Essential Oils: Holy Grail or Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus?

*** Disclaimer. This post is in no way intended to give medical advice. Always consult your personal health care provider before starting any new health care routine, supplements, or products. ***

Essential oils have gained tremendous popularity over the past few years and even more so in the past few weeks in light of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about essential oils and why and how you should be using them. But what are essential oils and are they actually that amazing?

Let me start by saying, I personally love and use essential oils daily. I think they are fabulous. I do not however, think they are the end all, be all, cure all, and answer to everything. I think there is a time and place for them. And I think if used improperly, or if using oils that are not pure, they could potentially cause harm. 

Now, lets start by talking about what essential oils actually are. Essential oils are liquid compounds extracted from plants by various techniques such as distillation or through mechanical processes.  These concentrated plant extracts keep many of the same characteristics of their plant of origin such as scent, flavor, and other functional (therapeutic) properties.  There are tons of plants out there (and by extension essential oils) with therapeutic, medicinal, and dietary functions. I mean, we use herbs as seasoning daily and long before the era of modern medicine and antibiotics, plants and herbs were used to treat a host of ailments and conditions. Some well-known modern medications with plant origins include Aspirin, opiates, and penicillin. TONS of plants and essential oils have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Plants need those properties to protect themselves. That being said, essential oils are extremely concentrated liquids from plants and therefore are much more potent and powerful.

The way essential oils works is not well understood and remains an area of ongoing research. Each oil will have different effects and actions depending on its constituents or compounds. It is thought that the constituents act at various receptor sites within the body triggering different responses. The molecules that make up essential oils are very, very small and therefore easily penetrate most, if not all, cells in the body. Depending on the mechanism of the essential oil compound, the constituents are then able to support or increase certain cellular functions or trigger certain hormone or chemical releases from receptor sites within the body. When absorbed through the skin or inhaled, the oils work in the body differently depending on their plant properties.  For example, certain plants [and again by extension, the essential oil] can cause vasodilatation or vasoconstriction, changes in the rate of the heart or breathing, and cause changes in blood pressure. The oils also are reported to interact with the neurologic system to stimulate or trigger emotions, feelings and the psyche. Some popular uses for essential oils include: stress and anxiety reduction, help with headaches and migraines, sleep aid, antimicrobial properties, as perfume, bug repellent, and odor elimination.

Essential oils can be used aromatically, topically, or taken orally. My favorite way to use essential oils aromatically is by placing drops of oils into a diffuser to be dispersed in the air in that given room. Drops of oils can also be inhaled directly from your palms or their bottles. Topical use should be done a little more carefully as some oils should be diluted before coming in direct contact with the skin. I love making roller bottles for specific uses by adding drops of oils to a 10 mL roller bottle, topping with a carrier oil (coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, rose hip oil etc) and then placing a roller filament on the bottle. There are many essential oils with skin health benefits, and these oils can be made into blends with carrier oil in a glass dropper bottle to be used for skin serums. Always do a small patch test on your skin to check for any possible adverse reaction before using any oil on a large body surface area. Also, make sure you know which oils can be applied directly to the skin and which oils NEED to be diluted. These two methods (aromatic and topical) are the most widely accepted uses for essential oils. Some people will also advocate for oral/internal use. This should be done very carefully if at all. First, not all essential oils on the market are truly pure essential oil as some have fillers and other ingredients to stretch their use. Additionally, not even all pure essential oils should be taken orally. I personally do not use essential oils orally/internally. I may in the future, but I need to continue to do my research to make sure I am doing it safely. If this is a route of essential oil use you are interested in, I implore you to do your due diligence before starting. The company Young Living does have a line of essential oils, marked specifically for internal use if you are interested in using your oils internally/orally check those out.

Now, before you go throwing away your antibiotics and slathering yourself with essential oils instead, please read on.

Essential oils are NOT medicines and they are NOT food. There is no regulatory body checking ingredients, purity, quality, or safety. Mostly, this is handled by the companies that produce the oils. Many reputable companies do have rigorous third part testing, but not all do. So the purity and effectiveness of the oil will vary greatly from brand to brand. This is one reason it is so important to do your research and really know what you are buying. The amount of plant required to make one small bottle of essential oil can vary greatly, but it’s usually a lot, which is why essential oils can be so expensive at times. For example, it can take approximately 10,000 rose petals to make one 5 mL bottle of rose essential oil. So, if you’re buying a super cheap oil, chances are it isn’t pure or the highest quality. Additionally, there is very little scientific research about the potential benefits and risks of using essential oils. There are however multitudes of claims and anecdotal evidence for the uses and benefits of essential oils.

Essential oils and plants have been used for thousands of years. Ancient people treasured certain plants for their medicinal and health properties. Modern medicines and antibiotics have been developed with plants or based on effects observed from plants and nature. Knowing that, it seems obvious that using essential oils COULD be beneficial. But lots of plants can also cause harm and be dangerous. So too can essential oils if not used properly.

In my opinion, essential oils fall into the category of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). I think they are most useful as a complementary method to promote health and wellness.  If you are going to use essential oils, use them to boost your daily health and wellness; not to cure or treat your health conditions. Your primary doctor should handle that. Essential oils should not be used in the place of say your seizure medicine, or heart medicine, or to treat that septic patient in the intensive care unit. And if you take any daily medications, prescribed by a doctor, you really should check with them about potential interactions before using essential oils. However, when used safely and properly, I think essential oils can be an invaluable part of your day-to-day keeping healthy routine. Some essential oils can even be used in cleaning and beauty products.

Some of the most popular oils and a few of their reported uses include:

1. Lavender: relaxation, sleep aid, antimicrobial, wound healing, support skin health 
2. Lemon: digestive regulation, antimicrobial, insect bites/stings, odor elimination, stimulate immune system, mood booster
3. Peppermint: anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, mood booster, digestive regulation, headache reliever, respiratory system support
4. Tea Tree (Melaleuca): antimicrobial, odor elimination, skin healing
5. Eucalyptus: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, odor eliminator, immune system booster
6. Frankincense: immune system booster, antimicrobial, sleep aid, skin healing
7. Chamomile: mood booster, relaxation, sleep aid

While essential oils have many reported benefits, some have reported adverse reactions. Some essential oils have properties that could cause unwanted affects in specific populations and should therefore be avoided. When unsure, or in doubt, always check with your doctor before using essential oils!! Some essential oils are should be used very cautiously around children; always check with your pediatrician before using essential oils for or around your babies and children. If you have pets, there are also oils that should not be used on or around them either. Again, check with your vet. Citrus oils can cause photosenetivity after topical application and sun exposure and have reportedly led to severe burns in some cases. Some individuals find they are sensitive to essential oils and cannot use them topically. But keep in mind; this can happen with just about any beauty product, which is why we should always be cautious when introducing a new product into our life and personal care routine.

Now, back to me….I personally love essential oils. And not because I think they are the cure for everything. But I truly believe that if used properly they can help promote overall well-being and health and maybe even prevent some illnesses when combined with a healthy lifestyle. They can also be incorporated into cleaning and personal care products to help reduce or eliminate toxic chemical exposures in our everyday lives. I do have a healthy respect for the fact that if used improperly or in unsafe ways, I could have a bad reaction or negative side effects. This is part of why I have always done my due diligence to research essential oils and safe use before using them for myself or recommending them to my family members (also I’m a science-y/medical person so I like to know these things). But they are part of my daily life and I use them to help keep me healthy and give me a mood or energy boost. I have diffusers all over my house and I love using different blends based on my activities. They smell SOOO good and truly help me live a better life.

Do you use essential oils? If so, what’s your favorite way to use them? If not, are you interested in starting to use essential oils? If so, please email me at jaye@jeanstjohn.com; I’d love to help get you the resources to get started!

XOXO Jaye