Hello Lovelies,
check out our detailed PDF Guide.
Today I want to talk about the wonderful benefits of diffusing essential oils because it truly is an amazing and a super simple way to use essential oils that can work everywhere from your home to your office. It can make a space more inviting, lift the energy, help with focus or calming. However, before I talk about all the benefits there are some issues I need to address.
What’s the big deal about smells?
Let’s talk yummy smells and the not so yummy. I often get asked questions around smells because many people have issues with them. Let’s face it, our senses our bombarded on a daily basis and fragrance is in everything these days not to mention synthetic substitutes masquerading as essential oils. It sounds so harmless but really it is not. We will get into specifics in a moment.
Some of the things I am asked:
Can I use my oils in a scent free space, like my office, the gym, my school?
My partner hates scents but I love oils so how can I work with that?
Are all scents the same?
Are essential oils fragrances?
Yes I am one of those sensitive people! But let’s get educated shall we.
I know more than most what it is like to live a life of being over-sensitive to smells because for the last 20 years I have had to have a fragrance free home. I did, however, learn during that time that natural aromas and fragrances are most definitely NOT the same thing. In fact, I literally cannot stand being around fragrances or any kinds of scents that are not natural. Breathing them in makes me feel agitated and angry, I start to have trouble breathing, I get headaches, my sinuses get irritated and sometimes I come out in a full blown allergy attack. Yes I look like I have extreme hayfever while having fleas as I crazily itch at my ears, nose and throat!! So now I will literally walk away from people if they are surrounded in a cloud of synthetic fragrant smells even if they are lovely.
Smells in confined spaces are the worst.
The gym is a prime example of people needing to drop the nasty detergents and body sprays. This is a prime example of being sensitive to smells. I will be running on the treadmill enjoying a good audible book and minding my own sensory business when suddenly wham. It hits me. Suddenly in comes someone bathed in one of the big box brand detergents. I can smell them before they even get on the equipment. I try to slow down my breathing as I feel my anxiety. I try to breathe through my mouth so I don’t smell it. Then they begin to sweat which just allows the scents to be released at a faster and stronger rate.
Fragrances are chemicals.
I say chemicals because that is exactly what they use to scent your washing that last for 12 weeks!! The trouble with fragrances is that the companies don’t have to disclose exactly what that is and just think about how many products use the blanket name fragrance. There are something like 3000 or so chemicals that get masked with the name, fragrance.
I get it. No one wants to smell like body odor.
It’s totally understandable not wanting yourself or your gym gear to smell bad but for someone like me, no smell or even sweat is better than your detergent pod. Don’t even get me started on wall plug ins pumping out yucky smells. Yes I will unplug them if I see them. Dryer sheets ??!! I’ll leave the alternatives to another post but there are lots of them.
Ok rant over. My point being that I totally understand those affected by smell and I also get that many who don’t have that sensitivity don’t realize the harm it is doing to themselves or others or in fact that there are alternatives.
Smell is a powerful sense.
We have been connecting memories to aromas since the moment we were born. A smell of freshly baked bread in the kitchen whisking you back to your granny’s kitchen. A freshly squeezed orange becomes reminiscent of a summer day. Perhaps, a newly mown lawn or popcorn straight from the stove reminding you of fun childhood memories. Aromas have the power to emotionally change the outlook of our entire day. I will admit that this can go both ways too if you don’t like a smell or it makes you react or feel triggered. The beauty of pure essential oils, however, is that you can tailor your choices to simply the aromas you do love. For those like me, who are sensitive and worried about introducing aromas into their home, do your homework. Not all essential oils are the same. I choose doTERRA because of their commitment to purity and thorough testing of their products.
Benefits of Diffusing
-Purify the air
-Eliminate bad odours
-Uplift the mood
-Calm the energy
-Promote relaxation
-Help prevent over eating
-Promote focus and study
-Help with snoring
-Clear or open up breathing airways
One of the quickest ways to deal with our emotions is through our sense of smell. This makes diffusing essential oils perfect for not only our homes and day to day living but also for work spaces. Imagine a doctors’ waiting room, where the air was purified so that germs were not so easily spread from person to person. If you get nervous going to the dentist, can you imagine being surrounded by a calming and relaxing aroma? Many industries already capture the power of smell to greet you in a hotel lobby or make you spend more in a big department store and we have no clue that it is even happening.
What about my scent free office?
I have worked with many companies and schools to get essential oils into these environments that are scent free. Most of it has come down to educating on the differences between the aromas of pure therapeutic grade essential oils and the scent of fragrances and synthetic substances that are 99% of the time the cause of the underlying issue. Most of these commercial spaces are also cleaned with toxic cleaners, which do much more harm than even the fragrances we have been discussing. A natural smell from an essential oil is not the same as a chemical based scent.
What about that one person who says even your pure essential oils are irritating them?
Be kind. Listen to their worries and concerns. Educate them and guide them slowly. Maybe the smell of orange or lime will help them to experience the wonder of a pure essential oil without it feeling too overpowering to their heightened senses. Much of their reaction is often based around emotions. I like to explain how a pure essential oil is a naturally occurring smell that we experience in the same way as cookies being baked in our kitchen. The difference is often our like or dislike of a smell or how concentrated it is.
Some people, although very few, do have physical or emotional reactions to essential oils no matter how pure they are and that is largely down to a few things. There can be a lot of fear that a person holds onto based on previous experiences with scents if they are sensitive. Smells do have a connection to our memories, good or bad which can affect us emotionally and physically. Essential oils can also detox our bodies and so if there are a lot of toxins within the body, a person might experience discomfort.
There will also be some people that we will never be able to convince, no matter what the amazing benefits they might be missing out on. Around these people I use my essential oils differently so that they are not effected but I still get the benefits I desire.
What type of diffuser should I go with?
This is totally down to preference and your own style here. I would recommend the water based diffusers. They use sonic vibrations to release the water and essential oils into the air. Diffusers that heat the oils actually just break down the oils and make them much less efficient in giving us the therapeutic experience we are hoping for. You can also get diffusers that use no water and just straight up oil. They produce a much stronger aroma but also use up much more of your essential oil.
Some things to consider when buying your diffuser.
Check how many hours your diffuser will stay on for. Most will give you several choices. If you are using in a bedroom at night you might want to make sure that it runs for 8-10 hours. Also note that those that run for longer periods of time will run intermittently. This is because if we smelling the same aroma consistently for too long we can actually lose our ability to smell it.
The size of your room can also be a factor in your decision. If you have a large room, you will need to either make sure your diffuser covers that area space or think about buying two.
Here are some of my favourites.
And now the fun begins…
Diffusing really is the simplest way to start using our essential oils and the only question we are left with is what are we going to diffuse today? So I have made this a little bit simpler for you with this PDF GUIDE.
This is the first in the series.
Enjoy!
Love,
Lou
Xo
P.S. if you haven’t gotten started yet with essential oils or your own doTERRA account get in touch. We offer guidance, community and amazing deals on all of your essential oil must haves!