The Home Essentials Kit by doTERRA is my favorite way for newbies to begin using essential oils. It is the kit I started with 6 years agoand contains the basics for a new oiler to get started with healthy options for their home, yet not so many oils to be overwhelming. It contains the top 10 oils plus a 10-hour diffuser (the easiest way for a new oiler to use their oils). I will highlight each oil, and give a basic overview of how we use it in our home.
- Breathe Respiratory Blend: Breathe essential oil is a blend doTERRA created to support easy breathing and maintaining feelings of clear airways. It can be helpful when seasonal threats are high, or to support your respiration when you feeling like you’re coming down with a bug. Do you have a snorer in your house? Diffuse and apply to the big toe before bed to open airways and “hear” the results! Breathe is great in your bedroom diffuser, and also when applied topically to the chest or feet. It is recommended to dilute for sensitive skin. Breathe oil is not intended for internal use (which makes sense when you are trying to support your respiratory system).
- Deep Blue Soothing Blend: doTERRA’s Deep Blue Oil is both cooling and soothing for tired or sore muscles. It is wonderful in a massage, Epsom salt bath, or rubbed into areas of discomfort. It is recommended to dilute this oil. Deep Blue is perfect for athletes both pre and post workout. Some people call it the “husband converter”, but really is a great first oil to try for any oil skeptic. They will feel the effects instantly!
- DigestZen Digestive Blend: DigestZen digestive blend is designed for and best known for promoting healthy digestion by maintaining a healthy GI (gastrointestinal) tract. I use it for reducing feelings of bloating, gas and occasional indigestion. It is great to use before a heavy holiday meal or when eating out and trying new foods. I think it is most effective when used internally. I like to pop a drop in an empty veggie capsule, apply over my abdomen or to the bottoms of my feet. We don’t typically diffuse this oil, however; it would be good to diffuse in a car for those who get motion sickness. I also use this one on my Havanese, Ivy. She often gets an “off” tummy and won’t eat for several days. I apply some DigestZen to the pads of her feet, and she usually eats within an hour.
- Frankincense Essential Oil: The saying goes, when in doubt get your Frankincense out! Frankincense is my personal favorite essential oil, because it is SO versatile. I use it in my moisturizer to help beautify my skin, and to promote healthy cells. I have a lot of sun damage, and I feel it helps minimize this. It is a powerful mood stabilizer and can help uplift your mood while calming your senses. You can apply it topically (neat, it’s a gentle oil), take internally by placing a drop under your tongue and diffuse. I like to add a drop of Frankincense and 2 drops of lemon in my water each morning (always out of glass or stainless steel — never plastic). Frankincense can also help boost your immune system, so is great to use daily.
- Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender is an essential oil we use daily in our home for anything “calming”. We use it to calm our mind when we want to relax and also when we are ready to unwind for sleep. It is also calming to our skin when we have a cut, burn, bug bite or really any skin irritation. You do not need to dilute this gentle oil, but typically dilute with FCO for children and pets. Lavender oil is one of my favorites in a diffuser, can be applied topically, and also taken internally.
- Lemon Essential Oil: Lemon oil is versatile and inexpensive. I drink it throughout the day in my water (always out of glass or stainless steel — not plastic) to help gently cleanse my body. Lemon is great in your diffuser to help cleanse and purify the air and uplift your mood. It can be used to make your own cleaning products along with vinegar and water. Lemon helps remove stains from clothing and gets rid of sticky goo (residue from price tags, etc.). I clean my fruits and veggies in a sink full of water with a few drops of lemon and let soak for 30 minutes. Lemon also helps with digestion, respiration and a healthy immune system. This powerhouse oil saves us tons of money.
- OnGuard Essential Oil: OnGuard Essential Oil is doTERRA’s protective blend, and I simply think of it as immune support in a bottle! I love the scent and call it Christmas in a bottle! This powerful blend was synergistically formulated to support a healthy immune system and protect against environmental threats. We combine 20-40 drops OnGuard in a 10 ml rollerball and add FCO. This is out at our breakfast table every morning. We apply to the bottoms of our feet while eating and then put our socks on. At the first hint of being run down or having a tickle in our throats, we put a drop under our tongue and/or add to a glass of water. Diffusing OnGuard is a great way to scent your home, cleanse the air, and stop the spread of germs. We also make green cleaners with OnGuard, vinegar and water and find them effective, inexpensive and non-toxic.
- Oregano Essential Oil: Oregano essential oil is a powerful immune support oil, and well-known for supporting a healthy immune system. We like to take it internally in a veggie capsule anytime we feel unwell, to promote feeling better quickly. It is a powerful cleanser, and helps gently detox the body when taken internally. It is known as a “hot” oil and should always be diluted when applied topically. We also never drink it in water because of this, and prefer to add to a veggie capsule to make our own natural remedy. Oregano can also aid in digestion when taken internally.
- Peppermint Essential Oil: Peppermint is truly one of my personal favorites, and an essential oil I use daily! I like to diffuse this oil paired with Wild Orange Essential Oil in the morning to wake up our sleepy household. This combo is also great in a roller for energy and focus — I typically do 20 drops of each and fill with FCO. I like to apply this to the back of my neck before a work meeting, or for Danny when studying. The main health benefits of Peppermint oil include promoting digestive health, alleviating occasional stomach discomfort, promoting clear breathing and healthy respiratory function, and repelling bugs naturally. Mice, ants and spiders in particular don’t care for peppermint. This oil is delicious in bulletproof coffee or hot cocoa. It can be used internally, aromatically and topically (it is recommended to dilute for sensitive skin).
- Petal Diffuser: This kit also comes with doTERRA’s petal diffuser. It can run for 2 to 6 hours steady or run for 12 hours intermittently. The mist covers up to 330 square feet and has a soft white light than can be used as a night light, or turned off for no light. A diffuser is the easiest way for a new oiler to use their oils. You simply drop in a few drops of essential oil, fill with water and turn it on. The combinations of diffuser recipes are endless. Once you get started, I can share some of my favorites!
- Tea Tree Oil: Tea Tree is known as the “swiss-army knife” of essential oils because you will want to keep it handy. Why? It has SO many uses! It is soothing to the skin, so can be used on any common skin issues. It has cleansing and purifying benefits so is great to use for making your own green-cleaners. We also add it to our laundry to remove odors or put in tennis shoes. It’s great to diffuse to purify the air. You can also add it to your cleansers or face moisturizer to help cleanse the skin (also great for acne — we use as a spot treatment).
I think you will find the 10 oils in this kit easy to use, and once you get started exploring all that they can do you will find them helpful. You can create many home remedies, personal care items, green-cleaners, recipes and crafts using these top 10 oils. Once you get started, it can be fun and you will find they can actually save you money. Reach out with any questions, or if you have tips on how you use these oils.