The following are 4 simple ways to use essential oils listed in order of increasing difficulty starting with super simple. It doesn’t have to be complicated!
4 Simple Ways to Use Essential Oils
Sniff the Bottle
The simplest way to use essential oils is to simply uncap the bottle and take a whiff. This use of essential oils is extremely fast and really easy.
In fact, when I am pregnant this is one of the ways I deal with morning sickness. As soon as I feel a wave a nausea coming on I quickly uncap a bottle of lemon essential oil and breathe deeply. What a relief to smell that perfect scent of lemon. I am so grateful for the reprieve! This is a great gift idea for someone with morning sickness.
Use a Cotton Ball
A cotton ball is a great way to use essential oils. The full bottle of essential oils is put away ensuring there won’t be any accidental spills. Also, if a particular scent is unpleasant to a person, the cotton ball is easily discarded making the scent virtually disappear.
I often use a cotton ball for essential oils for labor when I’m at a birth as a doula. Women in labor can be sensitive to smells and if they don’t like the smell of a particular essential oil, it needs to be gone fast. So if I put a few drops of lavender essential oil on a cotton ball and place it near her while she’s in a bath, but turns out she doesn’t like the smell, the cotton ball can go bye-bye quickly. Imagine how difficult getting rid of an essential oil in a tub of water would be!
To use a cotton ball, simply put 2-5 drops (depending on the oil as some oils are stronger than others) of an essential oil on a cotton ball and keep the ball near wherever you would like the benefits of aromatherapy.
Buy a Diffuser
One of my favorite ways to use essential oils is with a diffuser.
- Simply add water and your essential oil of choice to the diffuser.
- The diffuser breaks up the water essential oil mixture into millions of microparticles and shoots them out in a stream of mist.
- The mist is then absorbed both through your skin and through inhalation.
- Additionally, the aromas of the essential oils give your space a pleasant smell.
One of my favorite essential oils to diffuse is lavender. I will usually put about 3-5 drops in the diffuser above. Sometimes I will add in orange. It smells lovely!
Make a Simple Aromatic Spray
If you’re feeling crafty, a really neat way to use essential oils is to create aromatic sprays.
All you’ll need is a non-plastic spray bottle*, vodka**, water and essential oils.
*Plastic bottles should be avoided because the essential oils actually break down the plastic, therefore adding nasty chemicals to your remedies. Blech!
**The vodka acts as a preservative keeping your spray good for a long period of time.
Antimicrobial Aromatic Spray Recipe
(This spray is a natural hand sanitizer (antibacterial and antiviral) and can be used in lieu of conventional hand sanitizer.)
1 ounce water
1 ounce vodka
20 drops clove bud EO
25 drops sweet orange EO
25 drops lemon EO
Children’s Calming Spray
1 ounce water
1 ounce vodka
18 drops sweet orange EO
12 drops lavender EO
20 drops bergamot EO
Products to Buy
To get started, these are a few products you’ll want to buy.
4 Simple Ways to Use Essential Oils
Just to recap, these are 4 simple ways to use essential oils
- Sniff the bottle
- Use a cotton ball
- Buy a diffuser
- Make an aromatic spray