In My Oil Kit
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I've been dealing with some more health related things lately, whether that’s within my families or personally, and bringing it back to the basics as far as what's on or in our bodies is always a first-stop remedy in my opinion. My mum started using natural essential oils as remedies years ago- after my last trip to the doctor’s office brought on an even greater bout of whatever I happened to be dealing with at the time. You know those people who walk out of their homes and are immediately allergic to everything? I am that girl when it comes to medications/doctors. For a long time, there were certain illnesses I just had to learn how to deal with because the medicine that was supposed to help dispose of it only brought it on, or irritated something else. Allergy medications made me shake; shaking medicines gave me a rash; and so on and so forth. I was age five at the start.
Obviously, I do believe doctors and specific medications have their place! We live in a great world of modern medicine, and it’s absolutely incredible to examine history and realize where we’ve come over centuries. I’ve been extremely thankful for doctors who were able to figure out exactly what was happening in my body two years ago (they thought I potentially had leukemia; thank God I didn't). However, I do not believe in using one medical remedy for multiple different people, and expecting a near-exact result each time. Our DNA is different. The great thing about oils is that, though there will be that one oil or two that may interact differently with each person, there are still too many health benefits to worry about; that’s where I can draw the line with medicine versus essential oils.
So today, I'm stripping it back to the top five oils you would find in my personal oil kit, as well as their particular uses and how best to apply them.
Lavender Oil. Y’all, this has been my go-to oil for years. If I can take one bottle of anything with me anywhere, it’s lavender. This is basically how the conversation goes: “Headache?” lavender oil. “Spot developing on your face?” lavender oil. “Insomnia?” lavender oil. “Panic/Anxiety attack?” lavender. “Sunburned?” lavender oil. “Motion sickness?” lavender oil. “Burned/cut/did something to your hand?”you already know. And the list goes on. Literally the most versatile oil out there, I will recommend it every.single.time. Apply it only topically; but you can actually flavor whatever you prefer with a few drops of it, and it refreshens and calms you.
Peppermint Oil. I was born with asthma, and generally speaking, inhalers really damaged my vocal chords and dried out my throat. Peppermint oil absolutely does the trick if I can’t get a good breath. It also really calms and cools stiff muscles. My mum (& I both) give massages with peppermint oil. Not only does it reduce stomach aches, help clear headaches, improves sinuses (I wasn’t lying about the allergies), and is a natural energizer, I have a few students who use it for ADHD purposes, and if you happen to live in Florida (or another ‘buggy’ area), use it as a sweet-smelling bug deterrent. Also, because it must be said: if no breath mints are on hand…well, there ya go. Click here for more uses.
Melaleuca Oil. Though it may not be the sweetest-scented (although I personally don’t mind), nor the best tasting, melaleuca/tea tree oil is definitely in my oil kit for its health benefits. There was one time I had an allergic reaction to green tea (again, told ya), and my face had a rash attack- yeah, a literal rash on my face, from green tea (cue the ?!?!?! that went off in my brain). Melaleuca took care of the irritation via its natural disinfectant. I now have a gentle misting spray that I use as a toner, in which I mixed a few drops of melaleuca, some lavender, and water. I use the same mix to help clean my makeup brushes, too. There have also been a few instances where my throat has begun to come down with something scratchy, and melaleuca on my tongue kicks it pretty much immediately- the trick is to just let it sit, and not drink water directly afterward. The cleansing properties speak for itself; so we also use it to houseclean along with a few drops of lemon oil. Click here for more.
Rose Hip Seed Oil. This might not be everyone’s cup of tea, or in their oil kit, but because my skin is so on the uncertain side (shall we say?), I’ve had to really experiment over the years. No sooner does my face get used to something than it rejects it, and I’ve had to start the process over. However, rose hip seed oil is one thing I stumbled across only a few seasons ago as I was digging around a health food store in New York, and let me tell you, I haven’t looked back since. I have extremely dry skin, so that was always a problem for me and my essential oils; rose hip seed oil moisturizes while disinfecting. I put it on just before going to bed, after my night routine has had a moment to soak into my face, and when I wake up there’s not even a trace of oil. It fades scars, burns, and is even used as an anti-aging property. Click here to read more.
Eucalyptus Oil. Actually, this one’s a tossup for me..I couldn't decide between this and Cassia, which I'm constantly using as well (read more about Cassia here). Since eucalyptus acts as an anti-inflammatory, this one is also a great muscle-relaxer. It treats anxiety, sinus infections, and bronchitis; and as relaxing as the scent is, it also encourages alertness. On long evening drives back and forth to Los Angeles, I’ll always have my eucalyptus oil on hand to shake me awake and alert.
For other herbalists, or oil connoisseurs, what are your key oils? What would you add? Obviously since this is a list of only five, there are others, but what are some that are helpful for you in your daily life? We’d love to hear from you!