How to Use Essential Oils

Inhalation Methods

Inhalation	• Put a few drops of the oil or blend on a tissue and keep inhaling the scent until the desired effect is obtained. Two drops of a relaxing oil, e.g. Lavender or Clary sage, on a pillow can promote deeper sleep. • Drop 1-3 drops onto a cotton ball, put it in a ziplock bag and inhale the scent whenever needed; e.g. when driving, traveling, and so on. To keep awake, try a stimulating oil or blend, e.g. May chang, Spearmint or the blend Focus; for relief of stress, try a relaxing oil such as Lavender or Blue tansy, or a blend such as Stress Release, Worry Free or Moon Cycle. For an anytime pick-me-up, try more balancing oils and blends such as Mandarin, Bergamot, Citrus Bliss, Spirit Lift or Rejuvenation. • Drop 1-2 drops onto a wet washcloth in the shower or bath, cup over your nose and inhale. For the morning, try a stimulating oil such as Eucalyptus or Saro, or a blend such as Focus or Energize. For the evening, try a relaxing oil such as Lavender or Blue tansy, or a blend such as Stress Release or Worry Free.
Steam inhalation	• Drop 2-3 drops into a basin or bowl of hot water, place a thick towel over your head to form a tent and inhale — for sinus, ear and chest conditions. This also acts as a facial steam for warming, relaxing and opening the pores prior to cleansing or any facial work in general
Diffuser	• Drop 3-8 drops into the water for any diffuser with a heat source or with the ultrasonic diffuser
Nebulizer	• Fill the nebulizer glass funnel with about 3 ml of oil. Please go to the Nebulizer page for more instructions.

Topical Methods

Perfume	• Put 1 drop of the blend or oil in a dab of lotion and apply
Bath	• Dilute 5-10 drops in some milk or a vegetable carrier oil and swish into a warm bath. For a foot bath, you can put 4-8 drops directly into the hot water and soak the feet for 10 minutes. Warming, stimulating oils such as Rosemary, Grand fir, Black spruce and Saro are excellent for reviving cold, tired or sweaty feet.
Massage	• Blend a total of 5-10 drops per 10 ml of carrier oil (this is a 2.5-5% dilution). A lotion can also be used as a base.
Facial towel	• Put 2-4 drops in a bowl of hot water and stir; soak a washcloth in the water briefly, wring out to remove excess water and apply to the face for a minute or two. This will relax the facial muscles and open the pores. Facial towels are very useful before cleansing or at the beginning of facial work in general.
Liniment	• Use 10-20 drops per 10 ml of vegetable carrier oil (a 5-10% dilution) and massage into the problem area (e.g. the feet, shoulders, nape, forehead, abdomen, low-back, an so on). Coconut, apricot kernel and sweet almond oil are the best carrier oils for liniments and massage as the skin readily absorbs them.

Precautions: To prevent skin irritation or sensitization, never use essential oils or blends undiluted on the skin, and avoid contact with the eyes and mucous membranes. The only exception is spot application, e.g. when applying 1 drop topically on sprains, burns, insect bites and such like; or spot application in conjunction with energy work, e.g. with acupressure, reflexology, Shiatsu, and so on.

Never take single or blended essential oils internally. Always keep the bottles out of reach of infants and children. Check with your health-care practitioner about using single or blended essential oils during pregnancy, postpartum and with a specific medical conditions (e.g., epilepsy) present.

Keep in mind the two basic types of effects when using essential oils:

Inhalation

• Has mainly a psychological effect through the limbic system and neuroendocrine functions. This helps balance moods, feelings and mental functions, as well as energy levels in general. Inhalation can contribute to hormonal balance, especially in women, by modulating the functions of the many brain centers. Once the action of an oil has cleared the limbic system, it tends to selectively modulate other areas, such as the temporal lobes (which tend to dysregulation), the basal ganglia (which tend to either hyper- or hypo-functioning), the cingulate system and the prefrontal cortex. Different oils will affect different brain centers and tend to balance different peptides (i.e. neurotransmitters and hormones) such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and so on, which ultimately affects core metabolic glands such as the adrenals, gonads, thyroid and their hormones.

Topical applications

• Have a physiological effect on the skin and muscles, and a psychological effect as the evaporating oils are inhaled. The skin and lymph selectively absorb essential oil components, which primarily exert a beneficial influence on those local functions and tissues. In addition, certain oil constituents are also absorbed into the bloodstream, but the amount and actual content seems to vary greatly. This would depend on the absorbability of the oil and carrier medium used, as well as the type, thickness and condition of the skin and muscle tissue it is applied to.

• Topical spot application of an oil in addition can exert an energetic effect if applied over an active acupoint, reflex zone or other particular body zone. This energetic action varies on the point and the oil selected and forms the basis for the use of essential oils on an acupuncture-based model, for instance. The mechanism of action again involves the body's basic communication system, peptide activity, which is also greatly (although not exclusively) involved in acupuncture stimulation with needles.