Essential oils have been popular for centuries, but some people are just discovering them. If you're new to essential oils, you may be unaware of all their many uses and health benefits. However, even if you’re a long-time fan, don’t miss out on these often-overlooked ways to utilize essential oils.
To help you out, we compiled a list of eight surprising uses for essential oils you might not know about.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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Useful Ways to Spruce Up Your Life with Essential Oils
#1 Use Essential Oils to Freshen and Clean your Home
You probably know essential oils are great for aromatherapy, but did you know they also make great cleaners and disinfectants? It's true. A few drops of essential oil can help refresh your refrigerator when cleaning it or remove burnt food from your pans. It can help you eliminate unwelcome odors and mold from surfaces or the air.
Some people like mixing their own homemade multipurpose cleaners made up of essential oils. For example, lemon essential oil is top-rated and commonly used in the kitchen to fight tough grease. Tea tree and lavender essential oils also belong among the favorites due to their antibacterial and calming effects.
Using essential oils instead of chemicals is practical, but their use is also healthy for your brain functions. By limiting the chemicals that you inhale inside your home, you can better support your brain and lower pollution in your blood.
#2 Whiten Your Teeth with Essential Oils
Yes, essential oils can help whiten your teeth and freshen your breath. For example, some suggest adding a couple of drops of orange oil to your toothbrush before brushing or toothpaste powder for optimal oral health. The results can be immediate. Some mix lemon oil with peppermint essential oil and baking soda for even better results. However, before attempting to DIY this concoction, please do your own research or check with your dentist.
#3 Use Nature's Pharmacy in Your Skincare Routines
One of the most surprising things is how many different uses of essential oils there are for beauty and skincare. Just like eating habits and regular exercise are good for your body, essential oils are great for the health of your skin. Beauty experts frequently talk about the importance of proper skincare pre- and post-workout. And one of the skin-care tricks is these little miracle workers. You can add a few drops of geranium oil to your face cream to get firmer, tighter skin. For a similar anti-wrinkle effect, try mixing a couple of drops of rose oil into your favorite face cream.
Finally, you can use tea tree oil directly on your skin to help clear up acne, but test a tiny bit of oil on your skin first. Some people with sensitive skin can react to its potency so it’s best to dilute with a carrier oil, such as sesame oil.
Give these suggestions a shot, and use essential oils in your routine before or after your workout to clean your face to ensure it stays blemish-free.
#4 Add Food-Grade Oils to Your Food for Culinary Dosing
If you look up healthy recipes and tips online, many people suggest you put essential oils into your food or add drops to your water. And yes, they're great for cooking—just one more way to use essential oils. Well, some of them. Be sure that the essential oil is food-grade and of high purity.
The biggest problem with taking oils internally is that some essential oils are not intended for human consumption. So, before adding them to your food, make sure you check to make sure they are safe and pay close attention to dosage. A small amount goes a long way!
You can check the FDA list for essential oils that are considered safe for human consumption.
Having said this, lemon oil, peppermint, oregano, and wild orange are among the favorites for seasoning or cooking as well as having health benefits. These food-grade essential oils are great for adding flavor in the kitchen and also have numerous health benefits. Culinary dosing with essential oils is one of the most surprising uses many people don’t know about.
Another great addition to your kitchen that adds high-quality fat, more flavor, and healthy ingredients is Tumeric Ghee. Enjoy it in soups and stews or it's even delicious on toast or popcorn!
#5 Manage Your Anxiety with Essential Oils
If you want help with your anxiety, you may be surprised to learn that essential oils can assist you. Inhaling the calming aroma is the most popular. Lavender is considered to help activate specific brain receptors and trigger your body's natural relaxation response, which is very needed if you're suffering from anxiety.
This essential oil can help your brain move past excessive worries. There are multiple ways you can utilize essential oils for this purpose. You can diffuse the oils in a diffuser, spray them into the air to freshen a room, massage a drop or two into your skin, or use them as a component in bath salts and lotions. Try them and discover what works best for you.
Related reading: "25 Ways to Live Ayurvedic Principles."
#6 Combat Stress Naturally
Similarly, essential oils are great for fighting and reducing stress. If you're having a tough time at work or in school, you can reduce your stress by adding aromatherapy to your routine. Treat yourself to a break every once in a while by breathing in one of your favorite scents. Or some people like to apply a few drops of chamomile to their temples or neck and gently rub it in as a relaxation method.
Many essential oils are high in the chemical constituent linalool, which is well known for its ability to shift sad and anxious feelings. Lavender in particular is high in linalool and when taken internally has been shown to reduce anxious feelings.
#7 Relieve Menstrual Cramping
A common but pesky problem for many women is painful menstrual cycles. Essential oils are a fantastic support and can help women decrease the severity of their period cramps. If you struggle with severe cramps, try to give essential oils a chance.
Various studies have shown that women who massaged oils into their abdomens reported less pain and bleeding during menstruation. If you want to experiment with this remedy, start a week before your period to reduce these painful PMS symptoms.
#8 Diminish Appetite to Support Weight Loss
If you're dealing unsuccessfully with weight loss, one of the most effective suppressants of appetite can be grapefruit essential oil. According to an animal study, smelling grapefruit oil can suppress the sensation of hunger. Similar research has also been done with lavender and other essential oils.
To lessen your appetite, you can inhale essential oils, add a few drops to your water or tea, or massage them into your skin. However, it’s best to avoid adding essential oils to plastic as they can erode the material.
Related reading: "Tired of Being Overweight? 5 Ways to Build Healthy Habits for Fitness and Weight Loss."
Final Thoughts
After reading about all these amazing uses for essential oils, you’re probably eager to try them out! However, before you do, make sure the essential oils you're buying are pure essential oils versus synthetics made in a laboratory. You can confirm by reading the list of ingredients on the back. If you see a Latin botanic name, it's probably natural oil, and you can use it.
Also, essential oils are highly concentrated and can irritate your skin when used undiluted. That's why, before using them liberally, test if you're allergic. Put a small amount on the crook of your arm and wait for a few hours, or up to a day. After some time, if your skin doesn't feel itchy, red, or look irritated, you know you're good to go. You can also dilute with a carrier oil such as jojoba, coconut, or avocado oil.
Try these natural remedies and test their effects yourself. You'll be pleased with the scents to uplift and naturally enhance your life!
Related reading: “How to Use Carrier Oils”
* None of the statements in this blog have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of the above recommendations are intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Essential oils are naturally produced substances that can assist the body in its own healing process, but we make no claims whatsoever. Use with moderation and discretion.
