essential oils 101

“the doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the human frame, in diet, and the cause and prevention of disease.”

— thomas edison

what are essential oils?

With all the buzz around essential oils right now, I'm sure you've heard people you know talking about how awesome they are. You may be wondering, though, what ARE they, actually? They are literally the oil extracted from the plant, usually through steam distillation. When oils are distilled very carefully, they can be incredible powerful for supporting our emotions and body functions.

who should use them?

Everyone. Not only do they support wellness by supporting our body functions and systems, they can also be super beneficial for emotional and spiritual well-being. They are also an amazing alternative to toxic cleaning chemicals! We can literally swap out every single chemical cleaning product in our homes to live a purer lifestyle and SAVE money!

HOW DO THEY WORK?

Each drop of essential oil contains countless molecules so tiny they can enter every cell of your body and some even cross the blood-brain barrier. Woah! Right? They are able to support our wellness in profound ways at a cellular level; cleansing, oxygenating and regenerating. There is no body function or system that is out of reach to be supported and regulated by essential oils.

how do i use them?

Aromatically | Topically | Internally

AROMATIC

Rub 2-3 drops of essential oil between your palms and inhale.

Use 5 drops or so of your favorite essential oils in your diffuser.

TOPICAL

Massage 2-3 drops of essential oil onto your skin with a carrier oil.

Add a few drops to epsom salts for an amazing bath.

INTERNAL

Place 2-3 drops of essential oil into a gelatin capsule and swallow with water.

Add a couple drops of oil to your food or drink.

Add 1-2 drops of essential oil to your water or NingXia Red for a boost.

“By simply placing a drop of Peppermint essential oil on the bottom of your feet, in 20 minutes your entire body will by infiltrated with 40 million trillion molecules, in effect consuming every cell in your body with 400,000 molecules each. Astounding!”

— Jen O'Sullivan, The Essential Oil Truth

quality is everything

If you've ever bought your oils at the market and found you were completely underwhelmed by them, you are not alone. Quality, friend. It is of the utmost importance.

Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs whatever we put on it, whether it is beneficial or toxic. With the essential oil industry being mostly unregulated, the vast majority of oils, even those labeled as "pure" or "organic" are only required to be 5% essential oils and the rest can be synthetic filler (toxins). That is why they are cheap. That is also why we get our oils from Young Living.

YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS USES HEIRLOOM QUALITY PLANTS THAT ARE BEYOND ORGANIC, NON-GMO, NON-HYBRID, NON-TREATED AND NON-PATENTED. THEY USE ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PEST CONTROL AND WEED BY HAND. THEY OWN THEIR OWN FARMS AND DISTILLERIES AND HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THE ENTIRE PROCESS. THIS IS CALLED THEIR SEED TO SEAL GUARANTEE. THEY TAKE GREAT CARE TO HARVEST AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME AND HAVE PERFECTED THE ART OF DISTILLATION. QUALITY IS THEIR GOAL AND EACH BATCH OF OILS MUST GO THROUGH SEVERAL IN HOUSE AND THIRD-PARTY TESTS. THEIR OILS EXCEED INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

All that to say, it brings much peace of mind to know that I do not ever have to worry about using their oils on my family. They are the purest of the pure and can even be safely ingested! Check the label on the essential oils at your local market and you will find they are not even safe for topical application, let alone internal use.

are they safe?

Young Living's oils are so pure and potent, that we must respect the drops like the powerhouses that they are. Safety is important, but it's also mostly common sense and becomes more and more intuitive as you begin using your oils every day. Here are a few suggestions that should get you started off right!

1. Store them in a cool, dark place with lids secure to maintain their properties.

2. Keep a carrier oil, like YL's V6 oil complex or coconut oil, on hand to dilute.

3. Always use glass containers with your oils, especially when drinking, since plastics contain chemicals that the oils will break down.

4. Only use YL's Vitality line internally. These are labeled just for internal use to make it easy!

5. For those with sensitive skin, it may be best to test a small area and wait 30 minutes before applying more.

6. Keep oils away from eyes and never put them directly in your ears. Should oils irritate or get near the eyes, use a carrier oil (like YL's V6 oil complex or coconut oil) to remove the oil and lessen discomfort. NEVER use water.

7. Citrus oils are photosensitive, and may cause a rash or darkening of skin if applied before direct sun exposure.

8. Those with epilepsy or high blood pressure should use caution when using high-ketone oils like basil, rosemary, sage or tansy.

9. Generally, the bottom of the feet is a very safe place to apply your oils.

the best way to get started

the premium starter kit

The Premium Starter Kit is definitely the best way to get started! Here is what you'll find inside the box:

thieves, lavender, Panaway, Purification, Lemon, Stress Away, Peppermint, Frankincense, Digize, Copaiba, RC

(The kit could also include 5 flex oils: Lemongrass, Orange, Citrus Fresh, Tea Tree , and Aroma Ease if any other of the main kit oils go out of stock!)⠀