The Three Most Popular Essential Oils & How To Use Them in Everyday Life

The primary colors, French mirepoix, and Destiny’s Child. What do these things have in common?

They’re all famous trios!

When it comes to essential oils, the ultimate trio includes: Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint.

There are so many different essential oils out there, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. If you’re curious about essential oils, but don’t know where to start, I recommend these three multitasking superstars.

Lavender

The benefits of lavender essential oil were discovered over 2,500 years ago, and lavender remains the most widely used essential oil in the world today.

Lavender has been scientifically shown to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, sedative, calming, and antidepressant properties.

Here are some simple ways to incorporate lavender essential oil into your daily life.

Support more restful sleep: Mix 1-2 drops of lavender oil with 2-3 drops of coconut oil and apply to the bottoms of your feet before bedtime to promote relaxation.
Promote healing of scrapes, burns, and other skin irritations: Mix 3-5 drops of lavender with a half teaspoon of coconut oil, and apply the mixture to the affected areas twice daily.
Ease headaches: Combine 2 drops each of lavender and peppermint oil with 2-3 drops of coconut oil, and apply to the forehead, temples, back of neck, and behind the ears for calming relief.
Relax with a spa-worthy bath: Add 15 drops of lavender oil and one cup of Epsom salts to your bath for a peaceful respite.
Make a natural lip balm: Add 1-2 drops of lavender to shea butter, jojoba oil, or coconut oil to soften chapped lips.
Soothe sunburn: Add 2-3 drops of lavender oil to a half teaspoon of coconut oil and apply to sunburned skin to hydrate and heal.
Improve your mood: Diffuse 5 drops of lavender oil, or inhale directly from the bottle, to quiet feelings of stress and overwhelm.

Lemon

Lemon essential oil has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 1,000 years, and remains the most popular citrus essential oil today.

Lemon is best known for its ability to cleanse toxins from the body, rejuvenate energy, purify skin, fight bacteria, and naturally deodorize spaces.

Here are some easy ways to incorporate lemon essential oil into your daily life.

Refresh the bathroom: Place 1-2 drops of lemon oil inside your toilet paper roll. Every time the roll spins, you’ll release the scent and clean the air.
Remove sticky goo: Add 3-5 drops of lemon oil directly to the residue. Rub the spot with a damp washcloth and rinse clean with water. Repeat as necessary. Effective on glass, non-porous surfaces, and even the skin.
Boost your energy: Diffuse 5 drops of lemon oil, or inhale directly from the bottle, to naturally put a little extra pep in your step.
Refresh the house: Place 1-2 drops of lemon oil inside your vacuum bag or filter to freshen the house while you clean.
Relieve Cough: Add 1-2 drops of the highest-quality lemon essential oil to warm water and honey.
Boost your immune system: Mix 2–3 drops of lemon oil with a half teaspoon of coconut oil and rub the mixture into your neck and on the bottoms of your feet.
Remove grease stains: Sprinkle the stain with baking soda and 2-3 drops of lemon oil. Let the mixture sit for one hour. Scrape off excess baking soda and launder as normal.
Remove odors in your kitchen: Saturate a cotton ball with lemon oil and place at the bottom of your trash bin.
Reduce appearance of sunspots: Mix 2-3 drops of lemon oil with a half teaspoon of coconut oil and massage into face and neck to reduce acne marks, sunspots, and other areas of discoloration.

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil has roots in traditional European, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, and Egyptian medicine practices. Today, peppermint oil is still one of the most popular and versatile oils available.

Peppermint is best known for its ability to relieve muscle & joint pain, provide respiratory benefits, reduce nausea & digestive issues, repel bugs, and freshen breath.

Here are some easy ways to incorporate peppermint essential oil into your daily life.

Relieve muscle & joint pain: Mix 2-3 drops of peppermint oil with a half teaspoon of coconut oil and apply to the affected area three times daily. For bath lovers, combine 5 drops of peppermint oil, 10 drops of lavender oil, and one cup of Epsom salt for soothing relief.
Open your airways: Diffuse 5 drops of peppermint oil, inhale directly from the bottle, or mix 2-3 drops of peppermint oil with a half teaspoon of coconut oil and apply to the temples, back of neck & ears, and over the throat to reduce congestion.
Ease headaches: Combine 2 drops each of peppermint & lavender oil with 2-3 drops of coconut oil, and apply to the forehead, temples, back of neck, and behind the ears for soothing relief.
Sharpen focus: Mix 1 drop of peppermint oil with 2-3 drops of coconut oil and apply to your temples and back of neck to improve concentration.
Ease nausea and digestive discomfort: Mix 2-3 drops of peppermint oil with a half teaspoon of coconut oil and apply to the tummy in a clockwise motion to reduce gas, bloat, constipation, and nausea. Apply counterclockwise to ease diarrhea.
Repel bugs: Ants, spiders, and other insects detest peppermint. Keep critters at bay by dousing cotton balls in peppermint oil and placing them in problem areas around your house. Or, add 15 drops of peppermint oil to a 16 oz spray bottle of water and spritz the problem areas.
Freshen breath: Add a drop of peppermint oil to your toothpaste before brushing. Hello, fresh!

A few notes:

There are many brands of essential oils available, so it’s important to do some research before buying. You want to ensure that you’re getting 100% pure essential oil. The term “pure” can legally be used on bottles containing as little as 5% essential oil concentration. Look at the label and ensure that the essential oil you think you’re buying is the only ingredient listed.
Visit the company’s website and understand their principles. Do they have special certifications? What type of farmers do they support? Do they practice organic agriculture? What type of education do they provide their customers? There are many ways to cut corners to save on costs. Make sure that you’re buying from companies that are committed to upholding the integrity of their oils.
If ingesting an essential oil, it is important to confirm with the company that it was extracted in a way that makes it safe to do so.
I strongly recommend purchasing essential oils that come in glass containers. Essential oils are concentrated compounds that deteriorate plastics.
At Nourish, we’re big fans of Mountain Rose Herbs, Plant Therapy, and Young Living. I’m confident that there are other excellent companies out there, but these are the ones that we’ve extensively researched, tested, and trust.
I mentioned (fractionated) coconut oil as the “carrier oil” in which to dilute essential oils for topical application, but you can use any of your favorite neutral-smelling oils, like jojoba, argan, grapeseed, hempseed, avocado, and even olive oil.
We run several diffusers throughout our house on the daily, but there’s no need to invest in a diffuser when first experimenting with oils. An inexpensive alternative is a clothespin! Simply apply 5 drops of oil to the clothespin and clip to an air vent. Voila!

Plants are powerful and support physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. I invite you to come play and discover what essential oils can do for you.