MN Help! Essential Oils Beginner...

[Sparkesx]

I've not been on here for very long BUT you reading various threads have introduced me to essential oils. I only used them to make my own body scrubs last year but threw them out because I never used them.

I'm looking for help/answers with two things really. Which ones do you use fragrance wise and what for? For example, what ones go nice to make linen spray ect? I'm getting all excited (sad I know!) and have sent OH a link for an Essential Oil gift set!

Any answers as to what you use any essential oils for would be appreciated though!

[ggirl]

no idea I'm afraid but bumping this as I'm interested as well

I would like one of those essential oil burning lamps

[tabulahrasa]

If you're just using them as scents, it'll depend on your taste.

Usually you blend them by properties, so for bed linen you might put lavender, rose and chamomile together.

[ppeatfruit]

I use them ALL the time, you can get good books to help you. You should buy good quality ones (in health food shops) Buy a couple you fancy and sniff them first to see which ones you like best.

If you keep them in a cool dark place they'll last a long time. I use peppermint for calming my stomach (a drop or2 in a glass of water) and also sniffing if I get a runny nose (it's magic). Some are much more expensive than others, I love rose but it's very expensive . I LOVE tea tree, I use instead of soap, its fab.

[Sparkesx]

ggirl I'll let you know if I come across any good ideas. It's like a whole new world has been opened

tabulahrasa I see. Can I put them with water straight into the iron?

ppeatfruit I'm a fan of rose, I quite like sweet smells and Tea Tree smells a little too strong for me. I'll have a look at some books!

[FurryDogMother]

I've got one of those diffuser things that kick out scented steam, and I use ylang ylang, sandalwood and frangipani oils, mostly. I found rose and lavender a bit too sweet and cloying, and patchouli just reminds me of my hippy stage :)

[WingsClipped]

This post has just reminded me of a beautiful rose EO blend is used to have in my old bedroom. Might have to get some more.

[Sparkesx]

FurryDogMother Sandalwood is a beautiful smell. I've added that to my list.

Anyone have other uses for them?

[ppeatfruit]

See I dislike sandalwood, it's a very personal thing.

If you think the t tree is too strong you can mix it with some water, it's amazingly anti bacterial; I cut myself with a rusty saw while removing a low branch from an Xmas tree a couple of years ago, I put some t tree on it neat, there was no scar or pain, the cut healed sooo quickly, it's bloomin' incredible (I use it as an effective deodorant after shaving, me armpits , lavender works well too).

I make my own anti insect spray in the summer with geranium and rosemary. That is also good for red marks on your face, rosacea and warts. 2 or 3 drops mixed with water too.

[ppeatfruit]

OMG I'm going on and on but I just remembered that I spray a mint mix with water in my shoes and slippers. It works so well!

[CraftyKittens]

Neals yard sells very good quality oils and you can also purchase mixed essential oils (pure essential oils not in a blend) there calming mix is lovely I have that in my diffuser at the moment.

Pre made blends will be essential oils in a carrier oil (almond for example) these are ok if you want to use for massage example but are not what you are looking for if you are going to use them in a burner or a diffuser or want to make your own. Just be careful when buying on line you check the type of blend :) cheap oils are likely to be poor imitations, will smell horrible and not have the properties of pure essential oil (I find the oils do have healing properties, some people will disagree)

I use distilled water with lime essential oil as a toner. I also use it in my iron sometimes :) but usually I just add some extra drops to a Tesco own brand ironing water as I have a massive steam iron and it works for me.

Possibilities are endless :) I love aromatherapy

[ppeatfruit]

Ooh good idea Crafty about the steam iron water, We've recently got one of those. I'll try lime , I've got lemon and neroli they're nice.

[CraftyKittens]

I put it in a spray bottle and spritz up my shoes and soft furnishings too :) just be cafeful what ones as some like sandlwood will be "sticker" or darker and cause some staining if not mixed up properly but much much better than frebeeze

Also, home made diffuser are great.

Two options:
150mls of almond oil (you need a thin oil) 50 drops of essential oil. Mix it up, put some reeds in it, job done.

100mls tap warm water, 100mls vodka/isopropyl shake it up add 40 drops of essential, reeds and job done. You can get isopropyl from a pharmacist but cheep vodka has worked fine for me

You can play with how much essential oils you use, and blends.

[CraftyKittens]

It works lovely!

I am crazy enough to iron my bedsheets but they are so cozy after being ironed with lavender essential oil always sleep like a baby. Lavender is so cheap to buy as well yet sleep spray (which I also make) is ridiculously expensive :)

I love neroli :) I worked in a chemist as a dispensing tech when I was at uni, and the pharmacist loved essential oils, worked with a local distillery was fascinating and my love affair with aromatherapy started.

[Sparkesx]

ppeat no keep them coming, they're exactly what i'm looking for! Love the slipper idea.

crazykittens yeah, i'm sick of using Febreeze air freshner. It gives me a headache straight away and the smell only lasts for about 15 minutes! My mum struggles to sleep, I might make her some of the Lavender spray to put on her bedding as an xmas gift in a nice bottle! Thank you

[ppeatfruit]

Thanks Sparkes You're very welcome I gave my mum some ess. oil of lavender, just to sniff it i.e. lovely for calming her and gently lifting the spirits. I use it too if I'm awake at some odd hour!

crazy I saved up and bought some myrrh !!!! But it has gone gummy , I can't get it out of the bottle, should I warm it or cool it to make it a liquid again?

We're very lucky because we have a good herbalist in out local town and he can order me exactly what I want. The problem is that it's in Fr. and it's difficult to get the meaning across with my pidgin french!

[CaptainWarbeck]

I love having a candle in an oil burner for fragrance, for a Christmassy aroma I'm using white fir and tangerine at the moment. Frankincense is nice too and you can mix and match to find combinations you like.

[ppeatfruit]

I love frankincense as well captain It's good for calming too.

[Sparkesx]

Thanks for all your ideas guys. I've found this on Pinterest and thought i'd share!

essential oils guide

I hope the link works.

[ppeatfruit]

Yes thanks for that Sparkesx One of the best books I've got about essential oils is Robert Tisserand's , it gives good historical perspectives ( I love that they've been used for thousands of years) and plenty of ideas for
uses. I't 's not comprehensive though.

Just the names frankincense and myrrh are soo evocative of the bible etc.

[palatemilly]

just came accross this thread and thought i'd throw my two cence in. I brought this essential oil set a couple of months back as a treat and i want not dissapointed!

[ggirl]

thanks for this thread OP

It's given me the idea to ask for a diffuser and some aromatherapy blends for xmas

[xTinkerBella]

Ggirl you're welcome! There's some lovely ideas and I'm looking forward to trying them out.

I've asked for essential oils sets and I'm really excited for Christmas Day now!

[WelshMoth]

EO's are massively personal, you've really got to experiment.

I mostly burn them around the house or put some drops into bags of
Lavender that I hang
Around the rads.

My favourite is Rose Geranium (Pure Geranium gives me headaches) mixed with Grapefruit or Sweet Orange. The citrus cuts through the floral beautifully. Rose geranium is very balancing for hormonal women so I go through quite a bit

[DanglyEarOrnaments]

I like a combination of lemongrass and peppermint in a small spray bottle, i use it as a room spray and it's so refreshing.