I love a list!
Lots of us have been using essential oils for some time now, why don't we come together as a community and share our "stuff" so the newbies out there can learn from our experience! Please contribute your brilliant suggestions to this Big Fat List of great ways to use essential oils in the comments sections below!
I'll start the list off with a few suggestions of my own...
1. Got hiccups? Dab some peppermint on the back of your neck, a little on each side of the spinal cord.
2. Runny nose? Swipe a drop of lemon down each side of the nose to dry it up.
3. Can't focus? Combine peppermint and wild orange, apply to the back of the neck, next inhale the oil left on your hands.
4. Itchy, irritated eyes? Dab lavender on the facial bones surrounding your eyes (careful to keep oil away from eyes). If applying to children, make sure they don't rub their eyes until oil is absorbed.
5. Allergies? Mix up equal parts of lavender, lemon and peppermint ~ nature's antibiotic! Apply to bottom's of feet morning and night. Diffuse if possible.
6. Ear Ache/Infection? Combine 2 drops basil or melaleuca with a some carrier oil such as coconut or olive oil and rub around the rim of ear, behind ear and just inside. Apply several times a day. Never drop essential oils into the ear.
7. Trouble breathing? Due to congestion or asthma? Apply Breathe blend on chest, then cup one hand against palm with residual Breathe oil on it ~ creating an "inhaler" ~ and suck the vapors from palm into chest for quick relief.
8. Bad breath? A drop of peppermint and you're kissable fresh again!
9. To freshen laundry? Add a few drops of your favorite oil onto a clean rag and toss into the dryer with wet laundry.
10. Smelly carpet? Add 10 drops of your favorite oil to a box of baking soda or cornstarch, mix well and let sit for a day. Sprinkle on carpet, let sit for an hour and vacuum the stink away!
11. Athlete's foot? Melalueca works wonders! Apply neat to affected areas.
12. Toe fungus? Melaleuca to the rescue again! Use neat, dab affected toe with saturated q-tip applying to the surface of toenail morning and night.
13. Unsightly warts or skin tags? Apply morning and night. If using Oregano, use a Qtip to dab one drop of on affected area...this will give you good control of application. Oregano is a hot oil so you won't want to spread it around. Skin tags fall off quickly with Oregano, you'll be impressed! Wart removal can take several weeks depending on how large it is underneath the skin.
For kids: Lavender or lemon works wonderfully too! Apply morning and night and don't cover with a bandaid, it's important to let the area breathe. Also, it's convenient to put the EO in a roll-on bottle so kids can apply themselves...they like taking charge :)
14. Cellulite Woes? Pour a bottle of grapefruit into a bottle of fractionated coconut oil and rub into problem areas after shower or bath. You'll smell divine and your skin will be so soft!
15. Diaper Rash? Mix up some Diaper Spray. 18 oz water, 1 t. organic body wash, 4 drops melaleuca, 4 drops lavender. (great diaper rash preventative too!)
16. Sanitizing Wipes: Make your own, or add lemon and lavender to store bought baby wipes. Remove wipes from container, squeeze out excess moisture and let dry out a few hours. Mix 1/2 C. very warm water, 1 T. coconut oil, 6 drops lemon, 6 drops lavender, let coconut oil melt, stir and pour over slightly dried out store bought wipes. Squeeze out excess water. These are awesome!
17. Dogs w/ Fleas? Drip a couple drops of melaleuca on back of collar. Or, tie a bandanna with a few drops of melaleuca around your dogs neck and watch fleas flee!
18. Dog's w/ Ear Infection? Couple of drops of melaleuca and carrier oil on a cotton ball, wipe inside of ear several times a day.
19. Dog w/ Sunburned Nose? Dab a little lavender with carrier oil on his honker.
20. Muscle Ache? 1 part Deep Blue blend with 4 parts fractionated coconut oil as a penetrating, pain relieving massage oil.
21. Healthy candle scent? Add a few drops of your favorite oil to the melted wax of a burning candle for a better scent.
22. Mice? Place cotton balls with peppermint in problem areas
23. Fever? A few drops of peppermint mixed with a carrier oil and applied to the torso can drop body temp 3 degrees in minutes!
24. Burns? A drop of lavender or lemon will immediately stop the pain and tissue damage.
25. Heartburn? A couple drops of peppermint in a small glass of milk will knock out the heartburn.
Personally, I use doTERRA essential oils because they can be taken internally, they work and there is absolutely NO shelf life...because they're so pure. doTERRA essential oils will outlive the both of us if kept out of sunlight and sealed.
Now it's your turn to add to the Big Fat List! What are your favorite ways to use essential oils?
For kids: Lavender or lemon works wonderfully too! Apply morning and night and don't cover with a bandaid, it's important to let the area breathe. Also, it's convenient to put the EO in a roll-on bottle so kids can apply themselves...they like taking charge :)
14. Cellulite Woes? Pour a bottle of grapefruit into a bottle of fractionated coconut oil and rub into problem areas after shower or bath. You'll smell divine and your skin will be so soft!
15. Diaper Rash? Mix up some Diaper Spray. 18 oz water, 1 t. organic body wash, 4 drops melaleuca, 4 drops lavender. (great diaper rash preventative too!)
16. Sanitizing Wipes: Make your own, or add lemon and lavender to store bought baby wipes. Remove wipes from container, squeeze out excess moisture and let dry out a few hours. Mix 1/2 C. very warm water, 1 T. coconut oil, 6 drops lemon, 6 drops lavender, let coconut oil melt, stir and pour over slightly dried out store bought wipes. Squeeze out excess water. These are awesome!
17. Dogs w/ Fleas? Drip a couple drops of melaleuca on back of collar. Or, tie a bandanna with a few drops of melaleuca around your dogs neck and watch fleas flee!
18. Dog's w/ Ear Infection? Couple of drops of melaleuca and carrier oil on a cotton ball, wipe inside of ear several times a day.
19. Dog w/ Sunburned Nose? Dab a little lavender with carrier oil on his honker.
20. Muscle Ache? 1 part Deep Blue blend with 4 parts fractionated coconut oil as a penetrating, pain relieving massage oil.
21. Healthy candle scent? Add a few drops of your favorite oil to the melted wax of a burning candle for a better scent.
22. Mice? Place cotton balls with peppermint in problem areas
23. Fever? A few drops of peppermint mixed with a carrier oil and applied to the torso can drop body temp 3 degrees in minutes!
24. Burns? A drop of lavender or lemon will immediately stop the pain and tissue damage.
25. Heartburn? A couple drops of peppermint in a small glass of milk will knock out the heartburn.
Personally, I use doTERRA essential oils because they can be taken internally, they work and there is absolutely NO shelf life...because they're so pure. doTERRA essential oils will outlive the both of us if kept out of sunlight and sealed.
Now it's your turn to add to the Big Fat List! What are your favorite ways to use essential oils?
I really want to try to make a homemade version of Poo Pourri. That stuff works wonderful and smells great, but I definitely think I can make it cheaper. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou got me. What is poo pourri?
DeleteI think she means potpourri ;)
DeleteNope...there's a hot new product called Poo Pourri. Truly, there is!
DeleteIt's for using in a toilet to stop any bad smells :) Put 3-4 drops in the toilet before going; the oil makes a seal on the top of the water.
DeleteI don't think it matters what kind of oil you use; I just use a cheap eucalyptus oil I found online and keep it in my purse.
Lavender, the only oil I have used to date, is great for the fleas too! Put a few drops on a cotton ball and dab on the unreachable part of their neck. I also put some in a spray bottle to treat their beds. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat tip! I'm going to try this for the beds!
DeleteI like to apply Breathe to each side of my nose and around and over my cheek bones where my sinus passages are. This keeps my nose from plugging up when I sleep.
ReplyDeleteCould I get my husband to stop snoring with Breathe?
DeleteOkay, I tried this last night...it worked great! Thanks for the tip Linda!
DeleteOn guard!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo for the focus....do you mix em or just a few drops of each??
You can mix or you can layer, whatever is most convenient for you.
DeleteFor focus what eo to use? I'm missing the post. I am thinking real hard of butting some doterra oils for extreme chronic stress pain, what do you recommend and how to apply?
DeleteThanks so much
I am so excited to get started using eo's but EEK there are so many choices out there! and how the heck do you use them? drink em? rub em on? I've been to the doterra site. They're a little expensive (I'm a cheapy) and I know, I know, you get what you pay for. My daughter takes some meds for some issues and I would LOVE to get her off of them, my fiance just had surgery for varicose veins (we don't want to ever do that again), I work construction and currently am in a steel mill and the air quality is horrible and my nose is forever stuffy...just a few things I would love to use the EO's for. Anyone up for helping me out? Is there a great book out there that would teach me everything I need to know??
ReplyDeleteThere's a great book out there! Modern Essentials: A Modern Guide to the Use of Essential Oils. Written for use of doTERRA oils though. I understand that they're a little more expensive but for the situations you mentioned in your comment, you will need pure plant essence in order to treat. This is your family's health we're talking about. How awesome would it be if you could reduce the dependency on Drs and prescriptions? How much money would that save you? Just in case you weren't aware of this, if you buy a membership for a nominal fee, you get 25% off those retail prices you're looking at. If you buy an oil kit, you save the membership fee. There are so many options for saving on oils with doTERRA! Please, just ask me! In addition to a superior product, the education available to anyone who is part of doTERRA is priceless.
DeleteThanks so much and you are absolutely right...they will be worth it! Is the book on their site also? I'll be looking into it a little deeper this weekend. Again THANK YOU!
DeleteAutumn (love the name...it's my oldest daughter's middle name) ANYWAY, I won a small kit from Rebecca. I had a few oils around, and plan to slowly build up my supply but there really is a difference in what you buy at the natural foods store and the doterra...I was pretty astonished as I'd not believed it before...I do now! And no, I am not a doTerra rep...yet. :D
DeleteThank you so much for sharing your experience with doTERRA oils because I feel sometimes like I'm talking and talking and talking and no one gets it! These oils are SO special, I just want everyone to experience them...hence all my giveaways. I don't know of any other way other than actually giving oils away to share them, it just has to be a hands on deal I guess. Anyway, I really appreciate that you sharing this, thank you!
DeleteThis is just marvelous! Thank you so much for the list!
ReplyDeleteHow about Frankincense either neat or a few drops mixed with a carrier like coconut oil for a better face texture and to lighten age spots...
You're welcome! I love frankincense, I take it orally everyday. I put frankincense, ylang ylang, lavender and geranium together in a rollerball bottle and hit the problem spots after washing my face. I also put oils in my coconut oil facial cleanse. Love Frankincense!
DeleteI just found your blog today. I use DoTerra exclusively. Love them. One of my favorites it DigestZen. Cures almost any tummy ache me or my kiddos have. I also clean with Vinegar, Water, Purify and a teaspoon of Borax. It's my go-to instead of chemicals.
ReplyDeleteLove your site.
Julie
www.raisingthreeknightsandaprincess.com
Julie, I love your cleaning recipe! Thanks for your kind words too...so happy that you found Camp Wander, stay tuned for more goodies :)
DeleteI 'wandered' over here from Jillee's blog, LOVE both blogs and intend to check out Dori's too. I'm very much a newbie to EOs and really appreciate the list and suggested uses. I was looking at a different brand mentioned on another blog and thought I'd get them after comparing the cost of those vs the cost of doTERRA oils, but after reading the comments I think I'll wait until I can get doTERRA.
ReplyDeleteI'm fed up with all the chemicals in EVERYTHING and want to find a better way. We have 13 grandkids and 7 greatgrandkids and I want to be able to offer natural, healthy remedies for them too.
Thank you so much for your wonderful blog and for sharing so many helpful ideas.
I like Wanderers :) Happy wandered over! I promise you, essential oils such as doTERRAs are a wonderful investment and a very effective, safe and powerful way to take care of your family's health. What a great example you can set for all those generations too :)
DeleteThanks! I'm sure I'll be back often seeking advice on which oils to use for what. :) I'm also trying to get my large brood to a eat a more healty diet. This is a major undertaking for some branches of the family tree, but I'm a tough ol bird! LOL
DeleteOne of my favorite's of Do Terra is their Serenity blend. I have severe insomnia when I'm pregnant and my Midwife suggested trying this. I slept better with my last pregnancy than I have In my whole life. (I was even prescribed ambien it was so bad.. didn't help.) Then I found serenity and it changed my life. I LOVE DO TERRA!
ReplyDeleteSo good to know! I'll pass this on to my two pregnant daughters :)
DeleteI LOVE Serenity. One of my kids has hard a hard time with bedtime for a while. When I became desperate I would give her Melatonin (sp?) but my husband did not like the idea of her being dependent on something to fall asleep with-even if it is natural. I bought the Serenity & started using it and with in 2 days the crying at bedtime stopped & she falls asleep faster with that then the Melatonin. I put a drop behind each ear start from the middle & wipe it down toward the jaw. I even started using it on myself on those nights I needed help winding down. LOVE it!
DeleteAnother that I used throughout pregnancy and when our ENTIRE family had food poisoning was Digestzen. CURE'S throwing up on contact. mix with peppermint and lemon for flu bugs and drink. for nausea simply put a drop on or under your tongue.
ReplyDeleteLove Love Love DigestZen!
Deletehi Rebecca, I have been looking for the post you did a while back about treating your son's dog with EO...my moms dog is itching something terrible but cant get into the vet for another week...any suggestions??? much appreciate any ideas :)
ReplyDeleteYes! Melaleuca diluted with a carrier oil, rub in down into skin past the fur if possible. Then layer with Lavender...undiluted...to soothe.
DeleteGood luck!
carrier oil being coconut or olive oil??? I'm just learning all these terms...lol - so far you've been a great instructor!! :)
DeleteQuestion: Have you personally used the grapefruit oil for cellulite and seen a difference? It's a tip I keep reading about, but no one I talk to has ever actually tried it with success...so I'm curious!
ReplyDeleteThis is probably weird, but when I get a bad headache, I use Breathe. It works better for me than peppermint eo or even tylenol!! Rub a small amount onto my temples. Love it.:)
Yes on the Grapefruit question, I love it! I empty a whole bottle into a bottle of Fractionated Coconut Oil and use this combo for my moisturizer after a shower, love it!
DeleteYour comments about headaches and what works for you makes perfect sense. Essential oils work differently for everyone, it's important to try new combinations etc. Good for you!
I dripped a couple drops of clove on a new vacuum cleaner bag, weeks ago! Got it out this week to slurp up pine needles and could still smell the clove! So much better than stale dust.
ReplyDeleteLove your Blog!!...My tip..I use a On Guard Sprizter and spray my furnace filters gently when I change them...thanks so much for sharing...
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! I just came down with a horrible cold and I was directed to your site through a google search. The lemon on the nose works immediately. I do have to say that I will need to dilute mine next time as it started to burn. Must have been too strong, however it did work. I also Used your allergy mix however I added in a little eucalyptus with mine and mixed with Coconut oil Thank you for all the awesome tips
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely welcome!
DeleteI use Peppermint behind my ears or or rub on my temple for a headache. I am new to EOs and have a hard time with the price, but buying one at a time I should be able to build a first aid kit soon. Do you have any advice for bumps/bruises for my one year old son (which he seems to be getting everyday?)
ReplyDeleteYou'd be amazed at what lavender can do for those bumps and bruises! Add a little carrier oil becauser sometimes lavender can be strong for kids
DeleteWhen you say a little carrier oil, what does that mean? Like is there a good ratio? Or is there a list somewhere that says what good ratios for adults and kids are? I want to use this one my kids but I want to do it right so they know it works and don't end up hating it.
DeleteHM...just a drop or two of carrier oil to help dilute oil and provide good coverage.
DeleteMy son hits his head a lot and FRANKINCENSE is amazing!! We have had zero gooseggs and bruises are gone in about 2 days instead of 2 weeks.
DeleteI am new to do terra and am wanting to find something to help me with depression. I really want to get off my medications. I am willing to try anything. I have many friends who have seen great results with these oils but I just don't know where to start. So you have any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteTry ylang ylang, lavender, the citris blend, or something else. There are so many different eo that doterra sells for depression. It would really depend on what your body would use the best for the depression issue but it is recommended for you to not stop taking your medicine. It can cause serious side effects especially if you've been taking them for a long time.
DeleteCan anyone tell me how to cure gum pain in a 4 year old?? There's nothing obviously wrong, but he cries over them, and liquid oral pain reliever doesn't help!
ReplyDeleteAlice, we use Clove EO with olive oil to help with gum pain. I use 1 drop with 2 TBS of olive oil - clove is super strong! It's helped our infant with teething.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if anyone has found something that works for cramps after having a baby? When I nurse for the first couple days the cramps are out of control! With my last one even after taking two percocet and ibuprofen 800 I was still in a ton of pain and they said it gets worse with each child. I am due in 2 weeks and this is my biggest worry right now.
ReplyDelete