7 Supplies Needed for Successful Essential Oil Use
Essential oils are powerful little things that can help with numerous amounts of ailments. I don’t necessarily consider myself an avid essential oil user but I have really been trying to remember them when I’m faced with a certain ailment because I truly believe in the healing powers they hold.
When used correctly, essential oils can help nausea, eliminate severe swelling in bug bites, headaches, stress, aid the healing of ouchies, and so much more.
I would say it’s been about 2 1/2 years since I first heard of essential oils and started using them in my home for various things. Since then, I’ve realized that in order to be truly successful in the essential oil part of your natural living journey, having the right supplies on hand are essential (no pun intended, of course).
There have been many times where I have researched how to help heal something, had all the singular essential oils, and then realized I had nothing to mix them in or nothing to make measuring out the precise amount of drops easier. I still end up making the mix in a small glass bowl but it’s messy, wasteful, and since the essential oils are fragile and actually evaporate, the air they are exposed to makes their potentness drop quickly which then reduces their power to heal.
That being said, I wanted to share my experience of things that are necessary to have on hand for successful essential oil use so you can reap the benefits of essential oils.
Essential oils: I know, I know — could I point out anything more obvious? In order to successfully use essential oils, you actually need the oils themselves. Since there are what seems like hundreds of essential oils available to buy, I think the most important thing is to start off with the basic, most used essential oils.
This would include: Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Tea Tree, and Frankincense. I find that I use these 5 oils more than I do any other.
A note on which company to purchase from: Just like any other buying decision, who you decide to purchase essential oils from is a very personal decision. I think there are many great essential oil companies out there however, I personally buy all my essential oils from Plant Therapy for 5 main reasons:
- I love their customer service
- I love that they have certified aromatherapists on staff and education on the safety of oils is important to them
- I love that the world’s leading expert on essential oils — Robert Tisserand — has worked hand in hand with Plant Therapy to verify the integrity of their oils
- I love the quality of their oils
- And most of all, I love their affordable prices
Carrier oils: Although essential oils are natural products, they still need to be treated with caution and care. Most essential oils need to be diluted in a carrier oil before applying to your skin. Otherwise, an oil can cause a negative reaction with your skin by creating a rash, burning sensation, or can cause even more serious problems. Also, if you ever want to create your own roll-on blends, you’ll need a carrier oil to help blend the oils together and dilute them so they are safe to use on your skin or your child’s.
See: What is a Carrier Oil and Why Should I Use It
I think having a variety of carrier oils on hand is the best, but if you want to start out with one or two I would recommend fractionated coconut oil or sweet almond oil.
Roll-on bottles: Out of all the supplies I have wished I had more of in my essential oil use, roll-on bottles are definitely at the top. There have been countless times where I wanted to create a blend and didn’t have anything to put the blend in. I have a lot of singular KidSafe Synergies but I have found — especially with kids — it’s so much easier to apply the oil you want to use with a roll-on bottle instead of mixing it into a bowl or your hand and then applying. With roll-on bottles, you can also make your own perfume blends and healing blends.
Hands down, I truly believe having at least four empty roll-on bottles available at all times is 100% absolutely necessary and make using essential oils much easier, and effective.
Droppers: If you’re trying to be precise about the amount of oils you’re mixing to create a blend, droppers are incredibly valuable. Yes, you can just try and count the number of drops that come out of the bottle itself, but have you ever tried to do that when the drops are coming out faster than you can count? “10, 11, 12, 15, 20, 23…”
Spray bottles: So, remember how I said roll-on bottles are at the top of my list of “Must Have” essential oil tools? Well, spray bottles are number two on the list. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked up a remedy or a solution that I needed to use a spray bottle with and haven’t had any on hand. Spray bottles are used to make natural air fresheners, cleaning solutions, and even bug spray so it’s important to always have at least two empty bottles on hand at all times.
In fact, recently I somehow misplaced our natural store-bought bug spray we use and didn’t want to let Andrew go outside without having any on him (because of his severe reaction to bites). Instead of saying, “Sorry bud, we can’t go outside.” I was able to grab my Ban-the-Bugs KidSafe synergy, fractionated coconut oil, and a spray bottle to whip up a batch of bug spray. Unfortunately the spray bottle had my DIY toner for acne-prone skin in it, so I had to dump that out and waste it but nevertheless, I was able to save the day and create a bug spray so we could spend some time outside.
And if you’re wondering if the bug spray worked — it did! I am totally impressed with this recipe and feel confident that it protects Andrew’s sensitive skin from the ravish mosquitoes we have in our yard.
Diffuser: Diffusers are on the higher end of price points for essential oil tools, but they are one of the most effective ways of feeling the benefits of essential oils.
I honestly haven’t used my diffuser much, other than when someone in the house is sick and I diffuse KidSafe Germ Destroyer to help keep all the healthy people healthy. And yes, it does absolutely work in doing so! In August, Andrew was sick for a painstaking three weeks and when the sneezes started flying, I diffused Germ Destroyer for five days straight and not myself or Scott got sick!
I do, however, plan to use my diffuser when I’m delivering my baby in my home in November to create a calming, relaxed atmosphere.
This is the diffuser I have. I love it but I think I also want one that you apply a few drops to water to create the steam because I think it would be easier to use various oils at one time without having to make up a separate bottle.
Test strips: If you’re going to get into blending your own oils for fragrance, test strips are a must. You can also use test strips for getting a better idea of what the specific oil’s smell is like, since it can be hard to distinguish when smelling directly from the bottle. To use a test strip, simply dip the narrow end into the bottle or place 2-3 drops and let sit for a minute or so. Once it’s done sitting, just wave the strip close to your nose and take a whiff.
I found the test strips incredibly helpful when we were testing out some beard oil scents to see which one my husband liked better.
Essential Oil Posts to Read:
- Essential Oils 101: What You Need to Know About Using Essential Oils During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Essential Oils 101: What You Need to Know Regarding Safety, Terms, and More
This post is sponsored by Plant Therapy. Thank you for allowing me to support my favorite brands and share them with you!
Very helpful, thank you! I am just getting started with essential oils and have been wondering how to incorporate them more easily into my routine. Now I know!