The first time you take in the aroma of essential oils can set you on a new life path. The comfort of Cinnamon Bark, the cooling sensation of Eucalyptus, the calming aroma of Lavender—they elevate your experience and connection to nature. As you begin your journey of becoming an essential oil connoisseur, many questions will pop up. We’re here to answer your questions and help you integrate essential oils into your daily life—from incorporating essential oils in cooking to using essential oils with children.

What do I need to know before I start using essential oils?

Learning how to use essential oils can feel a little overwhelming, but once you nail down the basics, integrating oils into your daily life becomes intuitive! The first step is to learn the lingo of essential oils. Once you fully understand terminology such as “cold pressed” and “hot oils,” you’ll be able to make quick decisions without doing a ton of research.

Photosensitive essential oils - photo of Lemon, Lime, Bergamot, Orange, and Citrus Fresh next to fresh cut citrus fruits - Young Living Lavender Life Blog

Once you have the lingo down, it’s time to learn the basic dos and don’ts of essential oils. For example, some of our oils are photoreactive, meaning they can increase your skin’s sensitivity to UV rays. It’s important to take certain safety measures when using these oils to avoid negative reactions. Citrus oils are among the most common oils that cause photosensitivity, but they’re not the only oils that can. Don’t worry: All Young Living’s photoreactive essential oils are labeled so you can double check for safety measures before heading out into the sun.

Looking for more essential oil shortcuts? Read our guide for quick application ideas for our most popular oils.

Which oils are safe to ingest?

While many people enjoy cooking and baking with essential oils, you should always be careful before adding something new to your recipes. To help users feel confident in their choices, we’ve created a line that is clearly labeled for internal use: Vitality™. Though these oils are safe to ingest, it is important to follow the label instructions so you can always know the correct amount of essential oil to use.

Lavender Vitality Essential Oil - Young Living Essential Oils

Can I use essential oils if I am pregnant?

Carrying a bun in the oven is a huge responsibility, and that duty can weigh on a stressed-out mother. Young Living takes the stress away with products you know are safe for baby. Explore some of our favorite tips for utilizing the power of essential oils during your pregnancy, including sleep and skin care routines to keep new moms feeling like themselves. Always consult with a health professional before using essential oils during pregnancy.  

Little girl with KidScents roll-ons and essential oils - Young Living Lavender Life Blog

How can I use essential oils around my kids?

The amazing benefits of essential oils are not reserved only for adults. There are countless ways you can use Young Living’s oils around your littles. You can find many uses that both you and your kids will love, from creating homemade aromatherapy slime, bath crayons, and play dough to diffusing or rolling on oils! Our KidScents® and Seedlings® lines take out the guessing game by diluting our classic oils, making them safe for children. Diffuse oils while relaxing with your kids and read about how our Seedlings line makes raising little ones a bit more simple.

Read our ultimate how-to guide for information on how to get started safely incorporating essential oils into your children’s routines.

Can I use essential oils on my pets?

Animals are creatures of nature, and they too can reap the benefits of essential oils! Our Animal Scents™ line is made to safely use around your beloved four-legged friends. However, there are important guidelines to follow when beginning to use oils around your pets. Read this quick how-to guide to learn the basics and treat your furry friends to a little bit of pampering.

Can I use essential oils for cleaning?

When it comes to cleaning products, the industry standard is to pack products with as many chemicals as possible. We do things a little differently around here. As believers in nature, we’ve created cleaning products that skip the chemicals and wipe away dirt and grime the natural way. Essential oils allow for effective cleaning for a happy, healthy home that’s free of harsh chemicals. Reach for Thieves® Household Cleaner when cleaning bathrooms, conquering your kitchen, and getting creative on cleaning day. You can make 29 DIY cleaners with just this one bottle of Thieves cleaning concentrate! Fall in love with the entire Thieves line, including the hand soap, kitchen and bath scrub, and dish soap. In addition to our Thieves cleaning products, there are many essential oils for natural cleaning, including Eucalyptus Globulus and Lemon.

Don’t have time to deep clean your home? Try out our squeaky-clean diffuser blends to fake a clean house.

Now that you have the answers to some of your very important questions, we’ve put together a list of some of the ways that essential oils can change your life!

Thieves home products on countertop and shelf - Young Living Lavender Life Blog

You’ll smell amazing

“You have to tell me what perfume you’re wearing!” You’re going to hear this a lot. You’ll chuckle to yourself because it’s not really perfume at all: It’s the pure scent of Mother Nature herself—Young Living essential oils!

Ooze confidence wherever you go with one of our scent-sational Patchouli perfume recipes. People are going to want to know how you smell just like a blossoming orange grove or field of brilliant purple lavender, and you’ll tell them that it’s because that’s exactly where the aroma came from! It’s the smell of Seed to Seal® premium essential oils.

You’ll get inspired to greater overall wellness

A gym bag isn’t complete without your army of oils. A few drops of invigorating Peppermint Vitality can be just the thing you need to do that extra pull-up or run that extra mile. A drop of Grapefruit Vitality™ can be the difference between drinking a couple sips of water or the entire bottle. Keep these oils handy for those moments when a little motivation could help you go the distance. Aside from these two incredible oils, there are various other Young Living products that are great to add as part of your active lifestyle.

Bedroom with Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser on side table - Young Living Lavender Life blog

They’ll help make your house a home

Essential oils have a way of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Create the atmosphere you desire in your home with the help of sweet-smelling diffuser blends. With only a few drops of Cinnamon Bark, Orange, and Clove, a dark, cold winter night can turn into a festive, cozy evening. With natural home fragrances like this, you’ll find it easier to enjoy each day for the gift it is and spend more time cuddling and conversing than daydreaming of tropical beaches.

Essential oils can also enhance even the most basic of daily rituals. Your little ones will love the dreamy aromas of gentle Tangerine and enchanting Lavender as part of their bedtime routine. When they bring home that crazy boyfriend or crash the car as teens, you can smell these oils and remember simpler days of storytime, jammies, and butterfly kisses.

Make sure Young Living essential oils are a part of your family milestones and everyday activities, so with just a quick whiff, you can transport yourself back to your happiest, most magical memories.

They will spark your creativity

 With essential oils, the usage possibilities are virtually endless. There are always more applications to try! You might start by adding a couple drops to your moisturizer, laundry, or household cleaner. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself in a sort of essential oil Nirvana, covered in coconut oil and beeswax, vigorously shaking bottles of Peppermint and Lavender over a mixing bowl—and you won’t be able to stop there! You’ll start making DIY essential oil hair masks, garbage disposal refreshers, and even holiday garland—not to mention all the ways you’ll use Young Living Vitality oils in the kitchen.

You’ll need to embrace the fact that essential oils will become a key part of your everyday life, and the more you use them, the more you’ll wonder how you ever got by without them.

DIY garland with Peppermint & Pine Essential Oils - Young Living Lavender Life Blog

You’ll find a greater connection with nature

Young Living essential oils are a pure distillation of the best Mother Nature has to offer. In an increasingly artificial world, they serve as a reminder of the pure and simple. As you use them in your life, your bond with nature will grow, along with your appreciation for the bounteous gifts it offers you.

Every time you reach for a bottle of Geranium over a synthetic perfume or use Orange Vitality instead of artificial flavoring, you’re supporting a world where humans and nature live together in harmony—the way it was meant to be.

Invite the woodsy, crisp smells of nature into your home by diffusing one of our blends inspired by U.S. National Forests.

An old proverb says: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” You’ve taken the first step toward a life filled with greater wellness, purpose, and abundance. Bask in the power of essential oils and watch your life change one drop at a time.

What new essential oil are you excited to try?

Tell us in the comments below!