After my If You Talk About Essential Oils, I’ll Punch You In The Face post, I had a bunch of people email me asking VERY SPECIFICALLY how I use essential oils everyday.
And the only way I could think of doing that (because the ways are truly endless) is by taking a day and creating a log of each time I used an essential oil, which oil I used, and how I used it.
My goal in writing this post isn’t to try and sell anyone anything, but to provide education about the everyday practicality of essential oils. Essential oils aren’t snake oils and you don’t have to be an OVER THE TOP CRAZY PERSON to use them. It’s really pretty easy.
Here is how THIS normal person uses essential oils in her daily life.
How A Normal Person Uses Essential Oils In Her Daily Life
1. 5:30 am. A couple of times a week, I workout in the morning. My routine varies…I either go for a run, take a cross-training class, or use my elliptical machine. What doesn’t vary is using my foam roller followed up by massaging 2 – 4 drops of DeepBlue with a “squeeze” of fractionated coconut oil into my knees and hamstrings after I’m done. I’ve been plagued with bad knees for awhile, and the combination of stretching with the foam roller, DeepBlue and changing my run times has made it possible to keep working out longterm with minimal injuries.
2. 7:20 am. After the kids have eaten breakfast and made their lunch for school, I clean our counters with my Homemade Super Orange All-Purpose Cleaner (it has Wild Orange and Melaleuca essential oil). I love the fact it is non-toxic, all-natural, can-be-used directly-around-food-with-no-concerns cleaner. Plus, it works freaking amazing.
3. 8:15 am. After getting the kids to school, it’s my turn to dive into emails on the computer. While some mornings I can crank through them without any issues, today I need a little help. I mix a blend of Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint essential oil (3 drops of each) with distilled water in my diffuser. The peppermint and lemon are a great pick-me up and help keep me focused/awake, while the lavender helps calm and soothe me. I usually only diffuse for one hour because as general rule, there is not a greater benefit (except smelling nice) if you diffuse for longer periods of time.
4. 11:00 am. It’s time to get ready for the day. I’ll jump in the shower and use my Homemade Grapefruit and Peppermint Sugar Scrub. I usually use it after I have cleansed my body, so the oils have “fresher” skin to penetrate and the avocado oil leaves me moisturized with super silky skin. Plus, Grapefruit essential oil can help with cellulite and promotes healthy skin.
5. 11:15 am. Because I shaved my legs, armpits and bikini area in the shower, I’ll follow-up with a quick “roll-down” of Melaleuca essential oil on my bikini area to prevent razor burn (and it totally works). I make my own rollerballs of my favorite oils because 1) it helps the essential oil go farther and 2) you only need a “little” of Certified Pure Therapeutic Essential Oils for them to do their work. This way, I can spread a lesser amount of oil on a greater area. I just mix 15 – 20 drops of essential oil and top with fractionated coconut oil.
6. 11:20 am. After washing my face, I mix one drop of Frankincense essential oil with my moisturizer. I’ve been using Frankincense essential oil as part of my skincare regiment for awhile now. Frankincense has long been known to help with the appearances of scars, fine lines and skin imperfections. I love how smooth my skin feels and I’ve noticed a significant reduction in the brown spots that tend to become more prevalent during the spring/summer months.
7. 2:45 pm. About thirty minutes before the kids get home from school, I will diffuse five drops of OnGuard essential oil with distilled water in my diffuser and continue diffusing for another 45 minutes after they get home. OnGuard is awesome for eliminating and controlling pathogens in the air AND it is also a great immune booster too. Perfect for killing any weirdo germ/virus that decided to tag-along-home with my kiddos. 
8. 8:00 pm. My poor son is a magnet for any bug and more important has some bad reaction with most bug bites…they just get REALLY itchy and REALLY inflamed. We have tried every over the counter medication out there and NOTHING stops the inflammation or the itchiness like a combination of Purify and Peppermint essential oils. I rub Purify neat on the bug bites and then follow it up with a drop of Peppermint essential oil. The Purify helps the body process the bug bite “venom” and the Peppermint makes the itch go away. (In fact, the same son got into a fight with poison ivy last summer and peppermint essential oil was the only thing that would stop the itching.)
9. 10:00 pm. Right before I go to bed, I roll the ClaryCalm Rollerball on the back of my neck and chest. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, the ClaryCalm has Cedarwood in it and it makes you really drowsy and sleepy. And second, I struggle with night sweats, and the ClaryCalm helps balance out my hormones so I can have a restful night sleep, instead of waking up in a pool of sweat.
10. 10:15 pm. Diffuse five drops of Lavender essential oil with distilled water. I love the smell of Lavender. It has the ability to relax, soothe and calm my mind and body after a particularly stressful day. Plus, when I diffuse Lavender on a regular basis, it sets myself up for a good nights rest. It’s just a nice way to end the day. 
Essential Oil Takeaways
I’m normal.
I’m a pretty-fit, pretty-healthy, 40-something woman who lives in the suburbs in the Midwest. I’m as white and boring as Wonder Bread.
And I use essential oils everyday.
I can pinkie swear with anyone and say essential oils ARE NOT SNAKE OILS. They work.
This post is just a snapshot of one day. On another day, you may find that I use more Peppermint essential oil for a headache or less Purify essential oil because we don’t have bug bites.
Regardless of the day, essential oils provides me with a natural way to solve most small injuries/ailments/issues without having to resort to chemicals/over the counter medications. I believe in their power. And this is how a normal person uses essential oils in her daily life.
If you are interested in more information like this, please sign up for the Whole Living Email Newsletter. You’ll only receive information pertaining to a green and whole living lifestyle.
If you like this article, think about following my Whole Living Board on Pinterest where I share ways to live a more natural, whole lifestyle. Follow Kelly @ Redefined Mom’s board Whole Natural Living on Pinterest.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.
Thanks for these posts about essential oils…I’m pretty much sold on trying them. I’ve read other posts by other bloggers, but your lifestyle seems a lot more compatible to mine, and you just strike me as more “real” and trustworthy. So, thanks!
Oh, Debbie, thank you for that comment. I’m trying to be “real” … because think all of you are probably just like me. Oils are a part of my overall health/wellness/eliminate toxins plan. They are one piece puzzle.
Love the article..i’m new to doTERRA and cannot say enough wonderful things about this product and how its changed my life. I’ve introduced several friends and they also agree.. life changer . Nice to see new ways to use them. I’m definitely going to try the Clarycalm trick tonight!
I didn’t know that diffusing for more than about an hour isn’t all that beneficial. Is that because the main oil concentration has been diffused after that time?
How long do you keep your diffuser running at night?
Also, with your rollerballs, do you do the same with blends (serenity and balance are my go-to for the kids’ feet before bed) or just the single oils? I had it in my head that diluting them would make them less powerful… with the exception of needing to for skin sensitivity… but I hadn’t thought about it extending the life of a bottle. Great to know!
I’m fairly new to oils (5 months or so) and a doTerra advocate so I’m obsessing over all of them and really trying to establish a routine with my whole house and kids. Kind of tough when we are living with my parents (hubby in grad school) and they kind of roll their eyes at me when I bust out a new blend or buy another diffuser. This is the perfect post for new oilers wanting to really incorporate them into their lives!
Sara – the diffusing has more to do with your response to the smell. After about an hour, we get used to a smell vs when we first smell something. In the evening, I just let the diffuser run until it is gone.
With rollerballs, I create a lot of my own that are a mix of essential oils and then topped off with fractionated coconut oil. If you think about it, you should only be using a couple of drops of oil and that is hard to “rub” on a whole area (like a foot, chest, back of the neck, etc.)…the fractionated coconut oil helps spread the oil over a greater area.
Hope this helps.
Love this post! After running your diffuser for 45 mins – 1 hour do you drain it??
Ha this cracked me up! My husband (who is actually an avid user of EOs) still calls them my snake oils 🙂 I love this post. First question people always ask me after they get their kit is how they are supposed to use them. What a great reference for the normal, everyday people out there!
Latest Post: That Time I Cooked Octopus For Dinner ~ http://thebarnncblog.com
I loved this post. I am a 20 year old who started using Doterra oils about 6 months ago and I’m hooked. I use it for literally everything and I got a few more ideas from this post! Keep it up.
Great way to explain how to use EOs in Everyday life. Really well written. I’m glad you’re explaining about using EOs with carrier oil. I have struggled using some the oils neat and found they work just as good or better with just a few drops with FCO or the unscented Hand &Body lotion. Thanks for giving us some great ideas to try and share.
I really enjoyed this blog post… very real, very practical, and very attainable for the ‘normal’ person. I have just been introduced to doTerra essential oils and am using them daily already. I too am diffusing onGuard daily to help combat sickness, and I have been using lavender on my kids feet and my own every night. I have also been using Serenity regularly to help calm my stress level… just smelling it in deeply is amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Great post. I’ve started to incorporate EOs more and more into my daily routine, as well and will also attest essential oils are not snake oils! Also pinned your AP Cleaner — I suspect will be replacing my Honest Co cleaner soon. =D
Very new to do terra oils, have several and have diffusing going about nightly. My question is, I want to make up some roller balls. Where do I get the bottles and are there “recipes” to follow for different uses?
Marsha – I’ve actually done a post. You can see different recipes as well as how to create rollerballs. https://redefinedmom.com/essential-oil-rollerball-blends-recipes-for-families/
I do not use Pinterest all that much but since I am a big essential oil fan decided to look at this post. Since I have all the ingredients in your cleaner, I might just try it. If you want to add something new to try (I use doTerra, but others would work even though I still like doTerra the best), diffuse doTerra Breathe mixed with equal amounts of Cedarwood at bedtime or mix Breathe with an equal amount of lavender and about half as much melaleuca.
I love reading your posts! I, too, am a doTerra essential oil user.
Thank you for this post! It is very helpful to others getting into a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their families.
Are you for real? You start getting ready for your day at 11:00 am? Try being a working woman who has to be at work by 7:00 am.
Christy –
I wake up at 5:00 am three days a week to go to bootcamp. After I get home I am on my computer, working from home, by 7:00 am everyday. What time I take a shower, is irrelevant.
Wow Christy, could you be any more rude? I think you need to diffuse a bit of lavender and chill out.
How many diffusers do you use around the house. You mentioned 3 (I think) times and different scents each time. Do you wash it out in between? Thanks
I have three. Yes, I clean in between uses.
Love your post. Thank you!
Do you happen to have a recipe for a Moisturizing Body Lotion?
Thanks.
Thanks for the great tips on your daily use. I am just getting started and all these ideas are helpful.
FYI I recently found out I am allergic to methyllisothiazolinone which is a synthetic preservative not plant derived. It is found in the natural dish liquid product that you use in your cleaner recipe. Also another ingredient that is in this product is sodium lauryl sulfate which causes skin irritation. (The American College of Toxicology) Their products are not free and clear. thanks
Just wanted to say this is an awesome article. Love oils and sharing and educating.
I just happened across this blog post this morning and SO informative. I have doTerra oils (and am a doTerra advocate) but…I’m so afraid of using them as there is so much information out there and I never know which oil to use for what or where to apply etc. etc. This post was VERY helpful and I hope to follow you on Pinterest to help to learn more about how to use oils. You said you mixed Frankincense with your moisturizer….what kind of moisture do you use for your face? I hate to say, but I don’t moisturize and I know I should be. I also like your “scrub” recipe and will be trying that. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this article! I just purchased a starter kit and this gives me some great ideas on how to start using them in my daily life. I did a ton of research on the benefit and uses of oils but it can still be a bit overwhelming getting started. Thanks again 🙂
I’v Been using Doterra oils for 2 yrs and love them. Love your tips!
Thanks Vicky
Hello, Ireally enjoyed using different essential oil, Ii purchased in a local drugstore, where should I buy the doterra brand? do you have any idea? I have some question, is that will be okey to used different brand products essential oil for to use the 5 ingredients that you mentioned in the videos, to make a homemade moisturizer? from: Sue