BY: Erin Chou
-N.H.P., R.M.T.
Revised Date: Nov.8,2018
Precautions:
Avoid prolonged use of any oil.
Keep oils out of reach of children and pets.
None of the oils discussed can be used for pregnant women.
Eucalyptus, rosemary, and thyme oils cannot be used for people with high blood pressure.
Discontinue use if irritation occurs. Certain oils, such as citrus (lemon, tangerine, grapefruit), pine, eucalyptus and the spice oils (cinnamon, ginger), are known irritants.
Part 1: How to mix oils for different applications
For massage:
| Small dose | Large dose | ||||||||
| Base oil (ml) | 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 10 | 10 |
| Essential oil (drops) | 1 | 2-5 | 4-8 | 6-15 | 8-20 | 10-25 | 12-30 | 3 | 10 |
Recommended Base oil = Carrying oil: (cold pressed) almond, avocado, coconut, rapeseed, olive or sesame.
When oil has dual functions, use small dose for sedating, laming, relaxing purposes when there is anxiety, irritability…, or focus is needed. And use large dose for invigorating, stimulating, or uplifting purposes when there is depression, fatigue…
1 tea spoon= 5 ml 1 table spoon=15 ml
To choose a blend of oils for application: Use up to 5 different oils in 1 blend. E.g. if you use 10 drops of oil and you pick 5 different oils to use, and then divide 10 drops among them. So use 2 drops per oil you pick for your blend.
For bath: Use 3-10 drops oils in warm or hot bathtub water depending on the strength, property and benefit of each oil.
For foot bath: Use 3 drops oils in 1 basin of warm or hot water.
For mouth rinse: Mix 300 ml warm water with 1-3 drops oil.
For shower:
| Body Cleanser/lotion (ml) | 10 |
| Essential oil (drops) | 4-5 |
For shampooing:
| Shampoo | Adequate amount |
| Essential oil (drops) | 3-5 |
For Hair Conditioning:
| Conditioner (ml) | 30 |
| Essential oil (drops) | 25 |
For inhalation, head steam or using a diffuser:
| Boiling water or cold water in a diffuser (cup) | 1 |
| Essential oil (drops) | 3-5 |
For facials:
| Masque | Adequate amount |
| Essential oil (drops) | 2-3 |
Part 2: Oils that benefit arthritis and other common conditions
Chamomile
Known as most gentle oil. Safe for children but not pregnant women.
Multiple functions, among most commonly used and well known oils.
Benefit liver, lung, spleen and kidney.
Massage muscles and joints: Reduce all kinds of pain and aches.
Massage lower back, sacral region and lower abdomen: Regulate menstruation.
Apply directly on skin: Treat all kinds of skin sensitivities/disorders.
Inhalation (put 2 drops of oil on handkerchief during sleep): Treat asthma and environmental allergy.
Cinnamon
Use small dose since oil could cause skin irritation.
Very warm and invigorating, reduce bruising.
Benefit liver, spleen and kidney.
Massage or steam sauna: Reduce joint or body ache when pain is worse with cold weather.
Massage lower abdomen: Warm up uterus to reduce menstrual pain; also reduce loose skin.
Cypress
A bit warming, calming (improve easily angry), strong effect in stopping bleeding.
Benefit heart, liver and spleen.
Support circulation to joint tissues and lymphatic system.
Massage: Reduce arthritis pain and excessive menstrual flow.
Massage from lower part of legs toward thighs (mix 30 ml base oil with 15 drops oil): Reduce varicose veins.
Eucalyptus
Cooling, calming, clear mind, analgesic.
Benefit lung and bladder meridian.
Massage: Reduce joint pain or any types of fever.
Directly apply at temple areas: Treat migraine headache.
Inhalation, head steam, or diffuser: Fight flu, sinus and upper respiratory infections.
Directly apply on skin (mix 1ml base oil with 2-3 drops of oil): Effective for eczema, burns and pimples.
Frankincense
Warming, calming, nervine, antidepressant (directly apply 1-2 drops behind ears): Help anxiety and postnatal depression.
Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, circulatory stimulant.
Benefit heart, liver and spleen.
Massage: For all kinds of sport injuries, arthritis and menstrual pain.
Ginger
Could cause skin irritation.
Warming, invigorating, promote focus and memory.
Benefit lung and stomach.
Massage or bath: Reduce joint and muscle pain that moves around, also reduce migraine, common cold, diarrhea that are due to wind-cold.
Steam sauna: Reduce common cold, cough and asthma.
Massage around umbilicus (stomach button): Relieve stomachache and diarrhea.
Massage entire abdomen (mix 5 ml base oil with 5 drops oil): Eliminate abdominal cellulite (fatty tissues).
Juniper
Use small dose and avoid prolonged use. Avoid in history of kidney disease.
A bit warming, invigorating, antispasmodic, diuretic, detoxifier, circulatory stimulant.
Benefit lung, liver and kidney.
Bath (3 drops oil): Good for arthritis, muscularskeletal pain and sciatica (sciatic nerve pain). Also promote urination and reduce edema.
Massage: Help mental exhaustion, anxiety and jet lag; strengthen the nervous system.
Lavender
Famous for burns and sun burns.
Multiple functions, among most commonly used and well known oils.
Antidepressant, sedative, nervine.
Analgesic, antispasmodic, hypotensive.
Benefit liver, lung, spleen and kidney.
Massage: Reduce all kinds of pain, headache, stomachache… Muscle spasm, sprain and strain…
Good for anger, irritability, insomnia, stress, anxiety and hysteria.
Marjoram
Cooling, calming, stress reducing.
Vasodilator, increase circulation to joints, reduces blood pressure.
Benefit lung, liver and kidney.
Foot bath: Reduce headache, esp. Caused by high blood pressure.
Massage: Reduce excessive menstrual flow and pain; manage strains, sprains and bruising.
Mouth rinse (can blend with tea tree oil): Help cold with sore throat.
Peppermint
Could cause skin irritation.
Dual functions, balancing, cooling feature.
Analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory.
Benefit lung and liver.
Mouth rinse: Eliminate bad breath.
Inhalation: Good for headache, mental fatigue, depression, lethargy and shock.
Massage: Reduce arthritis pain with inflammation and swelling.
Head steam or steam sauna: Fight cold with fever and sore throat.
Rosemary
Warming, tonic, stimulant, restorative,.
Multiple functions, among most commonly used and well known oils.
Analgesic, antispasmodic, diuretic, hypertensive.
Benefit liver, lung, spleen and kidney.
Massage: Good for arthritis, all kinds of pain, including menses-related. And of course, muscular soreness, bruising and cramping.
Massage (at center of chest, directly apply 1 drop of oil): Help asthma and cough.
Inhalation (put 2 drops of oil on clothes or pillow): Work for general debility, mental fatigue, depression, apathy and lethargy.
Thyme
Could cause skin irritation.
Warming, invigorating, increase memory and focus.
Analgesic, hypertensive.
Benefit Lung, liver, spleen.
Bath: To increase blood pressure and reduce fatigue.
Bath (add 2 table spoon Epsom salt): Effective for all types of arthritis (pathogens, such as: wind, cold or dampness), all joint and muscular pain, sciatica, low back pain due to muscle strain, and gout.
Shampoo and massage scalp (can blend with rosemary, tea tree, or basil): Treat dandruff and hair loss.