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!

Topical Steroid Withdrawal {11 Months In}

So life has brought many changes these past couple months! It has made life busier and more gratifying!  But definitely less time to blog :)

My last TSW post was when Noelle was 9 months into this and we were pretty discouraged.  I really expected her to be in a better state than she was and she was really really itchy!  

Well I'm so glad to report that the last 2 months have brought Noelle MUCH improvement!  And consistent improvement which we are so grateful to Our Lord for!!!

Soon after my last post, Noelle saw her doctor again and he recommended we start her on magnesium twice a day.  

We soon also started moisturizing again, as we hadn't moisturized in months!  Before, creams would irritate Noelle's skin and exacerbate the condition.  

Well, NOW  her skin absorbs moisture and we have seen it respond pretty quickly to it!

I don't know if it was just time, the creams we use, the magnesium or if it was a combination all the above, but her skin quickly started to change.

For several weeks now I have not been able to qualify any part of her as "flaring."  She has some trouble spots, but they are isolated!

PRAISE THE LORD!

Her arms had a severe setback last month after her skin looked perfect for about a week.  Twice in a few days, she managed to get her gloves off and just rip apart her arms and hands.

She's never done anything like it and it was an extremely frustrating week for me.  For at least a week I had to keep zinc cream on her arms and wet wraps on top (which she hates) to allow them to heal.

 
Thankfully they did heal eventually and look better now, with just some scratches left that are more recent.

I am using two different creams right now.  

One is from the lotion bar recipe that I shared a while back and this one has lemongrass in it.

The other is a cream I whipped together (literally) with:

• coconut oil
• shea butter
• a little grapeseed oil
• beeswax
• zinc oxide powder

• Young Living EO's: lemongrass, frankincense, roman chamomile, and lavender

We also continue to use Young Living's Tender Tush.

I apply the lotion bar when her skin is just dry and we use the zinc cream when her skin is more inflamed, red, or oozy.  The zinc helps to dry it up but not as much as the diaper cream we were using before as this one has other moisturizers in it!

They both seem to be working great!

So here's how she looks right now:

Hair:

Although it doesn't hurt or itch, thinning hair is a symptom of TSW.  The top of her hair has thinned significantly and it is still falling out.

I'm hoping this stops before her hairline is moved back.  I've had to change how I style it!  

Her head has become super sensitive though, I've started braiding her hair and keeping it in braids so I don't have to brush knots out - that equals a screaming match!

Feet:

Feetsies after zinc cream

Noelle's feet are looking pretty good!  Some redness and a few bumps, especially between the toes her flip flops go in (yes, she's wearing sandals!!).  But they look pretty good overall.

Legs:

 her leg after zinc cream

 Her legs have improved greatly, though prove to be something that we constantly have to address.   We've found that the thick "alligator skin" has significantly reduced and softened with moisturizing.  She has several red dots, but no real oozing or bleeding.  They do itch, but not at all like they used to!!!

Top of her thigh after zinc cream

The top of her thighs had some really rough, thickened skin from itching, but moisturizing has softened that as well and they're looking great aside from the little spots you can see in the picture!

Arms:

Noelle's arms have greatly improved, but she still has scrapes from her most recent scratching.  Not deep wounds like last time though!!

Tummy and Back:

It's beautiful!!!

Praise The Lord, her back and tummy are CLEAR!!!!  And they have been for quite a while now!

She'll get an occasional patch that we apply cream to, but that's it!  

What a huge milestone this is to us!!!

completely clear!!

If you look in previous TSW posts, you'll notice that for the longest time, Noelle's back was NEVER soft.  It always felt like alligator skin!

Face and Neck:

Haha, sweetie pie

Her face can be fickle.  It changes quickly from red and a little rough, to smooth and soft in hours!  We see this as a really good sign that we won't have to worry about her face very soon!

Her neck is CLEAR as well!  

She will rub right under her chin occasionally and that will get irritated, but it never lasts long :)


If you have been following Noelle's 11 months of TSW, it will be clear to you that this is by far the best condition that she has been in since October 2013!!!

Her sleep could use some help, but that has improved as well.  We usually go in to stroke and comfort her to sleep 1-3 times each night.  But we rarely have to sleep with her anymore to get her to sleep! 

We even took her to a 3 day conference with us a few weeks ago!

The Lord has been gracious and we are so thankful to be closer to "the end" of TSW for Noelle.  Only God knows when that will be, but we DO know that He'll see us through until then!

Thank you for praying for Noelle and rejoicing with us that she is getting better!

See you at the "one year" mark!! 

 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!

Topical Steroid Withdrawal {9 months in}

So we are now closer to being a whole year off of topical steroids!

Noelle has sure been through a lot these past 9 months...and so has the rest of the family as a result.

My last post regarding Noelle's skin was 2 months ago at her 7 month mark (read here).

At that point, we had finally seen some improvement!!!  In her 7th month, Noelle also went through a really bad week and a half of sleep...or the LACK thereof, but with some prescription medication and watching her foods more closely, she improved.

Well, it's hard to recap the last 2 months as she has seen so many different ups and downs.

She had a stomach virus several weeks ago and didn't eat for a few days....that made her skin look AMAZING!!!!  Clearer than it has EVER been with no redness at all.  However, it got red and itchy almost immediately after she started eating again.  

I did some research and with the help of some other TSW moms, found out that just the act of eating and how the body digests and processes food can heat up the body and cause itching to start again.

A few weeks later, her skin got another break....right before another flare :(

The roller coasters are hard because when we see improvement, we want to keep that momentum and just see her healed.  That hasn't happened yet, though and we are daily trying to figure out what helps and what hinders her healing.

A few weeks ago, Noelle took another bad turn with her sleep.  She is sometimes awake for 3-4 hours each night, with an occasional break of only being awake for 1-2 hours.  She will normally crash around 4a.m., but one day it wasn't until 5a.m.!  We usually will then let her sleep until she wakes up...sometimes after 10a.m.!

We think she might have built up a tolerance to Atarax, so we are taking a break from it and will only give it occasionally and see if those nights she does better.

She tends to sleep much better and more soundly if one of us is sleeping with her.
Having a rested 3 year old going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal is much better than an UNrested one!!


So Chris and I have been waking up sore because we're spending several hours of the night/morning in Noelle's bed, stroking her to sleep.

It's hard to understand WHY she goes through these rough patches (well...roughER than the rest).  We are being very careful with what she eats and doing our best to keep up on the supplements her doctor wants her on.

We just saw him again this week and he gave her another homeopathic remedy for allergies - food and environmental.  He also wants her to start taking Magnesium.  She has never been tested for it, but he said if there is a deficiency, the magnesium can really assist her skin in healing.
 
The itch is just really bad right now. 
It's kind of odd because her skin really doesn't look that bad!  My theory is that it itches more as it tries to heal???

Anyway, here is how her skin is doing right now.

I mentioned in my last post that her legs had just "cycled" for the first time and we were hoping to see quicker healing on her legs from then on.  We HAVE found that to be the case thankfully, but Noelle sets herself back when she gets a hold of her legs with no gloves on and scratches :(

 It doesn't happen often, but one time is all it takes.  She can make herself ooze and bleed in minutes if we aren't carefully watching.  She normally does this during naptime when I think she's sleeping.

 

So we have had some setbacks with her legs, and they are trying so hard to heal....and they would if Noelle would leave them alone.

Noelle's tummy and back are the same as they have been for quite a while.  They stay pretty clear until something irritates the skin.  Then they get red and bumpy, but usually clear up within a week.

Something really bothered her arms a couple weeks ago - I think it was dog dander/hair.  She scratched them like crazy one night when I put gloves on her instead of tights.  She took the gloves off :/

So we're trying to help her arms now as they are super itchy once she scratches them like that.  And it's taken a good couple weeks to get them back under control.

There are spots on her shoulders and upper arms that are thick and crusty right now.  But thankfully they don't itch too much.  So I assume they'll just clear up the more she leaves them alone.

Noelle has unfortunately really taken up the habit of "picking."  It's painful to watch, so I make sure to keep her gloves on 24/7 unless her hands are occupied.  But if she has the chance, she'll pick at her chin or cheek until it's raw...not because it's itchy, but because it's a new habit.  How nice ;)

Sweet Girl :)

Thankfully right now it's not bad as we've been diligent with the gloves.

She has a lot of redness and roughness on her entire face right now too.  Don't really know why...she's not itching it more than normal.

Her chest gets red occasionally but is not a big problem anymore. 

So after so much encouragement at her 7 month mark, I did expect Noelle to be doing kind of awesome by 9 months.  Sadly, she is not.  And to be honest, it's very hard right now.  She has at least a few episodes every day that consist of crying, whining, itching, begging us to hold her, and screaming at everything that moves with irrational passion.

We are really learning humility and unconditional love as the LAST thing I feel like doing to a cranky little tantrum-thrower is hold her.  But that's what she needs when she's like that and it calms her almost immediately.  I will confess that there are many times...probably daily that I truly forget she is like this because she is in pain and constantly itchy.  I convince myself that she is just being a bratty little 3 year old, and while there are plenty of times that is the case, I need to be more intuitive to see when she just needs comfort.

So PRAY for me!  This is tough and we are looking to the END of it!

I am, however still praising The Lord for what He HAS done so far.  And guys, if you haven't looked at this website, and aren't really familiar with TSW, please take a look.  It shows just how blessed Noelle IS to not have TSW as severe as most others do.

As hard as life is right now for our 3 year old, we are grateful that it isn't harder.

And we look forward to life being more normal for her in the future.  We see our chipper, happy, thoughtful, caring, and empathetic Noelle much more frequently than we used to.  But we anxiously await being able to put her to bed in comfy jammies without tights covering her arms and legs.

And we wait for the day when she doesn't look at her skin and compare the way it looks to the way other  peoples' skin looks.

It will come.



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.

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!