Essential Oils I Love + How I Use Them

Curious about essential oils and unsure where to start? Today I’m sharing the brand I love (I don’t sell it!) and how to use essential oils.

I have been using essential oils for almost two years now – crazy, I know! But it seems like more and more people I know are hopping on the essential oil train, to which I say – WELCOME! HI! HELLO! I THINK YOU’LL LIKE IT HERE! Considering I’ve used them for a good chunk of time, I wanted to take a post to talk about all the essential oils I love, why I love them and what I use them for. That said, I don’t sell essential oils so don’t think that this is a post of me trying to get you to join my company or team or anything like that. It’s just me loving something and sharing a little bit about why 🙂  2023 UPDATE: I’m still using essential oils and I love them just as much as I did when I wrote this!

Essential Oils I Love + How To Use Essential Oils

So let’s start with the basics. I use doTerra essential oils, simply because that’s what I was introduced to first. I’ve never used any other kind, because I found something I like, so I’m sticking with it. I’m sure the other brands are just as good, just make sure you do your research on them. As always, you get what you pay for! 

Another quick tidbit is that the doTerra oils I use are super high quality, so a little bit goes a long way. Yes they are slightly pricey, but I mean – they work and they last! No complaints from me. I use essential oils for headaches, in my cooking and recipes (lavender frosting – YUM!) + around the house in various ways. Read on to dig a little deeper about which essential oils I love + what I use them for!

My Favorite Essential Oils

Now let’s dive right in to some of my favorite and most used essential oils:

Breathe Essential Oil

This oil is actually a blend of different oils – Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, Cardamom, Ravintsara, and Ravensara. I hadn’t ever tried it until my mom came to visit a few months ago. She had come down with a horrible sinus infection and was just feeling pretty stuffy overall, when I saw her rubbing Breathe on her temples. I thought “hmmm…what is this new mix?!” She basically told me, the queen of sinus issues, that I needed it promotes clear airways and easy breathing. This blend can be used externally (rubbed on temples, chest, back, bottom of feet) or in a diffuser, but I personally like it directly on me. It smells amazing and is also pretty calming to me, which is great for nighttime application.

DigestZen Essential Oil

It’s no secret that between Dane and I, we may have every digestion issue from IBS to GIRD covered. It’s kind of unruly that two people with so many digestive tract malfunctions could find each other, but here we are. We were both pretty skeptical about DigestZen. Heck, not even prescription medications can sometimes touch the amount of pain and trips to the toilet we endure. Sorry if that’s TMI, but hey – it’s the truth. We have used it internally by adding one drop to water and drinking, as well as rubbing it on our stomachs after particularly heavy meals. It’s not a surefire cure every time, but it certainly takes the edge off and we were both wow-d by it. I carry it with me in my purse, because I never know when I might start to feel uncomfortable. It helps reduce bloating, gas and indigestion and is a completely natural way to soothe an upset stomach.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Like Breathe, Eucalyptus promotes clearing of the airways and is often used for better breathing. My personal favorite way to use Eucalyptus is to rub a couple drops on my hands and breathe deeply while I am in a hot shower. It’s almost like a breathing treatment you would get at a spa and it clears my (often clogged) sinuses. I also use Eucalyptus + Lemon in a spray bottle with water to clean my bathroom. It leaves behind a great scent and naturally cleanses (just like it does for your airways!).

Lavender Essential Oil

Often considered one of the most versatile oils, lavender is my favorite, as well as Bill & Judy’s favorite! For me, I use it as a calming oil right before bed. Diluted in water in a spray bottle, I spray it on my sheets to release the tension of the day and calm me down. It as the same effect on the dogs! Rubbing a small drop on my palms and then across their ears (just like I’m giving them some seriously good ear pets) puts them RIGHT TO SLEEP! It’s kind of amazing, honestly. I have also used lavender in cooking (*if you aren’t using doTerra, be sure to make sure that it’s safe to ingest the brand you use*) and it is amazing how much flavor it adds to cakes, muffins and bread.

Lemon Essential Oil

A natural cleanser, lemon is so versatile! My favorite use is to add a couple drops to my Hydroflask (keeps water cold FOR DAYS…not kidding, I swear by mine. Like a Yeti, but better!) for a refreshing twist on water. That said, I also diffuse it into the air, mix it in water for cleaner, use it for salad dressings, add it into dessert recipes and I actually used it to remove some tarnish on old silver serving pieces I had in storage for awhile. Lemon is my JAM, which is great considering it is also a natural mood booster and considered to be very uplifting.

Lemongrass Essential Oil

Lemongrass is somewhat new to me, but I’ve already put it to good use! I initially got it as a natural bug repellent (it works amazingly well!), but since I’ve also added it to some of my favorite Thai dishes and used it as a perfume on my wrists. I know that sounds funky, but mixed with the Wild Orange – oh baby, it smells divine.

Lime Essential Oil

Like Lemon, Lime is pretty versatile and is great for recipes, ailments and diffusing. Dane LOVES putting lime in his water and I love to add it to my diffuser for a light, refreshing scent. Lime can also be used on a cotton ball to remove those annoying stickers that stores like to put on things! I kind of doubted it, but it worked like a charm.

Peppermint Essential Oil

If I had to pick a favorite oil, it might be peppermint. Why? Because it has single handedly changed the game when it comes to my migraines. I’m a chronic migraine sufferer and there’s usually not a whole lot that can be done about it. For a long time, I was getting migraines that not even OTC or prescription medication would touch – like I said, they are bad. When someone suggested peppermint oil to me a few years back, I was honestly like – yeah okay, thanks but I don’t think you get it. But I figured – what the hell? I literally have nothing to lose. So I tried it out and ho-ly shit.

I rub it on my temples, into my scalp and on the roof of my mouth and quickly find a dark space to lay down and shut my eyes. People, I know it sounds crazy, but I have seen and felt results so I’m here to tell you – IT WORKS! I can honestly tell you that peppermint oil has saved my sanity on more than one occasion. In addition to migraines, I also like to add it to water (in small amounts – it is STRONG), diluted in water to rinse my mouth out after brushing my teeth, adding one or two drops to my morning smoothie or diffusing with wild orange for a citrus-y peppermint aroma that is not only refreshing, but also welcoming. I also really love to spray it in my sink to keep my garbage disposal smelling fresh. Like many of the oils I’m sharing today, peppermint is super versatile!

Wild Orange Essential Oil

Wild Orange is my go-to for making myself feel a little happier. I know it sounds kind of…weird…but, I instantly feel much happier when I take a drop or two, rub it between my palms and spread it behind my ears and neck (kind of like a guy would spread aftershave). It smells like fresh squeezed oranges and tastes the same. I have added it to hot chocolate, tea and into salad dressings and marinade. I’ve also put it in my diffuser.

If you haven’t noticed, essential oils can be used for more than one thing each and I think that’s what I love about them. They have fallen so seamlessly into my life that I’m kind of like…what did I do before this? I often make a lot of the mixes and recipes I talk about over on my Instagram stories, so be sure you are following along!

So tell me, do you use essential oils? Which are your favorite?