Should I dilute essential oils?

Why dilute the oils?  Children’s bodies aren’t fully developed yet.  They just don’t need full strength essential oils nor most medications.  Dilute the essential oils when applying to children, elderly or people with poor immune systems.  Their bodies just can’t handle full strength essential oils.

Lavender is one oil that generally doesn’t need to be diluted.  It can always be used when you have no other essential oil or have no idea what oil to use.  It is known as the “Divine Mother” and is very caring, healing, calming and nurturing oil.

How do I get 1 drop of oil?

It is often tricky to get just 1 drop of essential oil from the bottle.  Some oils are thinner than others and sometimes the orifice (plastic dropper) has larger holes than others.  I suggest holding the bottle on its side and slowly tipping it downward until you get 1 drop or however many you need.  You may drop the oils onto your hands or onto a specific part of the body.  Don’t allow the orifice to touch the body, just allow the oil to drop freely.

How do I take care of my essential oils?

Store the oils, tightly capped, in a cool, dark area, away from sunlight.  Use the oils lovingly.  People with a “sour” attitude can literally turn their rose essential oil sour!  Of course there are oils to help with that “sour” attitude.  Most oils will last 5-10 years, if properly stored and tightly capped.  However, citrus oils have a shorter shelf life, up to 3 years.

How to dilute essential oils for children?

The majority of essential oils need to be diluted for use on children.

What do you dilute them with?  You use an oil that will add to, not detract, from the essential oil’s use.  These oils are called CARRIER OILS.    Some CARRIER OILS that work well are; organic jojoba oil, grapeseed, *coconut (solid or fractionated), sesame, apricot kernel, peach kernel, wheat germ, avocado, carrot, sunflower, sesame, St. Johns’ Wort, sweet almond oil, or calendula oil.  Use only ORGANIC oils as these will be a much higher quality and have no fillers. You may also use organic olive oil but it is a thicker oil and takes quite a while to soak into the skin.  I would only use this to dilute an essential oil if there was nothing else available.  Carrier oils also extend the essential oils when applied to large areas, such as in massage.  *Fractionated Coconut Oil is coconut oil that has gone through a process to keep it liquefied, making it easier to use as a carrier oil.  It has healing properties of its own.   It absorbs quickly into the skin.  For the most part it is colorless and odorless and has an fairly indefinite shelf life

Basic formula for dilution rates.
0-24 months – 75% diluted (3 to 1)
24-36 months  – 50% (2 to 1)
10 years – 25% diluted (1 to 1)

BURNS

Lavender, lavender, lavender.  Immediately after being burned, it is important to stop the continued burning of the skin.

1. Do this by gently running cold tap water over the burn for about 10 minutes.
2. Apply lavender liberally (several drops, depending upon size of burn) to burned area.  Lavender is a tissue regenerator for dead, burned or scar tissue.
3. Lavender will also calm the person as well as help take the pain away.
4. If the pain continues, add a drop or two of Peppermint oil, which will “cool” the burn and help alleviate more pain. Don’t use peppermint oil on the face! 
5. Continue to apply lavender to burned area several times per day.  You will be amazed at how quickly the burn heals.
6. Continue to apply lavender at night until the burn is gone.

SNORING

Is snoring a problem for you? Try putting 1 drop Eucalyptus under your nose, another at the back of your neck at the hairline, and another on the top of the ears. It really works and amazes most people. There are other remedies but this one seems to do the trick for most people I have worked with.

CUTS & SCRAPES

Apply Lavender and/or 1 drop undiluted Tea Tree essential oil on a minor cut (one not requiring stitches).  This disinfects the wound.

Apply Tea Tree/and or Lavender oil several times the first 6 hours to minimize chances of infection.  If there is heavy bleeding, apply 1 or 2 drops of Geranium.  It may bleed a lot at first and then will stop almost immediately in most cases.  The sudden onset of bleeding is the body’s way of cleansing the wound.

BLOOD PRESSURE TOO HIGH?

Lavender-reduces blood pressure – put on temples across shoulders, back of neck and bottom of feet. Do this application to drastically lower HIGH blood pressure quickly! This isn’t for daily reduction