What are the 6 REALLY "ESSENTIAL" Essential Oils You Should Consider Having?

[Massageman]

ESSENTIAL OILS have been around since before Biblical times (think frankincense and myrhh). But what exactly are they?

Essential oils come from flowers, stems, fruits, roots, and foliage of the plant.

Essential oils are NOT "oils" in the conventional sense of the word, but are concentrated, plant extracts used for aromatic, hygienic and wellness purposes. Most often plant esters, they are called “essential” because they contain the essence of a plant, extracted from the flowers, fruits, roots, stems, and foliage of the plant.

If you are thinking of using essential oils, here are the FIRST 6 that you should consider to start your collection.

1. LAVENDER

Lavender- the "relaxing" essential oil.

Just about everyone has heard of LAVENDER being used for relaxation with its clean, fresh, floral top note fragrance, and justifiably so. Lavender has been shown to reduce anxiety, stress and be a gentle uplifting fragrance. It blends well with almost all other oils too, especially citrus, mint and eucalyptus.

2. PEPPERMINT or EUCALYPTUS

Peppermint or Eucalyptus for achy muscles and congestion.

The refreshing stimulation from the minty, camphorous top/middle note aromas of PEPPERMINT or eucalyptus is quite unmistakeable. Blends of these essentials are used in many muscle-ache preparations, and in congestion relievers (think Vapo-Rub). They also combat fatigue and a touch of peppermint with water taken orally can help soothe indigestion in many people. Be careful, though - a little goes a long way, so use them sparingly in any blend, lest they mask the other essentials used.

3. LEMON

Lemon - the "uplifting" essential.

LEMON is the primary uplifting, rejuvenating and cleansing essential oil. All citrus oil top notes are similar in that they are fresh and uplifting, with orange being a "warmer" fragrance, lime a "cooler" fragrance, and grapefruit having a light tangy "lift" to its profile. Lemon can help ease depression, boost alertness, and blends well with many other oils, even the heavier "heady" ones such as ylang-ylang.

4. TEA TREE

Tea tree is recognized for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal benefits.

TEA TREE is widely used in cleaning products as well as wellness blends for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. While it blends well with many other essentials, nothing can totally mask its strong, spicy, medicinal aroma, so use it very sparingly in blends and by itself when used in antiseptic applications.

5. GERANIUM

Geranium, champion at being a "mixer".

In additional to having a medium-strong, almost rose-like floral note, GERANIUM is an excellent middle-note "blender": it has the ability to pull together a blend with, say, citrus top notes and woodsy deep notes. It's the perfect "go-between" or "middleman" in your oils blends. Some women report that it reduces symptoms of PMS, helps heal skin problems and- along with citronella- acts as a bug repellent. It blends especially well with citrus notes and lavender.

6. SANDALWOOD or CEDARWOOD

Warm sandalwood provides a soothing bottom note in blends.

The spicy/woody aroma of SANDALWOOD or cedarwood provides a soothing, tension-relieving and long-lasting bottom note in your essential oil blends. Sandalwood is a popular bottom note used in making Sandalwood blends especially well with citrus and heady notes.

SOME CLOSING NOTES ABOUT BLENDING

Dark amber or blue bottles help maintain potency of your aromatherapy blends.

These six essential oils provide a good starting "palette" for creating many helpful blends. They cover a wide range of benefits: they provide calmness, relaxation, stress and pain relief. They uplift, they act as germicidals, and some are said to reduce depression and PMS symptoms. And a great bonus is that, because these essentials are relatively easy to extract from their source plants, they are some of the least expensive essential oils available. (Beware of any brand of essential oils that prices each bottle the same- costs vary widely.) Personally, I use "NOW" brand essential oils almost exclusively. No fancy packaging, no costly multi-level marketing commissions, no owner's name and catchy names stuck on the label to rake in more money: just good, pure, long-lasting essential oils. Disclaimer: I receive no compensation in any form whatsoever from the makers of "NOW" brand essential oils.

When you create your blends, the essential oils are mixed into a non-scented CARRIER OIL such as grapeseed oil, available in just about every grocery store. Keep your stock bottle in the refrigerator until ready to use and it will stay fresher longer. Then, simply pour out the amount needed into your smaller blending bottle. Aim for a total of about 10-15 drops of essential oils per ounce of carrier oil. Store your blends in dark blue or dark amber colored blending bottles, in a cool, dark location for maximum shelf-life.

If GaG'ers have specific questions, please PM me and I'll do my best to respond. Happy blending!

[OldSchool_Metalhead]

Nice take. Im very fond of the use of essential oils, so is my mom. She uses them for many things, yesterday she even tried out using some drops of lavender on a cloth and she threw it in the dryer with wet clothes so it can freshen them when they come out.

[RachelleDraws]

Young Living is classified as an MLM (Multi-level Marketing)
The MLM business model is riskier than gambling. 99.7% of people lose money from MLMs, compared to 97.6% of people earning money from gambling and 90% losing money to a conventional no-product pyramid scheme. MLMs promise people that they'll earn large armounts of money, when this just isn't true. The people on top have all the money and everyone else gets barely anything. The buisness model they use encourages recruitment to earn money. You don't earn money from the product, you earn money from recruiting. To join, you have to pay the person that recruits you and when you make a sale, some of that money you earn goes to the person above you, the person above you gives some of this to the person above them, and so on.

MLM empolyee's, mockingly called 'Hunbots' make claims essential oils care cure things such as Ebola, Parkinson's disease, autism, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, insomnia, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, and multiple sclerosis. The USDA has warned the biggest of these MLM, Young Living not to make these claims on their website and these have such been removed.

Essential oils have no evidence backing up any of their claims and have proven to have little effect outside smelling nice. Purchacing them is actually more harmful than helpful. To you, they'll have no effect and some people even go off their perscription medicine or refuse medical help and use oils instead. To the company employees of the MLM, it sustains the corperation, allowing it to continue to leech off it's empolyees and recruit more.

[Massageman]

So many of the MLMs make outlandish claims. I only use EOs for which there is at least some valid study work done, not just anecdotal reports. Thanks for taking a look.

[RachelleDraws]

Yeah, there's no 'valid' studies backing up their claims. None of their studies have been published in reputable journals and have no scientific evidence backing them. It's just a placebo effect. And not all MLMs make outlandish claims, some just sell things like makeup and the like. And MLM is a buiness model. And you haven't even attempted to refute any of my points.

[Massageman]

Your comments about MLMs agree with my own feelings. The EOs about which I've posted do have supporting studies regarding their efficacy, so of course I can't agree with your comments: "Essential oils have no evidence backing up any of their claims and have proven to have little effect outside smelling nice. Purchacing [sic] them is actually more harmful than helpful. " Many claims, especially of the MLMs, Young, etc. are grossly exaggerated, if not outright spurious. I'll be one of the first to refute these claims where refute is to be had.

[DamnSam]

3 boxes oils, 1 box handmade soaps and 1 box with these refined oils (that pic is cinnamon)

[Massageman]

Thanks for the info and for taking a look.

[inmensus]

I like some of them. I've started making my own. It's also cool how lavender is used for healing your skin, like after getting a piercing or a tattoo. And tea tree helps with skin diseases.

[Massageman]

I extract my own homegrown mint, lemon and basil too. Thanks for reading.

[Wolframium]

But what exactly are they?
Scam! They're scam! And scams been here before biblical time as well. And just like bible, they're way to get money from you. Yeah, that's right. Religion is a scam as well.

[Massageman]

Thanks for reading.

[Massageman]

As I mentioned, they are plant esters.

[itsmatty]

i love essential oils. most people don't seem to like the smell of tea tree, but it's grown on me overtime. i don't recommend sandalwood because it's now an endangered species due to over-harvesting. some cedarwood oils are actually made from juniper trees which are toxic so it's good to make sure it's true cedarwood.

[Massageman]

Yes, vetting your sources is always a good step, especially when there are multiple types of the "same" plant, ie, variants of lavender, chamomile, rose, etc. That's why I like sticking with one reputable supplier for almost all my EOs.

[Leafpool2]

I have some lavender for the smell, it's very nice. Essential oils have no medical used though. I'd also highly recommend not ingesting peppermint essential oil, use peppermint extract, essential oils are not at all food grade

[Massageman]

Right, not all EOs are FG. Mine are. Many brands "overclaim" what EOs can do. However, there are studies have shown that there is verifiable evidence that tea tree oil (especially) has bacteriostatic action.

[Leafpool2]

I can assure you theyre not. There's no real regulation on them so they can say whatever they want.

[RaskadBOSS]

So.. these are... what? Bottled smells? Why would I want them exactly?

The 'effects' are likely placebos that I could get from simply putting an orange or a mint under my nose..

[Massageman]

I've answered your first three questions in the take, mate. Research is now a required topic for licensure for MT's in my state. I'm not denying the placebo effect exists, but putting the very source of the EO under your nose would definitely NOT be a placebo.

[RachelleDraws]

The company that makes them is an MLM. An indirect pyramid scheme. They have no basis in science.

[Massageman]

@RachelleDraws NOW is NOT an MLM, which is one of the many reasons I use them almost exclusively. Their products have significant research behind them.

[RaskadBOSS]

Who makes these products? I feel like you've won me over.

[Massageman]

Many companies make them. Quite a few, however, sell through (MLM) multi-level-marketing format (think Amway, Tupperware, etc.) Young Living, Melaluca, DoTerra and Scentsy are just a few MLMs that deal with essential oils. I choose to avoid MLMs for several reasons, not the least of which is abnormally high prices needed to pay off several levels of MLM pyramids. I use "NOW" brand essential oils almost exclusively. NOW is NOT an MLM, they do their homework with substantial research, their products are pure, and (because they don't have to pay for level after level of MLM) their prices are very reasonable. Being in the massage profession for over 20 years, I have access to literally dozens- if not hundreds- of suppliers to which the general public would NOT have access: I still stick with NOW for most of my EOs. Disclaimer: As I mentioned in my Take, I receive no compensation in any form whatsoever from the makers of "NOW" brand essential oils: I'm free to use any brand (s) I choose to use.

[turnmypainintopower1]

I love essential oils I have them all but lavender because I am allergic to lavender lol and I have seen a lot of health improvements from them

[Massageman]

Thanks for reading.

[turnmypainintopower1]

Sure thing 👍

[brittslitt]

So what are you doing for it to work? are you heating it or rubbing it on your skin?

[turnmypainintopower1]

@brittslitt diffusers work great 👍

[JaneandJune]

I have to have Lemongrass, lavender, lemon, orange, and jasmine.

[Massageman]

Cool. Be careful with that jasmine - it can be potent stuff in a blend. Keep it down to one-third of the blend or less, ie no more than 10 drops out of 30 total.

[NineBreaker]

I use them as flavoring for my different beverages; nothing more, nothing less.

[Massageman]

Thanks for reading

[markjohn9696]

u know what i swear to god lavender is cute and so masculine i use it as a perfume it lasts for ever but its fuckin expensive b 1 killo is 1000egyptian pounds 😛😛😂

[Massageman]

Pure lavender essential oil runs about 10USD for 4 ounces. Doing the math, that comes to about 9 0USD per 1 kilo. 1000 EGP would be about equal to 57 USD, so you are actually getting a good deal- if it is 100% pure essential oil- from what I can see.

[Anonymous]

My friend was a massage student, but she used undiluted wormwood oil, and it gave us both chemical burns

[Massageman]

I'm sorry that you had this experience. Obviously she wasn't in one of my classes. Any teacher worth their salt would never even MENTION wormwood as a possible "essential oil" in a class. Any massage student should research a new oil before even thinking of using it. Wormwood has a list of dangers as long as your proverbial arm, so much so that many governments have banned its use since the early 1900's. Thanks for reading.

[Browneye57]

Leave this to the ladies dood. Ya got way bigger fish to fry.

[Massageman]

As a Massage Therapist, I deal with EOs just about every day, dood.

[Browneye57]

BFD.

[brittslitt]

It smells good but it doesn't do none of what you said.

[brittslitt]

at least not for me as far as the lavender and stress relief

[Massageman]

Thanks for reading.

[brittslitt]

there's a Chinese medicine that's an oil that works in pain relief. i can't think of the name rn.. you're welcome great post

[Massageman]

Many of the TCM remedies for pain - including Po Sum On, Wong Lop Kong and even Tiger Balm- have a camphorous/mint/eucalyptus basis for their formula. Thanks for giving it a read.

[ryryryan]

These ladies out here consider my ejaculate 😉 an essential oil they should have. #factsonly

[Massageman]

Yes, one lady thought I was kind of like "orange juice".

[ryryryan]

🤣✌.

[BeHappy1985]

The only oil I need in my life is the one my car runs on and maybe the cooking kind.

[Massageman]

Those have a definite place as well. :- )

[MrBurke]

Fancy smells that's cool except it doesn't do jack squat for me on account of my broken sense of smell

[Massageman]

Thanks for taking a look.

[Pamina]

They smell nice, that's it.

[Massageman]

Thanks for taking a look.

[CarpetDenim]

None of them lol, that stuff makes my dad sick

[Massageman]

Sorry that they don't work for him - thanks for reading.

[es20490446e]

What's the best for hair conditioning?

[Massageman]

You have a few choices of Essential oils for hair conditioning: it depends on what your goal is.
A. For overall hair improvement and helping slow graying, use rosemary oil. Mix 1 part rosemary EO with 4 parts of olive oil (yes, the same stuff you use for salads), rub into the hair and scalp, let sit for an hour or two, and shampoo as usual. If you want to add an anti-bacterial action too, add 1 part Lavender EO to the blend and apply.
B. If you have dandruff, try Clary Sage EO in Jojoba oil, 1 part to 4 and use as in the first example.
C. Chamomile (Roman cultivar) can be used with lemon juice to lighten and condition the hair, 10 drops to 2 ounces of lemon juice, rinse through the hair several times, then rinse with clear water. Don't use RC EO if you are allergic to ragweed.
D. Add 3-5 drops of lemongrass EO to your shampoo to help boost its cleaning power and- according to a 2015 study- helps reduce dandruff!
Good luck and thanks for reading myTake.

[es20490446e]

Thank you :)

[Massageman]

You're very welcome.