How Are Essential Oils Used?

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As mentioned earlier, there are several ways to use essential oils. Indeed, depending on how creative you are, you can find enough ways to use them to substantially change the way you do just about anything: cleaning, treating ailments, decorating, relaxing, grooming, spicing up relationships, etc. Most people, when they think of aromatherapy, immediately think of how things smell. Well, this makes sense; not only is the word “aroma” right there in the technique’s name, but the essential oils are often very strongly scented due to their high concentration. But some of the ways to use essential oils rely more on their chemical properties than on their scents. Here, we’ll explore a few methods including diffusion, topical uses, baths, and ingestion.
Diffusion/Vaporizing This is probably the best-known method of using essential oils. This is simply “diffusing” the essential oil into the air by warming it (diluted with water using the 2 – 3% rule above). Most diffusers/vaporizers that I have seen use tea light candles, but there are some that are electric or which are designed to fit around a light bulb, which warms it when turned on. Commercial aromatherapy diffusers are very easy to find and can be fairly inexpensive. (I’ve purchased several for $1 each at local “dollar stores.”)
Diffusion is a great way to use the oils, because you benefit from them in multiple ways. First, the scent fills the room, and can help create an intended atmosphere. This becomes especially important when you’re trying to affect the overall mood of a space. Some essential oils will promote calm, tranquil feelings. Others will help to energize and invigorate. And yes, sometimes all it takes is the appropriate scent in the air!
Second, the “aroma” of aromatherapy is a bridge to very physiological responses. When you breathe in a scent, your olfactory nerve cells send an electrical message to the brain. This information from the olfactory nerve cells is processed by the limbic system, “an area of the brain that initiates mood and memory formation” (Bowles, pg. 12). Apparently, it may also affect our immune response: “There is new evidence that we may exercise direct control over health and disease through the hypothalamus [part of the limbic system]. The way the immune system and the central nervous system operate is only vaguely understood, but researchers know that
they do communicate with one another. Specific odors provide a pathway through the central nervous system that activates the immune system’s protector cells” (Keville & Green, pg. 10).
Third, diffusion is a great way to get some of the more potent, medicinal essential oil vapors into our systems. For example, as we breathe in diffused Eucalyptus oil (which has strong decongestant and antiseptic properties…more on that later), it goes directly into our lungs, where it can start to work its magic, calming inflammation, helping to soothe congested airways, and fighting infection. Add that to the fact that it smells therapeutic (who doesn’t have memories of camphor-like smells surrounding muscle rubs, vapor rubs, cough drops, etc.?) and you have a body/mind therapy at work: physically affecting the ailment as well as boosting your mental association to healing. Great stuff!
Topical Applications
Yes, you can apply essential oils directly to the skin, but as mentioned above, you need to be careful with this approach for several reasons, the most immediate of which is simply that you may very well burn yourself! There are a few oils that can be applied undiluted to the skin. These are called “neat” oils. The vast majority of essential oils, however, need to be diluted to use them safely, especially on the skin. Once you understand how to properly dilute essential oils for topical use, you can go several directions: making massage oils, home blends for case-by-case use, and adding them to personal care products like shampoo and lotion.
To really drive in how important it is to dilute the oils, I’m going to sacrifice some pride and give you two “real life” experiences from my own history:
1. When I first started investigating essential oils, I had no idea what I was doing and didn’t do enough reading before trying my hand at some (very foolish) applications. On one occasion, I diffused straight peppermint oil – 20 to 30 drops of it – directly into the air, no water added. I didn’t think about diluting it, because I thought that would make it weaker and I wanted a good, strong scent in the air. The result? An entire house full of people had to step outside for a while, because all of us were experiencing tearing eyes and burning lungs. I was prompted to do a bit more research and have never made that mistake again…
2. I thought that I’d concoct a home-made deodorant, but I didn’t really have a good recipe and didn’t know enough about blending to know what I was doing. I ended up putting very poorly diluted Peppermint essential oil (you can tell that’s one of my favorites) directly on my underarms. Wow! It took about 5 seconds to go from cooling to burning and I could not wash it off fast enough. The “icy-hot” sensation lasted the rest of the day and was pretty darn uncomfortable…even though I did smell good.
So, let’s talk about diluting. The first way is to use water. If using a diffuser, this is the best way to dilute the oils (carrier oils are not meant to be diffused). Add 2 – 3 drops of essential oil to about 100 drops of pure water. Light the candle (or plug the diffuser in) and you are good to go. If you’re adding oil to water for topical use (such as in a spray bottle to spritz your skin), you’ll have to shake the bottle before each use, because even with the miracle of aromatherapy, oil and water still won’t mix.
For most topical applications, however, you’ll probably want to use a carrier oil. These range in thickness and texture and have different uses. In general, you’ll want to research or ask someone knowledgeable in aromatherapy to guide you in making your carrier oil choices. Here’s a small example of what to be aware of:
Grapeseed oil is very light and non-greasy; it’s good for skin that does not absorb other oils quickly. Sweet almond oil, however, is lubricating but not easily absorbed by the skin, so it makes a good massage oil base.
Jojoba is actually a liquid wax (not an oil), but it penetrates the skin rapidly. Therefore, while it isn’t ideal for massage, it’s excellent for nourishing the skin, healing inflamed areas, and skin problems like eczema and psoriasis.
You can see that it becomes important to have the appropriate carrier oil for the task at hand. Once you have that oil, again, add 2 – 3 drops of the essential oil to every 100 drops of carrier oil. This counting of drops can be tedious – holding a bottle upside down and counting 100+ drops of oil can take some time. This is why essential oil blends are sold commercially; it’s one more way to take the work out of something. While I suggested above that you buy undiluted, unblended oils, it really is up to you. There are some fine pre-blended oils ready for topical application available. (Massage therapists, for example, buy blended oils; they do not often have the luxury of time necessary to create their own.)
Here are some very general guidelines:
For Massage Blends
Sweet almond oil makes a great base as does extra virgin olive oil. Add 2 – 3 drops of essential oil per 100 drops of carrier oil. If you have several hundred drops of carrier oil, consider mixing several different essential oils in it. (Aromatherapy “recipes” will be given later.)
For Home Use
For other uses, such as treating wounds or burns, consider adding a drop or two of an antiseptic or antibacterial essential oil to some Aloe vera gel. This will penetrate the skin, providing valuable nutrients and promoting cell repair. Another idea: try adding a drop or two of Lavender or Eucalyptus essential oil to the rinse cycle of your washing machine.
In Personal Care Products
Adding a few drops of certain essential oils (such as Rosemary) to a shampoo base is useful for scalp conditions. Also, an excellent way to introduce essential oils to the skin is to “add a few drops to your usual lotion or moisturizer and then rub it into the affected area” (Enhancing Your Mind, Body, Spirit, 1:2).
In the Bath
Because oil and water don’t mix, the best way to use essential oils in a bath is to add them (again 2 – 3 drops) to a small amount (say, ¼ – 1 cup) of milk or cream. This acts as an emulsifier, allowing the oils to blend better with the bathwater, plus the milk (or cream, if you use it) softens
the skin. Using essential oils in the bath is a great way to absorb their therapeutic compounds, as your pores are wide open, increasing your skin’s ability to let in the oils.
The Ingestion Debate
Is it okay to ingest (swallow) essential oils? That’s a great question and a tough one to answer. There are strong opinions on each side of this debate and each has its reasons and a history of safe and effective essential oil usage. Here, I’ll break the two opinions down for you: