Aromatherapy

I have been a practicing aromatherapist and herbalist for 40 years. I succeeded as a technical entrepreneur, but why didn't I think to create a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme for essential oils? That could have made me ultra wealthy!

Background:

I began using essential oils when I lived in Germany (1980-82), but decided to study it in depth starting in 1988. The term “aromatherapy” was coined by a French chemist and scholar, René-Maurice Gattefossé, who theorized that the essences of the plant oils were medicinal constituents that caused healing (as herbs were the drugs of the time). He distilled the plants to produce the essential volatile chemical compounds that provided healing properties. Gattefossé proved the efficacy of lavender oil for treating and healing burns with minimal scarring in 1910. Essential oils were used throughout World Wars 1 and 2 to treat wounds, infections, burns — such that the smell of lavender can arouse unpleasant memories for medical staff members who served during the wars. They are too expensive to be used in medicine today when synthetic or caustic antimicrobial agents are much much cheaper.

Essential Oils (EOs) that I find most useful:

1.  Lavender

2.  Tea Tree

3.  Eucalyptus

4.  Clary Sage

5.  Geranium

6.  Lemon (and Orange and other citrus)

7.  Peppermint

8.  Melissa

9.  Frankincense

10. Rosemary

11. Oregano

12. Clove

Lavender and Tea Tree are “essential Essentials,” and should be in everyone's arsenal. There is always a bottle of lavender EO in my purse. It is a handy first aid tool and much much more.  Organic essential oils are always preferable.

If you put 2 drops of Clary Sage in the palm of one hand, wet your other palm under running water, and rub your palms together, you create an aroma that quickly reduces cortisol levels in your system after you cover (not touch) your face with your hands and inhale deeply. (One study is here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24802524/)

Clary sage blends well with other oils, and harmonizes EO blends. I like to add about 20 drops each of lavender, geranium, and clary sage to my (large) bath. It isn't a perfume-y smell, but for me it is calming, strengthening and invigorating at the same time (in a good way).

ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS

There are many blends, but “Thieves” is the most useful during flu season (and COVID-19, of course). Similar preparations are sold under many names, including one we own called “Pirates.” In addition, there are dozens of uplifting or calming blends; most blends are meant to be diffused or sprayed after being added to purified or distilled water and shaken.

Thieves Oil is a well-known essential oil blend with an apocryphal back story that grave robbers and thieves used it during the bubonic plague to protect themselves as they stole valuables from the sick and dead. The timing of this legend doesn't really line up with the development of essential oils in the 1880-1910 time frame, but we do know that doctors in the middle ages carried walking sticks with knobs on the top that contained a sort of salve mixed with potent plants such as oregano, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, citrus, lavender. When visiting patients or in sordid situations, they held the top of their walking sticks below their nostrils to help purify the air they breathed.

Comparison of MLM Products and those sold at retail

Here are two MLM variations of Thieves Oil (note that they are much higher priced than those below):

• doTERRA On Guard essential oil blend ($44.99 for 15 ml) https://amzn.to/2OLndWJ
• Young Living Thieves essential oil blend ($49.92 for 15 ml) https://amzn.to/3fG2peT

Many manufacturers use the term “therapeutic grade.” It is meaningless. There are ISO standards for many essential oils, and tests using gas chromatography and/or mass spectroscopy for purity.

I believe that these are superior options (as Thieves Oil formulations) sold directly by the manufacturer through retail distribution channels, and containing the same or very similar formulations of quality essential oil:

• Plant Therapy Germ Fighter essential oil blend ($14.99 for 1 oz -- that's 28.4 ml). https://amzn.to/393CUSp
• Immune Strength by Rocky Mountain Oils is also a good brand ($26.95 for 15.ml with a 5% off coupon) https://amzn.to/397j5t7
• Aura Cacia Medieval Mix is $13 (including shipping) for half an ounce. https://amzn.to/3hbTL8u  Aura Cacia is widely available in health food stores, and is a very reliable source of quality essential oils. 

We use the Germ Fighter blend from Plant Therapy in a diffuser in the house when we feel we've been exposed or unwell, and also because we like its smell. We also carry small spray bottles in the car, filled with filtered or distilled water with about 8 drops of Germ Fighter oil. Shake well, spray the air around you (we also spray our masks on both sides) and know that the immediate air and surfaces are imbued with anti-microbial (anti virus, anti bacteria, and anti fungus) volatile EO molecules.

To use in a diffuser: fill with distilled or filtered water to the “max fill” line and then add 7 to 20 drops of oil to the water. I like to take a chopstick and stir it around so it disperses as much as it can throughout the water. Then turn it on. 

One of our diffusers covers a large room, and we've used it for a couple of years: https://amzn.to/3jeeREY.  We also own smaller diffusers for the bedrooms.

Note that Tisserand is a fantastic brand, but doesn't offer a Thieves formulation.

WHAT TO BUY:

Basic Inventory:

• A good starting point is this “Everyday Essentials” set by Tisserand: https://amzn.to/2CokVKg
• Tisserand’s “Your Feel Good Essentials” https://amzn.to/39bRCGJ
• Clary Sage from Plant Therapy https://amzn.to/2CsSMBP
• Geranium Oil from Plant Therapy: https://amzn.to/3jke8Sr 

PLUS: Germ Fighting Blend, that uses the Thieves Oil recipe:

• Plant Therapy Germ Fighter essential oil blend  https://amzn.to/393CUSp

Any questions? I have an extensive reference library and will be happy to answer. Just leave a comment below.