3 Favorite Essential Oils || And Why You Need Them

Essential oils have become all the rage for the past many years. Popular essential oil companies have seemingly monopolized the world of oils. Their representatives are everywhere! These companies have properly educated the public that essential oils are the “cure all” for life. But what exactly are essential oils good for, and how should we use them in our daily lives?

Essential oils have an eclectic range of health and lifestyle benefits. Oils are added to beauty products and household cleaners, can increase brain cognition, improve mood, and provide antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Uses of essential oils are recorded in the Bible in Exodus 30, providing detailed recipe instructions for formulating the anointing oil, a blend used when anointing the sick or future Hebrew kings.

Too often essential oils get a bad rap, and evangelists are classified as “quacks,” “crunchy” or “peddlers of snake oil.” The truth is that essential oils were present millennia ago, used daily as deodorant, medicine and beauty care by ancient cultures.

Let’s take a look at a few popular essential oils today and their incredible benefits.

Oregano Essential Oil

Oregano or Origanum vulgareis is a popular household spice. Found in many herb gardens and even more kitchen cabinets, Oregano is a go-to spice for Italian dishes or grilled vegetables and meats. But its oil counterpart is beneficial for so much more than enhancing flavor.

Oregano is a fantastic antiseptic and especially indicated for respiratory infections or digestive dysfunctions.

Traditional uses of Oregano include treating skin infections, sore throats, wounds and viral infections. Thymol and Carvacrol are Oregano’s primary therapeutic compounds and possess anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Oregano is used as an antibiotic, and some studies show it ability to replace antibiotics.

Oregano Essential Oil can be a helpful treatment for acne. Combine with a carrier oil and clay to treat skin blemishes.

Safety: Oregano, similar to many essential oils, should only be applied topically with a carrier oil, as applying undiluted may burn the skin. Popular carrier oils include coconut, almond, and olive oil. Standard dilution ratios are 1-2%, or 1-2 drops diluted in 1 teaspoon of a carrier oil.

Believe it or not, the largest pores on our body can be found on the bottom of your feet. One of the best ways to apply essential oils topically is to dilute with a carrier oil and rub onto the soles of your feet. This allows the oils to very quickly absorb into the skin and circulate into the blood stream, beginning their work right away!

Organic Sweet Orange Essential Oil

There’s no doubt about it: Oranges are the number one fruit in the world. Okay, well maybe that isn’t a scientific fact. But it sure is the #1 world’s most refreshing fruit in our book. Oranges are packed with vitamin C, full of sweet juiciness, and did we mention refreshing?

If you ever wanted to make me *really* happy, all you would have to do is buy me an orange. It’s really that simple. My greatest weakness in life is fruit, and oranges in particular. When they are in season, it’s not unusual to find that I have eaten 3 in a sitting, and even up to six in a day. They are my downfall, to be sure.

But oranges aren’t just the king of fruit in heaven and on earth.

Sweet Orange Essential Oil, or Citrus Sinensis, is packed with many fantastic benefits!

Orange Essential Oil has been studied for a vast array of health benefits. It includes over 200 phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals)! Orange’s most plentiful and well researched phytochemical is a compound called D-limonene. A study was conducted on rats who were given a large dose of D-limonene. The findings showed a 72% diminution of mammary tumors following the protocol. Decades of research have been conducted since the original study in 1984, and D-limonene has proven efficacious against different lines of mammary cancer cells.

Anti-fungal

An Indian study researched the benefits of Orange Essential Oil as an anti-fungal. The results were surprising. Orange Essential Oil was shown to be a powerful anti-fungal. It effectively inhibited a carcinogenic chemical brought about by mold called aflatoxin B1.

Another research study tested Orange Oil against 12 different fungal strains. It was found to be effective against all of them.

Anti-inflammatory

Orange Essential Oil is useful for IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease), Crohns and Colitis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It can relieve digestive upset and constipation.

Orange also plays a role in healthy skin. This is one reason why we love Citrus Essential Oils in our best selling Citrus Tallow Balm. It is fantastic for both dry and oily skin.

Orange is useful for improving mood and decreasing stress and anxiety. It aids digestion and the lymphatic system. Add Orange Essential Oil to a diffuser, soaps, room sprays, body care products and cleaners.

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint, or Mentha Piperita, is perhaps the world’s most beloved herb. It has been used medicinally for over 2,500 years and researched by many past and present health gurus.

Peppermint is fantastic for sore muscles and headaches. It may even help to reduce pain! Dilute with a carrier oil, and massage into affected area.

Peppermint is fantastic for sinus troubles! Inhale peppermint vapors or apply a few diluted drops of Peppermint Essential Oil to the back of the neck or chest. Due to its high menthol content, peppermint is useful for thinning mucous. Let Peppermint Essential Oil become your ally during allergy season!

Use peppermint for conditions related to digestion including bloating, flatulence and upset stomach. Peppermint helps increase circulation and relieve inflammation. It can specifically benefit individuals affected by Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Peppermint is fantastic for halitosis, due to its breath enhancing properties. It is also used in toothpaste and mouth washes to decrease oral bacteria which can lead to cavities.

We have gone on and on about our three favorite essential oils. And we hope you see why! Each of these gems are packed with their own powerhouse of phytochemicals and energetic properties. We hope that you discover the power of essential oils for your health and wellness!

Shop our Three Essentials Collection, which includes Oregano, Orange and Peppermint Essential Oils.

Joyfully,

Lauren