Hey there essential oils friend! 

I’m so glad you stopped by. I’m guessing you’re here because you fall into one of three categories:

• You love essential oils and use them everyday.
• You use essential oils occasionally but want to use them more.
• You’ve never used essential oils and want to know what all the hype is about.

Either way you’re in the right place.

I often get asked which essential oils are my favorite and which are the best ones to start out with.

Of course, that really depends on what sort of issues you’re dealing with, but I can tell you which 5 essential oils we use everyday around our house.

 

 

 

Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil is cold-pressed from the rind of the lemon and is not the same as lemon juice. It cleanses and purifies the air and surfaces and also cleanses the body and aids in digestion.

How we use it:

1. Drink It—2 to 3 drops of lemon in each glass of water you drink will not only kill the nasties in your tap water but will also provide a gentle detox. Make sure you use glass as citrus EOs can etch plastic. For life on the go I love this glass water bottle.
2. Clean It–lemon is one of my favorite oils to use in homemade cleaning products because of its fabulous disinfecting properties and its fresh, invigorating scent. When you start making your own cleaning products you should invest in some of these awesome glass spray bottles.

Lemon EO Recipes

Lemon Rosemary Sugar Scrub
All-Natural Room and Linen Spray
All-Natural Body Wash
All-Natural Glass Cleaner
Severed Finger Cookies
All-Purpose Cleaner
All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes
All-Natural Soft Cleanser
All-Natural Furniture Spray
All-Natural Goo-B-Gone
Powdered Cleanser
Petroleum-Free Wood Polish
Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer
Soothing Coconut Oil Tea
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Fruit and Veggie Wash

 

 

 

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is known for its calming properties and its ability to lower the stress hormone cortisol. It’s also a great choice for skin problems and is one of my favorite smelling oils. 

How we use it:

1. Sleep Well–rub a few drops on the bottom of your kids’ feet at night to help calm them down for bed and promote restful sleep. Use in the tub for a luxurious and relaxing bath or put in a diffuser at night to help the body relax.
2. Soothe Skin-–lavender is great for taking the sting out of minor burns (including sunburns) and to promote healing. Apply a drop or two to any kind of insect bite to relieve pain and reduce itching and swelling.
3. Diffuse It–this is a great oil to diffuse in times of stress or anxiety. Whether you have a big presentation at work, are afraid to fly or the kids are just making you crazy, breathing in lavender can help calm the nerves.

Lavender EO Recipes

After-Sun Spray
Fabulous Skin Salve
Eczema Skin Salve
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Anti-Monster Spray
Lavender Bath Salts
Luxurious Lotion Bars
Fabulous Sleep Salve
All-Natural Body Wash
Bath Fizzies
Dog Shampoo
Dog Anxiety Blend

 

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves and is great for energizing and cooling the body. It promotes healthy respiratory function and clear breathing as well as relieving occasional digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and indigestion.

How we use it:

1. Cool It–peppermint is very effective at cooling the body from fevers, hot flashes, over-exertion, or hot weather. Apply a few drops to forehead, back of neck, lower spine and/or bottom of feet.
2. Energize Me–breathing in peppermint opens up the airways and leads to increased energy. Great when you’re hitting that afternoon lull.
3. Cold Sores–apply a couple of drops to area at first sign of a cold sore. Reapply frequently throughout the day.
4. Pest Away–as much as my family loves peppermint oil, apparently pests don’t agree. Mice, ants and spiders all hate the stuff and it is even effective in keeping bugs off your garden vegetable plants. To get the job done right I recommend this glass spray bottle.

Peppermint EO Recipes

Anti-Itch Cream
After-Sun Spray
Fabulous Chest Rub
Candy Cane Sugar Scrub
Honey Mint Lip Balm
Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Dog Shampoo
Pet Insect Repellent

 

 

Melaleuca Essential Oil

Melaleuca, also known as tea tree oil, is renowned for its cleansing and rejuvenating effect on the skin. It is incredibly versatile and can be used for everything from healthy immune function to homemade cleaning products.

How we use it:

1. Boo-Boo blend–for occasional skin irritations, apply one to two drops of Melaleuca onto affected area. 
2. Cleaning–add a few drops to any homemade cleaning product and use on surfaces to kill germs and bacteria.
3. Foot and Toenail Fungus–apply to affected area at first sign of irritation. 
4. Problem Skin-–apply one drop of melaleuca oil directly to problem area morning and night for clear, radiant skin.

Melaleuca EO Recipes

All-Purpose Cleaner
Fabulous Skin Salve
All-Natural Soft Cleanser
All-Natural Cleaning Wipes
Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer
Eczema Skin Salve

Protective Blend

This powerful protective blend is probably my favorite oil. It is a combination of wild orange, clove, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary. Protective blend is an effective alternative to synthetic options for immune support and supports the body’s natural antioxidant defenses.

How we use it:

1. Stay Well–Everyone in my family gets a couple drops of protective blend on the bottom of their feet every night to support our immune systems. Since starting that two years ago our illness rate has dropped to practically zero.
2. Flying Germs–we often diffuse protective blend in the winter to kill germs and bacteria in the air. It smells nice too, kind of like Christmas. For several years I’ve been using this hard-working diffuser. It’s cheap enough to have one in every bedroom in your house.
3. Oil Pulling–This is an ancient ayurvedic remedy to promote oral health. I use coconut oil with a couple drops of protective blend. Benefits reported include reducing harmful bacteria in your mouth, reducing bad breath, whitening teeth, reducing plaque and gingivitis, and lessening tooth sensitivity. For more information visit my post on How To Oil Pull.
4. Cleaning Power–Protective blend also makes a fantastic cleaner. I sometimes replace the oils in my All-Purpose Cleaner or Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer with equal amounts of protective blend.

NOTE: I only use essential oils that are of the highest quality and purity available. My favorite brand is tested in 5 different ways by an independent lab to ensure it meets the highest possible standards. Whatever brand you use just make sure it says For Aromatic, Topical and Dietary Use on the bottle.