6 Secrets. Mixing Essential Oils. Learn how to blend your own healing scents. by Kyley Zimmerman

Transcription

1 6 Secrets Mixing Essential Oils Learn how to blend your own healing scents by Kyley Zimmerman

2 1 Welcome! Blending essential oils doesn t have to be tricky or confusing. It s as simple as knowing a few simple rules and some basic safety information. Some folks feel intimidated by the idea of creating their own blends, afraid they might mess it up. I m here to tell you: it s pretty hard to make a mistake putting a few oils together to make a scent you like. Just follow your nose! This ebook is designed to take the fear out of the process by giving you some simple guidelines to follow, some ideas to play with, and some blending suggestions to get your creative juices flowing. I ve also included links to aromatherapy recipes on my website, in case you prefer to follow a specific formula the first time and then change up the scents the second (or third or fourth!) time around. My best advice is Trust Yourself. Do a little homework on essential oil safety (including in chapter five) and then have fun. Play with scents, and ways to carry those scents, like massage oils and bath salts, diffuser reeds and room sprays. Pretty soon, you ll be coming up with fabulous new concoctions, and everyone will want to smell like you! Say no and mix them something special just for them. ;) Enjoy! Please note: The information shared in this document is for information and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease, nor is it intended to replace proper medical care.

3 2 Table of Contents Welcome 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction Get to Know Your Oils 4 Knowing Your Oils 5 Essential Oils & You 6 Secret #1 Start Small 7 Does Quality Matter? 8 Choosing Essential Oils 9 Choosing Your First Oils 10 Choosing a Starter Kit 12 A Healthy Starter Kit 13 Secret #2 Get into Groups 14 Group by Energetic Effect 15 Using Energetic Effects 16 Group by Scent Types 17 Using Scent Types 18 Group by Note 19 Blending by the Notes 20 Notable Blending Ideas 21 Secret #3 The KISS Principle 22 Keep It Simple, Sweetie 23 Keeping It Simple 24 Secret #4 The Rule of Three 25 The Rule of Three 26

4 3 Table of Contents Secret #5 Be Smart About Safety 27 Be Smart About Safety 28 Secret #6 Follow Your Nose! 31 Follow Your Nose! 32 Bonus Chapter Essential Oils for Health 33 Blending for Health 34 Essential Oils for Health 37 Resources 49 More Resources 50 Disclaimer & Copyright 51

5 4 Introduction Get to Know Your Oils What Are Essential Oils? What Do They Do In Your Body? Do They Have Side Effects?

6 5 Knowing Your Oils Before we dive into the secrets of how to mix essential oils, it s good to know how essential oils work in your body. Why? Because when you use essential oils, you re not just creating sweet scents like lavender candles or a spicy perfume you re actually affecting your body s chemistry. You re stimulating or sedating, literally changing the mood and energy with every essential oil you use in a blend. And, as if that wasn t enough, you re strengthening your immune system with every oil too! WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS? PEPPERMINT LEAVES Essential oils are microscopic molecules of oil extracted from the flowers, leaves, stems and/or roots of trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers and herbs. Simply speaking, essential oils contain the distilled essence of the plant. Essential oils have microscopically small molecules. There are approximately 40 million trillion molecules in one drop of essential oil. Their tiny size makes it very easy for our skin and our lungs to absorb them that s what makes aromatherapy so powerful. OIL SAC ON A PEPPERMINT LEAF

7 6 Essential Oils & You WHAT HAPPENS WHENYOU USE ESSENTIAL OILS? Inhaling essential oils stimulates the olfactory nerves (sense of smell), which send signals to the brain s limbic system (sometimes called the emotional brain ). The limbic system controls heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory and hormone production. When the limbic system receives signals from the olfactory nerves, it triggers an emotional, physiological and endocrine (hormone) response. For example, when you smell Lavender essential oil, its microscopic chemicals immediately trigger your emotional brain to calm your nervous system and relax your muscles. These combined effects reduce your stress and help you sleep. DO THEY HAVE SIDE EFFECTS? Generally speaking, No. Essential oils are gentle yet effective without side effects or addiction. (Unless you consider more energy, reduced stress and better mood to be side effects!) When you inhale an essential oil, such as with a diffuser, the oil is absorbed through the mucus membranes of your respiratory tract and lungs. From there, it s transferred into the bloodstream. When essential oils are absorbed through the skin, such as with massage, they travel into the lymphatic system, which then circulates them into the bloodstream. Once the oils are circulating in your blood, they get to work wherever they re needed reducing stress, balancing your mood, fighting pain or infection and so on. Now you re ready for Secret #1

8 7 Secret #1 Start Small How to Choose Your First Essential Oils Choosing Starter Kits

9 8 Does Quality Matter? HOW DOES QUALITY AFFECT YOU? Let s say 1000 pounds of Peppermint plants are distilled down to about a liter of essential oil. That oil contains not only super-concentrated Peppermint, but if it s been sprayed with pesticides or grown in chemically treated soil also super-concentrated toxins. BAD for you! Now let s say a supplier wants to sell essential oils at a low price. Since there are no labeling laws governing discloser of exactly what s in them, he can add synthetic fragrance to make them smell stronger. He can also add lower grade oil to stretch them to make a higher profit. And he doesn t have to tell you any of that! WHAT DO YOU NEED IN AN ESSENTIAL OIL? You really want two main things in an essential oil. POTENCY and PURITY. Why is potency so important? Because otherwise you re just rubbing on a nice smelling liquid that doesn t really do anything for you and in fact can be harming your health. When you re looking at oil purity, you want to be sure of four things: No enhancement of an essential oil such as when a laboratory artificially adds chemical compounds which should be there in the first place. No addition of synthetic fragrances or inferior oils to boost or stretch the scent. No undesirable compounds such as pesticides which must then be removed in the lab. Even worse, you definitely don t want them failing to remove any pesticides or toxins.

10 9 Choosing Essential Oils HOW TO CHOOSE ESSENTIAL OILS So if an oil can contain super-concentrated pesticides or harmful synthetic chemicals without telling you on the label, how do you choose safe essential oils? It really comes down to you trusting your source. 1. Do some research. Check into a supplier s reputation online and in the aromatherapy community. Ask the supplier how they source their oils. Ask to see the gas chromatography reports. Ask if they do mass spectrometry testing. You don t need to see the reports, you just want to know if the supplier is willing to stand behind their product by sharing details. 2. Read labels. An essential oil such as Peppermint should be pure enough to take internally after all, Peppermint is a food! 3. Do a smell test. If an oil s scent is overbearing in any one note it may contain synthetic chemical substitutes. A 100% pure therapeutic-grade essential oil should have a balanced, broad fragrance profile and should smell crystal clean. Also test the feel of your essential oil. A pure essential oil should not feel slick or oily but rather should absorb cleanly and completely into your skin. Does Organic Mean It s Organic? Not necessarily. It s kind of like when fast-food restaurants advertise their burgers as pure beef patties. Sure, the beef that s in them is pure beef, but there s also other stuff in there that you probably don t want to look at too closely. Hmmm

11 10 Choosing Your First Oils I personally like to group by Scent Type. There s less math (which I m bad at!) and, to my mind, this method offers more scope for creativity. I think creative freedom is important sometimes when you don t follow the rules you come up with fabulous creations you wouldn t otherwise find. I also pay attention to the energetic effect of the blends I m making because I don t want to energize someone when they want to relax or vice versa. The suggestions for starter oils below are geared to the Scent and Energetic groups rather than the more complicated Note system. Start by buying one or two essential oils from each scent group: Floral, Citrus, Spicy, Woody, Green. Here s some ideas to get you started: FIRST BUY Lavender Clove Palmarosa Patchouli THEN ADD Ylang Ylang Sandalwood Lemongrass Peppermint Bergamot Tea Tree Ginger Lavender Cinnamon Ylang Ylang Cedarwood Geranium Sandalwood Grapefruit Eucalyptus Orange Peppermint Clove Lavender Ginger Ylang Ylang Sandalwood Lime Frankincense Orange Tea Tree Lemongrass Rosemary Cinnamon

12 11 Choosing Your First Oils Choose more essential oils from the scent groups you like the most. Use the chart on page 10 as a guide. Grow your collection slowly, adding oils as you come across new aromatherapy recipes you want to try. HOW MUCH SHOULDYOU SPEND? You ll notice that very few of the more costly oils are included in my suggestions for starter oils. Often, when folks are just starting out, they don t want to spend a ton of money on essential oils until they know for sure they re going to love and use them every day. And it s especially important with the more expensive oils to buy good quality because they re the oils most likely to be diluted with cheaper oils or even chemicals to stretch the scent and reduce the price. They won t give you a true experience of their aroma or their therapeutic powers. HANDY HINT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR Make small batches when you re starting out. Once you know what blends work, you can go bigger. My experience over the last 10 years is that you get what you pay for. If you buy inexpensive essential oils, you ll get an inferior scent and weak physical effects. This is fine if all you want to do is play with pretty scents for fun. And don t get me wrong, there s nothing wrong with that! But if you want to make healing bath and body products to reduce pain or ease breathing or soothe skin conditions, you need to buy high quality oils. You just won t achieve the results you want with inexpensive oils.

13 12 Choosing A Starter Kit If choosing your first oils seems a bit overwhelming, simply buy a starter kit the oils are chosen for you, and they often come in smaller sizes so you don t have to commit to paying for full-sized bottles before you know what you really like. Again, buy a good quality starter kit. Sometimes with cheap brands you get oils that smell off or like chemicals. They re not a good introduction to the wonderful world of essential oils! A couple of companies I like and trust are dōterra and Mountain Rose Herbs. I personally use dōterra essential oils because I find their quality to be unmatched. Mountain Rose has more selection, and their prices are excellent. Here s a few kits to check out: CLASSIC ESSENTIAL OIL KIT An excellent beginner s kit with the most popular essential oils. Includes usage guidelines and an extra bottle with a glass dropper for experiments. Set of six 1/8 ounce bottles includes certified organic oils of Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary and Tea Tree. LOVER S ESSENTIAL OIL KIT This deliciously sensual kit was created specifically to encourage love, passion and attraction. Try the oils individually or blend them to create your own loving aromas. Set of seven 1/8 ounce bottles includes organic oils of Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Palmarosa, Geranium, Patchouli, and a 1/24 ounce bottle of Sandalwood. Also check out the Chakra Essential Oil kit fun!

14 13 A Healthy Starter Kit If you want to use essential oils to improve your health and they absolutely can! then you might want the Family Physician Kit from dōterra. It s what got me started on the path to using essential oils medicinally instead of just for play. I ve replaced almost every item in my medicine cabinet with essential oils, which are less expensive, safer to use and less stress on my body. The Family Physician Kit includes 6 single oils and 4 blends in 5ml bottles. Singles include Lavender, Lemon, Oregano, Peppermint, Tea Tree and Frankincense. Blends include Deep Blue (for pain relief), Breathe, DigestZen and OnGuard (kills germs, boosts immunity). It also comes with written instructions and an audio CD that teaches how to use the oils to take care of your family s health. Click here to buy the kit. Click Shop, choose you country, then type Family Physician Kit into the item search box. Or contact me to get the kit for the wholesale price. ALLERGIES 2 drops each Lavender, Lemon and Peppermint in an empty capsule 3 times a day. (Buy capsules at a health food store. dōterra also sells them.) ASTHMA COLDS & FLU Rub 1 drop each Peppermint and Frankincense into your palms. Cup your hands over your nose & mouth and inhale deeply a few times. Follow with a few drops of the Breathe blend massaged into your upper back. 2 drops each OnGuard, Lemon, Oregano and DigestZen in an empty capsule 2-3 times a day for 3 days. Also put a couple drops Frankincense and Tea Tree on the bottoms of your feet several times a day until the cold is gone.

15 14 Secret #2 Get Into Groups Energetic Effect Scent Types Top, Middle & Base Notes

16 15 Group By Energetic Effect It s important to know what effect an essential oil is going to have on your nervous system when you re blending you want to make sure your Soothing Bubble Bath blend is actually going to relax you, not keep you awake all night! Broadly speaking, you can group essential oils into two main energetic categories: Stimulating and Sedative (relaxing). STIMULATING SEDATIVE Basil Nutmeg Cinnamon Oregano Citronella Palmarosa Clove Patchouli Eucalyptus Pepper Fir Peppermint Ginger Petitgrain Grapefruit Pine Juniper Rosemary Lemon Sage Lemongrass Tangerine Lime Tea Tree Myrrh Thyme Bergamot Neroli Cedarwood Orange Chamomile Rose Clary Sage Sandalwood Coriander Vanilla Cypress Vetiver Frankincense Ylang Ylang Geranium Helichrysum Jasmine Lavender Marjoram Melissa

17 16 Using Energetic Effects Grouping by energetic effect is simple only two criteria to look for. And it helps make sure you don t create a night-time blend that will keep you tossing and turning. Just choose oils from the Sedative group. You would also choose sedative oils for relaxation massage oils, night-time facial products and relaxing bath salts or bubble bath. The Stimulating blends are perfect for morning shower gels, hair products and workout body sprays. They can also be suitable for romantic massage oils, since you don t want your partner to fall asleep right away! Keep in mind, a blend doesn t have to contain only one energetic group, but the final product will be energizing or relaxing depending on which energetic group there s most of. So, using the chart on the previous page, you could make some uplifting or soothing blends like the ones below. STIMULATING BLENDS SEDATIVE BLENDS Grapefruit, Rosemary, Tea Tree Lavender, Orange, Marjoram Petitgrain, Patchouli, Clove Bergamot, Roman Chamomile Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Frankincense Frankincense, Lavender, Vetiver Basil, Rosemary, Geranium Lavender, Geranium, Ylang Ylang Lemon, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree Clary Sage, Lavender, Geranium

18 17 Group By Scent Types A helpful starting point for mixing your own aromatherapy oils is to organize them into simple groups. One way to think of them is by grouping them into five different scent types. FLORAL CITRUS Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Palmarosa, Rose, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang Bergamot, Citronella, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Melissa, Neroli, Orange, Petitgrain, Tangerine SPICY WOODY GREEN Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pepper Cedarwood, Coriander, Cypress, Fir, Frankincense, Helichrysum, Juniper, Myrrh, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver (also called herbaceous ) Basil, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Marjoram, Oregano, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Sage, Tea Tree, Thyme Notice that some oils could fit into more than one category, depending on how your nose reads their scent. Pine, for example, may smell more woody than green to you. Or you may experience Palmarosa as more citrus than floral. HOW DOESTHIS HELPYOU? With this grouping system, you can choose an essential oil from one category and blend it with an oil from another category. For example, citrus oils generally blend well with spicy oils. Citrus and floral also often work well together. Woody and floral is usually a good combination, and green and citrus are good too.

19 18 Using Scent Types So, using the chart on the previous page, you could use some of the following blending ideas as a place to start. TWO-GROUP BLENDS Bergamot, Lavender, Ylang Ylang (citrus, floral) Orange, Petitgrain, Cinnamon (citrus, spicy) Marjoram, Lavender, Ylang Ylang (green, floral) Lime, Orange, Tea Tree (citrus, green) Basil, Rosemary, Geranium (green, floral) THREE-GROUP BLENDS BLENDING QUICK TRICK! If you re not sure about a blend, take the caps off the bottles, hold them together in a group and waft the combination under your nose. Lavender, Patchouli, Clove (floral, woody, spicy) Lemongrass, Peppermint, Geranium (citrus, green, floral) Frankincense, Lavender, Bergamot (woody, floral, citrus) Sandalwood, Orange, Clove (woody, citrus, spicy) Blending oils within the same group can also create wonderful scents one of my favorite blends is equal parts Lime and Orange simple, but SO fabulous!

20 19 Group by Note Many guides to blending essential oils group oils into notes, sorted by Top, Middle or Base notes. Top notes are the lightest, fastest dissipating scents in a blend, such as Lemon or Grapefruit. The scent of a Top note often only lasts for a few minutes, but it creates a sense of harmony when combined with Middle and Bottom notes. Think of them like flutes in an orchestra not used in every movement, but you d miss them if they weren t there. Top notes generally make up 5-20% of a blend. Middle notes give a blend its character and make up the body of a scent. Middle notes often last much longer than Top notes, and they re usually made up of floral scented oils such as Lavender or Geranium. They often make up 50-80% of a blend. Bottom notes, or Base notes, give a scent its depth. They carry the Top and Middle notes, and they re often called fixatives because their scent lasts the longest. Examples of Bottom notes include Sandalwood and Vetiver. Like Top notes, Bottom notes generally make up 5-20% of a blend. Some essential oils can seem to float between categories, such as Basil, which may smell like either a Top or Middle note, depending on your nose and the rest of the oils in the blend. Rose and Ylang Ylang are good examples of essential oils which could be either Middle or Base notes. Trust your nose to help you decide which group an oil should be in. An excellent resource for using this blending system is Marcel Lavabre s Aromatherapy Workbook.

21 20 Blending by the Notes TOP NOTES Bergamot Eucalyptus Lime Sage Cinnamon Grapefruit Orange Spearmint Citronella Lemon Petitgrain Tangerine TOP / MIDDLE NOTES Basil Coriander Lemongrass Peppermint Clary Sage Fennel Neroli Tea Tree MIDDLE NOTES Bay Fir Lavender Pine Black Pepper Geranium Marjoram Rosemary Chamomile Ginger Oregano Spruce Cypress Jasmine Palmarosa BASE NOTES Benzoin Frankincense Rose Vetiver Cedarwood Myrrh Sandalwood Ylang Ylang Clove Patchouli Vanilla

22 21 Notable Blending Ideas Here s some blending ideas using the three types of Notes so you can see how a blend is put together. After trying a couple of suggestions, move on to your own blends. GREEN & FRESH CLEAN & LIGHT 8 drops Peppermint (top/middle: 5-20%) 8 drops Rosemary (middle: 50-80%) 4 drops Ylang Ylang (base: 5-20%) 4 drops Lemon (top: 5-20%) 12 drops Tea Tree (middle: 50-80%) 4 drops Frankincense (base: 5-20%) RELAXING FLORAL CITRUS SPICE 4 drops Orange (top: 5-20%) 2 drops Geranium (middle: 50-80%) 12 drops Lavender (middle: 50-80%) 1 drop Vetiver (base: 5-20%) 1 drop Ylang Ylang (base: 5-20%) 4 drops Orange (top: 5-20%) 6 drops Ginger (middle: 50-80%) 8 drops Lemongrass (middle: 50-80%) 1 drop Clove (base: 5-20%) 1 drop Patchouli (base: 5-20%) MAKEYOUR OWN PERFUME Add 10 to 15 drops of essential oil blend to 20 drops scent-free alcohol such as a good vodka, then mix with 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure distilled water. Store in a dark glass bottle.

23 22 Secret #3 The KISS Principle The Secret to Mixing Oils Without Fear or Mistakes

24 23 Keep It Simple, Sweetie The KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetie) concept is the key to success when you re new to mixing essential oils. Choosing which oils to blend together doesn t have to be scary or hard you simply follow your nose, use common sense, and keep it simple. The point I m making here is more about your thinking than about your level of knowledge. Using essential oils in your day to day life doesn t have to be a big deal. Instead, it becomes a tool you use every day to improve the quality of your life in simple, healthy ways. It s about reaching for a bottle of essential oil instead of a bottle of Febreeze or Tylenol. For example, mixing your own aromatherapy oils can be as simple as sprinkling lavender and lemon on a dusting cloth. Or adding a few drops of geranium and bergamot to a warm bath at night. It doesn t have to be rocket science. Here s some ideas for simple blends you can use in your everyday life without breaking a sweat. LAUNDRY Put a few drops of Lavender and Cinnamon on a small cloth and throw it in the dryer along with your clothes. (Using fabric softener or dryer sheets will cover up the aroma replace the fabric softener with white vinegar and hang your laundry outside to dry.) Click here for laundry recipes. BATH & BODY OIL BATH SALTS Combine 3 drops of each of your 3 favorite essential oils in 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Use as a body oil, bath oil or massage oil. Stir 10 drops of each of your 3 favorite essential oils into 1 cup of Dead Sea or Epsom salt, for example, Bergamot, Orange & Lavender. Dissolve in a hot bath and enjoy. Click here for bath salt recipes.

25 24 Keeping It Simple ROOM SPRAY Pour 1 cup of pure distilled water into a spray bottle and add 5 drops each Lemon, Peppermint and Eucalyptus. This recipe is a great disinfectant, plus it s energizing and mood lifting. Perfect for sickrooms! You could also make monster spray to help your kids sleep using 5 drops each Lavender and Orange with 1 drop of Chamomile or Ylang Ylang (Chamomile and Ylang Ylang have a strong scent, so you use less.) HAND SOAP Add 5 drops each of 3 of your favorite oils (I like Lemongrass, Peppermint & Tea Tree) per 250ml unscented liquid hand soap. Also works for dish soap. LOTION Add 3 drops each of your 3 favorite essential oils (e.g. Bergamot, Geranium & Ylang Ylang) per 250ml unscented lotion. Click here for lotion recipes. SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER Squeeze a little shampoo into your palm. Add 1 drop of Rosemary or Tea Tree and wash as usual. In the same way, add 1 drop of Ylang Ylang to your conditioner for a sweet finish. Click here for hair care recipes. CARPET FRESHENER Combine 2 cups baking soda with 10 drops Orange or Lemon, 5 drops Lemongrass, 5 drops Tea Tree. Dust on your carpets, leave for a couple hours, then vacuum. Click here for cleaning recipes. TUB SCRUB Stir together 2/3 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap and 5 drops each Lemon, Rosemary and Tea Tree essential oil.

26 25 Secret #4 The Rule of Three How to Choose the 3 Best Oils for Any Application

27 26 The Rule of Three This rule goes hand-in-hand with the concept of keeping it simple. When mixing your own aromatherapy oils, don t use more than three essential oils in one blend. It s true that a lot of recipes, especially commercial blends, use many scents in one product, but a simple fact is that three essential oils together work just right. Your nose can still smell all three, but at the same time they create a beautiful harmony. Now let s put everything we ve learned together. Take another look at the ideas in chapter 3 and create some blends following the Rule of Three and keeping in mind what we know about Energetic Effects. For example: ANGER/CRANKINESS ANXIETY DEPRESSION DISINFECTANT FATIGUE HYPERACTIVITY INSOMNIA PAIN STRESS Grapefruit, Lemon, Ylang Ylang (calming, uplifting) Sandalwood, Lime, Patchouli (grounding, soothing) Bergamot, Grapefruit, Geranium (uplifting, balancing) Tea Tree, Lemon, Cinnamon (germ-killing, deodorizing) Peppermint, Lemongrass, Rosemary (energizing) Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, Chamomile (calming, focus) Lavender, Marjoram, Vetiver (calming, relaxing) Lemongrass, Marjoram, Peppermint (muscles & nerves) Lavender, Orange, Ylang Ylang (soothing, balancing)

28 27 Secret #5 Be Smart About Safety Important Safety Precautions for Essential Oils

29 28 Be Smart About Safety Each essential oil has its own particular properties, not only in terms of scent, but also in terms of therapeutic effect and safety considerations. It s good to learn at least the basic safety information. For example: Some essential oils are skin irritants (such as cinnamon and thyme). Most of the citrus oils are photo-toxic, which means you can get sunburned if you re exposed to sunlight after applying them to your skin. Too much lavender can be stimulating rather than relaxing. There s a whole world of interesting essential oil facts out there, and part of the fun of mixing your own aromatherapy oils is learning what they re good for. Take the time to enjoy the research! Here s some basic safety information for the most popular essential oils. BASIL BERGAMOT CEDARWOOD CHAMOMILE CINNAMON CLARY SAGE Do not use if you have epilepsy. Do not use during pregnancy. May irritate sensitive skin. Do not use before sun exposure. Repeated use on skin may result in contact sensitization. Do not use with high blood pressure or heart problems. Avoid during pregnancy. High doses may trigger skin reactions on sensitive skin. Do not use during pregnancy. Skin irritant. May irritate nasal membranes. Do not use during pregnancy. Not suitable for babies. Avoid after consuming alcohol.

30 29 Be Smart About Safety CLOVE CYPRESS EUCALYPTUS FRANKINCENSE GERANIUM GINGER GRAPEFRUIT HELICHRYSUM JASMINE LAVENDER LEMON LEMONGRASS LIME MARJORAM Use with caution during pregnancy. Repeated use on skin can result in contact sensitization. May irritate sensitive skin. Use with caution during pregnancy. Can be toxic at high concentrations. Do not use if you have high blood pressure or epilepsy. Do not use during pregnancy. No known cautions. Use with caution during pregnancy. Repeated use on skin may cause contact sensitivity. Do not use before sun exposure. Do not use before sun exposure. May irritate sensitive skin. No known cautions. No known cautions. No known cautions. Do not use before sun exposure. May irritate dry or sensitive skin. Not appropriate for children. May irritate dry, sensitive or damaged skin. Do not use with glaucoma. Use caution with prostatic hyperplasia. Do not use before sun exposure. May irritate dry or sensitive skin. Use with caution during pregnancy.

31 30 Be Smart About Safety ORANGE OREGANO PALMAROSA PATCHOULI PEPPERMINT PETITGRAIN PINE ROSE ROSEMARY SANDALWOOD TEA TREE THYME VETIVER YLANG YLANG Do not use before sun exposure. May irritate dry or sensitive skin. Can cause extreme skin irritation. No known cautions. No known cautions. Repeated use on skin may cause contact sensitivity. Use with caution if you have high blood pressure. Use with caution during pregnancy. No known cautions. May cause irritation at higher dilutions and repeated use may sensitize the skin. Do not use on skin during pregnancy. Use with caution during pregnancy. Do not use if you have epilepsy or high blood pressure. Do not use during pregnancy. No known cautions. May irritate sensitive skin. Use well diluted. Do not use with high blood pressure. Do not use during pregnancy. May irritate mucus membranes. Skin irritant. Use with caution during pregnancy. May irritate sensitive skin. Using too high a concentration may cause headaches and nausea.

32 31 Secret #6 Follow YourNose! Trust Yourself and Your Oils Experiment Play!

33 32 Follow Your Nose! In the end, it boils down to you. What do you like? What does your nose tell you is a good combination? Or a bad one? Your mood, your hormones, even the time of year can affect how you feel about a certain aromatherapy blend on any given day. Trust yourself! Now that you ve learned some basic safety guidelines, you can t go too far wrong. In fact, the biggest mistake most people make is buying poor quality essential oils. How can you create something that smells wonderful if your basic ingredients smell bad? How can you expect the oils to create positive change in your body if they re diluted with chemicals or other substitutes? With good essential oils, every time you use your aromatherapy blend you re boosting your immune system, balancing your nervous system and generally improving your health. That s what makes the world of mixing your own aromatherapy oils so exciting every day you can try something new, and it will always be good for you. Because every oil is part of earth s gift to us. Happy blending! Kyley

34 33 Bonus Chapter Essential Oils for Health How to Choose Essential Oils for Your Family s Health Concerns

35 34 Blending for Health So now you have them the six secrets for mixing essential oils. You know how to organize your oils, you know how to choose them, you know how to use them in your everyday activities, and you know the Rule of Three. You ve got your basic safety data to reference, and you have the confidence to follow your nose. My work here is done! Except I don t quite feel finished. WHY IS THERE A BONUS CHAPTER? I mentioned in Chapter 3 that when I started using dōterra s essential oils, I began to really understand how essential oils can be used medicinally to take care of our health. I think that s more important than it looks at first glance. Here s why. Prescription and non-prescription medications are not always as benign as we might think. They carry the danger of liver and kidney damage, they can be addictive, they usually have side effects, which often lead to more prescriptions to combat the side effects. Which can leave us sick, depressed, overweight and toxic. Not ideal! Please understand, I agree that there are times when medication is the best choice, and you should definitely be under the care of a doctor for your healthy issues. In fact, I m not claiming that essential oils can cure anything. I am saying that they position the body to heal itself without the dangers of toxic overload, side effects or addictions. And that s what led me to include this bonus chapter on how to use essential oils to cope with some of the health problems that might crop up in your life. I want to give you the best start possible in using essential oils in your daily life, and this is an important piece!

36 35 Blending for Health The following chart suggests some of the most effective oils for 175 common health concerns. Here s how to use them: MASSAGE For any given aliment, choose 1 to 3 of the essential oils listed and add 1-2 drops of each chosen oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil such as grapeseed or fractionated coconut oil. Gently massage the blend into the affected areas. You can use the massage oil blend several times a day up to every hour or two for severe complaints (over the short term) and it s good to keep on using the oil for a day or two after the symptoms are gone to make sure it s really done the job. REFLEXOLOGY If you don t like the scent of the blend or the area is too uncomfortable to massage, make a massage oil using the formula above and rub it into the bottoms of your feet to engage the reflexology points. Do a quick internet search to learn how reflexology works. Feet are also excellent because the skin is less sensitive than other areas, and it s also very porous, which allows the oils to enter the bloodstream quickly so they can get right to work. SUBLINGUAL (UNDER THE TONGUE) Some essential oils such as Lemon and Basil are safe to take internally if you buy a brand that s safe for internal use. (dōterra is one of them.) Read your bottle label to make sure an oil is safe to use internally. Simply place 1 drop under your tongue. This method of application is very effective because the blood vessels are very close to the surface of the tongue.

37 36 Blending for Health BATHS Baths, especially with Epson or Dead Sea salt, can help with a lot of health conditions. Salt draws out toxins, relieves pain and soothes your nerves. To make bath salts, stir drops of your essential oil blend into 1 cup of Epsom or Dead Sea salt. Epsom salt emulsifies the oils into the bathwater, but it should be used with caution if you have high blood pressure. Pour the scented bath salt into the hot water as you fill the tub. Swish the salt crystals around in the water until they re completely dissolved. Soak for about 20 minutes. For a simple aromatic bath, add 3-6 drops of your favourite essential oil or blend to your bathwater just before you get into the tub. The essential oils will float to the top of the water so your skin will quickly absorb them. If your skin is dry, you can add a teaspoon of grapeseed or fractionated coconut oil. COMPRESSES To make a hot or cold compress, fill a basin with 2 liters of hot or cold water, then add 1 to 3 of the essential oils listed for whichever ailment you re treating. Stir the water, then lay a towel on top of the water. The oils will float to the top, so the towel will absorb them along with the water. Wring out the excess water, then place the towel on the area needing the compress. For a hot compress, cover with a dry towel and a hot water bottle. For a cold compress, cover with plastic wrap, followed by another towel. Leave in place for up to 2 hours.

38 37 Essential Oils for Health ACNE ADD/ADHD ADDICTIONS ALLERGIES ALZHEIMER S ANXIETY ARTHRITIS ASTHMA ATHLETES FOOT AUTISM BACK PAIN BEE STING BLEEDING BLISTERS BLOATING Tea Tree, Lemongrass, Lavender Vetiver, Sandalwood, Lavender Grapefruit, Lavender, Rosemary, Marjoram Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint Frankincense, Sandalwood, Lavender Lavender, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Geranium, Lime, Rose, Marjoram, Cypress Frankincense, Rosemary, Marjoram, Peppermint Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Peppermint Oregano, Tea Tree Geranium, Bergamot, Lemon, Rosemary Wintergreen, Sandalwood, Geranium Lavender, Roman Chamomile Helichrysum, Geranium Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Geranium Peppermint, Fennel, Ginger

39 38 Essential Oils for Health BLOOD PRESSURE BOILS BONES, BROKEN BONE SPURS BRONCHITIS BRUISES BURNS CANCER CANDIDA CANKER SORES CARPAL TUNNEL CELLULITE CHAPPED SKIN CHICKEN POX CHOLESTEROL High Ylang Ylang, Marjoram, Lavender Low Rosemary Tea Tree, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lemon Wintergreen, Helichrysum, Cypress Wintergreen, Cypress, Marjoram Eucalyptus, Thyme, Basil, Fir Helichrysum, Geranium Lavender, Tea Tree, Geranium Frankincense, Sandalwood, Lavender Oregano, Tea Tree, Thyme Tea Tree Wintergreen, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Basil, Frankincense Grapefruit, Lemon, Rosemary Myrrh, Roman Chamomile, Sandalwood Lavender, Tea Tree, Roman Chamomile Lemongrass, Clary Sage, Helichrysum

40 39 Essential Oils for Health CHRONIC FATIGUE COLD SORES COLDS & FLU CONSTIPATION CORNS COUGHS CRAMPS CROHN S CUTS CYSTS CYSTITIS DANDRUFF DEPRESSION DIABETES Peppermint, Basil, Lemongrass, Rosemary Tea Tree, Melissa (Lemon Balm) Thyme, Lemon, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lime, Peppermint, Ginger, Oregano Rosemary, Lemon, Peppermint, Marjoram Clove, Grapefruit, Oregano Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Thyme, Ginger, Peppermint Lemongrass, Peppermint, Rosemary, Clary Sage (menstrual) Peppermint, Basil Lavender, Tea Tree, Helichrysum Oregano, Thyme Lemongrass, Thyme Tea Tree, Rosemary, Wintergreen, Lavender, Cypress Bergamot, Lemon, Frankincense, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Lime, Grapefruit, Clary Sage, Geranium, Sandalwood, Rose, Rosemary Cinnamon, Rosemary, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Eucalyptus

41 40 Essential Oils for Health DIAPER RASH DIARRHEA DRY SKIN DYSENTERY EAR INFECTION ECZEMA EDEMA ENDOMETRIOSIS EPILEPSY EXHAUSTION FAINTING FATIGUE FEAR FEVER FIBROIDS Lavender, Helichrysum, Roman Chamomile Peppermint, Ginger, Geranium Geranium, Roman Chamomile, Lavender Myrrh, Eucalyptus, Lemon Tea Tree, Lavender, Helichrysum Lavender, Helichrysum, Tea Tree, Geranium Grapefruit, Lemongrass, Cypress Geranium, Cypress, Clary Sage Frankincense, Clary Sage, Lavender Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Peppermint Peppermint, Sandalwood, Rosemary Rosemary, Lemongrass, Basil, Peppermint Ylang Ylang, Orange, Sandalwood, Bergamot, Cypress Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus Frankincense, Lavender, Oregano

42 41 Essential Oils for Health FIBROMYALGIA FOOD POISONING GALL BLADDER GAS/FLATULENCE GASTRITIS GIARDIA GINGIVITIS GOUT GRIEF HAIR LOSS HALITOSIS HANGOVER HEADACHE HEARTBURN HEAT STROKE Wintergreen, Lavender, Helichrysum, Rosemary, Thyme Peppermint, Ginger, Rosemary, Lemon, Fennel Geranium, Lemon, Rosemary Peppermint, Lavender, Ginger Peppermint, Lemongrass, Ginger, Fennel Lavender Clove, Tea Tree, Peppermint (gargle 1 drop in water) Lemon, Frankincense, Lavender, Geranium Lemon, Rose, Geranium, Bergamot, Lavender, Sandalwood Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Ylang Ylang Peppermint, Cinnamon (gargle 1 drop in water) Grapefruit, Lemon, Lavender, Juniper Peppermint, Rosemary, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Patchouli Peppermint, Ginger Peppermint, Lavender

43 42 Essential Oils for Health HEMORRHOIDS HEPATITIS HERNIA HICCUPS HIVES HORMONES HOT FLASHES HYPERACTIVITY HYPOGLYCEMIA IMMUNE SYSTEM IMPETIGO IMPOTENCE INDIGESTION INFECTION INFLAMMATION Cypress, Helichrysum, Geranium Geranium, Frankincense Basil, Lemongrass, Lavender, Geranium Sandalwood, Roman Chamomile, Lemon, Cypress Peppermint, Lavender, Myrrh Geranium, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang (balance) Peppermint, Clary Sage Lavender, Vetiver, Frankincense, Sandalwood Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Clove, Thyme Oregano, Tea Tree, Rosemary, Clove, Frankincense Geranium, Lavender Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood Peppermint, Ginger, Fennel Cinnamon, Oregano, Clove, Tea Tree, Bergamot, Myrrh Frankincense, Tea Tree, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Wintergreen, Roman Chamomile, Rosemary, Peppermint, Helichrysum

44 43 Essential Oils for Health INSOMNIA ITCHING JAUNDICE JET LAG JOCK ITCH JOINT PAIN KIDNEY INFECTION KIDNEY STONES LARYNGITIS LICE LOU GEHRIG S LUPUS LYME DISEASE MEASLES Lavender, Orange, Roman Chamomile, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Marjoram, Clary Sage, Bergamot Lavender, Peppermint, Roman Chamomile Geranium, Frankincense, Lemon, Rosemary Peppermint, Bergamot, Rosemary, Geranium, Lemongrass Lavender, Tea Tree Wintergreen, Roman Chamomile, Lemongrass Rosemary, Clove, Grapefruit, Geranium Lemon, Eucalyptus, Wintergreen Sandalwood, Frankincense, Thyme Rosemary, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus Cypress, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Geranium, Rosemary Clove, Tea Tree, Melissa Melissa, Thyme Lavender, Melissa, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus

45 44 Essential Oils for Health MEMORY MENOPAUSE MENSTRUAL PAIN MENTAL FATIGUE MIGRAINE MOLES MOOD SWINGS MOSQUITO BITES MOTION SICKNESS MRSA MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS MUMPS MUSCLE SPASMS MUSCLE STRAINS Rosemary, Peppermint, Frankincense, Lemon, Clove, Basil Clary Sage, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile Clary Sage, Rosemary, Peppermint, Geranium, Lemongrass Peppermint, Lemongrass, Lemon, Basil, Rosemary, Lime Peppermint, Basil, Wintergreen, Ylang Ylang Frankincense, Sandalwood, Geranium Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Lavender Lavender Peppermint, Ginger Oregano, Tea Tree, Clove, Cinnamon Frankincense, Sandalwood, Clove, Peppermint Tea Tree, Lavender, Lemon Basil, Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Peppermint, Cypress Lemongrass, Cypress, Ginger, Helichrysum

46 45 Essential Oils for Health MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY NASAL POLYPS NAUSEA NEURALGIA NEUROPATHY NIGHT SWEATS NOSE BLEEDS OSTEOPOROSIS PAIN PANCREATITIS PARALYSIS PARASITES PARKINSON S PMS Marjoram, Lemongrass, Basil, Rosemary, Geranium, Lavender Frankincense, Oregano, Peppermint, Basil Ginger, Peppermint Frankincense, Marjoram, Eucalyptus, Roman Chamomile Lemon, Peppermint Clary Sage Helichrysum, Lemon, Geranium, Cypress, Lavender Clove, Peppermint, Geranium Wintergreen, Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus Lemon, Marjoram, Peppermint Peppermint, Lemongrass, Geranium Oregano, Thyme, Fennel, Roman Chamomile Marjoram, Lavender, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Sandalwood Clary Sage, Geranium, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang

47 46 Essential Oils for Health PNEUMONIA POISON IVY PROSTATE PSORIASIS RADIATION RESTLESS LEG RINGWORM SCARRING SCIATICA SHINGLES SHOCK SINUSES SNAKE BITES SORE THROAT STAPH INFECTION Thyme, Cinnamon, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Frankincense Lavender, Rose, Tea Tree, Roman Chamomile Helichrysum, Frankincense, Cypress, Lavender, Peppermint Helichrysum, Tea Tree, Roman Chamomile, Lavender, Thyme Peppermint, Sandalwood, Tea Tree Cypress, Marjoram Oregano, Tea Tree, Thyme Helichrysum, Lavender, Frankincense Helichrysum, Peppermint, Roman Chamomile, Thyme Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Geranium Peppermint, Tea Tree, Helichrysum Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Rosemary, Helichrysum Clove Lemon, Tea Tree, Bergamot, Geranium Oregano, Tea Tree, Thyme

48 47 Essential Oils for Health STOMACH ACHE STREP THROAT STRESS STRETCH MARKS STROKE SUNBURN TEETH GRINDING TENDINITIS TENNIS ELBOW THYROID TICK BITES TINNITUS TONSILLITIS TOOTH ACHE TUBERCULOSIS Peppermint, Ginger Lavender, Rose, Tea Tree, Roman Chamomile Lavender, Grapefruit, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Roman Chamomile, Geranium, Frankincense, Marjoram, Sandalwood Helichrysum, Cypress, Myrrh Cypress, Helichrysum, Lavender, Peppermint Lavender Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Marjoram Marjoram, Lemongrass, Basil Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Helichrysum, Wintergreen, Rosemary Low Peppermint, Clove, Lemongrass High Myrrh, Lemongrass Lavender Helichrysum, Geranium, Peppermint Tea Tree, Oregano, Clove, Cinnamon, Lemon Clove, Tea Tree Eucalyptus, Cypress, Thyme, Cinnamon

49 48 Essential Oils for Health ULCER, DUODENAL ULCER, GASTRIC ULCER, PEPTIC URINARY TRACT INFECTION VARICOSE VEINS VERTIGO VITILIGO VOMITING WARTS WEIGHT LOSS WHIPLASH WORMS WOUNDS WRINKLES YEAST INFECTION Frankincense, Myrrh, Lemon Geranium, Peppermint, Frankincense Cinnamon (1 drop in a glass of water, sip all day) Lemongrass, Geranium, Bergamot Cypress, Helichrysum, Lemongrass, Lemon, Peppermint Ginger, Helichrysum, Geranium, Basil, Lavender Vetiver, Sandalwood, Myrrh Peppermint, Ginger Oregano, Tea Tree, Frankincense, Clove Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, Rosemary, Fennel, Lemongrass Lemongrass, Marjoram, Basil, Helichrysum, Vevitver, Peppermint Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme Helichrysum, Tea Tree, Lavender, Lemongrass, Basil Frankincense, Helichrysum, Sandalwood, Vetiver Tea Tree

50 49 Resources BUYING ESSENTIALOILS My number one recommendation for essential oils is dōterra. I personally buy all my oils from them because they re the best oils I ve used over the past 10 years. And to my mind, quality is critically important certainly worth one or two extra pennies per drop. Click to shop for dōterra essential oils at retail prices or contact me to get wholesale pricing. Here s a secret about dōterra s essential oils: in the long run, they end up costing only a fraction more than lower quality brands because you only need half the number of drops called for in any recipe. So in fact you get better quality at a comparable price. If price is more important to you than quality right now, then I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs, who is my go-to supplier for other recipe ingredients. Their prices and quality are good, and their customer service and earth-friendly policies are admirable. Bergamot Ginger Patchouli Cedarwood Grapefruit Peppermint Cinnamon Helichrysum Roman Chamomile Citronella Lavender Rose Clary Sage Lemon Rosemary Clove Lemongrass Sandalwood Cypress Lime Tea Tree Eucalyptus Marjoram Vetiver Frankincense Orange Ylang Ylang Geranium Palmarosa Browse Essential Oils

51 50 More Resources HELP & COMMUNITY If you have blending questions, want some more ideas for blends or just want to connect with a great community of aromatherapy enthusiasts, check out the Aromatherapy Recipes Group on Facebook. There s lots to learn and share! AROMATHERAPY RECIPES You can also find many more recipes and remedies at Or check out a few good books to expand your education and your recipe collection. Here s a couple of my favorites: The Complete Book of Essential Oils This really is an excellent resource with more than 600 recipes covering 10 basic essential oils, with chapters on face, body & hair babies, children, women, men & the elderly home, garden, pets & holiday celebrations cooking with essential oils Earthly Bodies Heavenly Hair This book has over 450 recipes with notes on how to substitute ingredients. Chapters include face, body & hair care lip balm & lipstick aftershave & cologne babies & children first aid and more ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kyley Zimmerman is a writer, researcher and webmaster with a passion for aromatherapy, natural health and eco-friendly living. Click here to contact Kyley.

52 51 Disclaimer & Copyright DISCLAIMER All information is for entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to replace or substitute for professional medical advice or prescriptions from your physician or other health care professionals. This information is obtained from current and reliable sources but makes no representation as to its comprehensiveness or accuracy. Nothing contained herein should be considered as a recommendation as to its fitness for any use. COPYRIGHT This document is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. All materials contained in this document, including but not limited to images, illustrations and text are protected by copyright and other proprietary rights (including intellectual property rights) and shall not be used for any purpose whatsoever including reproduction, duplication, distribution, derivative works or publishing. Short text extracts of the content (not images or illustrations) found in this document may be reproduced elsewhere, on the condition that Easy-Aromatherapy-Recipes.com is properly credited and linked to using do-follow links.