Essential oils are marvelous protectors of our health when used properly with attention paid to safety guidelines.
Less is More with Essential Oils
Americans have a tendency to believe “more is better”, as demonstrated by our supersizing of fast food options, buy one get one free offer and the heavy commercialization of using as much as you want because it is all “natural”, even when it is not.
This tendency to “overdo” is one of the reasons we are careful about putting essential oil recipes out for use by the general public. When we offer a recipe, we have already calculated the skin or respiratory guidelines as put forth by the Tisserand Institute and the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy.
We also realize that for those who would love to use essential oils and really want to do it correctly, they really need essential oil recipes to begin their journey. So given the time we are living in and the need for additional protection from “THE” virus, we are offering an essential oil diffuser recipe that can be used in a spray bottle.
How Essential Oils are Absorbed
When it comes to essential oils, please remember, the absolute fastest absorption by the body is through INHALATION. It is not through topical application to the skin and it is not even through ingestion into the body. The lungs are extremely efficient, an incredible organ that separates gases and delivers the constituents to the needed parts of the body. When we want to protect a larger area and a larger group of people, diffusing is the preferred method. An essential oil spray is great for a smaller area because the formulation can be dispersed in droplets and does not stay suspended in the air as long.
The essential oil diffuser recipe we offer is simple to make. The oils we have chosen have a significant amount of the compound Carvacrol. Carvacrol is rich in phenols but is best known for antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral benefits. You can purchase essential oils on our shopping website. Each oil has a purpose:
- Oregano – antimicrobial activity against 25 different bacterial strains
- Lavender – antibacterial & antifungal through the compounds of linalool and linalyl acetate
- Lemon – sweet citrus that helps to relax both the mind and the muscles of the throat
- Sweet Marjoram – used for treating influenza, malaria, common cold, and staph infections
To make essential oil blends correctly, one needs to have a micro-gram scale and a few pipettes to measure out the essential oils. A microgram scale will measure in 10ths and 100ths of an ounce and usually also in grams. These scales are available on Amazon and are not expensive. The typical kitchen scale simply isn’t accurate enough.
This recipe is based on a simple 16-ounce bottle. We will add essentials oils at a 6% level for use in the air. This level is way too high for the skin. It should only be used for airborne formulas. We include the botanical name so you can be sure you are using the correct chemotype. For example, there are actually 47 different species of Lavender. For this recipe, Lavandula Angustifolia is preferred.
Essential Oil Recipe for Diffusers
- 13.5 ounces of distilled water
- 1.5 ounces of glycerin
- 0.30 ounces of Oregano Essential Oil (Organum Vulgare)
- 0.30 ounces of Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula Angustifolia)
- 0.20 ounces of Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus Limon)
- 0.20 ounces of Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil (Origanum Marjorana)
The essential oils should total 1 ounce for the whole formulation.
Procedure:
- Pour 1.5 ounces of glycerin in a small GLASS bowl
- Weigh out each oil with its own dedicated pipette and add to the glycerin
- Stir the glycerin well until you have a homogenous mixture.
- Add the glycerin to the water and stir well.
- Pour into spray bottle or use a few ounces in a diffuser. Shake well before each use.
The aroma reminds me of the exotic Mediterranean/Greek countryside. Reach out via email with any questions. Enjoy!
As certified aromatherapists, we are happy to answer questions about essential oils. Please use our contact form.
