Where do I start?
With the vast amount of essential oils to choose from you might be asking yourself that question. It’s best to start with the oils that are most useful to your personal needs. Use these tips to build a custom starter kit.
The first question you should ask yourself is: How will the oils be used?
For example, if you are preparing to overhaul your kitchen and attic, or want to do some spring cleaning, naturally, you might decide that an essential oil in the antibacterial family like lemon, pine or tea tree are more appropriate. On the other hand, if you are seeking to use an essential oil for relaxing, meditating or personal hygiene, then you might want to try something like basil, frankincense, lavender, patchouli or ylang ylang. Other oils like eucalyptus, peppermint or rosemary are great for the medicine cabinet and can help when your muscles are sore from strains, sprains or over working.
Choose a carrier oil
In aromatherapy, vegetable, nut or seed oils are used to dilute essential oils and are called carrier oils and also referred to as base oils. It is recommended that you always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before using directly on your skin. Carrier oils that you purchase should be pure, unadulterated and naturally extracted and always cold pressed to ensure that the vitamins and therapeutic fatty acids are not destroyed during the process of being manufactured. All carrier oils contain vitamins, minerals and fatty acids in varying proportions and provide benefits to our overall health.
Coconut Oil
Organic virgin coconut oil means pure, unrefined and unbleached. Native to Asia and the Pacific Islands for thousands of years the oil is make by using fresh coconut meat, which is wet milled or quick dried. The result is a clear coconut oil that retains the distinct scent and taste of coconuts. Light in texture, virgin coconut oil is considered one of the best carrier oils. It has great properties for the treatment for hair, the skin and is exceptional for protection against the hard rays of the sun. Essential oil blends containing virgin coconut oil will last a very long time.
Jojoba Oil
A vegetable oil or liquid wax extracted from the beans or fruit of the jojoba plant found in North America. Colors can range from golden yellow unrefined to clear highly refined. Jojoba oil combines readily with any essential or carrier oil, aiding their penetration into the skin. It is very similar in composition to human oil secretions. It is a radiant natural moisturizer, suitable for all skin types and in particular an excellent conditioner for the hair. Jojoba has antioxidant properties and keeps other oils from going rancid.
Olive Oil
The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean countries of the Middle East. The extracted or cold pressed oil is valued for its medicinal and beauty treatments. It has a golden hue in color. In aromatherapy Extra Virgin Olive Oil is best because the oil is extracted by mechanical or other methods which do not modify its basic properties. Olive Oil is good for the skin, a great conditioner for hair and nails and excellent in helping your skin retain its natural moisture.
Sweet Almond Oil
Is extracted from the kernels of sweet almonds in Sicily and Northern Africa. The oil is pale yellow in color. It is the most popular all-purpose carrier oil because of its light texture and pleasant scent. Almond oil is a good massage medium because it spreads easily and is still absorbed by the skin.
Aloe Vera Gel
Encourages skin rejuvenation, healing of wounds and treatment of sunburn, is also used to help in relieving arthritis pain, improving blood circulation, reducing scarring, and has anti-inflammatory properties. It is very important carrier oil because it is naturally hypoallergenic with about the same pH balance of the skin.
Essential oils (Start Small)
When you start using essential oils it’s important to start small with maybe three oils. Below is a list of five essential oils plus one absolute, which can be used for simple enjoyment and personal care.
Lavender
The sweet aroma, relaxant and antimicrobial properties make it the most versatile of the essential oils. It has antibiotic, sedative and antidepressant properties. It is known to stimulate the immune system. A calming oil, which treats insomnia and headaches, lavender is also renowned for its ability to hasten the healing of wounds, but what’s most important about lavender is it provides healing on a spiritual level.
Eucalyptus
Some of its many properties include analgesic, antiseptic, deodorant and expectorant. Its anti-infectious and wound healing properties make it a must-have household item. With metropolitan air quality declining, this environmental air purifier should be in widespread use. Keep the air clean with eucalyptus oil…start diffusing it today!
Tea Tree
A powerful antiseptic for its great value to help with concentration. It can be used to combat bacteria and it is excellent for skin conditions, such as acne. Tea Tree is the most used first-aid oil in the practice of alternative medicine. It seeks to cure infections like sunlight removing shadows. Every medicine cabinet should have a bottle.
Lemon
Is recognized universally as antiseptic and antibacterial. Lemon is known to stimulate the lymphatic and digestive system. Lemon is a powerful cleansing agent that purifies the air and surfaces, and can be used as a non-toxic cleaner throughout the home. When added to water, Lemon provides a refreshing and healthy boost throughout the day. Writing in her 1931 book on herbal medicine, Maude Grieve says, “The lemon is the most valuable of all fruit for preserving health.”
Peppermint
From childhood, we’re all familiar with the uplifting and refreshing scent of peppermint. Reports are abundant on its properties to improve digestion, to reduce minor headaches and it also acts as a stimulant when fatigue sets in. lastly, if you suffer from a muscle cramps and spasms? You may want to give peppermint oil a try! In a carrier oil when massaged it warms the muscles and helps reduce the pain.
Rose Absolute
In skin care rose nourishes all skin types; add a single drop into a fragrance free moisturizer, watch as the most basic cream takes on the honey hue of the world’s most luxurious skin food. Rose as a medicine matches the female cycle of maiden, mother and crone. Rose is a healer for all women – At each stage of her life, rose is there like the medicine woman of old, watching her carefully and silently extending a loving hand. Rose = Love. Rose helps us all look deeper and to see layers just like the beauty of the rose, with each layer being plucked we are free to love.
– Place a diffuser by your bed, add 5 drops of rose essential oil and lavender essential oil before bed, and allow the therapeutic benefits to lull you to sleep.
Finally add dried herbs (chamomile, lemon verbena, lavender, basil, etc.), spring water,
castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s is a popular brand. It’s both a fair trade brand and organic), glass jars, roller ball bottles, spray bottles and labels, and a great diffuser
(The Ultrasonic diffusers are a special type for dispensing essential oils into the air. Using high frequencies, the unit separates the essential oils into small particles producing a micro-mist that is circulated into the atmosphere). The mist stays in the environment for many hours depending on how long you set the timer on the unit should be included in this kit as well. This is a great starting point for your personal journey into aromatherapy