scalp to stimulate blood flow to the area. Rosemary has also shown potential to assist with focus, memory, and attention.

Eucalyptus is a pungent oil commonly used along with clove as a decongestant, great for the sniffles, allergies, or a sinus infection. Diluted in chest rubs or a few drops steamed in the air can help with drawing out mucus to promote healing and the elimination of viruses and bacteria from the body.

Clove propery diluted along with ginger, cinnamon, chamomile, and peppermint can be used to ease digestive upset. Clove is also a powerful traditional remedy for tooth sensitivity and aches. Add a drop to your toothpaste or mouthwash ensuring you rinse well after use.

Myrrh Aside from the thieves’ blend, Myrrh has also been traditionally used in pharmacology as an antiseptic and analgesic in mouthwashes and toothpastes.

Myrrh and Frankincense along with camphor, calendula and wintergreen have found purpose in salves for bruising, minor sprains, and muscle pain.

Essential Oil’s Many Uses:

Many essential oils can be found in popular pharmaceuticals as well as natural topicals including: facial care, muscle rubs, creams, ointments, bug sprays, and decongestants. Special blends are combined to balance mood, energize the spirit, ground the body, focus the mind, or ease us into relaxation and sleep.

To learn more, check out our variety of popular essential oils chart with a breakdown of applications and uses.