The Bloghealthy livingessential oilsskincare

How To Get Started With Essential Oils

How To Get Started With Essential Oils
By 

Award-winning entrepreneur, podcaster, coffee obsessor

Award-winning entrepreneur, podcaster, coffee obsessor
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

Essential oils are so versatile and great for many things: skincare, aromatherapy, and even as food additives (if used correctly). But before you sign up for an MLM or buy your first soap making kit, check out these tips for getting started with essential oil blending.

  1. Learn Your Oils - Before you get started, you need to learn all about the different oils, their properties, and how to use them. Try reputable sites like AromaWeb or AromaHQ to learn about essential oil blending and general knowledge. This is the best way to protect yourself from overuse of oils and safety precautions.

  • Start Small - Remember that, while it may sound "woo woo", essential oils are not something to mess with lightly. They're incredibly potent and can cause harm to your body if used improperly, so avoid incredibly volatile oils in the beginning. Start with a safe oil like lavender or rosemary, make sure to cut it with oil to dilute the potency, and work your way up to more complex blends once you get the hang of it.

  • Keep Your Work Area Clean - Citrus oils are notoriously bad for staining or removing paint off of furniture, so make sure that your blending area is free from any valuables and is kept clean.

  • Don't Believe the Hype - Remember that many MLM companies aren't the most ethical, and it's in your best interest to do your due diligence and independent research on essential oils. There are many lawsuits, stories, and photos of the damage oils can do if used improperly (especially on children). Make sure not to fall for a sales pitch without finding out all of the facts on your own.

  • Always Dilute the Oils - Only one oil can be used "neat" and that's lavender essential oil, but even too much of that can cause skin damage. If you're just starting out learning about how to blend essential oils, begin by diluting the oil with a skin-safe base oil, like sunflower or olive. A good ratio is 1 part essential oil to 3 parts base oil, and then can be tweaked from there.

  • Remember that Not All Oils Work the Same - Tea Tree has a much different flashpoint than Orange, which means that a 1:1 ratio in a blend won't smell the way you think it might (the tea tree will overpower the orange, so you might just get a little whiff of citrus). Learn the different flashpoints of the oils you want to work with and adjust your blend ratios accordingly.
    • Many small businesses have had years of success creating products with essential oils, due to their versatility and the fact that they're better for the environment than synthetic fragrance oils. If you follow these 6 tips before beginning your journey into
    creating skin care
    or home fragrance products, or even if you just want to dabble a little in essential oil blending, you'll be well on your way to creating products that safe for the body and smell great.

    Related

    healthy livingessential oilsskincarenatural-skincare
    |
    Submit a tip

    Popular in the Community

    Close

    HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

    MORE IN LIFE