Use hydrosols to moisturize, tone, and heal your skin. Add them to your own personalized skin care preparations such as toners, masks, facial scrubs, hand soaps, facial moisturizers, body creams and lotions. Hydrosols help to keep your skin looking and feeling good while nourishing and hydrating.

Essential oils are very concentrated and should always be diluted before applying to the skin, unless applying to the soles of feet. A small amount can be applied neat (undiluted) to the soles of the feet.

Create a massage blend by adding essential oils to the vegetable or carrier oil of your choice. Add 10-30 drops of essential oil to 1 oz of carrier oil. Once mixed, store in a clean glass bottle (preferably colored) in a cool dark place. Before using the blend, mix it by rolling the bottle back and forth in your hands.

For an adult, add 4-6 drops of pure essential oil or essential oil blend to your bath water while it is running to disperse the oil. Then allow yourself time for a GOOD SOAK. Depending on your choice of oils, your bath can be relaxing, stimulating, detoxifying, nourishing, and/or sensual.

Create your own relaxing, stimulating, detoxifying, or nourishing foot bath by adding 15-20 drops of pure essential oil to your warm foot bath water and allow time for a GOOD SOAK.

Inhalations

To a bowl of steaming hot water, add 3-6 drops of a stimulating essential oil. With a towel over your head, lean over the bowl and inhale for 3-5 minutes. This is especially beneficial for anyone with sinus or other respiratory problems.

Mix a few drops of essential oils to a carrier oil to make your own natural perfume. See our Emotion+Mind Well-Being page for specific essential oils.

Hydrosols can be used to purify the air and add natural fragrance to your environment. You can also make a freshening mist by adding 10-30 drops of your favorite essential oil to one ounce of distilled water and one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will help disperse the oil into the water. Put in a spray bottle and shake gently before each use.

Add your favorite essential oils to a diffuser (with water) or to an electric nebulizer (without water) to create your own desired ambiance. Put 5-15 drops in the diffuser's burner or dish or 20-200 drops in a nebulizer, depending on its capacity.

Did you know that you can use essential oils in your garden as natural, safe and effective repellents against insects and other critters? You can!

• Ants -- citronella, peppermint
• Caterpillars -- peppermint
• Flies -- blue tansy, citronella, lavender, peppermint
• Mosquitoes -- blue tansy, citronella, lavender, lemongrass
• Snails -- cedarwood, patchouli
• Slugs -- cedarwood