Guidelines For Safe Use

  • Always keep a bottle of V-6 Mixing Oil or any pure vegetable oil handy when using essential oils. Vegetable oils dilute essential oils if they cause discomfort or skin irritation.
  • Keep bottles of essential oils tightly closed and store in a cool location away from light. If stored properly, essential oils will maintain their potency for many years.
  • Keep essential oils out of reach of children. Treat them as you would any product for therapeutic use.
  • Essential oils rich in menthol (such as peppermint) should not be used on the throat or neck area of children under 30 months of age.
  • Direct sunlight and essential oils. Lemon, bergamot, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, White Angelica, and other citrus oils (marked with an orange drop ) may cause a rash or darker pigmentation if applied to skin exposed to direct sunlight or UV rays within 3 to 4 days.
  • Keep essential oils away from eye area and do not put into ears. Do not handle contact lenses or rub eyes with essential oils on your fingers. Oils with high phenol content - oregano, cinnamon, thyme, clove, lemongrass, bergamot, Thieves and ImmuPower - may damage contacts and irritate eyes.
  • Pregnant women should consult their health care professional before using essential oils and avoid Idaho tansy and oils containing constituents with hormone-like activity, such as clary sage, sage and fennel.
  • Epileptics and people with high blood pressure should consult a health care professional before using essential oils. Avoid hyssop, fennel, and Idaho tansy oils.
  • People with allergies should test a small amount of oil on a small area of sensitive skin, such as the inside of the arm, before applying the oil on other areas. The bottom of the feet is one of the safest, most effective places to use essential oils.
  • Before taking GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) essential oils internally, always dilute with an oil-soluble liquid like honey, olive oil or soy milk.
  • Do not add undiluted essential oils directly to bathwater - especially oils marked with a red drop. Use Bath Gel Base as dispersing agent for all oils applied to your bath.

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How To Use Essential Oils

Direct Application

Because essential oils are soluble with the lipid membranes of cell walls, they have an unmatched ability to penetrate cells and disperse within minutes throughout the body. Consider how nicotine skin patches and hormone skin patches rely on transdermal absorption to deliver drugs throughout the body.

Before you start...

  • Always skin test an essential oil before using it. Each person's body is different, so apply oils to a small area first.
  • Apply one oil or blend at a time. When layering oils that are new to you, allow enough time (15 to 30 min.) for the body to respond before applying a second oil.

How to enhance the benefits of essential oils

The longer essential oils stay in contact with the skin, the more likely they are to be absorbed. Rose Ointment, a mixture of beeswax, vitamin E and other natural ingredients, is designed to be layered on top of essential oils to reduce their evaporation and enhance penetration. It also helps seal and protect cuts and wounds.

Massage

Mix 3-4 drops of essential oil with 1/2 tsp. of Massage Oil Base or V-6 Vegetable Mixing Oil to create your own custom massage oil. You may also use our premixed massage oils, such as Ortho Ease, Ortho Sport, or Sensation Massage Oils.

Raindrop Therapy is a kit of highly antibacterial essential oils designed specifically for massage. Raindrop Therapy was developed as a result of research indicating that many forms of spinal misalignments are cause by muscle spasms and inflammation-producing bacteria and viruses. The kit includes a free demonstration video.

VitaFlex is a specialized form of hand and foot massage that is exceptionally effective at delivering the benefits of essential oils throughout the body. Apply a drop or two of essential oil to those areas of the feet that correspond to the system of the body you wish to support.

Wearing as a perfume or cologne

Therapeutic-grade essential oils are natural, refreshing, and healthy alternatives to synthetic fragrances and deodorants.

Mixing Oils

You can mix or layer a single oil with a blend or mix a single oil. However, avoid mixing oil blends together as this may alter the aroma as well as the benefits.

Creating a compress

  • Rub 1-3 drops on desired location, diluted or neat, depending on the oil and the skin sensitivity at that location.
  • Cover with a hot, damp towel.
  • Cover the moist towel with a dry towel for 10-60 minutes.

As the oil penetrates, you may experience a warming or even a burning sensation, especially in areas where the greatest benefits occur. If burning becomes uncomfortable, apply V-6 Vegetable Mixing Oil, Massage Oil Base or any pure vegetable oil.

Bath or shower

Add 2-3 drops of essential oil to our special Bath Gel Base to disperse evenly and prevent stronger oils from stinging sensitive areas. Use our essential-oil-enhanced shampoos, conditioners, and bath and shower gels. To maximize benefits, leave them on the skin or scalp for several minutes to allow the essential oils to penetrate.

Dietary supplements

The Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) oils can be taken internally as dietary supplements. Some oils (valerian, lemon, grapefruit, orange and tangerine) are more effective taken orally.

Cooking

Many essential oils make excellent food flavorings. Only 1 to 2 drops of essential oil may be equivalent to a full bottle of dried herbs. To maximize their benefits, dilute as needed and add them after cooking.

Diffusing

The Young Living diffuser is specially designed to disperse a fine mist of essential oils sufficient to fill a room in a few minutes. It disperses oils without the heating or burning that can render the oil therapeutically less beneficial. Research shows that cold-air diffusing certain oils may:

  • Reduce bacteria, fungus, mold, and unpleasant odors.
  • Relax, relieve tension and clear the mind.
  • Help in weight management.
  • Improve concentration, alertness and mental clarity.

Start by diffusing oils for only 15-30 minutes per day. As you become accustomed to the oils and recognize their effects, you may increase the time.

Click here for Diffusers

Direct inhalation

Put several drops into the palms of your hands, cup over your mouth and breathe deeply. You may also apply oils to a tissue or handkerchief and inhale.

Humidifier/Vaporizer

Essential oils, like peppermint, lemon, or frankincense, make ideal additions to humidifiers or vaporizers.

Cleaning

A few drops of oil may be added to dishwater, the washing machine, or the dishwasher to help disinfect and purify. Favorites are lemon, peppermint, Melrose and Purification.

If you are in a hurry...

You do not have to count the precise number of drops or apply the oil to an exact location. Simply shake a few drops into your hand and rub them in.