Usage Guide Essential Oil Practical Applications

Best Essential Oil Uses & Practices

Bath – Add a total of 10-20 drops of essential oil/s to an already full bath. Agitate the water to thoroughly disperse the oils before getting in. Soak for 20 minutes. You may also add essential oil/s to Salt OR Whole milk before adding to bathwater.
Compress – Add 5-10 drops of essential oil/s to 2 cups of hot or cold water in a bowl. Agitate the water to disperse oils. Soak a washcloth in a bowl, wring and place on the affected area. Repeat as needed.
Diffuser – Add 5-15 drops of essential oils/s to the diffuser water reservoir. Turn on Diffuser for 20-30-minute intervals. Excellent Air disinfectant for viruses, allergies or respiratory congestion. Also used in Humidifiers.
Inhalation^* – Palm inhalation: Drop 3-6 drops of essential oil/s in palms of hands, rub vigorously together, cup your hands to nose and slowly take 5 deep, long breaths. Rub the remaining essential oils on neck, shoulders and under the nose.^**

Cloth inhalation: For a less intense treatment, place 3-5 drops of essential oil/s on a cloth, tissue, scarf, etc. and inhale 5 deep breaths. Repeat as needed.

^*Do not use during asthma attacks.

^**( before palm inhalation, take off your glasses and close your eyes so the volatile oils do not make your eyes water)
Massage – Add 10-20 drops of essential oil/s to an ounce of lotion, vegetable oil, coconut oil, etc. Use your nose to guide you on this dilution. If too strong for the user, dilute more. Use less essential oil and more carrier oil
Perfume – Simply dab 1-2 drops on wrists or neck for a natural perfume. Or, to make a more complex perfume, add your essential oil/s of choice into jojoba oil or other vegetable oils. To make a perfume spray, add your essential oils to vodka. Start with a few drops and use your nose to let you know when the blend is strong enough for you! *see Perfume: Blending Basics for more details
Skincare – Use essential oil/s undiluted (neat) on skin. Let essential oils penetrate for 1-3 minutes before adding moisturizer.
Neat (Undiluted) – This indicates an essential oil can be used safely undiluted on the skin.
Food/Flavoring – This indicates an essential oil that is safe to use in Food in moderation. Start with one drop per recipe and add more to taste.
Therapeutic – This indicates an Essential oil that can be used internally for medicinal use. Start with a few drops to make medicinal honey, or add a few drops to saltwater for a gargle mixture. There are many ways to use Essential Oils therapeutically. The recommended amount for internal use depends on which essential oil you’re using and its intended use. The best rule of thumb, however, is to START WITH ONE DROP. You can always add more to taste, or as needed.

See below – Safe Guidelines for Daily Drops

This is a general reference guide for the Practical Applications of your essential oils. Look at each Essential oil monograph page. You will see red circles that indicate if an essential oil can be used in a B bath, C compress, and so on. Click or hover over the letter to understand what applications you can use for each oil. Please note the cautions listed at the bottom of this page.

Cautions

Dilution Necessary! – These essential oils must be diluted into a “carrier” to be used on the skin or they can be irritating or harmful. Dilute to 10% EO. 90% Carrier. The following are acceptable carriers: Lavender essential oil, lotion, cream, salve, vegetable oils, alcohol, witch hazel or vinegar.
May be photosensitizing – May cause a skin reaction such as burning, irritation or pigment change upon exposure to sun or ultra-violet lights (tanning beds)
Avoid in Pregnancy – Avoid during pregnancy.

Aromatherapy & Chemistry Reference Chart

These applications are suggested uses by Melissa Farris, owner, and have been adapted over 20 years of her personal experience. Keep in mind that essential oils are highly concentrated volatile oils extracted from plants and that contain phytochemicals that can be irritating to the skin. Some people have sensitivity or reactions to essential oils. If you have not used essential oils before, always test yourself for sensitivity by applying your dilution or neat application to a small area on the inside of your arm and waiting 24 hours to make sure you don’t have any rashes, swelling, or irregular effects. All of the essential oils that Melissa’s Botanicals sells are on the FDA GRAS list (Generally Regarded as Safe). Please see link here.

Useful Guidelines

The following recommendations apply only to Melissa’s Botanicals essential oils. We cannot vouch for the quality of other companies’ essential oils. Most brands on the American market should never be taken internally or used undiluted on the skin, as many contain pesticide residues and are not 100%

Used for Flavoring Food in Moderation.
Can be Used Internally in Honeys, Tinctures, or Medicinal Preparations.

The recommended amount for internal use depends on which essential oil you’re using and its intended use. The best rule of thumb, however, is to START WITH ONE DROP. You can always add more to taste, or as needed.

Topical Application

Neat – Undiluted application

This indicates the essential oils that are safe to be used undiluted on the skin. These essential oils can be used for perfume or therapeutic purposes. For example, Lavender is used neat to heal burns/sunburns, itching, scrapes, and cuts, etc. Peppermint and Helichrysum can be used neat to treat deep muscle pains. All essential oils with a need to be diluted in a “carrier” to be used on the skin or they can be irritating or harmful. The following are acceptable carriers: Lavender essential oil, lotion, any vegetable oils, alcohol, witch hazel, or vinegar.

Dilution Necessary! – These essential oils must be diluted into a “carrier” to be used on the skin or they can be irritating or harmful. Dilute to 10% EO. 90% Carrier. The following are acceptable carriers: Lavender essential oil, lotion, cream, salve, vegetable oils, alcohol, witch hazel or vinegar.

Safe Guidelines for Daily Drops

1-10 drops per day: Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange

1-5 drops per day: Lavender, Peppermint, Tea Tree

1-2 drops per day: Anise, Basil, Bergamot, Cardamom, Cinnamon Bark, Cocoa in Jojoba, Cypress, Eucalyptus Radiata, Fennel, Rose Geranium, Good Samaritan, Jasmine Absolute, Jasmine in Jojoba, Lavender Reserve, Lemon Verbena, Lemongrass, Lime, Neroli, Oregano, Pine, Ravintsara, Rose Absolute, Rose in Jojoba, Rose Otto, White Rose, Rosemary Cineol, Spearmint, Thyme Linalol, Thyme Thymol, Vanilla in Jojoba, Ylang Ylang

Safety

This is a mere introduction to the wide use of essential oils. Use Essential oils respectfully, drop by drop; they are extremely concentrated. Always keep away from eyes and children. If you need to remove essential oil from the skin, use vegetable oil, such as olive oil on a tissue or cloth to remove. If a child swallows essential oils unintentionally, have them drink ¼ cup of olive oil.

By choosing organic essential oils, you support responsible land use. Each drop of an essential oil represents a mind-boggling amount of organic landmass. There estimated 5.5 million roses in one liter of organic rose oil! By using Melissa’s Botanicals Oils, both your body and the land will thank you.

Essential oils NOT RECOMMENDED for internal use:

Atlas Cedar, Blue Chamomile, German Chamomile, Carrot Seed, Cinnamon leaf, Cistus, Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus Citriodora, Eucalyptus Globulus, Helichrysum, Lavender Absolute, MQV, Mugwort, Patchouli, Rosemary Verbenone, Sage, Spikenard, Vetiver, Wintergreen.

Storage/Shelf-life

Always keep your essential oils in a cool, dark place. Like fine wines, most essential oils age well and become better over time. Note the year you bought your essential oil on your bottle so that you can compare your vintages! A five-year-old lavender bottle will take on a completely different smell that is warm, rich and deep. ATTENTION: The Essential oils in the Terpenes group, however, can become rancid in 3-7 years, depending on storage.

Neat – Undiluted application
Use With Caution – Use diluted 1-10% in a carrier
Used for Flavoring Food in Moderation
Can be Used Internally in Honeys, Tinctures, or Medicinal Preparations.

GRAS

Melissa’s Botanicals Essential Oils are listed on the GRAS list of the FDA.

“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.

Please note these oils are only recommended for their INTENDED USE as a food additive, as the FDA only allows such approval and does not approve any essential oils or herbs to be used for disease or treating health conditions.

Doses & Dillution

Suggested guidelines for face and body care treatments

Application	# of Drops	Amount of Carrier
Massage Oil / Lotion	50 – 60	4 ounces oil / lotion
Compress	5 – 10	2 cups of water
Bath	10 – 20	Full tub of water
Foot Bath	8 – 10	Bowl of water
Facial Sauna	2 – 5	Bowl of hot water
Facial Mask	2 – 3	1 tsp clay / water mixture
Facial Oil	6 – 8	1/3 ounces oil
Cleanser	25	4 ounces oil
Hair Oil	25	1 ounces oil
Douche	5	1 liter of water
Capsules	1 – 3	3-5 drops vegetable oil
Suppositories	4	1 tsp cocoa butter
Body Mist	10 – 40	4 ounces water, hydrosol or vinegar
Room Spray	20 – 45	4 ounces water

Conversion Chart

Defining volumes vs. Drops

1ml	20-25 drops
5ml	1/6 of an ounce
8ml	.27 of an ounce (almost 1/3)
15ml	1/2 ounce
30ml	1 ounce
60ml	2 ounces
120ml	4 ounces
25mg	1 drop