WHY DO I USE ESSENTIAL OILS?
I’ve always been super into alternative and natural medicine (hence most of the stuff on this site ; ) but after the birth of my daughter, I knew I wanted a safe form of natural medicine that I could confidently administer to her to deal with all the little growing pains that come with being a baby (teething, eczema, fussiness, runny noses, diaper rash, etc.) By the same token, as a breastfeeding mom, I wanted a healing modality I could use for myself as well, and be sure that I wasn’t ingesting or applying anything that could harm my baby. And thus my love affair with essential oils was born.
Essential oils are concentrated liquids that originate from the aromatic compounds of most herbs, flowers, trees, roots and seeds. They are in a sense the “essence,” or purest and most potent form of the plant from which they’re derived. They are an ancient form of natural medicine, with documented usage dating back as early as 3000 BC. Cultures from ancient Egypt, Rome, China, and India all made regular use of essential oils for medicinal and aromatic purposes.
They’ve been used to slow the signs of aging, prevent the spread of diseases, heal pain, inflammation, and illness. They’ve also been used ceremonially in religious and spiritual practices the world round.
I knew that alongside my love of homeopathics and herbs, essential oils were the next step in creating a healthy home medicinal practice for my self and my family. I’ve been getting more and more proficient in the use of oils for myself and my family over the past few years, and now use them every day to help with mood, energy, pain, digestion, cleaning, immunity, respiratory health and hormonal balance.
WHICH OILS DO I USE AND WHY?
I spent a long time researching and trying out different essential oils. I’ve used Doterra, NOW, and Young Living, but ultimately I settled on Rocky Mountain Oils. All of these brands are great, and you should definitely try a few out for yourself to see which ones you like best. I chose Rocky Mountain because I found their oils to be the most pure and well-sourced, which was important to me as I chose oils to put on my baby’s delicate skin. They do rigorous testing on every oil using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, and post the results of every test on their website so you can view the results for your own individual oil. They have a commitment to sustainability that extends from the small farms they source from to the bottles and packaging they use. And, unlike the other big essential oil brands, they don’t follow a multi-level-marketing model, so they’re able to offer the best prices around for the highest quality oils. They offer many of their most popular oils in an organic formulation, which is important to me. I really like that about the company, and combined with the fact that their oils are 100% therapeutic grade and are safe to use internally as well as externally (as per the instructions for each specific oil), I felt the most comfortable with using these oils for myself and my family. Plus, they offer the highest quality oils for the most affordable prices (compared to the other big brands), which means I can stock up and build my oil kits without breaking the bank.
HOW TO GET STARTED…
1. Get a Starter Kit
The best way to begin using oils is with a starter kit, and RMO has a bunch of different options to give you exactly what you need at the price point that works for you.
The Essentials Kit ($24.95)
This is your best bet if you’re new to oils and want to get your bearings. The most insanely affordable option, you get 6 of the most popular oils in a convenient 5 ml size. This will give you the opportunity to get all these oils into your routine before you upgrade to larger sizes and expand your collection.
Roll-On Daily Solutions Kit ($74.95)
This kit is great if you’re not ready to dilute your oils yourself, and don’t need to customize your use. This kit includes 5 of the most popular oils and blends for daily use, that come pre-diluted in 10 ml roll-ons that you can start using right away. If you know you love roll-on’s, there’s also the Roll-On Complete Kit with 10 oils ($124.95).
Organic Essential Oil Kit ($165.36)
If organic sourcing is as important to you as it is to me, the organic essential kit is perfect for you. It’s basically a create-your-own kit where you pick any 6 full-size organic oils and get 20% off the total order (making it a much better value). My picks would be lavender, lemon, frankincense, peppermint, tea tree and orange. It can still get pricey though, so you may want to pick your top used oils to source organically and go conventional with the rest.
Kids Line Complete Kit ($124.95)
If your primary use is going to be for your kiddos (like mine was when I started), this line is amazing. It comes with all the oil blends you could possible need for your littles, pre-diluted to a safe dilution in a convenient roll-on. These will last you quite some time and are such a wonderful support for growing little bodies and common childhood ailments.
2. Get a Diffuser
Diffusing is the safest and easiest way to start using oils right away without worrying about dilution. Most common oils are safe to diffuse during pregnancy and around newborns (though for short periods of time), and creating your own blends and experimenting with different combinations is so much fun. These are a few of my favorites…
RMO Droplet Diffuser ($29.95)
This is a perfect basic diffuser to get you started. It’s BPA-free, well priced, and can fill up to 400 square feet of your home with your essential oils!
Vitruvi Stone Diffuser ($90)
I prefer to minimize the amount of plastics in my home, especially when it comes to inhalants or topicals, so I like diffusers made of natural materials. This beauty is ceramic, very minimal and elegant, and powerful enough to diffuse throughout a large room.
Teo Aroma Diffuser ($80)
This beauty is made from ceramic and beech wood, is eco-friendly, BPA-free and features a lovely design.
Innogear Bamboo Diffuser ($25)
Another lovely natural material for diffusers is bamboo, and this is a very popular and elegant option. It is long running, and has a nice little night light LED feature.
3. Get some carrier oils
A high quality carrier oil is a must for safe topical application of essential oils. These bottles will last a long time, so it’s good to invest in the highest quality carrier.
Fractionated Coconut Carrier Oil ($9.95-$19.95)
If you only get one carrier oil, this is the one for you. Basically liquified coconut oil, this is good for all skin types (and the best option for Pitta Type Skin), is very easily absorbed and is a perfect base for your essential oils. I use this is a carrier for all my custom blends that I create and put in roller bottles, as it is affordable and universally applicable.
Almond Carrier Oil ($14.95)
Almond is excellent for super dry skin, as it is very rich, hydrating and nourishing, and is good for larger swaths of dry skin around the body or skin. Ideal for Vata Type Skin. I mostly use this with essential oils on my face.
Jojoba Carrier Oil ($19.95-$39.95)
Jojoba oil is a lovely, lightweight oil that closely resembles the natural oil produced by your skin. Great for skin that is prone to breakouts, balancing combination skin and scalp. This oil is best for Kapha Type Skin.
Avocado Carrier Oil ($14.95)
Avocado oil is very rich and nourishing and is ideal for mature, sensitive and/or dry skin. It promotes collagen production and is great for anti-aging. I typically use a bit to mix into different blends for face, chest, and thighs.