Topical Use of Essential Oils

Topical:  Applying directly onto the skin

One of the hardest things for me to understand was how many drops of essential oils to how much of the carrier.

One of the first things that I learned was that Essential Oils when used Topically should always be mixed with a "carrier".  Some of the common carriers are   coconut oil,  sunflower oil,  nut oils, vegetable oil, grape seed oil and my personal favorite lotion.   Personally I use the unscented lotion then add whichever essential oil(s) I want to use.

I place about a  half or full teaspoon of the carrier in my palm,  and about 3 drops of my desired essential oil and rub into the chosen area.

Headaches -- I get a lot of tension and allergy related headaches.  So my first line of defense is peppermint and the lotion.   I'll rub it in the back of my neck, behind my ears and at my temples.   TIP:  One thing that I've learned is that when rubbing on my temples to be sure to bub closer to my hairline and into my hair line, as when I put the  peppermint/lotion to close to my eyes they water a lot.

Cough --  I had a horrible time with seasonal allergies for the entire month of March,  and had a horrible cough set in.    I took  Lavender and Eucalyptus 2 drops of each and rubbed the bottoms of my feet.  It lessons my cough enough to help me and let my husband get some sleep.

Insect Bites  --  I'm one of those people that when bitten by a bug,  it gets big and huge and itches to the point  that I just know I'll go insane.   Tea Tree oil has been my favorite,  mixed  with oil or lotion,  I rub it on the bit and immediate area and I have almost immediate relief from the itching,  and it helps prevent the swelling that I get.

Burns:  Ever tried using your curling iron when you start coughing,  not a smart thing.  I had been told and read over and over that Lavender was great on burns.  However I was Leary about using it for the first time because of my "floral" allergies.   But a curling iron burn is no fun,  so I mixed a little lavender oil with our sunflower oil and rubbed it on.  Immediate relief and no ill effects from the scent of lavender.   While the sunflower oil does not contain a real scent,  I was hoping that it would dilute the "scent enough".

I am becoming a true believer in the use of essential oils in the day to day lives of my family.