Where to Begin With the World of Essential Oils

If you’re anything like us here at My Grandma Ben, you might have collected dozens of little essential oil bottles over the years. Maybe you use them regularly, or maybe they’re at the back of a cupboard collecting dust! Whatever the case may be, we are here to help you start using these powerful oils more.

Essential oils are amazingly versatile – the list of ways to use them is, quite literally, endless. Whether you want to enhance your mood or have a go at green cleaning, there is an essential oil that is sure to do the trick. Here are our best tips to get you started.

Buy organic

Okay, first thing's first. What essential oils should you be buying? Buying organic essential oils is important because pollutants and pesticides on plants can end up in what is a highly concentrated end product. This can take away from the therapeutic benefits and potentially become harmful to your skin and body. And nobody wants that! We love Mt. Retour essential oils because they are Australian owned, 100% certified organic, super high quality and genuinely affordable.

Bust a bad mood

If you need to lift your spirits, relieve stress, or simply get out of that afternoon funk, diffusing essential oils is a fantastic (and natural!) way to do it. Investing in an essential oil diffuser is an investment in improving mental, emotional and physical health, and you’ll seriously wonder why you didn’t buy one years ago. Simply choose an aroma depending on your mood and let the essential oils take care of the rest!

Struggling to focus or lacking concentration? Peppermint or grapefruit oil will do the trick. Lemon, sweet orange, bergamot and geranium are all uplifting when you’re feeling down, and lavender, ylang ylang and jasmine will help you relax before bed for a great night’s sleep.

If you don’t have a diffuser, simply put a glass bowl of boiling water on the bench and add about eight drops of essential oil – you’ll fill the room with beautiful fragrance in no time.

Start cleaning green

Essential oils are one of the best solutions for green cleaning as they’re naturally antibacterial, they actually work, and obviously smell great! These simple ideas will help you replace toxic cleaners in your home without compromising on quality or effectiveness.

Lemon and orange are our go-to power house essential oils for all household cleaning needs. They are both tough on kitchen grease and instantly sanitise surfaces with their powerful disinfectant properties without leaving awful chemical odours.

For a quick and easy all-purpose surface spray, simply combine one cup of distilled white vinegar, one cup of water and about ten drops of essential oil to a spray bottle. If you’re not a fan of using vinegar in cleaning, try combining the essential oil with one tablespoon of liquid castile soap and one cup of water instead.

When it comes to freshening up laundry, we love adding a few drops of essential oil to our bag of soapberries before throwing them into the wash.

To freshen up musty linens, just add a few drops of oil into a spray bottle with some water and spray liberally over sheets, quilts and quilt covers or even your mattress and couch. 

Everyday beauty

From adding a few drops to a steaming bath to smothering yourself in a fragrant body oil, it’s easy to harness the power of essential oils in your everyday beauty routine.

Rosemary essential oil will be your saviour when it comes to hair care. Not only does it help to tame dry, frizzy hair, but it also stimulates hair follicles to strengthen and encourage growth. For a deeply nourishing leave-in hair treatment, combine two tablespoons of coconut oil with four drops of rosemary essential oil and one cup of water and spray on wet hair.

For a natural blemish buster, try using tea tree essential oil as a spot treatment at night. Cleanse and moisturise before dabbing the tea tree oil just where needed to avoid spreading it across your face. If your skin is prone to drying out, dilute the tea tree oil in a base oil like jojoba first.

Perhaps one of our favourite ways to enjoy essential oils every day is in our nourishing body oil – you’ll seriously feel like you’ve stepped out of a day spa every time you use it. Check out the recipe here.

Important note: If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any existing health problems, always talk with your healthcare professional or a qualified aromatherapist before using essential oils.

Like all products on My Grandma Ben, we’ve tried and tested the Mt. Retour Essential Oil range and only recommend products we love.

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