What are essential oils? Let’s get back to the basics…
I have been using essential oils for the past 5 years but I realize that many of you don’t know what they are. Or you are thinking oils are for the hippie type. Well I had the same reservations when I first heard about them.
I noticed one little girl in my daughter’s class was never sick when the rest of us mom’s were methodically taken down by one bug or another making its way through the class. When I asked her mom what she was doing she told me about Thieves oil. It sounded so crazy to me to put oils on my kids feet but I was desperate. At the time my 3 girls were 4 and under and was to do anything to keep them healthy. I started rubbing on the oil on my older daughter and diffusing it when I heard anyone around her was sick and I was shocked to see that it actually worked like magic for my family.
Fast forward 2 years and I ended up with shingles from stress and suddenly I needed to make some major life changes. In addition to a lot of wellness changes to my life, I got out my trusty oil kit and started to really get into the oils for emotional support and well being. Stress away oil was quickly my go to for the witching hour and before I knew it I had become a full on addiction. I now have over 50 oils that I love mixing and using! My family has all jumped on board and my kids and husband even make oil requests.
So back to what the heck are oils… I am not a scientist and won’t go into the chemistry of the plants but basically essential oils are the life force or the “essence” of the plant. They are the aromatic part of the plant that are extracted through a process called steam distillation. They are what protects the plant and helps keep it thriving. For example, for a rose the oil comes from the petal, lemon from the rind and cedar wood the bark. When you tear that mint leaf and smell the fresh aroma you can begin to get an idea of what is the essential oil of the plant.
These are chemicals but they actually support our bodies, unlike parabens and synthetic fragrances that actually disrupt our system.
Before you start picking up a bottle you see at the store you’ll need to know the source and quality of the oil. It is important to make sure you get high quality therapeutic grade oils. Some oils are cut with synthetics or even a blend of a cheaper oil to bring the price lower. They won’t work as effective and definitely won’t be as beneficial to your health.
Oils can actually be used many different ways. They are used aromatically by smelling from the bottle or diffusing, topically add into your skin care or directly on parts of the body that need some TLC. They can also be ingested *only for oils approved by FDA.
I always say to go with your intuition and gut instinct to find the oils that are best for you. I have some days that my body will crave a certain oil to diffuse and others when that oil can literally repulse me.
Oils are my passion so let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be sharing tips and recipes on the House of Intent blog and Insta so follow along!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products or techniques mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I am just a mom who shares what works for me!