Essential Oil Spotlight: Lemon Oil

For this month's essential oil feature, I wanted to write about lemon essential oil, which is an incredibly useful oil to have around.

First of all, it smells great with its nice, fresh scent. It’s also been shown in two different research studies to help with boosting mood and reducing anxiety.

 It’s nice to use by itself in a diffuser, but also mixes well with rosemary and/or cedarwood. I also like combining it with anise (just one drop of anise since it’s so strong), clove, and patchouli. Lemon oil also combined well with bergamot as a nice, springy blend. Lemon works really well to get rid of odors in the home.

Beyond aromatherapy, lemon oil works fantastic for cleaning, especially for removing stuck on goop and adhesive. I recently had to remove a bunch of stickers from the top of a laptop, which left lots of adhesive behind. Since it was so bad I thought I would have to use Goo Gone (which I don’t love because it has such a chemical smell), but the Goo Gone didn’t really work. I decided to try lemon oil (which in retrospect I should have tried first) and it worked amazingly, cutting through the adhesive and residue almost instantly. I cleaned it again with a vinegar cleanser since if you leave lemon oil on some surfaces or plastic it can damage the finish. I also use it for cleaning around the store anytime there’s something that can’t be cleaned by our regular natural all purpose cleaners.

It’s also inexpensive, at $6.49 for a 1 oz. bottle of pure lemon oil, so I’d definitely recommend picking up a bottle if you don’t have one!

Aromatherapy Day Recipe Preview

We’re having an event at the store on Saturday, October 8th where everyone can make rollerbottles and room sprays at the store using our essential oils and ingredients. The recipes below are what we will be making that day, using your choice of roughly 60 different essential oils we will have available to use.

These are the bottles in the kit to make two rollerbottles and two room sprays in blue glass bottles. Each kit is $10 each and includes all of the ingredients needed.

Room Spray Recipe

Ingredients:

2 oz. Spray Bottle

1 tsp. Glycerin

1 tsp. Witch Hazel

20-30 drops any combination of essential oils

Directions:

Fill the essential oil bottle with witch hazel and glycerin, then add your essential oils and fill the rest of the way with water

NOTE: Be sure not to overfill the bottle with water so the atomizer top can still be put on without it overflowing. 

Rollerbottle Recipe

Ingredients:

10ml Rollerbottle

4-10 Drops Essential Oil

Carrier Oil (Grapeseed)

Directions:

Put 4-10 drops of essential oils in a rollerbottle and then fill the rest of the way with a carrier oil. Only fill to the shoulder of the bottle so rollerbottle top can be put on without it overflowing.

10ml Roller Bottle Dilution Chart:

.5% Dilution: 1 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
1% Dilution: 2 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
2% Dilution: 4 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
5% Dilution: 10 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
10% Dilution: 20 drops of essential oils per roller bottle

The Natural Institute for Holistic Aromatherapy recommends using the following dilution ratios:

A .5-1% dilution is recommended for topical use on young children or for sensitive adults. For general adult use, a 2-10% dilution ratio is the general recommendation for topical use.

We look forward to seeing you! We’re located at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.

Registration for the event is not necessary, though if you wanted to RSVP on our Facebook event we’d appreciate it (here’s the link)!  We’ll also have a variety of organic wines on hand to sample. It should be a fun time, so be sure to stop by!

Essential Oil Rollerbottles for Stress and Focus [Recipe]

With school starting and our hectic lives, I thought it would be helpful to write about essential oil blends for stress and focus. I’ll list some of the recommended oils for stress, anxiety, and concentration below, and guidelines on how to craft your blends. The best oil blends are those you like the smell of, and everyone’s preferences are different. Even if there’s an oil that people say is the best for one thing or another, if you hate how it smells, it’s not for you.

 Recommended oils:

Stress/Relaxation:

Lavender

Cedarwood

Vetiver

Rose

Bergamot

Sandalwood

Oils for focus:

Peppermint

Rosemary

Basil

Grapefruit

Oils for mood:

Orange

Lemon

Lemongrass

Ylang Ylang

Now don’t feel like you need to make a blend with all of these oils, they’re just to give you some ideas for your blends. Any can be used to make a rollerbottle with a carrier oil, but I’d recommend trying them in a diffuser first to make sure you like how the blend goes together.

A few of our favorites to try are:

Lemon and Rosemary

Lavender and Bergamot

Peppermint and Rosemary

Rose and Orange

Peppermint and Lemon

Cedarwood, Lavender, and Orange

The above oils can also go well on their own if you don’t like them blended. To make a rollerbottle, we’d recommend using a total of 4-10 drops of essential oil in a 10ml rollerbottle, with the remainder being filled with a carrier oil like grapeseed oil.

See our full article on essential oil dilutions and rollerbottles on our website here:

Essential Oil Dilutions for Rollerbottles

We have all the supplies needed at Pass Health Foods to make your blends including rollerbottles, essential oils, and carrier oils. Stop by the store at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.

Top 5 Simple Ways to Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are wonderful, but many people wonder how to use them on a daily basis. Here are our top five (simple) ways to use essential oils every day!

In a diffuser

If you don’t have a diffuser, it’s an idea to look into. It’s a way to enjoy the scent of essential oils in your home all day. The diffusers we have at the store turn off automatically at the end of their cycle, so there’s no worry about turning it off. Essential oils are a great way to scent your home naturally!

In a pot of simmering water

If you don’t have a diffuser, adding a few drops to a small pot of simmering water over the stove can help to disperse the scent of essential oils throughout your home, and it’s also a way to add a bit more moisture to the air, which can be beneficial in the winter months.

In a bath

Essential oils are wonderful in a bath, but it’s important to mix them with a carrier oil or other unscented oil like grapeseed or almond oil before pouring them in the bath so they don’t irritate the skin. A bath with lavender oil before bed is extremely relaxing

In room sprays

Room sprays with essential oils are extremely easy to make, and we have all the necessary ingredients at the store. You can use them as a quick pick-me-up, as a linen spray, or even to freshen up clothing. You can see our room spray recipe on our website here: Room Spray Recipe

In an unscented lotion

An easy way to enjoy essential oils topically is to mix them with an unscented lotion (we love the Everyone unscented lotion at the store since it comes in a pump). Of course, you can make your own lotions from scratch, but mixing a drop or two of your favorite essential oil with a generous dollop of lotion in the palm of your hand before applying is an easy way to enjoy the scents of essential oils. Here is a post from our website on how to mix essential oils into an entire container of lotion: DIY Essential Oil Lotion

Also check out our article: DIY Holiday Gifts with Essential Oils

Using Essential Oils in the Laundry

This is a great recipe for using essential oils when you do laundry. Combining essential oils with vinegar makes it so there’s no oil transfer on the laundry and also further deodorizes clothes (at the end of the cycle they won’t smell like vinegar)- it even works like a natural fabric softener.  This recipe can be used with white squares of cloth or even old white socks!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup white vinegar

• 20-30 drops of essential oils (lavender or bergamot are my favorites)

• Cotton cloths

See the entire recipe and directions at Our Oily House.

Wake Up Like Marie Kondo - DIY Recipe

Most people are familiar with Marie Kondo (she’s written a couple books on decluttering home and life and has two Netflix shows). I like her, though I don’t necessarily go along with everything she says, still, she has some good ideas on clearing stuff out of your house and only keeping the things you really love.

An article came up on my phone’s newsfeed a couple weeks ago about her morning routine that said:

Kondo begins her workday by spritzing the air with an aromatherapy spray to clear her mind. “I read somewhere that of our five senses, our sense of smell is very important and affects the brain and relaxes our mind,” Kondo says. This ritual makes her feel as if she’s “shifting gears into a work mode.”

I thought it was such a clever idea since I do think scent makes such a difference, and certain essential oils have actual scientific research behind them demonstrating specific benefits. I did some research and made a recipe blend that combines oils that are said to help with boosting mood or to energize the body and mind, plus I think it smells good, which is important too- even if an oil is supposed to have a ton of benefits, if you hate the smell, it doesn’t seem like a great idea to use (unless it helped you win the lottery or something!).

The recipe below can be switched out for oils you have on hand or oils you prefer. Other oils not in this blend that help with energy, focus, and/or mood are ginger, eucalyptus, and peppermint, so feel free to experiment with your own blends. Room spray recipes work well with 20-40 drops of essential oils depending on their strength and how strong you want it to smell. They can also be used only with water, but in my experience, using a 50/50 mixture of water and witch hazel keeps the oils from separating in the mixture and also acts like a natural preservative. If you make a room spray with only water, be sure to shake it before each use.

Essential Oil Morning Room Spray

15 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops bergamot essential oil
5 drops cedarwood essential oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
5 orange essential oil

Water

Witch Hazel

2oz Amber Spray Bottle (available at the store)

Directions:

Fill a 2oz amber spray bottle halfway with witch hazel. Add desired essential oils and then fill the rest of the way with water. Be sure to not overfill, only fill to the bottom of the neck of the bottle or a little under since putting the spray top back on will use up some of the room in the bottle and you don’t want to overfill it.

Spray generously into the air in the mornings. I do really think it helps you to wake up a bit easier. My daughter has joined band in Jr. High so now we have to wake up before 6, which for us is EARLY- I feel like using this blend helps a little (plus it smells good, which is always nice)!

Be sure to stop by the store and see us, we’re located at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights and have a great selection of 100% pure essential oils as well as lots of DIY supplies!

DIY Holiday Gifts with Essential Oils

This month we wanted to share some of our favorite DIY recipes that make wonderful holiday gifts! In addition to a large selection of high quality, pure essential oils, we also have a great selection of DIY beauty supplies and ingredients available at the store.

Shea Butter & Vitamin E Lip Balm

DIY Beard Oil

Dog and Cat Foot Pad Protectant Salve

Essential Oil Room Spray Recipe

DIY “Poo-Pourri” Copycat Recipe

We have many more great DIY recipes on our Health and Beauty Blog, found here. We also have several new essential oil bracelets on sale for $5 each that make wonderful stocking stuffers!

Our Favorite Fall Essential Oil Blends

This month I wanted to share our favorite fall essential oil blend. We use it in our diffuser all the time at work and always get compliments!  This combination of oils smells extremely comforting and is perfect for the chilly, dreary days of fall.

How many drops you use in your diffuser is entirely up to you, and can be increased or decreased depending on how strong of a scent you prefer.

Generally, in a diffuser at home, I use 8-10 drops, though at the store we’ll often use 13-15 drops at once since it’s a large, open room.

IN YOUR DIFFUSER, DROP IN EQUAL AMOUNTS OF:

ORANGE ESSENTIAL OIL

PATCHOULI ESSENTIAL OIL

CLOVE ESSENTIAL OIL

CINNAMON BARK ESSENTIAL OIL

Patchouli sometimes has a bad stereotype associated with it, but it adds creaminess and depth to other essential oils. The scent of patchouli is also relaxing as well as mood-boosting. It’s actually one of my favorite oils.

Orange oil is also a nice mood-boosting essential oil. Increase the amount of orange in this recipe for a brighter, cheerier blend.

Clove and cinnamon bark essential oils are fantastic spice oils that have a warming effect on the body. Both of these spice oils also have antibacterial properties and are effective against airborne bacteria when diffused into the air.

Other ideas are to trade lemon oil for the orange oil in this recipe, or to add a drop of anise or nutmeg oil for a slightly different blend. The possibilities are endless.

DIY Essential Oil Roll On for Headache and Migraine

These simple recipes are can be very helpful for natural headache and migraine relief and use essential oils backed by scientific research for headaches and migraines.

Peppermint oil has been researched as an effective topical remedy for tension headaches. It gives a wonderful cooling sensation when used on the temples, and using it in a rollerbottle is convenient and mess-free.

Lavender oil has also been researched with positive results for helping with migraine headaches in placebo controlled trials (here’s a link to the study on Pub Med).

 I am going to list two recipes below. Generally essential oils are meant to be diluted before use on skin due to concerns about irritation. A 10% dilution is recommended by aromatherapists for acute issues, and a  recipe using a 10% dilution is below:

10% Dilution Headache Roll On

1 10ml rollerbottle (available at Pass Health Foods)

15 drops peppermint oil

15 drops lavender oil

Grapeseed oil or other carrier oil

Directions:

Put essential oils in rollerbottle first and then fill the rest of the way with a carrier oil. Take care not to overfull the bottle. Roll on temples and forehead if desired as needed.

The New York Institute of Aromatherapy states that occasionally, for acute issues, essential oils may be used undiluted. They give migraine headaches as one issue where undiluted essential oil use may be helpful. The following rollerbottle recipe uses undiluted oils and should be used at your own risk, though many people find it helpful.

Migraine Relief Rollerbottle

1 10ml rollerbottle

Lavender oil

Peppermint oil

Directions:

Fill rollerbottle with half peppermint oil and half lavender. Apply to temples with rollerbottle to help combat migraine headaches. Use with caution on people with sensitive skin. This rollerbottle recipe should not be used on children.

As with all essential oil recipes, its important to note that essential oils are powerful and should be used at your own risk.

How to Make Essential Oil Rollerbottles (with proper dilution ratios)

Essential oil roller bottles are simple to make, and are handy to use on the go since they’re inexpensive to make and are quick to apply- they’re a much better choice than carrying around an entire bottle of essential oil in your bag or pocket.

The following dilutions are for a 10ml roller bottle. Fill your roller bottle 80-90% full with a carrier oil before adding your essential oils. A carrier oil is an unscented oil that is used to dilute essential oils so they can be used on the skin (undiluted oils can irritate the skin). Jojoba or grapeseed oil are our favorite oils to use in a roller bottle.

It’s best to err on the side of slightly less since you don’t want it to overflow when you put the roller top back on. Once filled with essential oils, the liquid in the bottle needs to stay slightly below the neck before replacing the top.

10ml Roller bottle Dilution Chart:

.5% Dilution: 1 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
1% Dilution: 2 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
2% Dilution: 4 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
3% Dilution: 6 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
5% Dilution: 10 drops of essential oils per roller bottle
10% Dilution: 20 drops of essential oils per roller bottle

The Natural Institute for Holistic Aromatherapy recommends using the following dilution ratios:

A .5-1% dilution for topical use on young children or for sensitive adults

For adult use, a 2-10% dilution ratio is the general recommendation for topical use. 

The following oils may cause skin irritation when applied to skin, so it is especially important to use them with proper dilutions: cassia, cinnamon, clove, balsam fir, sage, and thyme. Also, citrus oils can cause the skin to be more sensitive to light (not usually something to be worried about with a proper dilution, just something to be aware of).

Roller bottles are fun to make and are handy for lots of applications!
 

Our Favorite Fall Essential Oil Blend Recipe

This month I wanted to share our favorite fall essentials blend. We use it in our diffuser all the time at work and always get compliments!  This combination of oils smells extremely comforting and is perfect for the chilly, dreary days of fall.

How many drops you use in your diffuser is entirely up to you, and can be increased or decreased depending on how strong of a scent you prefer.

Generally, in a diffuser at home, I use 8-10 drops, though at the store we’ll often use 13-15 drops at once since it’s a large, open room.

In your diffuser, drop in equal amounts of:

Orange Essential Oil

Patchouli Essential Oil

Clove Essential Oil

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

Patchouli sometimes has a bad stereotype associated with it, but it adds creaminess and depth to other essential oils. The scent of patchouli is also relaxing as well as mood-boosting. 

Orange oil is also a nice mood-boosting essential oil. Increase the amount of orange in this recipe for a brighter, cheerier blend.

Clove and cinnamon bark essential oils are fantastic spice oils that have a warming effect on the body. Both of these spice oils also have antibacterial properties and are effective against airborne bacteria when diffused into the air.

Other ideas are to trade lemon oil for the orange oil in this recipe, or to add a drop of anise or nutmeg oil for a slightly different blend. The possibilities are endless.
 
  
 

New Essential Oil Bracelets

We have just received a shipment of new lava rock essential oil bracelets. Each bracelet has fifteen lava rock beads, which absorb essential oils and gently diffuse the scent throughout the day. Lava rock is made from cooled volcanic magma, and wearing the beads can feel very grounding. The seven rainbow beads represent the seven chakras in the body and also represent the beauty, promise, and diversity of our world, in one harmonious whole.

We’re in love with these bracelets, and asa Valentine’s gift for our lovely customers, we are offering these bracelets on sale for only $5 each while supplies last. They make a perfect gift for yourself or a loved one.

To apply the essential oils, massage one drop of oil per bead (as many as you choosedepending on how potent of a scent you’re looking for). It’s a simple and beautiful way to get the benefits of essential oils. Some of our favorites that we’ve been using are lavender for relaxation, orange for positive mood, and rosemary and lemon for enhancing memory.

A New Essential Oil Diffuser with a Unique Tree Design

We have a brand new diffuser by NOW Solutions and I’m crazy about it. It’s a gorgeous diffuser with a beautiful design of bare-branched trees around the outside which is lit from behind when in use. I’ve never seen a diffuser like it (I wish I had a better picture of it than the one below)- you can see a more detailed zoom of the diffuser on the NOW website here.

Like all of the diffusers we have available at the store, it uses high frequency vibrations to create a fine aromatherapy mist without heat. It uses only water and oils, and when all the water has been used up (about seven hours when on the continuous setting), it turns off by itself.

It’s much prettier than it looks in the picture (especially when it is lit up)!

Also new this month from NOW is a “Seasonal Changes” essential oil gift set with oils for winter wellness that includes bottles of tea tree oil and eucalyptus radiata oil, as well as two essential oil blends- Clear the Air and Nature’s Shield (NOW’s version of the legendary “five thieves” oil blend).  

Our Store's Essential Oil Availability Listing

We also have a large assortment of 100% pure essential oils from the brands Aura Cacia and NOW Solutions, many of which are under $10 a bottle (I've listed the oils we carry below, and we also can order other specific essential oils if you are looking for one not listed).  NOW Solutions is a local company based in Illinois.  For more information on their essential oils, see our blog post linked below:

NOW Solutions Essential Oil Testing and Quality

We can also get any essential oils by Simpler's Botanicals, though we only carry their essential oil blends in the store at this time.

Essential Oils Currently Available at Pass Health Foods:

Anise
Atlas Cedar
Bergamot
Balsam Fir Needle
Basil, Sweet
Camphor
Cedarwood
Cedarwood, Texas
Cinnamon Bark
Cinnamon Cassia
Cinnamon Leaf
Citronella
Clary Sage
Chammomile
Chamomile, Sweet
Clary Sage
Clove
Clove Bud
Cypress
Eucalyptus:
    Eucalyptus Globulous
    Eucalyptus Radiata
Fennel Seed
Fennel, Sweet
Frankincense
Geranium
Ginger
Grapefruit
Helichrysum
Hyssop
Jasmine Blend
Juniper Berry
Lavender
Lavender and Tea Tree
Lemon
Lemon Balm
Lemon Eucalyptus
Lemongrass
Lime
Myrrh
Neroli
Nutmeg
Orange
Orange, Sweet
Palmarosa
Patchouli
Pine
Pine Needle
Pennyroyal
Peppermint
Rose Absolute
Rose Hip Seed
Rosemary
Sage
Sandalwood
Sandalwood Blend
Spearmint
Sweet Basil
Sweet Orange
Tangerine
Tea Tree
Thyme, White
Vanilla
Vetiver
Wintergreen
Ylang Ylang

Essential Oil Blends:  

NOW Solutions Essential Oil Blends: 

Bottled Bouquet

Cheer Up Buttercup

Clear the Air

Good Morning Sunshine

Lemon Eucalyptus

Mental Focus

Nature’s Shield

Naturally Loveable

Peace and Harmony

Peace, Love, and Flowers

Peaceful Sleep

Smiles for Miles

Simpler’s Botanicals Essential Oil Blends: 

Blissful and Bright

Calm Within

Deep Restful Sleep

Focused and Aware

Fortify and Protect

Also on our website:

Our Store's Carrier Oil and DIY Beauty Availability List

 

Essential Oil Dilution Chart

I love essential oils- they are wonderful for such a wide variety of uses; they are very potent however, so proper dilution is important.  Most essential oils cannot be used directly on the skin without being diluted with a carrier oil since many are too strong and can cause irritation (lavender and tea tree oil are two exceptions).  

 

Below is a dilution recommendation chart for making your own home and beauty preparations using essential oils:

Massage oil or general topical use: 50-60 drops for each 4 ounces of carrier oil or lotion

Highly scented topical use: 50-60 drops for 1 ounce of carrier oil or lotion

Scented bath: 10-12 drops per tub of water

Steam inhalation: 3-7 drops in a bowl of boiling water

Foot bath: 8-10 drops per bowl of water

Facial mask: 2-3 drops mixed with 1 tsp. clay or honey or mixed with 4 drops carrier oil for dry skin

Facial oil: 6-8 drops per ½ ounce of carrier oil

Hair oil: 25 drops per 1 ounce of carrier oil

Body mist: 10-20 drops per 4 ounces of water  

Room spray: 20-30 drops per 4 ounces of water

 

A note of caution:

Citrus oils like lemon and orange can make the skin more sensitive to the sun, so it’s best to not use those oils on sensitive skin in the daytime.  Also, cinnamon bark and cinnamon cassia can be extremely irritating to the skin, and may want to be diluted even more than the amounts above when being used topically.

Essential Oil Purity and Quality

We carry several different, wonderful  brands of essential oils at Pass Health Foods, including Simplers Botanicals and Aura Cacia; the majority of our oils, however, are from NOW Foods.  

Our oils from NOW Foods are 100% pure and unadulterated and are extremely high quality, while remaining very reasonably priced.  NOW Foods is a local, Illinois based company, which works diligently to ensure quality while remaining affordably priced.

Every one of NOW’s essential oils go through rigorous testing by quality control experts and are verified by both of the following tests:
 
Gas Chromatography (GC)
GC is an "identity" test that is used on complex mixtures to separate and identify individual volatile components through specific analytical columns combined with a carrier gas. This "fingerprint" allows an experienced analytical chemist to positively identify the oil's species.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
With FTIR, a beam of infrared light is passed through a sample to determine the frequency at which energy is absorbed. It is a highly accurate method that helps reveal and confirm the identity and purity of essential oils. NOW's experienced analytical chemists use this sophisticated tool to check every oil.

For more information on NOW’s essential oil testing, please see this article on their testing methods, and this article on assuring the identity and quality of their essential oils.
 

NOW Foods also has an interesting stance on Food Grade Essential oils and “Therapeutic Grade” oils.  I’ll copy their statements on essential oils below:

Food Grade Essential Oils
We’re often asked if our essential oils are edible, or “food grade”.  All of our citrus oils, and other specific edible oils, are from edible plants. If you recognize the source of these oils as food (i.e. peppermint, oregano, cinnamon bark), then natural extraction methods such as steam distillation and cold pressing do nothing to change this quality, and these methods do not make the oil toxic. However, in order for us to claim an essential oil is food grade we would have to sell the oil as a food product and include a Nutrition Facts panel on the label, as required by law. Brands that claim their essential oils are food grade should display a Nutrition Facts panel on their label.

Our oils are intended for aromatherapy and are labeled as such. Additionally, we include cautionary language created by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) intended to protect consumers from misuse of the product. Some presumably food grade oils do have specific cautions against internal use that should be followed. Please note that our essential oils are highly concentrated and thus caution should be taken if you consume them. 

"Therapeutic Grade" Essential Oils
Therapeutic-grade essential oils are oils that a third party pharmacopeia or other statutory organization has (supposedly) created monographs for, which can be used by any brand as a measure of quality. We’ve reviewed the information regarding this grade and have concluded that “therapeutic grade” is just a marketing term used by some brands, with no authoritative body or organization behind the term.

At NOW Solutions we take assurance of the quality and purity of our essential oils very seriously. We’ve made long-term investments in the instrumentation and the professional staff necessary to assure the identity, purity and quality of our essential oils, and we work closely with our growers and suppliers to ensure the quality of our raw materials. By ensuring all aspects of essential oil quality we guarantee that what’s on the label is what our customers get in the bottle.

Here is a list of available safely sheets on various NOW essential oils.
 

We Have Three New Essential Oil Diffusers Available

We have three new essential oil diffusers available at the store!  All are ultrasonic oil diffusers which use high-frequency electrical vibrations rather than heat to create an ultra fine, cool aromatherapy mist.  They also help to add moisture to the air, which is especially beneficial as we move into the colder months.   

There’s no heat involved, so there is no danger to children, and once the water is used up they shut off by themselves.  I can’t even say how much I love these diffusers, plus, they use only water and essential oils, so there are no refills to buy. 

Our new diffusers are truly unique.  The first (which is my favorite) is a genuine bamboo wood diffuser.  It is absolutely gorgeous and matches wonderfully with any décor.  The second is interesting because it has two vents to direct the aromatherapy vapor in two different directions, so it’s good for large spaces.  Both of these diffusers have settings to run continuously or intermittently (cycling on and off), and can run up to 16 hours on the intermittent setting.

Our third diffuser is a USB diffuser that plugs into a laptop, so it’s great for offices, college dorms, and traveling.

All three of our diffusers are extremely easy to fill and clean.

You can read more about our new diffusers here:

Ultrasonic Bamboo Wood Diffuser

Ultrasonic Dual Mist Oil Diffuser

Ultrasonic USB Oil Diffuser

I honestly cannot recommend these diffusers enough, and they're a fantastic way to enjoy the benefits of essential oils in your home.

New Blank Essential Oil Inhalers

We are now selling blank essential oil inhalers which essential oils can be added to.  They’re great to carry with you since unlike essential oil bottles, there’s no risk of spillage.
Each inhaler has a cotton center which essential oils are applied to (15 drops is a general recommendation).  It’s an amazing way to use essential oils on the go, and is particularly wonderful since they are completely customizable.

Some ideas are:

Eucalyptus oil for sinus congestion
Lavender oil for relaxation and stress
Bergamot oil for anxiety
Peppermint oil for concentration
Orange oil for a mood boost
Rose oil for reducing blood pressure

For more ideas, here is a list of essential oil studies and benefits for variety of different uses.
 

Disinfecting the Air with Essential Oils

There are a variety of essential oils that have antibacterial and antiviral properties, though most of the research that has been done on essential oils is on direct contact with bacteria or viruses, which doesn’t necessarily translate into true benefits for essential oil users.

In our research at the store, we have come across several essential oils which have been documented in scientific studies to reduce and kill airborne bacteria and viruses when diffused into the air.

Here is a study which found that tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils killed airborne influenza viruses when diffused into the air.

Here is a study which tested essential oils against 6 common respiratory pathogens. The findings reported that cinnamon bark oil and lemongrass oil significantly disinfected the air when diffused into the air. It’s a long article, so there’s a good table here which summarizes the results.

This is an impressive study on antibiotic resistant bacteria including MRSA and the results of diffusing essential oils of geranium and lemongrass into the air.

This is a study on the benefits of eucalyptus oil inhalation against airborne tuberculosis bacteria.

This is another study on eucalyptus oil which reports on its broad spectrum antimicrobial action, as well as its benefits for inhalation on respiratory problems like bronchitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 
 

Summary
So let me break it down. This isn’t to say that all the oils listed below don’t have both antibacterial and antiviral properties, but rather is a summary of the scientific research available on the disinfectant action of essential oils when used in a diffuser.

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil: Antibacterial
Eucalyptus Essential Oil: Antiviral and Antibacterial
Geranium Essential Oil: Antibacterial
Lemongrass Essential Oil: Antibacterial
Tea tree Essential Oil: Antiviral

We carry several full lines of 100% pure essential oils, and testers of each so you can test what each of the different essential oils smells like. We also carry a large selection of different essential oil diffusers at the store. Our diffusers use nothing but tap water and essential oils and turn off automatically when all the water is used up. I can’t recommend them enough, they're a perfect way to use essential oils in the home in a way that lasts for many hours (most of our diffusers are able to run continuously for seven to eight hours without being refilled).

Suggested blends
Lemongrass is wonderful and fresh smelling and blends well with other oils. Tea tree is a potent medicinal aromatherapy oil, but I’m not in love with the scent (it’s not terrible, just not my favorite). Its scent mixes well with other oils which mask its medicinal odor, so it can be added to any of the blends below. I use the blends below in my home on a regular basis:

Lemongrass + Cinnamon Bark
Lemongrass + Eucalyptus + Tea Tree (this is the strongest antimicrobial combination)
Lemongrass + Geranium
Eucalyptus + Geranium
Eucalyptus + Tea Tree
Eucalyptus + Lavender (this is a fantastic blend for sleep)

In particular, we recommend the NOW brand of essential oils. NOW Foods is a local company in Illinois that has very reasonably priced essential oils while remaining of extremely high quality. Here is an article from our blog on the extensive research NOW conducts on its oils to ensure quality and potency.

Here are some other articles from our health blog on essential oils which you may find beneficial:

Essential Oil Research Studies and Benefits

Nature's Shield: Our "Thieves Oil" Blend

Medicinal Essential Oil Recipes for Cold and Flu Season

Essential Oil Research Studies and Benefits

I am a big fan of essential oils and using a diffuser, but in the past my love for them was pretty much because they make such nice, natural room scents.  It’s a wonderful thing to have a great smelling house just using essential oils, without that horrible artificial air freshener scent.

In my research however, I’ve found a large body of clinical research on the scientifically verified benefits of essential oils.

I’ll copy a few of the studies from Pub Med below:

Lavender oil improves sleep quality

 

Bergamot reduces anxiety

 

Orange oil reduces anxiety in children

 

Lavender, chamomile, and neroli essential oil reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality

 

Alzheimer’s patients were found to have improved cognitive function using aromatherapy: lemon and rosemary oils in the morning and lavender and orange oils in the evening.

 

Rose oil causes significant decreases in systolic blood pressure and made subjects more calm and relaxed when compared with the placebo group.

 

Peppermint, basil, and helichrysum essential oils reduce mental fatigue and burnout

 

Lavender oil reduces anxiety in patients before surgery

 

Bergamot oil reduces stress, heart rate, and lowers blood pressure

 

Lavender and rosemary essential oils reduce test taking stress

 

Many essential oils can kill airborne bacteria when diffused into the air, particularly cinnamon bark, cinnamon cassia, thyme, clove, peru balsam, and tea tree oil.

 

Eucalyptus oil inhalation reduces tuberculosis

 

Eucalyptus oil has antibacterial effects against many bacteria including tuberculosis and MRSA

All of the studies referenced above use aromatherapy with essential oils by breathing them in- diffusers are great for that.  We sell two different great ones at the store by NOW Foods.

All the oils we sell state that they are for external use only on the bottles.  The essential oils we have are 100% pure, with no additives, but are sold for external use only as a precautionary measure since there are a number of oils which are toxic, some extremely so.  Wintergreen oil, for example, is extremely poisonous and one teaspoon of such oil could kill a child.

I don’t mean to sound alarmist or be an essential oil fear monger, but it is vitally important to treat essential oils with care.  Many people equate them as the same thing when used for internal use as drinking a cup of herbal tea, when they are emphatically not the same thing.  For example, one drop of peppermint oil in water would be the equivalent of 28 cups of peppermint tea, and one drop of lemon oil is equal to an entire pound of lemons.  They are very potent plant compounds.  That being said, they can be very effective.  

Aromatherapy is particularly wonderful since diffused essential oils impart benefits without interacting with medications.

Oils for winter health:

There are also a number of essential oils which can be helpful during the winter for illness.  Most of the information below is from the book The A to Z of Essential Oils by E. Jay Bowles.  All of the uses below are for inhalation through a diffuser.

• Anise can help with reducing bronchial constriction.
• Cedarwood can help with reducing coughing.
• Eucalyptus can help to aid in breathing and reducing lung congestion by working to expel excess mucus.  It also has antibacterial properties.
• Frankincense can help to break down mucus and is beneficial for a congested respiratory system. 
• Lemon has energizing properties and is also an antibacterial and antifungal properties.
• Tea tree oil has potent antibacterial properties and can help with respiratory infections.

Oils beneficial for skin (when mixed with a carrier oil- jojoba is the one we’d recommend):

• Frankincense for dry skin and wrinkles
• Grapefruit oil for reducing the appearance of cellulite.
• Juniper for oily skin
• Lime for shaving rashes and acne
• Sweet orange for reducing the appearance of cellulite- massage from ankle to thigh which will help the lymphatic system
• Tea tree oil for acne

We are continuing our december essential oil sale, so During the month of January all our essential oil diffusers and NOW Foods essential oils will be on sale for 20% off.

 

Also on our health blog:

OUR STORE'S ESSENTIAL OIL AVAILABILITY LIST AND INFORMATION ON DIFFUSERS

ESSENTIAL OIL SAFETY AND BENEFITS

HOLIDAY ESSENTIAL OIL RECIPES AND DIY GIFTS USING ESSENTIAL OILS