Yes, it's happened to the best of us. We finally receive our first Vetiver, Patchouli, or Myrrh (for example) in the mail and are ready to diffuse it when...it simply won't come out of the bottle! What should you do? First, I'll tell you what not to do.
Don't heat the oil.
Ugh. There's some bad information out there on the internet telling us to warm essential oils to get them to pour easier. Don't! Heat is not a friend to essential oils.
Do this instead.
There is a tiny hole surrounding the large opening in the bottle's orifice reducer (the plastic top that allows oil to drip out). The large hole is called a stem. The stem is actually for air to pass into the bottle so that oil can pour out. The tiny hole is where the oil flows from, not the stem! They can be hard to find, but usually someone with a keen eye can find one (I've involved my husband if necessary). Young Living oils come with a side drip orifice reducer; they drip out of the side.
Pointing that tiny hole toward your diffuser (or other container), hold your bottle at a 45 degree angle. My photo doesn't show the angle very well, but the point is not to hold it completely upside down vertically, which will block the stem from allowing air flow.
Have patience. Wait at least 30 seconds in that position. The oil WILL come, I promise!
And, by the way, for thin oils (like those in the citrus family), point the tiny hole upward, away from the diffuser. It will come out a bit more slowly.
This is information that I learned as I worked with thick oils, before I began aromatherapy education. I could have used it before I got my first bottle of vetiver! :) I hope you find it helpful.
I've shared before that I shied away from essential oils when both of my little ones were born. With my eldest son, I waited until he was two-and-a-half before using them, and my daughter didn't experience essential oils until she was eight months old. I think I was definitely overly cautious, especially with my son, and I'm so glad I have a little bit of education and experience under my belt so that I can be comfortable using essential oils with and near my baby! I love being able to impart a little extra soothing to her skin and emotions with aromatherapy. She seems to love the scents and I've seen the health and emotional benefits for her first hand.
I think a cautious, balanced approach is what works best with babies: Don't abandon your oils or use them without restraint. If you aren't comfortable with using essential oils on your baby, it's ok to wait until you are. Make informed decisions and follow your mommy intuition. And pick up a book written by an aromatherapist on the subject!
My favorite is Debra Raybern's Gentle Babies. (The title is inspired by the blend made by Young Living called Gentle Baby.) She's a Christian aromatherapist with lots of experience and knowledge and I think she has a great perspective and fantastic advise for not only pregnancy and childbirth, but also for infants and young children. It's a must-have! And a lot of the basics I'm sharing with you today come from her. Please pick up a copy, and you'll have a lot more confidence in using your oils with a baby! (No, I'm not making any money for this endorsement.)
Here are a few basic tips that I've picked up on safely using essential oils with a baby.
Skin application
Babies have tiny, pure, brand-new bodies and extremely delicate skin. They feel the effects of essential oils and respond to them more easily than an adult does.
- Always dilute the oil! Read my dilution guide here, which includes the right amount for babies. You can always go under 1% if that makes you more comfortable.
- Hold the oil over her skin. I love Debra Raybern's suggestion to rub a diluted EO on your own hands and hold your hands over your child's chest, back, or feet for a minute. You can then touch the oils to her skin, assuming she's showing no signs of irritation. I did this when my daughter was coughing and I was desperate to calm her. I held lavender, which is a gentle antispasmodic, (neat) over her chest because it was all I had on hand. I didn't want to place the oil directly on her skin, as it wasn't diluted.
- Apply to the baby's feet. This is recommended because it reduces the risk of skin irritation, but it's also effective for skin absorption.
- Don't use in a bath. The risk of the baby splashing essential oils into her eyes is just too great. Instead, apply a homemade baby oil (a carrier + EO) to her skin after the bath. It will be just as soothing and, of course, it will smell amazing!
Inhalation
- Diffuse gently. When introducing your baby to a new oil, diffusing is a great way to go! Add 2-4 drops to your cold-air diffuser for about 10-15 minutes, watching your baby for any (unlikely) adverse effects. After you've done this once a day for a couple of days, feel free to add a few more drops to the mix and to diffuse 15 minutes twice per day. I like setting a timer because otherwise I'd be tempted to diffuse oils all day long. (And, by the way, Young Living has the most charming ultrasonic diffusers for kiddos I've ever seen! They include colorful nightlights, an intermittent setting and auto shut-off in a dolphin or dinosaur motif.)
- Wear the oil on yourself first. Allow your baby to inhale the essential oil through a diluted application on your skin while you hold him close. This is a wonderful and gentle way to introduce the oil to the baby.
Essential Oils for Babies
Start out by introducing single oils (not blends) to your baby one at a time. Once she is accustomed to essential oils, some blends to try include Gentle Baby (my favorite!), Peace and Calming, and Joy.
A few oils that are generally regarded as safe for little ones include:
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): a fantastic swiss-army-knife of essential oils that young ones tend to love (my son's favorite!); great for sleep and comfort, lots of beneficial properties for health and skin as well
- Orange (Citrus sinensis): a delightfully sweet oil that has childhood written all over it, great for uplifting mood and calming, as well as digestive support; another wonderful multipurpose oil
- Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica): calming and grounding, a gentle bass note that works well with citrus oils, beneficial during fall and winter months
- Frankincense (Boswellia carterii): wonderful for soothing a fearful baby, fantastic for skin, lungs, and respiratory support
- Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile): soothing for bedtimes and fussing, tummy troubles, and teething
- Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata): uplifting when your baby is frustrated, colicky, or over tired
- Lemon (Citrus limon): general immune support and pH balancing, lemon has a cheerful scent, but don't apply to her skin and take her out in the sun (it's phototoxic!)
- Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens): a lovely floral scent, helpful for cradle cap (when diluted), and skin irritations
Of course, this list could definitely be expanded, but I felt that these are the most widely popular for use with babies, and they are personal favorites for my kids too! I hope you are empowered and ready to enjoy aromatherapy with your baby!
SAFETY TIPS & NOTES
Less is more. It doesn't take much at all for an EO to impact a little one. Always start out very small...and stay there if that's what works. Also be aware of what you're using on yourself or diffusing in your home with your little one. Stick to a gentle approach, because your baby will inhale what you wear and use in your home.
Some oils to avoid with babies include: Eucalyptus (globulus and radiata), Juniper, Basil, Peppermint, Wintergreen, Sage, Clary Sage, Fennel, Hyssop, and Idaho Tansy.
Never give oils by mouth to your baby. Keep them out of reach of your kids. Check out my post on Essential Oil safety for more information on what oils to avoid, and safety precautions specific to children, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.
A note about my advice: I'm not a certified aromatherapist (yet), or a doctor, and I think every mom should make her own choice about what to use, at what age, and for what circumstances. Learn what you can about each oil that you use, and approach little ones with lots of care and caution too.
RESOURCES
If you're new to oils or even a seasoned user, essential oil safety is important information that should be learned and reviewed from time to time. It will provide a great foundation for you to use your essential oils with confidence. Here are a few things everyone should know before they reach for that beautiful bottle of essential oil.
1. Dilute for skin applications.
Young Living oils are pure, therapeutic grade essential oils. And that means they are safe to use diluted, and in acute situations, neat on the skin. But there are so many reasons to dilute essential oils when applying to the skin. Please read about those and properly dilute them.
2. Keep essential oils away from the eyes.
Every single one will sting the crap out of your eyes. And every single essential oil lover will eventually get some in the eye at some point in the course of working with them. Here's how to deal with it when it happens.
- Place a drop of a fatty oil (like olive oil) on a cloth or tissue.
- Then gently place that tissue on the outer edge of your eye where the essential oil is killing you.
- Just like that, it'll attach to the tissue and you can breathe a sigh of relief.
Remember essential oils are lipophilic and using water to flush out an essential oil would be a needlessly long process that may not prove fruitful.
3. Use caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
I think it's best to use a well-balanced approach to oils during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Please don't stop using your EOs or be afraid of them during this time. Just get to know your oils and use them conservatively (dilute for skin applications, don't go over the recommended number of drops in your diffuser, don't ingest them) and you will be fine.
Specific oils to avoid during pregnancy include...
- Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum)
- Basil ct. estragole (Ocimum basilicum)
- Birch (Betula lenta)
- Camphor or Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
- Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
- Parsley seed or leaf (Petroselinum sativum)
- Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
- Sage (Salvia officinalis)
- Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
- Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
- Thuja (Thuja occidentalis)
- Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
- Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
This list is from NAHA's information on essential oils and pregnancy. I think it's important to note that a few of these essential oils are rare because they have some alarming safety concerns only when misused. So it's not likely that a casual essential oil user (or a careful one) would own half of these oils or ever use them incorrectly. Only the oils in bold above are sold by Young Living.
For women who are breastfeeding, the list above applies. Also, add peppermint and jasmine to that list. Peppermint slowed down my milk supply until I stopped using it after discovering the fact that it affects milk production.
4. Use caution with babies and young children.
As a new mom, I abandoned my oils completely. I didn't know much about essential oils, and what I did know concerned me just enough to avoid them altogether. I waited until my son was two before I really delved in to using essential oils! So, I recommend a balanced approach. A few quick pointers include:
- Dilute essential oils if applying to your child's skin (0.5-1% dilution is enough for a child)
- Only use gentle oils that are regarded as safe...some examples:
lavender, sweet orange, frankincense, roman chamomile, Gentle Baby
- Never, ever give EOs of any kind by mouth to your baby or child
- Introduce oils slowly to your child or baby; wear them (diluted) on yourself first as you hold your baby near, or diffuse a small amount for 15 minutes.
This topic merits roughly a billion different blog posts, but I've started with an overview on using essential oils with your baby. This is a topic very close to my heart, since my children's health is what spurred me on in this field, and I think trustworthy information online is more difficult to find than it should be. Too many sites are spreading unnecessary fear, or just the opposite, encouraging unsafe use of oils.
5. Keep EOs out of reach of children.
It's easy to leave oils around where young ones can get to them, so keep mental tabs on your oils and store them in a high place! While the fridge is a fantastic place to store your EOs, putting them there could pose a bit of a risk for little ones who may mistake them for food or drink. If you store them in the fridge, the top shelf behind other foods is best. Anytime you're working with EOs around kids, mention that they aren't for drinking.
6. Be careful with phototoxic oils.
Many citrus oils are phototoxic and can cause extreme irritation or a severe sunburn-like reaction on the skin when exposed to sunlight or a tanning booth. Phototoxic oils include:
- Angelica root (Angelica archangelica)
- Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
- Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
- Distilled or expressed grapefruit (low risk) (Citrus paradisi)
- Expressed lemon (Citrus limon)
- Expressed lime (Citrus medica)
- Orange, bitter (expressed) (Citrus aurantium)
- Rue (Ruta graveolens)
It's ok to use these oils in soaps, shampoos, or any product that is for cleansing and gets rinsed away. A reaction with the sun can occur if these oils are used in products that are worn on the skin, such as lotions, balms, or applied neat. If you've used a phototoxic oil on your skin, stay out of the sun or tanning booth (Um, personally I'd recommend never ever visiting a tanning booth!) for at least twenty-four hours.
Not all citrus oils are phototoxic. You are sun safe with distilled lemon, distilled lime, sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), and tangerine/mandarin (Citrus reticulata).
7. Don't use near flames.
Essential oils are highly flammable substances and should be kept away from direct contact with flames, such as candles, fire, matches, cigarettes, and gas cookers. You may have heard of adding oils to your firewood, and this is acceptable if the oil is added to the logs, and allowed to soak in and dry before adding to the fire.
8. Educate yourself.
The best thing you can do to safely use essential oils is to simply get acquainted with them. When you're first starting out, choose a few oils that are well known for their gentleness. The EOs that come in the premium starter kit are perfect! Buy an essential oil reference book and learn about a handful of oils. Then, start using those few EOs in practical ways.
Diffusing a few drops is an excellent way to get acquainted with your oils. Of course, applying EOs to soothe your skin (like adding lavender to a natural, unscented lotion) is another great idea. Begin slowly and conservatively, using small amounts as your body gets used to these potent gifts from God. Don't go overboard, but don't be afraid to USE your wonderful oils either!
RESOURCES
National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy Safety Information
Aromatherapy & Pregnancy, Jolene Meum, MBA, The School for Aromatic Studies blog
I didn't mean for this to be my first in-depth look at one of the infused oils in the Bible, but joy is SO compelling and this oil is so important that I'm really glad God brought this to mind as the one to begin with.
JOY. Everybody wants it, but there's a lot of confusion out there about what it is. Young Living's blend named Joy is a best-seller for a few reasons. It smells fantastic (many wear it as a perfume), and we love to use it to uplift spirits and add a little extra cheer our day. But where does true joy come from? I think the biblical oil of joy contains the answer.
While I've been familiar with the biblical oil of gladness, I don't think I ever realized until pretty recently that it's an actual, physical oil infused with myrrh and cassia. These oils are known for their spiritual significance, and are part of the recipe for holy anointing oil. But while the oil of joy is a real substance, it's also a powerful metaphor.
The Oil of Joy in the Bible
There are a few specific references to the oil of joy (or the oil of gladness) in the Bible. I love how these passages work together to provide a profound look at God's salvation plan in Christ and the inheritance of joy that he has for us.
The first time this oil is mentioned by name is in Psalm 45. This lovely wedding song focuses on a description of a groom whose lips have been anointed with grace. The metaphor of Christ and his church is so powerful. The whole thing is gorgeous, but here's the part I'd like to focus on...
Psalm 45:7-8 (NIV)
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
So the oil is used to set Christ above all others, and it contains myrrh, sandalwood (aloes), and cassia. This anointing oil and the way it blesses Christ is quoted almost word-for-word in Hebrews 1:9. But the context makes everything so clear. Here's a quick look. (Or read the whole chapter here.)
Hebrews 1:3, 8-9 (NIV)
3b The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
8 But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
I love that not only is Psalm 45 interpreted here so plainly, but that the oil of joy in particular is highlighted once again. This passage of Hebrews clarifies a lot for me, specifically that the oil of joy is used to bless and set Christ apart, to exalt him, and especially to usher in joy at the marriage of Christ with his bride, the church.
A famous reference to the oil of joy is found in Isaiah 61:3 (NIV).
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
First, it's important to understand that Jesus fulfilled this for every Christian today! This isn't some lofty description of heaven. It's our reality now. Jesus read this passage from Isaiah 61.
Luke 4:20-21 (NIV)
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Second, there are several verses which indicate that during a time of mourning, oils (sometimes translated lotions) were not used (2 Samuel 12:20;14:2; Isaiah 61:3; Daniel 10:3). So the oil of joy is a powerful indication of God's blessing for us, and victory over sin and death. The oil of joy heralds in heavenly gladness that indicates our time of mourning is over! Our bridegroom is here and we are his.
Joyful Oils of Today
I don't think that the oil of joy is one that can be replicated, or really needs to be replicated. I'm discussing the biblical oil of joy for those who are curious, for essential oil lovers, for Christian aromatherapists, and for those who are wondering about the biblical use of essential oils.
The oil of gladness shows us that God loves symbolism, anointing with oil, and releasing his power (in this case, his joy) through that ritual. For those of us who love essential oils, just be encouraged to use any oil that you associate with joy on any occasion that you wish. Citrus oils like sweet orange, bergamot, and grapefruit, as well as florals like jasmine and ylang ylang come to mind.
Young Living's Joy is a lovely blend that includes several essential oils that are known to be uplifting. They may add value to your day or even help in cheering your spirit. I use essential oils in this way all the time, and I recommend it! Essential oils are a beautiful gift from God that can be used to honor him and enhance our lives. But, of course, don't expect to find actual joy in a bottle.
Where True Joy is Found
The biblical oil of joy wasn't just a pretty oil that was great for celebrating. It has potent symbolism and a direct link with Christ. He's always the one ushering in this joy.
If you're looking for joy, wondering where it comes from, the answer is in the word of God. Joy comes from our symbolic marriage to Christ in acceptance of his salvation. That's a joy that no one can take away and no temporary sadness can destroy.
