Young Living Essential Oils
When it comes to medicine, nature knows what she's doing.
The more we learn about how various things interact within our bodies, the more we find ourselves craving natural, pure products. We don't want to put anything into or onto our bodies that shouldn't be there, so we've started making our own recipes with all natural products from brands we trust.
Over the past couple years, we've been picking up bits and pieces of essential oil knowledge and decided it was time to dive a little deeper. After all, we know from our research about MONQ's personal essential oil diffusers that terpenes, the compound that gives plants their smell and flavor, are just as important as compounds like CBD and THC when it comes to cannabis medicine — and essential oils are loaded with terpenes!!
When it comes to cannabis, terpenes bind to our cannabinoid receptors alongside cannabinoids like THC and CBD and affect their chemical output, enhancing the cannabinoids' effects and dictating what experience we'll have. If you've ever heard someone say that they like the strain of cannabis that makes them energetic, giggly or sleepy, it isn't the THC or CBD profile that they're referring to — it's the terpene profile.
Terpenes and their effects aren't unique to cannabis.
Since terpenes are what give plants their smell and flavor, any plant that can produce an essential oil will, by default, have therapeutic terpenes. Essential oils are extracted or distilled from flowers, bark, peels, leaves, fruits, stalks, roots, and resins (Science Direct, 2015) and used for inhalation, topical application, ingestion, and baths.
When you use an essential oil, your olfactory bulb is what's letting your brain know that you're smelling something (PubMed Health). This olfactory bulb is directly connected to your limbic system, the system in the body responsible for your "fight or flight response" to stress, and transmits signals to the brain to release chemicals like serotonin and endorphins, causing you to feel a certain way — like really stressed out and anxious, or calm and refreshed (Science Direct, 2017).
This means that terpenes impacts our endocannabinoid system, the system responsible for maintaining balance in our bodies, that cannabinoids like CBD can support.
Common Cannabis Terpenes
There are tons of terpenes out there, but some of the most well-known and prohibition-accessible are pinene, limonene, linalool, caryophyllene, humulene, and myrcene.
Myrcene
Aroma: earthy, musky, clove-like, slightly fruity
Good for: pain relief, relaxation, muscle tension, depression, increasing the amount of cannabinoids that can be absorbed by the brain
Therapeutic Properties: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-insomnia, antispasmodic, antipsychotic, anti-carcinogenic
Also in: sweet basil, hops, mangoes, lemongrass, thyme
Linalool
Aroma: floral, sweet, citrus
Good for: sleep, relaxation, anxiety, Vitamin E, depression, anxiety
Therapeutic Properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, antipsychotic
Also in: lavender*
Humulene
Aroma: bitter, woody
Good for: suppressing appetite, pain relief
Therapeutic Properties: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic
Also in: hops, sage, ginseng
Caryophyllene
Aroma: pepper, spicy, cloves, woody
Good for: arthritis, gastrointestinal issues
Therapeutic Properties: antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotectant, antibacterial, anti-carcinogenic
Also in: black pepper, cloves, hops, rosemary, basil
Limonene
Aroma: sweet, tangy, bitter
Good for: digestion, athlete's foot & yeast outbreaks, anxiety, depression, immune system, heartburn, mood
Therapeutic Properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-fungal
Also in: rosemary, peppermint,* fruit rinds,* eucalyptus, juniper
Click links to view more information about the essential oils of each of these plants
*Indicates that this essential oil is included in the Young Living Starter Kit
Sources: Leafly's Terpenes: The Flavors of Cannabis Aromatherapy, The Leaf Online's Terpene Profiles, Young Living Essential Oils Products Pages
It's important to remember that while like terpenes will produce similar effects, every plant has a slightly different chemical composition that is going to affect how it is absorbed and used by the body (PubMed Health, 2017) — and it's also important to remember that everyone's body is different and may not respond to certain essential oils or terpenes in the same way. Make sure you stay mindful when trying new products; always practice safety and collect personal data.
But essential oils aren't cheap, and it always felt like we needed an assortment of oils for all the DIY recipes we experiment with — which added up quickly. That's when we stumbled upon Young Living at Columbia, Missouri's Natural Health & Wellness Expo and were introduced to their Essential Oil Starter Kit, filled with eleven 5 ml bottles of different essential oils; six of the eleven bottles are custom Young Living blends, and five are purely one oil (lavender, peppermint, lemon, copaiba, frankincense).
The best thing about essential oil recipes is that they are simple.
You could make 50 in one day if you wanted to, not kidding! Most of the recipes involve things you probably already have around the house (or can get at your nearest supermarket) and typically involve mixing no more than 3-5 ingredients.
In addition to affecting your olfactory bulb, essential oils have cleansing, moisturizing, drying, and toning properties when used on the skin (Science Direct, 2017), making them great for making our own lotions, soaps, deodorants, tooth pastes, and more — all without the extra chemicals that often come with corporate manufacturing. You can also use them in recipes to replace just about all of your toxic household cleaning products with natural mixtures. In fact, I have a friend who said that when she joined Young Living, she began replacing one toxic item in her house with an essential oil recipe. (Brilliant!!)
Dry shampoo recipe coming soon!
We thought it would be a lot of work to start in on these recipes, but again — they're so simple, it makes you wonder why you haven't always been doing it. Plus, when we make our own recipes, we have the added benefit of knowing exactly what's in it, and we can even customize it to our own needs based on what we need it for or how we're feeling!
Young Living is one of the oldest essential oils brands.
We like to know where things have been and who's behind their production; do their creators have our best interest in mind, or do corners get cut? Essential oils are powerful substances, and you never want to be using something that may have extra gunk attached.
As with any product, it's hard to know if a company is playing by the rules. There are tons of sources that hail Young Living's quality, but there are also sources who have reported finding contaminants in their oils, and they have also recently pleaded guilty for sourcing their oils illegally. (We have since begun to make sure that the oils we purchase from Young Living are not derived from endangered plants.)
Nevertheless, Young Living proclaims that they go to great lengths to make sure their essential oils are pristine; on their website, you can read about how they responsibly source their plants, integrate science, and remain sustainable. However, as we have advanced our knowledge of essential oils with classes by Makes Scents owner Christina Kelley, a few red flags caught our eye, including the fact that they don't train their sales representatives on proper safety, don't use third-party testing, and are not certified organic. We're not saying this makes Young Living essential oils bad; we're just giving you an honest overview of the facts.
We want what's best for ourselves, our loved ones, and our community.
We use Young Living and feel that it is a great option for people who want to begin regularly using essential oils and start their collection; they offer a rewards program that allows you to get wholesale pricing, build credits to use towards future purchases, and even get surprise gifts — and their starter kit is a simple way to start your collection (a $300 value for only $160).
But we don't believe they are the best company (we're going to need to explore a lot more brands before making that kind of claim), and for people who want to just try a couple essential oils or buy locally, other brands would work just as well. The important thing to remember is to look for pure oils from reputable and responsible brands — and that often means doing your research (which is why we're working on exploring and researching more brands for you — new reviews coming soon!).
Young Living Starter Kit
Dewdrop diffuser, AromaGlide roller fitment, 10 sample packets, 2 NingXia Red samples, 10 empty sample oil bottles + 5 ml bottles of the following:
Thieves Vitality
A blend of: lemon, clove, eucalyptus, radiata, cinnamon bark, rosemary
Benefits & Features:
Cleansing when applied topically
Neutralizes and purifies the air from strong odors when diffused
Freshens any atmosphere when diffused
Includes the naturally occurring constituents trans cinnamaldehyde (Cinnamon Bark), limonene (Lemon) and eucalyptol (Eucalyptus Radiata and Rosemary)
Recipe ideas: use to make freshening products
Copaiba Vitality
Benefits & Features:
Has a pleasant, complex taste
Can be used to support general wellness*
Recipe ideas: moisturizer, massage oil, diffusion
Frankincense
Benefits & Features:
Has a sweet, honey-like, and woody fragrance
Has a stimulating aroma
Promotes the appearance of healthy-looking skin
Reduces the appearance of uneven skin tones
Promotes feelings of relaxation and tranquility
Recipe ideas: add to a moisturizer, diffuse during meditation, use as a cleaner
PanAway
A blend of: wintergreen, helichrysum, clove, peppermint
Benefits & Features:
Offers a refreshing, stimulating aroma.
Cools the skin after physical activity
Provides a cooling sensation when applied to shoulders, neck, and scalp
Includes the naturally occurring constituents methyl salicylate, gamma-curcumene, menthol, and eugenol
Recipe ideas: pain massage oils/creams
Warning: Never use on children under the age of 6
Peppermint Vitality
Benefits & Features:
Supports gastrointestinal system comfort*
Enhances healthy gut function*
Maintains efficiency of the digestive tract*
May support performance during exercise*
Reduces feelings of discomfort after large meals*
Provides a refreshing, minty flavor to food and beverages
Recipe ideas: massage oil, bath oil, diffusion, bug spray Warning: don't use on children
DiGize Vitality
A blend of: tarragon, ginger, peppermint, juniper, lemongrass, anise, and patchouli, fennel
Benefits & Features:
Helps support and cleanse the digestive system*
Acts as a great companion to Essentialzymes-4™ when taken with meals to support your wellness regimen*
Includes antioxidant properties*
Recipe ideas: diffusion in the home or car
Purification
A blend of: citronella, lavandin, lemongrass, rosemary, myrtle, tea tree
Benefits & Features:
Produces a clean, invigorating aroma
Clears the air of unwanted odors
Freshens musty and stale areas with its lively scent
Soothes skin when applied topically
Contains Lavandin, an ingredient that helps clean and purify the air
Recipe ideas: laundry detergent, diffusion, room freshener
Stress Away
A blend of: copaiba, lime, cedar wood, vanilla, ocotea, lavender
Benefits & Features:
Formulated with Lime, Lavender, Cedarwood, and more for a well-rounded and relaxing aroma
Promotes relaxation and a calming environment
Can be diffused, applied topically, and used as a personal fragrance
Has an inviting aroma that helps calm the mind
Includes ingredients that have the naturally occurring constituents beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, limonene, cedrol, and linalool
Recipe Ideas: diffusion, perfume
Lemon Vitality
Benefits & Features:
Keep Lemon on hand for its clean, energizing, and invigorating aroma.
Diffuse it to create a more focused environment.
Use its aroma to create an uplifting atmosphere.
Add Lemon to skin care products to help reduce the appearance of aging.
Use it to help remove adhesives.
Recipe ideas: add to freshening products, diffuse after cleaning
Warning: Never use citrus oils on the skin while in the sunlight
Lavender
Benefits & Features:
Promotes feelings of calm and fights occasional nervous tension
Has balancing properties that calm the mind and body
Cleanses and soothes minor skin irritations
Can be soothing to the skin after a day in the sun
Reduces the appearance of blemishes
Supports aging skin
Includes the naturally occurring constituents linalyl acetate, linalool, and ocimene
Recipe ideas: bath salts, body oil, room freshener, add to skincare products
R.C.
A blend of: spruce, cypress, three types of eucalyptus
Benefits & Features:
Supports the feeling of normal, clear breathing
Promotes restful sleep and provides a relaxing aroma in a stuffy environment
Creates an invigorating experience when added to a bath or shower
Can be used as part of an exercise routine to promote the sensation of deeper breathing
Can be diffused during the cold-weather season
Provides a refreshing respiratory experience when applied to the chest
Recipe ideas: massage oil, bath salts, perfume, diffusion
Essential oils to use with caution around children:
Hyssop
Sage
Clary Sage
Wintergreen
Eucalyptus
*Oils labeled as "Vitality" are safe to ingest, but ingestion is something only advanced users should do, or under the guidance of a healthcare professional
**Always consult your healthcare professional prior to use
Information about Benefits & Features of each oil taken directly from Young Living's website
Antibacterial spray ingredients, see below for recipe
3 Ways to Use Essential Oils
Remember, essential oils are powerful and should be used responsibly and with intention. Over and improper use of essential oils can lead to sensitization, meaning that you can become allergic to the oils.
Aromatically
When inhaled, essential oils affect our olfactory bulbs and impact the way we're feeling.
Rub 2-3 drops of (diluted) essential oils between your hands and deeply inhale, or inhale straight from the bottle
Add a few drops to a bowl of hot water, then cover your head and the bowl with a towel while you breathe deeply and slowly
Add 1-2 drops to a diffuser & diffuse for 15 minutes (be sure that you are diffusing oils that are safe for everyone who will come into contact with the space — you should not use essential oils around cats)
Topically
Many essential oils are great for the skin. But use caution! Essential oils are extremely potent and (most) should be diluted before use. You can dilute with coconut oil, almond oil, vegetable oil, hemp oil, alcohol, and more.
Massage 2-3 drops of essential oil directly into the skin (after dilution)
Dilution:
1-3% essential oil for general use
(max of 10% for ages 10+)
.5-1% for children & elderly
*don’t use essential oils on/around
children under 6 months
Internally
You can use essential oils as a dietary supplement — but this method is for advanced users only! Always consult a healthcare professional prior to using internally.
Place essential oil into a gel capsule and swallow (this should only be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional)
Add 1-2 drops to your drink, juice, yogurt, or sweetener — but never into water (water and oil don't mix!) and never into a plastic container (essential oils eat plastic — instead use a glass, metal, or ceramic container)
Add 1-2 drops to your meals while cooking (do this sparingly and intentionally)
Purifying Spray Recipe
We've already created about 12 different things with the oils in our starter kit, but one of the most unexpected things we made was a purifying spray. Hand sanitizers from the store are always incredibly strong and sterile smelling, and leave our hands feeling dried out. This recipe, however, was insanely easy to make, and we were able to customize it based on each of our aromatic preferences. (Sam likes lavender, and Kristen loves lemon)
Ingredients
2 oz dark glass bottle
1 tbsp. witch hazel
approx 3 tbsp. distilled water
15 drops purifying essential oils of choice
Thieves and Lemon
Lavender, Tea Tree, Frankincense
Directions
Mix all ingredients in spray bottle (We told you it was easy!)
How to use it
Use on hands while on-the-go, spray on public restroom seats, freshen clothing, wash fruits and veggies, spritz on toys, door handles, and shopping carts — and lots more!!
*This review was updated on June 7, 2019
**This product was purchased by the Hempsley team.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not for children or anyone under the age of 18. Not for use by women who are pregnant. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a licensed healthcare professional before use. Hempsley and/or Kristen Williams will not be held responsible for any consequences that may result from using these products. Please use carefully.
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