I see leaves of green, red roses too - Essential Oils

I think essentials oils are the best way to bring a quick pick me up in any moment.  They can be expensive though, so I create a list of top 5 oils you should have and how to use them.  In a future post I will list more essential oils, but for now this is enough information.  Mind you some of the smells can be strong.  Many times my husband says I stink.  I don't think I stink, it's just some smells you need to get use to.  I will only put a strong smelling essential oil in my list if I really think it's necessary to have.

Be Advised
Some people have allergies to certain essential oils.  You can try the oils out at any store before you buy to make sure you don't break out in a rash.  I will be sure to identify ones that are strong and shouldn't be used on the skin directly. 

Some oils work better than others.  For example everyone says Eucolyptus works well if you have chest congestion.  I find that cinnamon works better for me..  Or that Rosemary helps headaches, I use peppermint.  Grab the essentials, try to see what you like!

During pregnancy you should use everything half strength.  I error on the side of less oil per parts, so you maybe ok with my numbers below.  You may have a sensitivity to certain smells, but stay away from the following during your entire pregnancy: basil, cedarwood, celery seed, clary sage, clove, cinnamon leaf, citronella, hyssop, juniper, marjoram, myrrh, nutmeg, Spanish sage, thyme.  Avoid the following in the first four months: angelica root, Atlas cedarwood, sweet fennel, rose, rosemary.  None of my top 5 are listed as dangerous during pregnancy.

Digging deeper
If you want to read more about aromatherapy I suggest Julia Lawless books.  I have the following book The Complete Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy that I always go to for general information.  She has a company in London called Aqua Oleum.

Brands
Now Foods is a very resonably priced line.  You may be able to find these in many health food stores.  On Amazon you will find 2 oz of Peppermint Oil for $9.78

Aura Cacia
A little more expensive, but claim a more pure product.  On Amazon you will find 2 oz of Peppermint Oil for $14.11

Native American Nutritionals
Quite a bit more expensive, but this is a top of the line essential oils company.  It claims to have the purest form from the most native region of oils.  You will find their Peppermint Oil at $14 for .5 oz

How to use
Neat: directly on the skin, very few oils can you use this method
Carrier oil: blend with an lotion or oil like coconut oil to use as a lotion or massage oil
Diffussor: Place a few drops in a diffusor and it will release the oils in the air
Facial steamer: Put one or two drops in the water of your facial steamer
Aromatic bathing: Put 20 to 30 drops in your bath.  Ahhhh.... relaxation
Compresses: place a cloth in a hot bowl of water with about 5 drops of essential oils, wring and apply
Mouthwash: 3 drops in hot water, gargle or wash your mouth out
Disinfectants: Put about 50 drops of oils in your washer
Perfumes: Put 10 drops in 2 tablespoons of orange flower water, add to sprayer and spray

My Top Five

 

1. Tea Tree

• The essential oil of essential oils.  
• It is an anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, antiviral, bactericidal, balsamic, cicatrizant, diaphoretic, expectorant, fungicidal, immunostimulant, parasiticide, and vulnerary.  Basically if you have something bad, this will fix it.  
• It is very strong smelling.  It's kind of like a muscle rub, but smells like plants.
• You can use it directly on the skin.  I recommend using it in a facial steam if you have a cold.

 2. Lavender

• Stressful day? Have I got an oil for you!
• It is an analgesic, anticonvulsive, antitoxic, nervine, and sedative.  It may make you feel happy too.
• It's very pleasant smelling.  It's floral, soft, mellow, and smells like spring
• I recommend using it in aromatic bath or a diffuser.  It's a great oil to use to get a relaxing massage.

 

3. Peppermint

• Need a pick me up?  Have a late night of work or studying.  Peppermint can do wonders
• It is an astrigent, carminative, cephalic, cordial, expectorant, hepatic, and stomachic (good for IBS)
• It's an bright, uplifting, minty, and clean smell.  Think toothpaste, but better
• I recommend having it around to open and smell as well as used in a diffuser or with a carrier oil. 

4. Jasmine

• My favorite smell.  I would love to be covered in Jasmines all day
• It's galactagogue, parturient, sedative, and tonic.  Great as a tea if you want to relax.  Or if you have fresh Jasmine flowers put it in your tea.  You wouldn't believe how it calms your nerves
• Rich, warm, floral, exotic, and exquisite smell.  I use it EVERYWHERE!
• I recommend using it in massages, as a perfume, facial treatments, diffuser, just everywhere you think you can use it.
• Only drawback is that it's expensive

5. Eucalyptus
 

• Got a cough?  This will calm it down
• It's a decongestant, deodorant, depurative, expec-torant, hypoglycemic, parasiticide, stimulant and insecticide.
• Strong woody smell.  A little sweet, but fresh.
• I recommend using it as a chest rub, or in a facial steamer and bath when you are sick

Blends
If you will allow me to compare essentials oils to wines a bit I would love to explain my thoughts of essential oil blends.  In several countries, like the USA, wines are advertized by the dominant grape in the blend.  It allows you to know what type of wine you are getting by the name.  If you like the Cabernet Sauvignon grape look for a Cabernet Sauvignon on the bottle.  Pretty simple!  As for myself I know my wines by grape.  I know the general taste difference between a Merlot, Malbec, and Shiraz.  I can even share my knowledge with people about tasting notes, pairings, and the like.  Call it a wine connoisseur if you like.  I call the "I like to drink wine" experiences I have had.

Take this girl and sit her down in a French wine store and all my knowledge goes out the window.  Maybe I have a little understand about the wine when you tell me what's in it, but because that country has been making wine for centuries they know how to blend the different grapes together to make a great wine.  I can't tell you by region or vineyard how the wine will taste.  Usually I just tell the store owner "I'm cooking this tonight, can you recommend a wine below X dollars?"

Now, take that level of knowledge of blending and substitute essential oils.  If you trust that the maker knows her oils and knows how to blend them well, rest assured that the blend is a good one.  So if a maker makes a cold ease, it will probably make your feel better when you have a cold.

Essential oils make me think of rainbows for some reason.  

I don't know why, but in honor of those images: