I left you hanging when I said that I use essential oils for everything and then failed to mention what I use and how I use them.

Taking it back to my introduction of essential oils we know that there are three levels of essential oils. 100% therapeutic essential oils being the only oils suitable for therapeutic benefit. All others are chemically processed, synthetically made and enhanced to make money by scattering themselves throughout soaps, shampoos and body lotions.

I also mentioned that my driving force behind all my health choices was my Grandma who passed away my senior year of high school. She started using Young Living essential oils the year they were established in 1994. I was just being born at that time.

Another huge life event around the time of my birth was my Grandpa’s head injury. He fell off of a 20-foot ladder and is lucky to be alive today. Through the help of my Grandma, she did everything she could to bring back the normalcy of his life before the accident. Today, he’s 79 and is extremely active.

It only makes you wonder if the oils and nutrition over all these years made that possible.

I’ve shared with you a list of toxins in our personal care products, but that is only a minimal list of the toxins we are exposed to every day. Eliminating toxins not only means personal care products, but everything from things we touch and even breathe.

My journey to a non-toxic lifestyle led me to Young Living and as with any company I support, I researched and put my trust in the community I am surrounded by, including my Grandma. As I come up on my one year anniversary of becoming a member, I’ll share exactly why I am in love with the people, products, and passion of Young Living.

Young Living has been the leading the way in 100% therapeutic essential oils since 1994. Gary Young’s story is here. He’s the founder. He had experience with oils well before he started Young Living and turned his passion for quality and purity into a reality we all can be thankful for.

Young Living is one of the only companies that owns their own farms. From the lavender fields of Utah to the rosemary of France, no pesticides are used on any crop ever and the soil has been untouched by chemicals. Once the oils are ready for harvest, the harvesting process ensures quality remains as well. The process from growth, to harvest, to bottle as I mentioned in my past blog post, is complex. Very complex. But Young Living has it mastered. Just look at this.

Every oil is different in the way it it is grown. Lavender is a plant grown in the ground and an oil like cedarwood comes from the resin tapped from a tree. One thing remains for all and that’s the five step approach to ensure the plants don’t lose their therapeutic power.

Seed. Cultivate. Distill. Test. Seal.

We call it Seed to Seal.

Never diluted. Never adulterated. See for yourself on their YouTube channel.

My dream: a trip to Utah to harvest Lavender. With Young Living, I can do that. I know lots of members who have witnessed and even participated in harvest. They can personally speak for the quality of these oils. Can you say the same about your oil from Walmart?

Some people see quality as a downside, because they often don’t get the product they want. In my opinion, they must not understand. If an oil had a bad harvest, or the demand is higher than the yield, the oil goes out of stock. Some people get frustrated and yes it is frustrating if you are in need of something, but this is a GOOD thing people! They aren’t falling into the trap most companies do when they reach a certain peak of making the most money. Young Living could easily head into the lab and create something that smells the same and sell it to meet the demand, but that’s not how they work. The yield is up to the Earth and the purity is what matters most. And for this I am forever grateful.

I am also forever grateful for the community of oilers that I am a part of. They support me and are advocates for my health much like their own. Every individual member has a team of people surrounding them and helping them on their journey. With Young Living being a global company, you are bound to find a Young Living community around you. The resources Young Living provides ensure you will succeed on your journey. Your team members host classes, webinars and offer support ALWAYS.

I think for me, the amount of passion members have for holding health to the highest level of importance is what makes Young Living so important to me. Our devotion is the same of many others around the world and together, making a difference really is possible. Speaking of making a difference, Young Living gives back. A ton. And as a member, you get to be a part of it.

Last week, I cut old jeans to send to Sole Hope, one of the organizations supported by Young Living, to make into shoes for children in Uganda who suffer from jiggers on their feet. Here is the link to the Young Living Foundation page.

“Okay, so we get that you LOVE the company, now how do you use them?”

There are three ways to use essential oils:

1. Aromatically: you can put a few drops of essential oils on your hands, rub them together and inhale deeply. Diffusing is another way to use essential oils aromatically. A diffuser creates a fine mist that disperses the oils throughout a space.
2. Topically: essential oils are absorbed within the first 20 seconds of application. Acetaminophen takes 30 minutes. You can put them directly on your skin and explore areas that are most effective depending on the oil and its use.
   1. Carrier oils: some of the oils are considered “hot oils” for their chemical makeup and potency. It doesn’t make them dangerous, they are just a little more sensitive on your skin and may cause discomfort when not diluted. The carrier oil slows the absorption and can be great when you are going for a massage effect. Carrier oils are fatty oils such as: olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E oil, etc.
3. Internally: you can purchase gel capsules, throw in a carrier oil along with the oil you want to ingest and then take them like a pill! (Not my method of choice) But I LOVE to add oils to my tea and water. Warning: Oil and water don’t mix, so some of the thicker oils will sit on top. If you’re using a hot oil make sure to stir it really well or mix it with honey. Another trick is putting lip balm on before say drinking tea with Thieves in it to keep the oil from sinking into your lips. Young Living also has their own line of supplements that are filled with yummy essential oils, so I usually just leave it up to the experts.

Here are the 11 most popular oils. The mother of all essential oils and the oils that come in your starter kit when you become a member.

1. Lemon: 20 lemons go into making one bottle of lemon essential oil. It’s the fresh scent that reminds everyone of clean. Lemon can be added to your water, used to get the stickers off of your new purchases and of course used for cleaning. What isn’t lemon good for?
2. Lavender: I go through a bottle a month at least. Because like Lemon, it is good for everything. It is extremely calming and is the most gentle oil. Lavender promotes restful sleep and calm minds. And it smells AMAZING.
3. Peppermint: There is a pound of peppermint plant in one bottle 15 ml. of peppermint essential oil. Add it to brownies, tea or anything that needs a little refreshing mint flavor. It also is great to support tummy discomfort you may have. Peppermint is great to kick start your energy and awaken your senses.
4. RC: For all those “I can’t breathe moments.” RC is a blend of three types of Eucalyptus, pine, lavender, cypress and others. Uplift and inspire easy breathing and focus. RC also assists in quiet sleeping and is great on your chest before a run!
5. Thieves: The mother of all oils. This oil is also a blend created by Young Living and is known for it’s healthy immune support power. It smells of cinnamon and is soothing and supportive all in one. It is also the base of all Young Living’s healthy home products.
6. Purification: For all things stinky: shoes, clothes, cooking. You can also use Purification when heading into the outdoors for a pest free experience.
7. Di-Gize: Kind of sounds like digest right? Pretty much. I think this one smells like black licorice, but man does it work for tummy troubles.
8. Frankincense: The sacred frankincense that you hear about in all Christmas stories. It is used with meditation and has many other amazing health benefits like healthy skin. I add it to my moisturizer and you may have seen it in my body butter recipe. Also known as Frank.
9. PanAway: A hard workout or staring at my computer screen for 8 hours will cause some muscle and joint discomfort. Pan-Away helps sooth those tired muscles and everyday tension and stress.
10. Copaiba: The driver oil. If you need an oil to work a littler harder, add some copaiba over top. You can do some research on this one and you’ll learn that there are some amazing benefit to using this oil. Add it to your tea for some overall supportive health benefits.

Then they give you a bonus oil, usually stress away. Because come on, who doesn’t need vacation in a bottle? It has vanilla in it and smells SO GOOD.

So these are the 10 most popular oils, but there are hundreds of others and you’ll soon fall in love. These 10 oils come in your premium starter kit along with a diffuser when you start your membership.

Being a member is essentially like any other membership. Once you have your starter kit, there isn’t a monthly fee and you are free to go wherever you want with your oily journey. You just have to spend roughly $50 in product a year to stay a member. Which trust me, isn’t hard to do…

OH. I forgot to mention the best part of membership. The rewards. As a member, you receive wholesale pricing which is 24% off retail. All oils, every time.

My oil journey is a huge part in my overall health and well-being and has helped me replace all those toxins. Young Living not only sells oils, but they have a ton of non-toxic essential oil based products that are amazing. Another thing I love about Young Living is being able to minimize my spending and consumption. With the potency of oils and the concentration of their products, I buy less and use less. Nothing is diluted and to me, it makes so much sense to buy laundry detergent that isn’t 90% water.

Note: All further discussion on my blog will apply to Young Living Essential oils only and has not been evaluated by the FDA. This is my experience, my journey thanks for coming along.

Giveaway alert: Isn’t this fun?! I have a Peppermint sitting on my shelf waiting to be used by a new oily friend. Like my post or answer the question below before midnight on Sunday, February 19 to be entered. Follow my blog to be entered twice!

Love & Stuff,

KT

Out of the 10 oils listed above, which could you see yourself using? If you are interested in learning more about Young Living, email me at wanderfullymadelife@gmail.com. I’d love to answer your questions and inspire your non-toxic journey. You can also explore the website by visiting YoungLiving.com