1.Relieve headaches with essential oils. Essential oils can be effective in relieving minor headaches. Dilute the oil for use on a concentrated area of the body. Then, apply the blend to the forehead, temples and back of the neck. Massage the oil into your skin using gentle circular motions, while inhaling deeply. The best essential oils for headaches include:
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Ginger
2.Treat acne with tea tree oil. Essential oils can be used as an effective treatment for acne and are a good alternative to the harsh chemicals found in many acne creams and prescription drugs. In one study, a 5% tea tree oil gel was found to be as effective as benzoyl peroxide (a common ingredient in over-the-counter and prescription acne creams) in the treatment of acne.
- To create a 5% tea tree oil gel for acne treatment, add 5 drops of tea tree oil to a teaspoon of aloe vera gel. Mix the oil and aloe well and then apply the gel to acne using your fingertips or a q-tip. Store the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
3.Treat insomnia with lavender, roman chamomile, and clary sage essential oils.Using essential oils will not cure insomnia or its root cause, but using calming and relaxing essential oils before bedtime can help you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep until your intended wake up time. Three of the best essential oils to help with insomnia are lavender – to promote relaxation, Roman chamomile – which is a natural sedative, and clary sage – which contains narcotic properties.
- If you have a vaporizer, add a few drops of lavender, Roman chamomile, or clary sage oil to it before you get into bed.
- Try adding a couple of drops of oil to your bedtime bath, or try massaging a large area dilution into your legs and feet before bed.
- Keep in mind that some essential oils, such as rosemary, cypress, grapefruit, lemon and peppermint, can be particularly energizing and stimulating, so they are best avoided before bedtime.
4.Ease stress with essential oils. Probably the most widespread use of essential oils is to promote emotional well-being by reducing stress and encouraging calmness and relaxation. Essential oils positively affect our emotions because our smell receptors connect to the brain’s limbic system – an area responsible for emotions, memory, and sexual arousal.The top five essential oils particularly effective for stress relief are:
- Lavender, with its calming, earthy and sweetly floral scent, is widely beloved for the relaxing and balancing effects it provides, on both a physical and emotional level.
- Frankincense essential oil, with its comfortingly warm, exotic aroma, is most widely used for its stress relieving properties.
- Rose is a popular oil for relieving stress, while also helping with depression and grief.
- Chamomile essential oil, especially the Roman variety, addresses stress caused by mental anxiety, as well as helping with paranoia and feelings of hostility.
- Vanilla essential oil is renowned for its therapeutic qualities. Many people find vanilla to be a very comforting smell, and some aromatherapists claim that this is because vanilla oil is closest in fragrance and flavor to mothers’ milk. Vanilla induces tranquility and stimulates mental clarity.
5.Stop snoring with thyme essential oil. Thyme essential oil is the top essential oil used to help with snoring. To use thyme essential oil as a snoring remedy, create a concentrated area dilution (3-5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil). Rub the oil into the bottoms of both feet before bed. Other oils that can be used in place of thyme oil include cedarwood and marjoram.
6.Repel insects with lemon eucalyptus essential oil. Many store-bought insect repellents are full of harsh synthetic chemicals, which smell unpleasant and may irritate your skin. A strong dilution of lemon eucalyptus oil is an excellent (and great smelling) alternative to help keep the bugs at bay.You can mix the oil with a base oil and apply it directly to skin, or you can place the oil in a diffuser or burner near an open window.
- To make your own insect repellent, combine 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of carrier oil, 2 tablespoons of witch hazel, and about 50 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil, 10 drops of lavender oil, 10 drops of cedarwood oil, and 10 drops of rosemary oil. Combine the ingredients in a small spray bottle and shake the mixture well before applying
7.Ease earaches with essential oils. Topical application of some essential oils can help to naturally clear up ear infections and to ease any pain associated with them. The oils should not be applied inside of the ear, but rather applied along the neck and behind the affected ear.
- Tea tree essential oil is one of the best oils for relieving earaches. Create a concentrated area dilution (3-5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil) and massage behind ears and on the neck.
8.Ease dizziness with peppermint essential oil. Essential oils can help to relieve symptoms of dizziness associated with vertigo. Peppermint is often lauded as the most effective essential oil when it comes to treating dizziness. It has been commonly used in treating nausea and vertigo as it contains menthol, menthyl esters, and menthone – the components responsible for producing peppermint’s cooling and invigorating effect. When dizziness strikes, lace a few drops of peppermint oil onto a cotton ball or handkerchief and inhale. Other oils that help to relieve dizziness include:
- Cypress
- Basil
- Clary sage
- Myrtle
- Lavender
- Ginger
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Tangerine
9.Relieve a sunburn with essential oils. Certain essential oils have been used to treat burns for thousands of years, due to their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. The best essential oils for relieving sunburn include lavender oil, helichrysum oil, rose oil and Australian Blue oil (a blend of several different essential oils). The most effective way to apply the essential oils is to mix them with a little aloe vera gel (1 drop of essential oil per teaspoon of aloe vera gel) and spread directly on the burn.
- You can also make your own sunburn relief spray by combining:
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Juice
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E
- 8 drops lavender essential oil
- 8 drops tea tree essential oil
- 8 drops Roman chamomile essential oil
- Combine all of the ingredients in a glass spray bottle and shake well.
10.Treat minor wounds with essential oils. Lavender, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and several other essential oils can be used to treat minor wounds like cuts, burns or bug bites, thanks to their antibiotic properties. To use essential oils for a minor wound care, clean the wound first. Make sure that the wound is not bleeding. Then, apply a small amount of a 2-3% dilution of essential oil (2-3 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil).
- Apply the oil topically 2-5 times a day until the wound has healed. After application, you can also apply a cold compress to the wound to ease bleeding and swelling and to seal in the oils.
11.Use peppermint essential oil to soothe an upset stomach. You’ve probably heard that peppermint tea can soothe an upset stomach. Likewise, peppermint essential oil can be used to ease nausea and digestive issues. Simply create a large area dilution (3-5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil) and rub the mixture on your abdomen to ease stomach pain.
- Other oils that can be used in this manner include ginger, nutmeg and spearmint essential oils.
- Applying a warm compress to the stomach after applying the oils may also help to relieve pain and discomfort.
- Most research has found that peppermint oil taken orally is likely to be effective against symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
12.Relieve congestion with eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil can be used to help ease the symptoms of sinus congestion. Eucalyptus oil helps to open up the sinuses and cool the nasal passages. Many people use eucalyptus oil to help combat congestion associated with the common cold and allergies.
- To use eucalyptus oil as a topical decongestant, mix eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil (3-5 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil). Apply a small amount of the mixture under your nose and rub some of the mixture into your chest as well.
- If you suffer from severe congestion, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to your humidifier or fragrance diffuser as well.