Disclaimer: This is another crazy oil lady post. I get a lot of the same questions about the oils and it's easiest for me to post the answers and send people to my blog. I know not everyone is interested (but you seriously should be!) so you can skip this post and come back another day. I'll try to have a cute B update or something more fun next time. :)
Be sure to check out my 'intro to oils' and 'that time i replaced my prescription pain meds with oils' posts too.
Earlier this year, I asked my friend Kelsey if she would host a class to teach me and some friends about oils. I knew pretty much nothing but at this exhausted and highly medicated stage in my life, I was super interested in learning more. We scheduled a class for my friends but I couldn't wait so I went ahead and ordered the premium starter kit (still not knowing much more than I had googled). When the box arrived I was excited but completely lost on where to begin. And to be honest, I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of info in the box to help me out. I went to google again and read a ton of blogger's experiences and thought I would share what worked for me.
I skimmed the product guide for the oils in the kit to see what they were used for. Some that stood out to me: Purification (deodorizes and neutralizes the air), Peppermint (ease pain & tension), Lemon (pick-me-up, energy booster, boosts body's natural defenses), Thieves (kills bacteria, defends & protects), & PanAway (to use on injuries and muscle tension).
I decided to start slow.
I started by diffusing purification. I made the mistake of turning it on and forgetting about it. Multiple times. It doesn't hurt anything but it wastes your oil so don't do that. :) I learned my lesson and after that I only filled it halfway to the fill line with half the amount of oil. Note: In the oils facebook group, many have said they use only half the recommended number of drops for diffusing. That's another way to stretch your oils. Purification cleans the air and makes everyone think you've spent all day cleaning your house because it smells so good. (The YL diffuser has replaced the scentsy in our house.) By starting with diffusing purification, you're starting with a clean, fresh slate. :) It didn't take long (maybe a week) before I realized I was dragging the diffuser all over the house. I purchased an inexpensive back up one on amazon. It works okay but not as good as the YL one. I keep it for small area's like B's bedroom or the bathrooms.
After that, I diffused Thieves (you can diffuse them at the same time but I was interested in seeing how each smelled/worked on it's own to start with). We had a lot of visitors in and out of our house the previous weekend and I wanted to kill any germs that may have been lingering around. I now diffuse this most days I have clients coming in an effort to not share any bugs that may be forming in our house or theirs.
Once I fell in love with the diffuser, I made a list of ailments/concerns I wanted to tackle. Then, I google searched 'Young Living oils for .......' and filled in the blank. I started slow by only putting the oils on my feet (to start, I used peace & calming to help me sleep). I talk more about what I started with in my intro post.
I realized I could make the oils last longer with a carrier oil (and make them not as strong for my son and husband with sensitive skin) so I purchased several jars of coconut oil to have on hand. (I ended up giving most of those away so I need to make another trip to get more. I've heard you can get a great deal on it at Costco. I've purchased it at Trader Joe's and Target but most health markets will have it.) My friend mixes her coconut oil and essential oils together and stores them in glass baby food jars so she doesn't have to mix each time she's ready to use it.
To help make application easier and in another effort to not waste oil, I purchased a set of the roll-on lids. They come in a small clear pouch which I then put my travel sized bottles in to carry in my purse. SAVE THE 5ML BOTTLES THAT COME IN YOUR STARTER KIT! You can refill them later on and they are the perfect 'to go' size. These are the ones I put my roll-on lids on.
To build on my collection, I purchased DiGize (it's good to have on hand for stomach bugs and other digestive issues that strike when you don't have time to wait for shipping) and RC (good for respiratory issues- R had been battling a cough). I've heard those are two of the most common ones to start with after the starter kit.
Once I realized I was googling something everyday, I purchased the Reference Guide For Essential Oils. (It's currently super pricey- twice what I paid for mine. I'm not sure why but I know someone that may be able to get it cheaper for you if you're interested.) I started a tab system (green for H, red for R, blue for B) for our most common issues. I found there is a ton of super helpful info on how to use the oils there- where to put them, how to apply them, what to use and when, etc. I loaned it to a friend for two days and was missing it the first night. We use it way more than I realized we did.
I also purchased a life factory glass water bottle so that I could easily add oils to my water (you shouldn't use the oils with plastic- they draw out toxins?). I mostly use lemon but will occasionally do peppermint as well.
So far, that's what has worked for me. I don't have a great storage system for my oils yet (though that's whats currently on my mind).
If you want to get started with the oils, check out this post for my intro to oils. If you're interested in a class to learn more, let me know! I'd love to help you out!
If you want your own 24% discount and the premium starter kit you can sign up to be a wholesale member (and distributor) by:
1. Go to the signup page: https://www.youngliving.com/signup/
2. Select 'wholesale member'
3. In sponsor ID and enroller ID enter: 1618387
4. Under Step 2, choose the Premium Starter Kit ($150). (There's also an option for Essential Rewards. I chose to skip that because I have no plans of selling YL to make money but if it's something you are interested in, I can try to help you find out more about it.)
Monday, February 24, 2014
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