#BeWellUGA at Home: Essential Oils
Looking for a fun project to do at home to energize and recharge? Try making an essential oil roll-on! It’s easy and low cost, once you have the supplies you need.
Before we delve into how to make them, let’s go over what they are and how they can support well-being!
Essential Oils date back thousands of years and are what people turned to before the advent of modern day medicine (keep in mind they are not as advanced as or a replacement to modern day medicine). They are extracted from nature and foods–lavender is extracted from the lavender flower, eucalyptus from the eucalyptus plant, and orange from the rind of an orange. They are natural remedies to support mind, body, spirit, and health, and can be made or purchased to help create a wellness toolbox of things to turn to, to support well-being.
Essential Oils have different properties and work in different ways. Let’s take a look at what common essential oils are used for:
Common Essential Oils:
- Lavender — Relaxation, Sleep, Stress Relief
- Eucalyptus — Energizing Calm
- Citrus (Orange, Tangerine, Lime, Lemon, or Grapefruit) — Energizing & Focus
- Peppermint — Awakening & Stimulating
- Clary Sage, Juniper Berry, Lemongrass, Tea Tree, Rosemary — Purifying
Certain essential oils blend nicely with each other. Let’s take a look at some of these:
Essential Oil for Blending:
- Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, and Bergamot are often paired with Lavender to support stress relief and calming.
- Citrus and Peppermint pair well together for their energizing and awakening properties. Citrus, like Lime, Lemon, and Grapefruit, can tone down the citrus smells of Orange and Tangerine.
- Eucalyptus, Lemon, and Peppermint pair well together for allergy and breath support.
- Eucalyptus, Lemon, and Sage or Tea Tree can pair well for a purifying yet relaxing blend.
- Lemon, Rosemary, and Sage can also pair nicely for a purifying blend.
Although there are many essential oils and pairing options, our sense of smell is unique to each of us, and it is okay to make a blend that you feel smells nice together! This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the oils out there, but some of the main ones that are a good starting point for exploration.
Making an Essential Oil Roll-On
What you’ll need:
- Essential oil roll-on bottle, top, and lid
- Carrier oil (coconut, jojoba, almond, or sunflower oil)
- Your favorite essential oils
*All items can be purchased online.
*Recommended brands of oils include Plant Therapy, Rocky Mountain Oils, or Aura Cacia.
*Some oils are harmful to pets and small children. Before using an essential oil diffuser or room spray in a space with pets or children, research which oils are safe to use.
Instructions:
- You will put 10 drops total of essential oils in the 10ml roller bottle. For example, you can put 10 drops of lavender in if you want a pure essential roll-on, or you can make a blend by combining a few different types of essential oils (still only 10 drops total). Recommendation is to start small and build up. For example, if you want to blend three oils, start with 2 drops of each and build up from there until you get to 10 drops total based on smell and what you desire.
- Once you have added your essential oils you will add a carrier oil filling the rest of the roller bottle leaving a bit of room at the top to put the roller ball on.
- Next, put the lid on and give the roller bottle a shake! You now have your very own essential oil roll on.
Look at you being all crafty!
A few things to keep in mind:
Remember: Essential oils are very potent and should always be diluted before applying directly to the skin. Making a roll-on is safe for most skin types when diluted. If it is your first time using an essential oil, remember to do a skin test! The best places for use are wrists, temples, or the tops of the feet. Wait 12-24 hours before regular use.
Don’t have the supplies to make a roll-on, but have an essential oil diffuser at home? Add a few drops, and happy diffusing! You can also put a few drops on a rag and put it in the shower for relaxation or energy. Be mindful when using in shared spaces as people can be sensitive to essential oils.
Take a deep breath, inhale your essential oil, and take a deep exhale. Feel the calm.
Check out more FREE virtual wellness and prevention classes, clinics, and tools hosted by the University Health Center at BeWellUGA at Home, brought to you by the UHC Health Promotion Department.
Written by: Liana Natochy, Alcohol and Other Drugs Education Coordinator, The Fontaine Center / UHC Health Promotion