How NOT to use Essential Oils

If you love essential oils, this post might be a little controversial for you. 

I love essential oils and I love using them daily in so many different ways.

But there are some ways we do NOT use essential oils and I want to share them with you.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me on all these points, but for those of you that are in my downline and learn from me, I feel it necessary to share this.

We'll start simple, and work our way up.

#1: Do not put oils in your ears or eyes or "sensitive areas"
Essential oils can be extremely harmful to the ear canal.  I heard a testimony of someone who read instructions incorrectly and actually formed a blister on her ear drum by putting helichrysm into her ear!!!  So don't do that!

When using oils to help with earaches or ear infections, oils can can be applied to the fleshy part of the ear lobe, behind the hear and in front of the ear with massaging motions toward the jaw.  

You can also place a couple drops of oil on a cotton ball and then hold the cotton ball over the ear.

Also, use care when applying oils around the face and eyes.  Make sure to wash your hands after applying oils if you'll be touching your eyes at all.  If essential oil gets in your eye, make sure to apply a carrier oil like coconut oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil and that will take the sting out of the eye as it dilutes the essential oil.

Same goes for any "sensitive areas" that you get oils on.  Try to avoid that, but if you touch your skin with your fingers that has essential oil residue, you may find some discomfort.  Put your carrier oil on, and that will sooth it.

Some oils like peppermint have very strong aromatics that can irritate the eyes if it is even applied to the nose or cheek.  I personally just close my eyes for a few minutes if possible when applying peppermint to my nose or temples for a headache...even if makes my eyes water, it's worth it to me!

#2: Do NOT dilute with water
Water does not dilute essential oils.  It drives the oil, making it stronger if nothing else.  So whenever an oil is too strong for the skin or anything else, make sure to dilute with your carrier oil, NOT WATER!

#3: Do not use "neat" on children
When using an essential oil for the first time on one of the kiddos, please make sure to dilute it.  There are several oils that are known to be gentle like Lavender, Frankincense and Melaleuca, but to be safe, start out with some coconut oil and see how they do.


#4: Don't go in the sun after applying citrus oils
Citrus oils are photo-sensitive and can discolor or irritate the skin if exposed to the sun within 48 hours of being applied.  Be sure to wait a couple days if you've applied a citrus oil undiluted to exposed skin!


#5: Don't use certain oils during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 
 There is a short list of oils to completely avoid during pregnancy listed on Young Living's website. Those are:

• Wild Tansy
• Clary Sage
• Sage
• Fennel
• Wintergeen
• Hyssop 

There are other precautions to take while breastfeeding, but the only one I encountered was that peppermint decreased milk supply in some women (not me!).

A GREAT resource if you are pregnant or nursing is a book called Gentle Babies which is a complete guide to using Young Living Essential Oils with pregnancy, nursing, infants and with young children.

#6: Don't stop with your Starter Kit!!!!
There are many people that get their starter kit in the mail and think, "ok, I'm good now!."  I was one of those people...until I started using my oils and seeing results with my family!

If you don't know of other ways you could use your oils, just take a quick walk through your house.  Look at your cleaning supplies, your toiletry items, your MEDICINE CABINET!  So many of those items are causing harm to your body and your family!  Those can easily be replaced with safe and effective Young Living products, or homemade ones!

I have a post where I list my recipes for toiletry items as well as one for cleaning supplies. 

When people ask how I use essential oils, I ask "how DON'T I use essential oils???!?!"  We use them daily and are always finding new uses for them.


#7: Do not use essential oils for prayer/meditation
We are bombarded by the "New Age" era right now.  All things are made spiritual.  Well friends, I believe Scripture tells us our spiritual life is a relationship between us and our Creator.

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth." Psalm 145:18

  Using an oil to help me "elevate myself to a higher spiritual enlightenment" is not Biblical.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."  Romans 8:26-27

We have the Triune GOD to assist our prayers!  We don't need an oil!  Even when we don't know how to pray, the Spirit intercedes.  What a precious gift!

I strongly believe that if we look ANYWHERE other than The Lord for all things spiritual, we are opening ourselves up to be deceived.  We are also saying that God is not enough to provide "all things pertaining to life and godliness" like 2Peter 1:3 tells us.

The Holy Spirit indwells God's children.  We don't need an oil to get us any closer to The Lord...He dwells IN US!

Another way people tend to use oils with prayer is to anoint others or themselves with it along with a request for healing, enlightenment, or other "intentions."

I don't practice this and I believe it is goes against what Scripture intends when it mentions anointing.

There is a major passage of Scripture that addresses "oils" and prayer and that is James 5:13-15


I have spent alot of time with this passage and I've come to the understanding that the emphasis on the entire passage is clearly not on the oil, but on the prayer.  

I believe that the oil was not meant to enhance the prayer by making it more effective...if that was the case, then the rest of our prayers that don't include oils would be less effective. 

I believe it is likely that it was to aid in the prayer by tangibly dedicating that person to the Lord's special attention and care.  It was a symbol.  We saw it alot in the Old Testament - objects and people were set apart by the anointing of oil.  

The oil didn't DO anything to them, it was visually setting them apart to the Lord, and many times in obedience to The Father's command.

• Genesis 28:18 - Jacob pours oil over a rock pillar

• Exodus passages 29:21, 30:30, 40:9 - priests anointed numerous items including themselves

• 1 Samuel 10:1, 1Kings 1:39, 2 Kings 9:6 - Kings were anointed and set apart as well

I see it in a similar fashion to a king "dubbing" someone a knight with his sword.

#8: Don't stop educating yourself on essential oils
I have learned alot this past year in my experience with Young Living.  And the two very first things you need to do to start educating yourself are:

• Connect yourself with your upline
• Get a Reference Book 

If the person who signed you up with Young Living isn't very knowledgeable, that's ok, they will be soon!  And you will most definitely have others in your upline that have an abundance of knowledge to share!  Ask them questions and ask them where they go to find answers!  I know many feel bad about asking so many questions, but BELIEVE ME we love questions!  

Second, getting a reference book like the Higley Reference Guide or the Essential Oils Desk Reference.  These will empower you to find solutions for your own health and the health of your family!  Take charge of your health and browse your reference guide to see recommended protocols for sore throats, sore muscles, torn ligaments, gallbladder issues, first-aid, and TONS MORE!  It is such a great investment, and it will also help you assist friends in using their oils safely and effectively!

Make sure you attend classes that your upline has or see if there are events that corporate has in your area.  They are so full of information that will be valuable to your learning!
 I hope that this has helped you understand ways that I recommend you not using essential oils 
If you don't agree with all that I've posted here, that's totally ok!  Everyone has their own uses for essential oils and I want this to serve as a useful resource to my friends and those in my downline as they learn more about these amazing oils!

Not using Young Living Essential Oils?  Click here to learn more!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This post also contains affiliate links to the company which I have personally used and recommend.  If you purchase through these links, I will receive a commission, however the cost to you remains the same!

How to Help Prevent and SOOTH Sunburns with Essential Oils!

So if you're anything like me, getting rid of chemical laden products has been a bit of a transition.

If you grew up like I did, the ingredient list on a bottle of lotion was nothing of importance.  And when it came to sunscreen,  as long as it was spf30 or more, we were good to go.

It's only been this past year that I've realized some of the effects that these chemicals can have on the health of our children and ourselves.  Not to mention the fact that most lotions sting Noelle's poor TSW skin like crazy.

I recently wrote a post that listed pretty much every toiletry item in our home and how we had switched out traditional toxic products for natural ones.

One of those products was sunscreen in which I linked to Wellness Mama's blog detailing her sunscreen recipe.  I hadn't had a chance to try her recipe yet so I linked to her for the info.

Well, it IS summer now and we chose a different route for sunscreen.   We used Young Living's Carrot Seed Essential Oil mixed with coconut oil.

Carrot seed oil has a natural spf of 35-40!! 

And coconut oil has an spf of 2-8. 

We also added lavender to ours which is great for the skin.

I was pretty skeptical about this, as I have never used a natural form of sunscreen before!  

But let me tell you, I usually burn within 45 minutes because I'm pretty fair skinned, and I was in the sun for a couple hours the other day and had NO burn!  

I have been using it on the kiddos as well and we have seen no sunburns on them either!

I'm pretty excited to be able to share this with you guys and say that we are using it with success.

There are many different recipes out there for sunscreen, but I will share what we used and then a couple other options for you to personalize your own sunscreen and help your heal if you're already burned!

What you'll need for my sunscreen:

• 2/3 Cup of organic unrefined coconut oil
• 25 drops of YL Carrot Seed Essential Oil
• 10 drops of YL Lavender Essential Oil

Whip these together with an electric mixer until fluffy and store in a glass container.

***If it's too warm, the coconut oil won't "fluff up."  You can put the mixture in the fridge for a few minutes to cool before mixing if necessary.

 

I know, it's a horrible picture...did I mention I'm NOT your average blog photographer?

Apply frequently when in the sun and/or water for a prolonged period of time!

This has worked really well for us so far, but here are some other options as well.

Remember the body butter I made a while back?  You can simply follow those instructions and add Carrot Seed and Lavender to it if you already know you like the texture of that one.

If you want to add some bulk to my first sunscreen recipe, here are two alternative recipes for you to try!

Alternative #1:

• 1/3 Cup organic cold pressed coconut oil
• 1/3 Cup organic unrefined shea butter
• 25 drops of YL Carrot Seed Essential Oil
• 10 drops of YL Lavender Essential Oil

To get a nice velvety cream, you'll want to first melt the coconut oil and shea butter in a mason jar set in boiling water on the stove.

Once it melts together, pour it into a separate mixing bowl to cool.

Once cooled, add your essential oils and whip with your electric mixer until creamy!

Want your cream to stay set up in the heat instead of liquifying so quickly?

Try this recipe.

Alternative #2:

• 1/3 Cup organic cold pressed coconut oil
• 1/3 Cup organic unrefined shea butter
• 1-5 TBSP beeswax (the more you add the firmer it will be)
• 25 drops of YL Carrot Seed Essential Oil
• 10 drops of YL Lavender Essential Oil

Follow the same instructions as the previous recipe! 

Other essential oil options that can be helpful if you have a sunburn:

• Helichrysm
• Myrrh
• Roman Chamomile

So, what if you went in the sun and did NOT use any sunscreen?  And stayed out too long?  And now you're burning up and your skin is red and hot to the touch?

Story of my life.

But I have found what helps!

Like I said, I sunburn very easily, and have already burned this year (prior to making my own sunscreen!).

Here's how I have eased my burns and prevented mine from peeling!

What you'll need:

• Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
• YL Lavender Essential Oil
• YL Frankincense Essential Oil (optional)
• YL Peppermint Essential Oil (optional)
• YL LavaDerm Cooling Mist(optional)
• Raw apple cider vinegar (optional)

Here is what I do for my sunburns:

As soon as I notice I'm burned, I apply Lavender UNdiluted directly to the sunburn.

Once it's absorbed some, I follow that with coconut oil to keep the skin moisturized.

I try and do this SEVERAL times a day when I'm burned. 

I alternate the Lavender and coconut oil regimen with YL's LavaDerm cooling mist.  This spray has Lavender and Spiknard oils along with Aloe and trace minerals.  It is cooling and very soothing to the skin!

Once I notice the redness has decreased, I make sure to at LEAST continue with the coconut oil for a week or so.  That way I keep the skin plenty moisturized and I don't peel!

Other options for relief:

• Frankincense is also great for the skin and will "drive" the lavender deeper into the tissue if layered on the skin after the lavender.

• Peppermint will seriously cool the skin!  Applying a small amount after lavender may help relieve the burn.

• Apple cider vinegar is wonderful for the skin as well.  I haven't tried this, but have heard LOTS of great things about soaking the skin in ACV and then letting it dry.  Follow with your essential oils and coconut oil. 

So there ya go!

I hope this helps keep you and your family FREE of sunburns this year!  Remember that natural remedies are very specific to each person's needs.  Make sure to test the recipe you choose and feel free to alter it as necessary!

I'm sure that if you've found this AFTER you've already been burned in the sun, the options I've listed will help you get rid of that sunburn FAST!

Let me know if you use any of my recipes and how they've worked for your family!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This post also contains affiliate links to the company which I have personally used and recommend.  If you purchase through these links, I will receive a commission, however the cost to you remains the same!

  

How we use Purification Essential Oil

So this series that I've been doing will probably take me a YEAR to get through at the rate I'm going!

By the end of the series, I'll have a post on each of the oils that come in Young Living's Premium Starter Kit, which is the Everyday Oils Collection plus our Stress Away Oil.

Today I'm going to talk about our Purification essential oil blend.

I really love this oil and for several different reasons.

Purification is made up of the following oils:

• Citronella
• Lemongrass
• Rosemary
• Melaleuca Alternifolia
• Lavandin
• Myrtle

This oils smells lovely!  It almost has a rosy fragrance to it.  Very fresh and clean.  I always use it when I make my carpet deodorizer.

Here are some ways we use Purification:

Eliminate Odors
Purification is actually formulated to eliminate/neutralize (not mask or cover) odors and the bacteria that causes them.  It's a really great option if you have pet, smoke, or mildew odors in your home!

Diffusing Purification will leave your room smelling divine very quickly.

Another option, if you don't have a diffuser is putting Purification on a cotton ball and putting it in the air vents.

I also put several drops of Purification in a small glass spray bottle with a tiny bit of epsom salts to dissolve it.  Then I fill with water - makes a great air freshener!  Just make sure to shake the bottle before spraying to disperse the oils throughout. 

Ward off BUGS!
The oils in Purification make a great combination to keep bugs away!

Diffuse it anywhere you want to ward off mosquitos, flies, or bees.

You can also simply put several drops in some coconut oil to rub onto skin before going outside.

Another option is using it in a spray bottle like I mentioned above and spraying it all over clothing and skin. 

But if you want more of a heavy duty bug repellant, follow this recipe:

• 5 drops Purification
• 5 drops Thieves
• 5 drops Melaleuca
• 2 drops Lavender
• 2 drops Orange
• 2 drops Peppermint
• 2oz Witch Hazel
• 4oz Distilled Water

Mix all the above in a 6oz glass spray bottle.
Shake well before using.

**If you don't have all these oils, just use what you DO have!  Other options to add to your bug repellant are Clove, Idaho Tansy, and Citronella.

Calm bug bites/stings
If you do get bug bites or stings, Purification can really help calm the itching, burning, and stinging, especially when applied right away.

I have ALWAYS been a mosquito magnet...for as long as I can remember.  And the bites always have swelled up and been extremely itchy for several days.

Well, not anymore!  As SOON as I feel the itch of a mosquito bite, I put a drop of Purification on it.  Within minutes, the itch is gone and so is the swelling.  Anytime it feels like it might be itching again, I reapply and it's relieved!

The same applies for other types of bites and stings.  The earlier you catch it the better!

Support the body's natural defenses with skin irritation and blemishes.
The oils in this blend are also great for supporting healing!  I grab Purification and apply a drop to any scrapes to assist the healing process!

Also swipe a drop over any blemishes/pimples you might have and see how helpful it can be! (don't rub it in too much.  You don't want the oils of your fingers touching the pimple, just the essential oil)

Boost the immune system
Purification is great for the immune system, make sure to have it close when you need to promote's the body's defenses!

Rub a drop on each foot and dilute some on a q-tip and swab right inside your nose when needing extra immune support.

Try it as a deoderant!
There are many oils that can be used as a personal deodorant.  This is my oil of choice.  It smells so fresh and clean and can be helpful when there is bacteria that causes  odor under your arms.

I simply apply one drop each to the underarms each day!  I keep several oils with me wherever I go and this is one of them.  So I always have it if I need to reapply!
   ***This is NOT an anti-perspirant.  There are several health related reasons I choose not to use underarm anti-perspirant anymore! 

Help alleviate ear discomfort
Purification, Melrose, or Melaleuca are the oils I grab when someone has some discomfort in their ear and/or jaaw.

MAKE SURE never to put essential oils directly into the ear.  Take a drop (diluted for kiddos) and gently massage along the front of the ear and down the jawline.  Do the same behind the ear as well.

Additionally, you can put some diluted Purification on a cotton ball and place the cotton ball right over the ear opening.  Hold it there for as long as possible. (some people tape it there!)  This can be super helpful!


There are SO many ways to use Purification, I try to never be without it!

As always, if you want to learn more about Young Living, visit my website here.

Also, check out this post that explains the sign up process!

Make sure to read the other posts in this series if you haven't already:
How we use Thieves essential oil
How we use Peppermint essential oil
How we use Lemon essential oil
How we use PanAway essential oil  

 

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This post also contains affiliate links to the company which I have personally used and recommend.  If you purchase through these links, I will receive a commission, however the cost to you remains the same!

5-Day Nutritive Cleanse {RECAP}

So I finished my 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse two days ago and wanted to post a recap!

If you didn't read about the cleanse, you can check out my posts here:

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Some things to note.
Something that I forgot to mention in my posts was that the cleanse allows herbal tea!  You can drink caffeine free herbal tea and even sweeten it with Stevia!

So I did take advantage of that for a couple snacks.  I had Tazo's iced passion tea with stevia...it was so refreshing!

Another thing is that the cleanse suggest drinking water with each meal and snack.  And at one point I realized I wasn't drinking as much WITH my meals.  However, I also didn't share that I drink water ALL the time!  

That's mainly what I drink during the day, and last week was no exception.  So while I may not have an quite enough water during a specific time frame, I definitely got in the recommended amounts!

This is a gentle cleanse.  Some people freak out by the term "cleanse" and think they'll be in the bathroom all week!

This is NOT that kind of cleanse.  In fact, the pamphlet states that it is a gentle cleanse that should be utilized 4 times each year.

I would really like to do this again in the next few months!

Does it really taste good?
I can honestly say that I REALLY like the Balance Complete Shake!  I was so pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture!  No furry fiber like I get with many drinks that have high fiber content.  

I found that I liked mixing the powder with just water, or water and milk together, but I needed it to be ice cold, so I always added ice after mixing.

The easiest way I found was to use mason jars with lids to shake it up and then drink!

Weight Loss
So at the end of the five days, I lost a whopping 2 pounds.

Not very much, but more than I had lost by doing nothing!

I stated in my first post that I was not doing this for weight loss, but as a kick start to better eating that I hope WILL help me lose weight!

Did I binge?
The day after I was done with my cleanse (yesterday), I actually had another shake for breakfast.  I had some extra powder left, so I drank it!  I had no hunger before lunch either.

I was able to eat normal meal portions and reasonable healthy snacks as well.  I am very thankful to be satisfied with much smaller portions than before!

Did the cravings return already?
Nope!
 
Did I want some foods that I hadn't been able to eat before?  Yes.  

Did I crave them like mad?  No.

I am still not craving junk food, however if I see it, I'll probably want it.  That's just me!

I am determined to continue with this as I now have some momentum from that cleanse!  

Did I have a little gluten/dairy free brownie today?  Yes.  And I was satisfied to have one little one.

I know that's normal for lots of people...but not for me!

How do I feel?
I have to say, after eating kind of a late snack last night, I woke up feeling bloated.  I want to keep the eating to very little at night from now on...easier said than done!

I feel really good though, and trust me, I had no major gastrointestinal interruptions during the cleanse!  I can tell you that there were a couple days of a grumbly stomach and gas, and that it worked itself "out."  That's all I'm gonna say, but I think it was a good thing!

What now?
Well, I've started my petrochemical weight loss, which involves applying oils topically and ingesting them.

Once I get some kind of result I'll do a post about it.

I also mixed together my own version of Young Living's Slique Blend.  I have all the single oils that are in the blend, so I mixed them together in a ratio that was tasty and I'm putting it in my water!

I'm also trying to just eat healthy.  More fruits, veggies, proteins and less carbs and little to NO processed foods.  (ok, I still buy all natural organic boxed snacks)

I hope that my series has been helpful to some!  Let me know if you do Young Living's 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse and tell me how it goes!

Feel free to ask any questions!

 
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of myself and own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
 

Young Living 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse {Day 5}

I'm done!!!
I did it!

I've never done any type of cleanse before, and I'm so glad that I completed this one while following all the protocols...until 6:30pm!  I finished my cleanse a little early tonight, I'll explain below.


Ok, here's how my last day went! 

Day 5 recap

Breakfast:

• 2oz Ningxia Red
• Balance Complete Shake (Mixed with 7oz water, 1oz of almond milk)
• Digest & Cleanse capsule
• An extra 12oz of water

Snack:

• Not needed

Lunch:

• Same as breakfast

Snack:

• 2 Tbsp raw almonds 

Dinner:

• Same as breakfast

Snack:

• Mother in-law's salad

How I felt today:
First off, let me start by saying....
We SLEPT last night!!!!

Noelle's meds worked, praise The Lord, and we all got a full night's sleep!

Wow, did that feel good!

It set us up for a great day at our church's discernment conference!

That kept me pretty distracted (accept for when everyone was eating cookies during the breaks!) so I wasn't tempted much.

By the time we got home, it was 1:30 and I was STARVING for lunch!  My shake and NingXia just didn't cut it so I had my almonds soon after lunch.

I had the same gastrointestinal issues as yesterday (read here...I don't want to type those words again), but again, there was no discomfort.

I will be honest and say that I finished my cleanse voluntarily early....does that sound positive or negative?  

We were at my in-laws' for dinner and I had drank my shake already and I was just REALLY wanting her salad.  She makes great salads.

So I had a plate.

It was an all vegetable salad with an olive oil and vinegar dressing, so it was really healthy!

But I guess I just "called the game on account of salad."

Not sure if I should feel bad or not...but I don't!  haha, I'm just glad I made it through and I'm looking forward to making much healthier food choices without craving the unhealthy ones!


I'll recap how I feel about the entire cleanse tomorrow and update on how it feels to eat the same food as my family!

For any of you that have followed me, I thank you!  I'm hoping that this can be a resource for someone considering doing the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse like I did! 



Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of myself and own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.