Essential Oils 101: For the True Beginner {Part One}

If you’re like me, you’ve likely heard about essential oils once or twice or a million times thanks to Pinterest and some of your favorite blogs.  Maybe your curiosity has been piqued…maybe you’ve pinned a couple posts about it…maybe you’ve read some pretty convincing stories of how they can heal…but you literally have no clue where to start with it all.  You have the desire to begin, but no idea how to take that first step.  That was me last Spring…a total believer but still not a drop of essential oils to be found in my house, because I was way too overwhelmed and confused about where to start. Then one day last May, I got a cold during Livi’s post-surgery recovery period and was terrified I’d get her sick and send her back to the hospital.  My friend Tami showed up at my doorstep with a bunch of different oils one day.  I took notes, started using them, got better, Livi never got sick….and the rest is history. ;) 

 

 

If you’re feeling right now like I did last Spring, this is your lucky day…because I’m writing the post I wish *I* had been able to find a year ago!  :) In the last ten months, since I’ve been using essential oils on a consistent basis, I’ve had lots of friends ask me how I got started and to teach them what I know…so I decided to type it all out here to hopefully help some of you as well! 

I’m going to do a small mini-series about how to start using these miraculous oils.  My goal is that you will leave these posts feeling empowered and confident that YOU can start using essential oils, too. 

Preface: In a {HUGE} nutshell, everyone’s body gives off electrical charges.  When you are sick, the “power” of your body’s electricity decreases.  Essential oils work by “righting” your body’s natural electrical state and by bringing it back to normal, healthy levels. Crazy, but true!

Okay, so, let’s get started! 

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Step One: Know what descriptive words and qualities to look for, so you can feel empowered to make the right choices and get your money’s worth!

All oils are most definitely NOT created equal!  When looking for oils to use for medicinal purposes, it is super important to look for words and phrases such as:

- suitable for medicinal use
- pure and unadulterated {aka “authentic”}
- quality is safe for internal use
- highest quality
-obtained from plants grown organically
- GC/MS analyzed {this means the oils have been tested in a laboratory to certify their high quality}

People use oils for aromatherapy and for the enjoyable “smell factor” as well.  That’s great, but those are NOT the kind of oils you want if you’re going to heal your family!  You want ones that are verified to be safe {we’ll get to more of that below}.  Granted, oils are not currently FDA-approved, but we all know it takes the government a long time to jump on the bandwagon for certain healthy things, don’t we?! ;)

 

 

Another important thing to look for: oils in a dark bottle.  I would never trust an essential oil that comes in a clear bottle or container!  Oils are very light-sensitive {keep them in a cool, dry place, out of sunlight} and any essential oil company worth its salt will know that! 

 

I made this mistake once and won’t make it again!  

 

Speaking of oil companies….

 

Step 2: Choose how and where you will purchase your essential oils from: find a system that works well for you. 

There are a couple of different ways you can go with this:

a} Use a direct-sales company, like doTerra or Young Living.  Those are the most popular essential oil companies that I know of.  When you use these types of companies, you have a consultant/distributor that orders your oils for you, and the perk is that the individual is {or should be!} knowledgeable about how to use the oils and can give you tips and advice. 

b} Use a health- or natural-foods store.  Most health-food stores seem to carry essential oils nowadays, and the perk of this is that they are available anytime you want to purchase them, and the price-point is usually pretty low. 

c} Use an online company that doesn’t use a direct-sales model, like Heritage Essential oils {the amazing company I use and love}.  Here’s what I love about using a company like Heritage:

          - You don’t have to wait or depend on a consultant to place an order for you.  When I want my oils, I get online, order it myself, and it comes quickly.  I love not waiting on someone else, especially when there’s a particular medical issue I want to start working on. 

          -  The price is amazing.  I’m not paying for the product in addition to paying the salary of the sales representative.  {I have absolutely no beef with direct-sales companies whatsoever!  I used to work for one and I’m considering another in the future.  But when it comes to my medicine, I like feeling like I have access to what I need in a straightforward way.  I don’t want to have a middle-man in this case.  For Pampered Chef? Sure.  But not with my oils.  But again, PERSONAL preference!!! I know many people become a “consultant” with an oil company to earn discounts for themselves and their families…and I think that’s great! If I hadn’t fallen in love with Heritage, I probably would have done something like that to cut down on my costs.}

          -  The oils are both organic and therapeutic grade, and the company stands behind its promises!  I can see their commitment to quality all over their website, articles, and Facebook page…something I don’t have access to if I’m purchasing oils off a shelf in a natural-foods store. 

          - The support is amazing.  Heritage has a closed Facebook group {open to anyone who buys Heritage oils!} that is basically a big open forum where you can ask anything and everything about essential oils {EOs from here on out to save my fingers a little typing!}.  The founder, Linda, is amazingly helpful and owns the company with her family.  She will frequently comment on the posts herself, offering advice and prayers. {Side note: This is a company owned by a Christian family! Which you know makes my heart so happy!}

          - The option to buy oils in multiple sizes.  This is one of the things I LOVE the most about this company!! Every oil they offer comes in sample sizes {in addition to larger options – see my top photo in this post!}.  You’re not stuck with a $40 bottle of something that may or may not work for you.  The sample sizes are generally between $4-6 each, and last for quite a while themselves.  This is a great option for testing out oils to find your favorites before feeling confident to order a larger size!

I could really go on and on about Heritage.  They’re where I purchase all my EOs and they get my vote for sure {nope, I’m not an affiliate in any way…just a very happy, satisfied customer!}.

Okay, so once you’ve done a little research into what method of buying EOs works best for you, it’s time to move to the next step…

 

Step 3: Determine what medical problems or issues you’d like to treat with EOs. 

There is literally {LITERALLY!!} an EO for everything under the sun.  Whether you want preventative oils {like the EO equivalent of taking a vitamin} or something to treat a specific illness, there is something out there that can help you!

Do you…

- have trouble sleeping? 
- suffer from digestion and tummy troubles?
- have severe PMS?
- struggle with depression?
- suffer from severe headaches or migraines?
- want a natural cold remedy?
- want to help your child focus in school?
- want something that will help you stay sickness-free and boost your immune system?

Take some time to make out a list of what issues you are hoping to treat.  Prioritize them if money is an issue, and start with your most pressing medical issues. 

Okay, that was a long enough post for today!  In Part 2 we’ll explore how to actually use the oils once you’ve decided what to purchase! And in Part 3 I’ll discuss my favorite oils – the ones my family can’t live without anymore! 

PLEASE feel free to ask any questions you have and I’ll do my best to answer!  I’ll respond to questions right here in the comments. :)

 

 

Disclaimer:
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.*