Intro to Essential Oils

“What are those hippy smelling oils?” I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me this question. But I’ll let you in on a little secret; you don’t have to be a hippie to enjoy essential oils and their amazing benefits! So, what are essential oils and what’s so great about them? Sit back, relax, and I’ll give you the 411 in this intro to essential oils.

What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the life of the plant. They are a concentrated composite of all the unique chemicals that medicinal plants contain that give the plant its healing properties. They are generally extracted from the leaves (ex. Lavender)  and petals (ex. Rose). Brady and I chose to become Young Living Essential Oil customers after observing operations at one of their herb farms and processing centers. Let me describe the steps in producing these amazing essential oils.

The plants are harvested at peak ripeness and then go through a steam distillation process to draw out the essential oil. The oil is then collected and bottled without additives to preserve its full, 100% pure potency. Why is the “no additive” part such a big deal? Well, that’s because the additives can be chemicals that cause harm to your skin… which defeats the purpose of using essential oils in the first place, right?! I experienced the Young Living difference when I applied some cheap brand at a health food store. I got a chemical burn! Ouch! But, when I used the same species of essential oil produced by Young Living, it HELPED my skin to repair itself and even boosted my skin’s overall look. I was sold on Young Living after that!

Because there is no essential oil regulation agency, any company can claim to make “therapeutic grade” essential oils, even if they use very little, if any, plant-based oil in their products. So how is Young Living different? They have a Seed-to-Seal promise. Meaning, they grow their OWN plants and distill and process their own oil. But wait, it gets better. You are WELCOME to go to their farms and see their distillation process and ask questions. To me, that speaks volumes to their integrity, which is why Young Living is the only essential oil producer that I trust when shopping for pure essential oils.

How to Use Them

Now that we’ve talked about what essential oils are, let’s discuss how they can be used. It amazes me how versitle 100% pure essential oils are in helping us to boost our immune systems and improve overall quality of life. We personally use Young Living essential oils for everything from cooking and cleaning the kitchen to hygiene and hollistic remidies. They truly do help us reduce the toxins that are so prevelant in our everyday lives. Here are examples of the ways that you can use essential oils to also gain their benefits for your life!

[convertkit form=817745]

• Aromatically – The most common way to use essential oils. Improving the smell of your home without the elaborate chemicals and accelerants found in commercial air fresheners, which can be harmful to your lungs. Diffusing essential oils also have an emotionally uplifting benefit as well due to their properties that balance the chemistry within your brain. Personally, I use the blend Release to help me during an anxiety attack to center and ground myself. Don’t let this route fool you into thinking that it is weak because of its indirect nature, I have used this method to calm my panicked 1200 pound horse!
• Topically – Essential oils quickly absorb through the skin and cross into the bloodstream. The unique healing properties of each essential oil interact with your body on a cellular level to enhance tissue function. For me, Lavender is my go-to topical essential oil. I use it for so many things around the home, like body wash for the whole family, skin care for myself, beard oil for Brady, and even DIY butt balm to fight diaper rash. Peppermint and Wintergreen are powerful against muscle and joint aches, and are our favorite for immediate pain relief.
• Internally – This is ONLY recommended with quality, 100% pure essential oils such as those produced by Young Living. Young Living has a product line called “Vitality” that contains all their essential oils and other products that are safe for consumption. An example would be Digize, a blend of oils that supports your digestive system. Brady will use it by placing a drop or two in his mouth before meals to prevent heartburn. At the first sign of sickness, we will fill up and swallow a capsule with Oregano and Basil essential oils, which often times nips the sickness in-the-bud.

So, why do I neeeeed essential oils in my life?  Let me share with you my WHY!

Growing up, I was raised that if Pinesol or bleach couldn’t do the cleaning job, then nothing else could. But, I was always puzzled by why they always made me feel nauseous when I was around them. Well, it’s because the chemicals are so potent that they can actually do damage to your cells.
Don’t get me started on cosmetics! What girl doesn’t like to smell pretty? I sure do! The perfume I was using was full of parabens, which are linked to increased cancer rates, and I was putting that on my skin!  And when I became a mama, I checked out baby soap and lotions and found the same thing. Now, I wouldn’t jump straight to “I’m a hippie,” but why would I want to put those harsh chemicals on myself and my babies and then clean my home with them? So I made the switch to Young Living products and actually SAVE money as well! Win-win. If you haven’t looked, you might be surprised by the wide range of health and household products that they make.
 
Now I have to ask, are you ready to make the switch? If you’ve found your WHY, let us help you discover the HOW! Check out our guide to getting started with essential oils!