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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USF chapter.

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If you’ve ever found yourself lathering your body in Bath and Body Works Eucalyptus Stress Relief Lotion, you may enjoy essential oils. According to DoTerra, essential oils are “naturally occurring, volatile aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants.” These oils have such unique and potent scents that they are often used in aromatherapy. There are many oils and each aroma has a different benefit that can be used for our mind and body.

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How Do You Use Them?

The most common way to use essential oils is through aromatic diffusion or topical application. I mainly use essential oils in my oil diffuser/humidifier. I fill it with water and add a few drops of whichever oil I want, and I’m pleased with beautiful aromas for the next 3 to 6 hours.

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What are Some of the Benefits?

There are so many kinds of essential oils, but I’m only going to discuss six of the most popular oils and how you can use them for your benefit.

 

Lavender: This is probably the most widely known essential oil, and it makes sense as to why. Lavender is used mainly for stress relief and a sleep aid. Some people add a few drops to their pillow to fall asleep quicker.

 

Orange: This is the best smelling essential oil in my opinion. The sweet scent is great for mood-boosting.

 

Eucalyptus: This oil probably has the most distinct smell and is great for respiratory issues. I put a few drops of this oil in my diffuser when I have a stuffy nose and it works wonders.

 

Tea Tree Oil: This oil is one of the best for healing properties. It is used to fight infections and help your immune system while also being a great remedy for dandruff. You can try adding a few drops to your shampoo for clean hair and a cooling sensation on your scalp.

 

(CAUTION: Tea Tree Oil can be extremely toxic to dogs and cats. You can find out more information on that here).

 

Lemongrass: When people get a whiff of this scent, they most often associate it with cleaning. However, did you know you can also use this oil for aiding digestion and increased energy?

 

Clary Sage: Listen up, ladies! This might be the most beneficial essential oil of them all to us. This magical compound is known for its aid in relieving menstrual cramps. It also helps with

hormonal imbalances and hot flashes.

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If you’d like more information on essential oils and where you can buy them, you can go to youngliving.com

Interests include but are not limited to: art, history, astrology, skin care, the french, politics (yikes), frank ocean, controversy and being extremely overdramatic.