How to Use Essential Oils: Tips, Recipes, and Cautions

One of the most confusing issues for me as I began to explore aromatherapy was what method to use in applying essential oils and what quantities to use. I hope these notes, complete with suggestions for various treatments, provide some clear guidelines for those interested in using aromatherapy. Please refer to ‘Safety Information’ for more details on essential oil toxicity and cautions.

A word of warning: I recommend most people avoid certain essential oils for any type of topical use including baths (unless directed to do so by a qualified aromatherapist). These are the phenol chemical group (thyme, oregano, and savory) and in the phenyl propane chemical group (cinnamon, clove, allspice, and to some extent West Indian Bay). Avoid the following essential oils altogether (unless advised by a qualified aromatherapist): bitter almond, boldo, calamus, camphor, goosefoot, horseradish, mugwort, mustard, pennyroyal, rue, sassafras, tansy, thuja, wintergreen, and wormwood.

Bath
Here is a wonderful marriage of warming watery relaxation and immersion in the aromatic genius of nature. For an easy bath, simply mix 10-12 drops of essential oils (except benzoin because it sticks to your tub) with a tub full of water. It is recommended that you use some sort of emulsifier to help the essential oils mix evenly with the water. This can be an unscented bath gel, unscented bath salts or liquid lecithin. I have also heard an egg yolk works well. First add the essential oils to one of the above and then add this to your bath water. An emulsifier is particularly helpful when bathing in more fiery essential oils: basil, cassia, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, ginger, juniper berry, onion, Peru balsam, tolu balsam. Other essential oils are best limited to 1 or 2 drops per bath: peppermint, ginger, rosemary, eucalyptus, juniper, black pepper, sage, thyme and clove.

You may want to immerse your head in the bath at intervals. This practice anoints your hair and treats your brown and crown chakras – energy centers channeling the flow of energy through your body and your life experience.

Here are a couple of delicious bath recipes:

• 8 drops lavender, 2 drops German chamomile, and 1-2 drops lemon for a very relaxing bath which gently suggests letting go of rigid attitudes and behavior patterns.
• 4 drops cardamom, 4 drops sweet orange, and 4 drops of caraway for a clearing bath that brings about a sense of security and connection.

Diffusion Into the Air
Essential oils are excellent for enhancing your environment. I recommend either a nebulizing diffuser. Try using essential oils whose smell really appeals to you, noting the effects, then looking them up in a few aromatherapy texts to see what is written about them. Many have the ability to kill bacteria and interrupt the spread of infection. Plus, they smell lovely. Try a citrus like orange mandarin or grapefruit, or try savory which has very strong bactericidal action. You can use various other diffusers: a fan that blows on a filter with essential oils on it; a candle driven diffuser in which you mix essential oils with a carrier or water and place them in a dish over the flame; an electric diffuser that heats essential oils in a little well; or a ring that you place on a light bulb. Clay pot diffusers are good for intermittent inhalation. They don't fill the room, so it is a more personal treatment, excellent for the office. The porous clay allows the essential oils to evaporate very slowly into the air. Except for candle-driven diffusers, make sure you do not use any carrier oil (a fixed vegetable or nut oil used to dilute essential oils).

Another simple way to periodically inhale essential oils is to put 1-2 drops on a handkerchief and carry it in your purse or pocket. You can also be creative and mix essential oils in water in a spray bottle. I use oregano (another strong antibacterial) in a spray bottle in my kitchen. Shake well before spraying. An inexpensive way to scent a room is to use such a spray on the upholstery: drapes, furniture, carpet.

Note that all essential oils are safe to smell and breathe. However, children under 10 years are very sensitive to strong smells. They are less tolerant of strongly aromatic essential oils like peppermint and eucalyptus globulus (the most common eucalyptus). By the way, eucalyptus smithii is excellent for children's colds: it is a wonderful expectorant and respiratory tonic and very mild. Essential oils to be avoided by small children include rosemary verbenone, anise (Pimpinella anisum), basil, cinnamon, sage, spike lavender, atlas cedar (sometimes called cedarwood), yarrow, eucalyptus dives, eucalyptus globulus, and peppermint. Safety Information. One more caveat: strongly aromatic essential oils are said to alter homeopathics so do not use or store the two together.

Skin Care
You can mix essential oils with your lotion, body gel, clay mask, shampoo, or even make a steam facial. Boil some water and take it off the heat source. Add 3-5 drops of essential oil and put your face about five inches above the water with a towel over your head to contain the steam. (This steamy treatment is also wonderful for the respiratory tract.) You can also make a warm compress by dipping a towel into the bowl, wringing it out, and applying to your face.

Classic essential oils for skin care include:

• Cracked and chapped skin – German chamomile, patchouli, helichrysum, carrot seed, rose otto, and sandalwood
• Dry skin – geranium, lavender, neroli, petitgrain, rose, palmarosa and sandalwood
• Mature skin – clary sage, fennel, frankincense, carrot seed, lavender, and myrrh
• Oily skin – bergamot, cedarwood, cypress, helichrysum, geranium, lavender, lemon, grapefruit, and ylang ylang

Note essential oils containing coumarins (including bergamot, lemon and to a small extent lavender and grapefruit) make your skin more susceptible to UV rays. When using these, also wear sun protection.

Another excellent aromatherapy product for skin care is the aromatic hydrosol or flower water. This is the water byproduct of the steam distillation process and it contains the more water-soluble essential oil material; it is also a cost effective alternative to very expensive oils such as rose. Try spraying on a hydrosol as your toner before you moisturize. Use myrtle hydrosol for red, irritated eyes, says Kurt Schnaubelt.

You can make a hot or cold compress by mixing 5 drops of essential oil in water and soaking a towel in it. Wring out the towel and place over the affected area. For headache try a cool compress with German or Roman chamomile (actually with Roman chamomile you might just need to inhale it), citronella, grapefruit, lavender, lemongrass, sweet marjoram (very relaxing, make sure it's not wild marjoram), peppermint (good for mental fatigue), rose, or rosewood. For bruises try fennel or helichrysum. For menstrual cramps try clary sage or basil in a hot compress over your lower abdomen or sacrum.

Perfume
Using essential oils as perfume can be challenging. It is difficult to obtain a carrier that will slow both the evaporation and the absorption into the skin of the aroma. You can try a water base (well-shaken) sprayed on clothing. Perfumers use “fixatives” to overcome this issue. These might include more viscous essential oils such as sandalwood, patchouli and vetlver. A refined grape alcohol (reputedly only available in France) is used. Fractionated coconut oil or unscented gel can be effective carriers for perfumes.

Application Tools
Cotton balls are a great application tool. To treat earache, dab 1 drop of essential oil on a cotton ball and place it inside the outer ear such as basil (this one will be hot so dilute it first), rosemary, cajeput (for inflammation and infection), lavender or Roman chamomile. For the hypersensitive or for young children, try diluting 1 drop of essential oil in a carrier oil or alcohol and then put 1 drop of that mixture on the cotton ball and insert into the outer ear. You can also put a scented cotton ball in your washer to scent the contents. Michael Scholes mentions putting a scented cotton ball in the bag of your vacuum cleaner. Or dispense with the cotton ball altogether and put a drop of essential oil on your pillowcase for insomnia: try chamomile, bergamot, lavender, mandarin, sweet marjoram, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, spikenard, or vetiver.

Massage
Massage is an excellent way to apply essential oils. Both therapies increase circulation; support immune function and cell metabolism; and deepen the breath and body awareness. Blend about 6-9 drops with one tablespoon of carrier oil (any cold pressed vegetable or nut oil, I use sweet almond with a little hazelnut). This is a 2 to 2.5% dilution. Try daily 5-minute abdominal and low back massage with any combination of the following for perimenopausal symptoms: geranium, clary sage, cypress, palmarosa, lemon, nutmeg, or rose. Also note that spraying a little peppermint hydrosol on yourself can help relieve hot flash.

Blend 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils with 2 cups of arrowroot or cornstarch for your own personally scented powder.

Recommended Reading
These books are recommended for further investigation of aromatherapy:

• Lavabre, Marcel, Aromatherapy Workbook, Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1990.
• Lawless, Julia, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils the Complete Guide to the Use of Aromatics in Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health & Well-being, Rockport MA: Element, Inc., 1993.
• Price, Shirley, Aromatherapy Workbook understanding essential oils from plant to bottle, San Francisco, CA: Thorsons, 1993.
• Schnaubelt, Kurt, PhD, Advanced Aromatherapy: the Science of Essential Oil Therapy, Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1998.
• Worwood, Valerie Ann, The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Novato, CA: New World Library, 1991.

Storing Essential Oils
Droppers with rubber bulbs on them should not be used as lids for essential oils for an extended amount of time because the gases from the oils can interact with the rubber and contaminate your oil. Aroma-Massage essential oils are all bottled in amber or cobalt glass with polyethylene dropper inserts and black screw-on caps. Store them in a relatively cool, dark place. Under these conditions essential oils will last two or more years.