How to Use Essential Oils
(Please see the Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Article Index at the bottom of this page, and on the main Essential
Oils page for more fun reading!)
How to Use Essential Oils Safely:
Essential Oils are very powerful components of plants - they have the capability of being harmful if improperly used. Essential Oils can be very helpful for some cases, supportive in others, and have
little to no effect in others. They are not intended to treat or cure serious medical conditions; there is no substitute for a consultation with a competent physician for any matters regarding your
health, or anyone else.
If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breast feeding, it is critical you consult your physician before using any essential oil. PLEASE READ THE CAUTIONS AVAILABLE
ON EACH INDIVIDUAL OIL PAGE before using any essential oil.
ALMOST ALL ESSENTIAL OILS MUST BE DILUTED PRIOR TO TOPICAL APPLICATION to the range of 1% to 5% in your chosen carrier (or 'base') oil - Lavender and Chamomile Oils being notable exceptions.
The Primary Methods of Using Essential Oils, Inhalation:
There are three traditional uses of Essential Oils in Aromatherapy: Inhalation, Topical Application, and Ingestion. Most essential oils can be used undiluted in a diffuser or oil lamp (sometimes called a 'burner') safely. A diffuser passes a continuous stream of air over your oil source - often simply straight from the
bottle - creating a fine evaporated mist without heating. A candle lamp incorporates a small bowl over a tea candle. The bowl is first filled with a small amount of water, into which a few drops of
essential oils are placed. The oils are evaporated through the gentle heating of the water by the candle.
GO SLOW, START WITH A SMALL AMOUNT! You will know when you've had enough - we tend to notice a distaste for the smell or even a mild headache coming on if the concentration of certain oils in the air
has gotten too high. Inhalation is often effective for mood-altering effects of essential oils; Rosemary for mental 'stimulation', Lavender for relaxation, etc. This is the direct effect of essential
oil components on the lymbic system (see About Aromatherapy).
One may certainly blend essential oils in a diffuser or burner, adding a couple drops of each oil
desired. Often a nice result can be had from mixing a brighter or sweeter oil (Rosemary, Basil, Orange) with one more earthy and grounding (Patchouli, Frankincense, Cedar). The effects are very personal - if you don't like the smell of a particular essential oil or combination of oils, there's
probably a reason and they're just not for you! Your intake could be too high or the oil(s) may not be compatible with your body chemistry at that time.
How to Use Essential Oils, Topical Application:
Perhaps even more common than inhalation, topical application is the preferred method of use for many essential oils. However, MOST essential oils require significant dilution as they can cause skin
irritation. Lavender Oil and Chamomile
Oil are two essential oils that can be applied 'neat' or without dilution; others, such as Cinnamon Oil and Oregano Oil should not be applied topically in most cases - they may be applied once highly diluted to the bottoms of the feet. A VERY
small amount should be tested first.
The interesting thing about topical application is that essential oils tend to pass through the skin fairly readily, as they are lipotropic (fat soluble) and their molecular structure is fairly small. Essential oils can pass into
the bloodstream and surrounding tissues. In this manner, their possible effects can be targeted - if one has
digestive trouble, rubbing Peppermint Oil diluted in a carrier
oil (a pure vegetable or nut oil) into the abdomen may help.
In the same way, rubbing Chamomile
Oil or Lavender Oil into the solar plexus (bottom
tip of the sternum) may help relieve tension.
A common concentration of essential oils in a carrier oil is 5%. This works out to 40 drops total of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil ~ or 1.5 millliters per each ounce (an ounce is 30ml). Essential oils are rarely used in higher concentrations, and lower concentrations are found in both face care blends, and formulas for children.
One of the most effective means of
topical application is reflexology, or more generally, foot massage. The feet are particularly suited to using the broad range of effects of essential oils, as they have many accupressure/accupuncture points corrosponding to different parts of the body. If you are new to such methods, their are many guidebooks available; you may simply start by gently massaging the feet with your blend, and noticing how you or your patient responds to different areas. Go with what feels good!
Using Essential Oils, Ingestion:
Finally, some essential oils are ingested, usually either in water or in capsules. As this technique is rare, and not really considered effective in most cases, we strongly suggest one refrains from
trying it unless noted specifically for that oil by a knowledgeable source.
Aromatherapy and Essential Oil Articles: