After a little internal battle with myself, I have decided to complete my review of essential oils based on the common question: Do Essential Oils Really Work?
To put it simply: Yes, yes they do!
Of course you probably want some sort of validation to support my answer, luckily, I am more than willing to provide you with my experiences. You can decide for yourself at the end of my reasoning.
First, it will be important that you are purchasing quality essential oils, if you buy anything sub par, you will not have the same positive experience as I have had. Here is a list of things to look for when purchasing essential oils:
- The label should contain the common name and the botanical name of the plant in which the essential oil was distilled from.
- It should tell you the process in which the essential oil was extracted.
- The plant that was used in extraction.
- The glass bottle should be in a tinted bottle that filters out the ultra-violet light, typically the bottles should be brown, blue, green, purple. Just not clear!
- The Country of origin.
- Safety warnings should include, but are limited to: Keep out of reach of children, For external use only (unless an licensed aromatherapist is consulted), Do not use if pregnant, Photo toxicity warnings.
- The size of the bottle.
Some of these things might not be shown on the label, if they aren’t they should at least be in the description of the product at the time of purchase.
Alright, now that we got that out of the way, let me tell you how essential oils have benefited my life.
I have used essential oils for about three years now, in the beginning, I’ll admit that I was a skeptic. How could an oil really help me? Well let me tell you, over the years, I have found that essential oils can aid in many different areas of your life.
Pain Relief: Peppermint essential oil is a natural pain reliever. I have used it on my aching back, my soar neck and even stiff muscles. A more surprising benefit is that Peppermint can also help nausea, indigestion and upset stomachs.
I typically add a few drops of Peppermint oil to a dab of lotion and rub it into the area that is in need of pain relief. Within minutes, the pain/nausea subsides and the benefit continues as the essential oil is absorbed into your skin.
Clearing My Skin: I have used both Tea Tree and Witch Hazel for my skin. Tea Tree is highly antibacterial. I bad a little on the troubles areas of my skin. The Tea Tree kills the bacteria and dries out the area to help it heal faster. Tea Tree can also be used on poison ivy and bug bites to alleviate the itch and dry them out.
Witch Hazel, on the other hand, is an anti-inflammatory. It reduces redness, which has helped my skin tone look evener and clearer. Witch Hazel is a common ingredient in skin toners due to it’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Decongestant and Cough Reducer: Eucalyptus essential oil is one of my favorites! It has the ability to clear your sinuses and quiet your cough. I like to place a few drops on a cloth and place it next to my pillow at night. This allows me to inhale the aroma of the Eucalyptus all through the night, aiding in keeping the common cold symptoms from preventing me a good night’s sleep. I also like to add a few drops to baths when the kids have a cold, it clears out the congestion.
Energizing & Uplifting: I have days when I don’t feel like doing anything except sitting around and being lazy. Lemon and Orange essential oil are essential oils that I use on these days. They have the ability to give me the energy I need to make it through the day, and they also give me a more positive outlook by uplifting my spirits and diminishing my bad attitude.
Too Many Benefits to List: Lavender is the #1 essential oil. If you are going to try any, this is the one I would suggest. Lavender has a stress reducing and calming benefit. It also can help you reduce insomnia. Not only that, but it is commonly used on skin for cuts, scrapes, bug bites and itchiness. It’s amazing how fast Lavender can stop the itch and dry out the problem areas. I have also heard of people using it on the rosacae to diminish the redness and irritation.
So, there you have it, my honest-to-goodness experiences I have had with essential oils. I only shared with you the more common essential oils that I have used, but believe me, there are many more to try and experience.
If you want to see “how” they work, check out Why Essential Oils Work. This will give you an overview of the types of essential oil application, and how/why they actually work.
And, you should also take a peek at my list of Must Have Essential Oils, these are the top 5 that you should have, if any in your home.
And lastly, please go and check out all of the essential oils and their benefits here, and then head on over to my Essential Oils page to get them on their way to your home.
In summary, I will say again: Yes, essential oils do work. All you need to do is try them and you will agree.
Please share with me your experience with essential oils in the comments below, I always am looking for some new ones to try. I look forward to hearing from you.