​You probably already own a carrier oil in your house. Olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and grape seed oil are all used as carrier oils for essential oil blends.

It does not usually matter which variety of carrier oil you use for every day use. I use whatever food grade oil is close at hand. This usually just comes down to personal preference, or maybe the particular recipe you're following. Whether you are trying to create a premium blend or a cheaper oil blend will probably sway your decision too.

Jojoba oil, almond oil, and apricot oil are all wonderful, but more expensive than their easy-to-find counterparts. In Australia, you can sometimes find these premium oils at your local health food store or sometimes even the chemist. Can't find what you're after? We have our V6 carrier oil blend of a number of carrier oils ready to use for all your diluting purposes.

Creating a bath oil with any essential oil and carrier oil is a great way to start using your essential oils. You could also create an all natural cleanser with your favourite essential oil for skincare, and a premium carrier oil.  Facial cleansing with oil using an oil cleanser has become very popular, although it may seem a bit hard to get used to at first!

Many people are curious as to where they should put their essential oils on their body. This infographic shows many areas of the body that you can use oils on. You can always dilute your essential oil in a vegetable oil or carrier oil to make it go  further. Dilution will also help if the oil is considered a "hot" oil, such as Oregano, that, due to its spicy nature, can produce a "burning" feeling on the skin if used directly on sensitive skin areas. Most essential oils however can be used directly on skin. (be sure to test first)

My personal favourite ways to use oils on my body are as follows:

• on wrists for daily perfume (my pick: Joy)
• on forehead and temples at night before bed (my pick: Lavender)
• back massage (love all of them!)
• bottoms of feet and chest before bed in winter (RC or diluted Oregano)
• abdomen (when feeling stodgy) - Digize for sure
• refreshing face mist, made from distilled water and a few drops of essential oil (frankincense or floral oils)

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You can find all the suggested essential oils and oil blends from the infographic here, including more information on how to use them in your life:
HEAD: Peppermint, MGrain, Tranquil
NECK: Deep Relief, Joy, Stress Away
SHOULDERS: Peppermint, Panaway, Wintergreen
HEART: Release, Frankincense, Bergamot
CHEST: Eucalyptus, Breathe Again, RC
WRISTS: Lavender, Stress Away, Jasmine
ABDOMEN: Digize, Fennel, Dragon Time
LEGS: Melaleuca, Geranium, Chamomile
KNEES: Copaiba, Cool Azul, Panaway
FEET: Lavender, Cedarwood, Tea Tree

What's your favourite way to use essential oils?

Thieves was so named after the legend of fifteenth century thieves who used a mixture of herbs and spices whilst they robbed the dead and dying. It was known that these four French thieves used a mixture of Clove, Rosemary and other aromatic botanicals.
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Which brings us to our modern day era... ​This legend inspired this modern day mix of herbs and spices, and distilled and blended together, Thieves Essential Oil was born. The founders of Young Living created a unique blend of cloves, rosemary, lemon, and cinnamon essential oils into their popular "Thieves Oil Blend."

This Thieves Oil has become so popular, that they have created a natural cleaning collection based entirely on this oil blend. In my opinion it's popularity belongs to a few things. First, it smells divine. {No, really. It does}  Second, cloves, rosemary, lemon and cinnamon pack a punch... whether it be for their aromatic benefits or their cleaning power, you're on a winner with this one.
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​You can find DIY recipes all over the internet (hello pinterest!) for incorporating this blend. So, if youre a DIYer, it is the perfect essential oil to start your oils collection. Add to your own natural recipes for green cleaning, homemade soap, surface spray, laundry powder, hand soap, floor cleaner, bathroom cleaners... you get the idea, the only limit is your imagination! If you've never smelt it, you really should try it. It smells like holiday baking and delicious spices, and is a favourite for those who use a diffuser for that "freshly baked" aroma without the hard work of baking!

You can even find versions of DIY Thieves Oil "recipe hacks" to make your own Thieves Oil but once you buy all the individual essential oils in these recipes, in our opinion, you may as well have bought "the real thing" in the bottle. The quality of the original Thieves is hard to beat- your nose knows.
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Have you ever heard of Thieves? What do you use your Thieves for?

There are a few problems with these medical claims however. A lot are unsubstantiated, as the scientific data isn't there for the wealth and variety of human experience throughout the ages. Although herbs and oils have been used for centuries, as yet, not alot of scientific data exists governing the use of such.

​ Sometimes we rely on the witness of another, but when it comes to it, our personal experience may be competely the opposite to what someone else thought, saw, or felt. Right now I'm thinking of a particular movie my sister recommended.... that I recommended to others, and then took them to, and absolutely hated. Zuh. That's the last time I'm recommending something sight unseen! This is especially true when it comes to healing modalities... I like to sit quietly, journal, and pray, and this helps my healing process, but for you, maybe journalling and prayer is not the same experience at all, maybe a soothing massage, or talking things out with a friend is more beneficial to you.

So why is there so much controversy and confusion surrounding essential oils? It is because my own personal experience, your experience, knowledge, country of origin rules and scientific data, is completely different to the next persons'! It is easy enough to debate both sides of an argument. 

​At times these claims can also be made by those without knowledge or enough experience and the risk is that people can (and do) get hurt. How simple it is to have too much of a good thing, or a reaction to a particular substance! 

Our government through the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia has put checks in place to stop these unsubstantiated and sometimes downright dangerous claims. This is why you will read or see words like: may promote, might help, or "invites." It is also why treatments are not mentioned.

This means that in Australia, our pure essential oils are marketed as "cosmetics", and because of this fact, you will not see any medical claims made in terms of pure essential oils on this website. This is not to say we do not believe in the usefulness and benefits of essential oils for many purposes, it is just that it is unethical (and illegal) to do so.

​ One product may benefit someone greatly, but be dangerous for another. We are not your health care provider, and we cannot give individual advice. It is against the policy of the company that we choose to stock to make any such medical claims. You may, however, discover that there are many bloggers and websites listing these benefits, but this just means that they are either; not under Australian law due to being in a different country, governed by different laws due to the nature of the product they market, or "running the gauntlet" and disregarding the rules. This is why you will read, by those who are compliant, words like: may promote, might help, or "invites." It is also why treatments to particular body ailments are not mentioned.

All that being said, we do, wholeheartedly, believe in the wonderful benefits of essential oils for your every day life! Do we have any scientific papers to show facts that speak to the power of essential oils? No... we don't. (They are out there though, if you are willing to look.) We do however have a good ol’ fashioned personal recommendations from many a satisfied customer.

You won’t know the difference you can make to the youthfulness of your skin or dry hair until you give it a whirl. You won’t believe the pure concentrated scent of floral sweetness, or warm spice and the feeling it brings wafting through your home. Ever had a massage with some of these oils? The warming, or the cooling effect, and then they transport you to another place... a far off spice market, or warm summer day in a field of wildflowers. {no joke. it happens}

With essential oils, its important to use common sense. Read the label. Check with your healthcare provider if you are on medication, pregnant or breast feeding. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so use only a drop or two- seriously- just a drop or two at a time. They last a long time! {well, unless you use them all day, every day, like some!}

Our essential oils also keep indefinitely if stored in a cool dark spot. (We have a few cases in our essential oil accessories collection like the one below) I've had some essential oils for a few years in the cupboard, opened them again yesterday- still perfect! Thats when you know you've purchased a quality grade oil. Our oils keep indefinitely when stored correctly.

I hope you enjoy your essential oils, understand how to use them safely, and you find them effective for you and your family. Have you ever tried herbs or oils for therapeutic use? What have your experiences been like?

There can be fear when trying something new - especially when there seems to be so much conflicting information. Who do you believe? Are essential oils really safe to use? How do I use my essential oil safely? I hope to clear up some of the confusion for you, so hopefully, by the end of this post, you will know the key information to understand about using essential oils safely.

First, lets look over my disclaimer: 
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The information contained on this website should be considered as general in nature, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or condition.  We recommend doing your own research before using essential oils. Some essential oils are not suitable for those on medication, with medical conditions, pregnant or breastfeeding women. Some essential oils can make you sun sensitive. Please consult your healthcare professional for advice that is relevant to you personally. We do not take any responsibility for the misuse of essential oils. Please keep essential oils out of the reach of children and pets. We recommend you always dilute your essential oils before use. 

You will see in this disclaimer a few reasons why some might think that essential oils are unsafe. Lets go through and touch on the most important things to know about using essential oils, and address them here.

SNAKE OIL SALESMEN: The cure-all statements, unsubstanciated medical claims, and downright dangerous suggestions on the internet means we should all be aware of the source of information, as well as the source of a product these days. If you do your own research, you won't be deceived by second-rate products or false and misleading information. 

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH: As with much in this information age, it's important to do your own research. Essential oils are wonderful for restoring skin tone, to balance emotions, to make homemade, chemical-free natural products, and much more. For me, the little bit of research required to use these beneficial oils in my life is well worth it. The danger comes in when using a sub-standard product, in an inappropriate way.

ON MEDICATION / MEDICAL CONDITIONS: What about the use of essential oils if I have a medical condition? Can essential oils interact with prescription medications? ​ If you have a disease or medical condition, or if you are using a prescription medication, it is recommended that you consult with a health advisor who has experience with Essential Oils prior to using an Essential Oil. Seek the advice of the prescribing physician and a pharmacist about ​potential interactions between the medication(s) and the essential oil(s). Consult a health professional about your personal situation, especially about any serious disease or injury. DO NOT attempt to self-diagnose or prescribe any natural substances for conditions that require professional attention.

Pure citrus oils may compound the effects of sun exposure. Limit prolonged exposure to direct sunlight for up to 12 hours (up to 24 hours for angelica and lime; up to 48 hours for bergamot)

ABOUT DILUTION/MISUSE: Pure essential oils come in a highly concentrated form. This means use "a drop at a time." (These oils last for a long time due to this concentration!) If you understand that these oils are a concentrate, you can avoid the usual mistakes, such as the misuse of "hot oils." These hot oils are concentrates that feel like burning to sensitive skin if applied undiluted. All that is required is to dilute, dilute, dilute. One drop is really all you need, to a half a cup of carrier oil (vegetable, olive, coconut etc..) before use in massage for example. If this whole topic scares you, and you are wanting to start slow with essential oils to see whether it is for you or not, we recommend essential oils diffusers that mist the diluted oils into the air.

FOR PETS: High quality essential oils, of the correct variety, in the correct dose, are good to use for pets. It is important, however, to know which oils for which pets. Some essential oils are unsuitable for use for cats, for example, as they lack an enzyme in their liver to eliminate these particular oil varieties from their system, and so this can cause poisoning. If in doubt, use essential oil products that have been especially created for your fur baby, such as this Natural for Animals range, or use oils around your home in a diffuser. Do not apply essential oils undiluted directly to your pets skin. 

ABOUT QUALITY: Not all essential oils are created equal. We do not recommend using sub-standard essential oils, as they are not the same product, and will not produce the same results. You want a pure essential oil, from a sustainable source. Check your sources. It is our personal recommendation to avoid synthetic essential oils, and cheap essential oils as they can be unsafe to use on skin. Our essential oils are pure, from sustainable sources, and safe to use on skin and we even have products that are good enough to eat!

I hope this clears up a few questions you may have had about the safety of essential oils. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it covers the main points of using essential oils safely. If you have any questions regarding essential oils and their use, feel free to ask via our contact page.