The Wonderful World of Essential Oils

Essential oils are, well, essential to a green lifestyle. From aroma therapeutic to medicinal, they can be used for a range of purposes. Always keep your favorite scents and most useful oils on hand.

Mix a few drops of your favorite scent with water in an oil diffuser and sit back while your olfactory dances with excitement. This is far more pleasant than any scent you will get from a bottle and you’ll eliminate exposure to the various irritating chemical additives often found in sprays.

While the health impacts from chemical additives are highly debated, they can be irritating to those who are sensitive to strong chemical odors. The same is true for body sprays and perfumes. Mix a few drops of an essential oil with water in a spray bottle and use it as perfume. There are so many delicious-smelling flower essential oils: rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, geranium, lavender, and others. You can use just one or experiment with mixing different oils to come up with a combination unique to you.

The same oils can be mixed with distilled white vinegar and water to create an all-purpose cleaning solution, eliminating the need to buy expensive and unnecessary cleaners.

Many oils can be used for beauty and personal care purposes. Tea tree can be used to treat acne and nail infections. It can also be mixed with water in a spray bottle and used to disinfect yoga mats and other items.

Lavender essential oil is known to calm the nerves and facilitate sleep. Put a few drops in a handkerchief and inhale when stressed or drop some on pillows at night. Falling asleep to the aroma of lavender is incredibly relaxing.

Oregano essential oil is known to be a powerful natural healing tool. It can be used to kill fungal and bacterial infections. Its strong antibacterial properties make it perfect for hand sanitizing. Mix several drops with a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil and rub into hands. Create a mix you can carry with you.

This only scratches the surface of essential oil benefits and uses. A word of caution, before ingesting or putting essential oils directly on the skin be sure to research safe uses. Some oils can cause irritation when used improperly.

Look for more information about essential oils in upcoming Vital Eco Solutions blogs. Thanks for reading!