What are essential oils?
You know when you cut through the rind of a juicy lemon and the aroma fills the air...or when you break open a eucalyptus leaf, or brush up against the flowers of a lavender plant?...what you smell is the essential oils that get released.
​
Essential oils are super-concentrated plant extracts - from leaves, flowers, fruits, woods, bark, nut, resin or roots. The 'lifeblood' of a plant, providing nutrients and protecting them from disease. They offer us a variety of benefits too! from cosmetic and dietary purposes to emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness that can be truly life-changing and empowering.
​
Because they are SO concentrated (eg. 75 lemons to fill a 15mL essential oil bottle!) we only need a small amount of oil for the support we need. But of course, quailty matters for them to work.
Why do we use them?
Essential oils provide support for every system in the body - your skeletal system, your muscular system, circulatory system, endocrine system and your hormones, respiratory system and immune system.
​
Oils inhaled from your palms can provide a calming effect when you’ve had a stressful day. Oils applied to our body or skin can provide relief. Oils in a child's diffuser or on their spine and big toes can help them sleep well at night...
There just always seems to be 'an oil for that' which makes them incredible tools to reach for.
​
How fast do they work? Within 22 seconds of applying oils, the molecules have reached our brain. Within 2 minutes the molecules can be found in our bloodstream and within 20 minutes of applying oils they can be found in every cell of our body supporting our bodies overall wellness!
​
Oils can also be used as an alternative to toxic cleaning chemicals in the home and you can literally start swapping out every single chemical cleaning toxin in your home to live a purer lifestyle without breaking the bank.
Imagine this...
You wake in the morning and realise you have tension in your jaw, you try some valor along your jawline and boom! - this was my first 'aha' moment with oils. The first of many.
When I bought my bundle of oils I thought 'okay let's give these a go', I planned to use them to make some natural cleaning alternatives like laundry booster and fabric softener, I would make some bath salts and a face serum to help my skin to calm the f down from the hormonal rollercoaster it was on, and I would try diffusing. Then, maybe if I had a stiff neck or we felt like we needed a wellness boost in Winter, I could try them and see what all the fuss was about... Truth be told I was very skeptical that they would do anything except smell nice. Now? I know differently.
I did do all those things, and it turns out I LOVED diffusing and choosing a custom scent every day to suit my mood and how I wanted to feel and I did see a huge improvement in my skin, but it was when I switched to using them as perfumes and applying them topically that I noticed the 'life changing' difference! (yes sorry, I went there)
When I used oils I noticed a shift in my mood, my mental health and my ability to self regulate. The simple act of breathing them in and taking intentional moments for myself slowed me down enough to respond instead of reacting, it was a reminder to me that I had needs that mattered too. I had the tools now to support myself and be a calmer mother for my three young kids.
Now, I rely on them daily, multiple times a day and am so grateful to have them as a tool to support me on the wild ride that is motherhood and all the emotions (and tantrums and short fuses) that naturally come with it. I use them to support the whole family too of course.
Theres a whole science behind the effects of essential oils and the olfactory system but I didn't need the science, I FELT IT. People literally comment on my energy now, asking how I am so calm and composed with three kids, I always do mention that of course I lose my cool sometime too! But I'm no longer in a constant heightened state thanks to these intentional practices and new habits, taking mindful moments, and the oils that support a mother who felt otherwise unsupported.
​
Everyone wants to hold the baby, but who holds the mother?
Why Young Living?
Young Living is the world leader in essential oils, they've been around for over 29 years and their strict standards ensure the highest quality oils and pure products your family can trust.
​​
How is their quality so pure?
​
They control the entire process from growing their plants to distilling and bottling their oils. Their 'seed to seal' standard far exceeds the USDA Organic standard and any other standard in the market.
From selecting and planting the organic seeds in organic soil, to farming and cultivation, distillation, vigorous independent and internal testing and then bottling, ensures the purest, most authentic essential oils.
This also means that they allow zero chemicals or pesticides on their crops - even the soil the seeds are planted in needs to have been chemical-free for over 50 years to qualify as a viable farm.
​
​
What makes them different to other oils?
Young Living essential oils do not have any additives. It's estimated that over 75% of brands sell oils that are diluted with water or synthetic fillers (and still labelled as 100% pure - as this terminology is not regulated).
When you buy from Young Living, you really are buying a bottle of pure oil from the best quality plants, harvested at the best time which is also crucial to receive therapeutic benefit.
​
Young Living owns their own farms and distilleries worldwide and are so transparent they allow the general public to visit!
​
They have the widest range of oils and the blends of any other company meaning you have more to choose from.
​
YL are so much more than oils!
I love that I can use essential oils and pantry staples to quickly whip up a laundry booster or dishwasher powder faster than I can go to the shops (faster than even just finding a toddlers shoes let alone putting them on!) but I love even more that Young Living are so much more than essential oils.
Young Living are a natural wellness store online with products ranging from personal care and cosmetics, to cleaning, to supplements, kids and baby products, and even pet care and so much more. Making it a really simple solution to finding low tox products without having to read all the labels and google the ingredient lists anymore!
​
Our family jumped onto the Essential Rewards program with our first order to take advantage of all the extra perks. We earned 10% back right away and we now earn 25% back in points to redeem on products from our grocery list each month (for simplicity's sake thats like buying three full sized items and get the fourth free! but I'll often save these points up to get free ningxia or spoil myself with something boujee)
