Lavender

Lavender is extremely useful and varied in purpose. You can find countless lavender aromatherapy products anywhere you go, and that is because it's fragrance is extremely calming. Lavender essential oil is extremely concentrated and far more powerful than any lavender product you might run across.

Skin

Lavender is great for minor skin conditions like small cuts, burns and bug bites.

Allergies

Putting lavender on the back of the neck or taking it in a capsule with lemon and peppermint is effective for allergy relief.

Relaxation/Sleep

Lavender is extremely calming. Putting several drops in a diffuser is a great way to breathe it in and help you calm down. You can put it on your neck and wrists as well. 

My favorite use of lavender is rubbing a drop on each foot at bedtime. I get deep sleep every night I do it, and it helps me fall asleep faster.

Diffuse it in your bedroom or your children's bedroom at nighttime to aid in sleep, as well.

Peppermint

Peppermint has become one of the most-used oils in my stash. I initially started using it to make my water taste interesting, because anything to get me to drink more water is worth it, but I have found many other uses:

Allergies

Breathing in peppermint is an effective way to kill coughy/sneezy junk quickly. Putting it on the back of the neck and on the hands is a good way to keep the fragrance close. I like to put my pepperminty hands over my nose and take a deep breath. Combine with lavender for an added boost.

Combine peppermint, lemon, and lavender together in a capsule for allergy relief. 

(See the post on allergies for more details.)

Nausea

Rubbing straight peppermint on the stomach area kills that queasy, nauseous feeling quickly. It burns a little bit, much like Icy Hot. Also, put a drop on your tongue or finger, and hold on the roof of your mouth for 10-20 seconds.

Acid Reflux

Put a drop in water or tea, and drink after an acidic meal. Put a drop on your tongue or finger, and hold on the roof of your mouth. 

Also, rub a drop over your esophagus area or stomach or wherever you're feeling the burn.

Headaches

Use by itself or with lavender. Put a drop on the back of your neck, and rub some on the temples. Don't get close to your eyes!

I have read about other uses, but these are the ones that I have experienced firsthand. More to come soon!

Allergy Remedies

Allergy Remedies

Recipe 1: The Allergy Bomb

2 drops lavender


2 drops lemon


2 drops peppermint

Put these in a capsule, and take as needed. This is great for sniffy, sneezy, runny nose kind of allergies. 

If it doesn’t work, just up the dosage. I have put up to 5 of each in a capsule. 

A friend of mine puts two drops of each into a shot of organic cranberry juice and downs it in one gulp to get the oils in the bloodstream faster. I prefer capsules, because lavender tastes pretty horrid.

Recipe 2: Congestion Killer

1 drop cypress on the back of the neck and on the bottom of each foot

1 drop peppermint on the back of the neck and on each foot

This one works wonders for me. Cleared up my nose in about 2-3 minutes, and it lasted for 6-7 hours. It was like taking a Benadryl or Sudafed without the drowsy/groggy feeling. Also, cypress smells kind of manly, so that was a bonus for me.

Recipe 3: Quick Relief

1 drop lavender on the back of the neck and fingertips

1 drop peppermint on the back of the neck and fingertips

Put your fingers near your nose and breathe in the oils. I knocked out a sneezing attack immediately with just the peppermint (didn’t have my lavender handy). You can diffuse these as well, but if you need immediate relief, do the fingertip trick.