Mini Starter Kit

The new Mini Starter Kits arrived in the mail today! I'm so glad Butterfly Express is finally doing this!

The kit includes 10 ml bottles of peppermint, lavender, Breezey, Deeper, Deliverance, and Millenia (click on the links to read more about each oil) plus 1/2 oz coconut oil, 1/2 oz almond oil, and 1/2 oz Miracle Salve. It also includes a small pamphlet that lists their most common oils and what they are used for (for easy reference), plus tips on how to use the oils (similar to my list here.)

The coconut oil and almond oil are the best carrier oils with a very light texture and mild smell.

The Miracle Salve can be used as a carrier oil. It was originally formulated to treat burns and prevent infection, but it's been used in many other ways. I have really liked using it on the skin around my fingernails that tend to crack and bleed during the winter months. My husband burned his hand on an auto part and I put some lavender on it. He said it helped but there was still some discomfort. Then I added the Miracle Salve and it took the rest of the pain away.

This kit is only $45--a 30% savings!!! If you've ever wanted to try essential oils, this is the kit to get! These oils are my favorite and I consider them as must-haves.

If you would like to order this kit, you can contact me by e-mail or message me on my Facebook page. My contact info is listed in the upper right corner under "Contact Me".

Essential Oils 101: Carrier Oils

When you first start learning about essential oils, it won't be long before you hear the words "carrier oil" and wonder what that's all about!

A carrier oil is usually an oil derived from a vegetable, nut, or seed. Common carrier oils are coconut oil and almond oil.

The purpose of a carrier oil is to literally carry the essential oil. Essential oils are very potent, and often times less is more. Only one or two drops are needed to access the benefits of the essential oil. A carrier oil helps to carry the essential oil over a greater surface. If someone had a sore back and you wanted to rub some peppermint on their back, it would require a lot of peppermint oil to cover the entire surface of the back. That much oil would be very irritating to the skin, and it would be very costly to use that much essential oil. The solution is to use a carrier oil to allow the essential oil to spread over a greater surface without irritating the skin. In the example of applying essential oils to a back, you would pour some carrier oil into your hand, drop a few drops of peppermint into the carrier oil, mix it together in your hand, and rub it over the surface of the back.

Another benefit to using a carrier oil is that it traps the more volatile molecules of the essential oil so they don't evaporate before they can be absorbed into the skin. In the book "Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils" the author's husband explained it this way: "Imagine putting an alcohol-based primer on hot asphalt prior to painting it. That would be almost impossible since the alcohol would evaporate almost before it touched the road. Essential oils behave in a similar manner. They are made of several different constituents, some of which evaporate at lower temperatures and faster rates than others. Place these essential oils on the skin (90 - 95 degrees) and the higher, more volatile notes dissipate before they can be absorbed. A carrier oil stabilizes the essential oil, holding onto all the constituents until they can be absorbed. The chemical composition of the oil remains intact."

Carrier oils (of good quality) contain healing properties within themselves and aid the essential oils in healing the body. Most people choose to use almond or coconut oil as a carrier oil because of their affordability, light feel, quick absorption, and less-oily texture. If you want to learn more about the healing properties of individual carrier oils, I recommend LaRee Westover's book "Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils". There is a section just for carrier oils with detailed descriptions of various oils and their therapeutic properties. There are also many references online.

If you come across an essential oil that causes skin irritation, washing it off with water can increase the irritation because water enhances the action of the oil. Applying a carrier oil over the irritation will lessen the discomfort and reduce the potency of the essential oil.

There are various opinions regarding the use of carrier oils. One opinion is that essential oils should never be used on the skin without a carrier oil because they are too potent. I personally use oils "neat" (without a carrier oil) all the time without any problems. Your skin may be more sensitive and require a carrier oil to avoid irritation. Always use a carrier oil with children and babies! Their skin is more sensitive than an adult and more likely to be irritated.

When using a carrier oil with an essential oil, only the mix them together right before applying them. Do not mix them together and store them. It doesn't take long for the carrier oil to break down the essential oil, which decreases the essential oil's potency and therapeutic properties. Carrier oils have a shorter shelf life than essential oils and will go rancid. This is why you want to make sure the essential oils you purchase do not have carrier oils added to them. (Note: I was really surprised to find that of the 4 bottles of doTerra oil that I own, 2 had coconut oil added to them! Read your labels!)

Coconut oil is my favorite carrier oil because it has the lightest feel and absorbs quickly. I keep a small bottle of it in my case of essential oils. I apply it to the feet before a foot zone to soften the skin (so I don't tear up the skin on my knuckles) and to aid in distributing the essential oils that I apply all over the foot. I also use it when using essential oils for an ear ache. The essential oil (whichever you choose to use--I like lavender or tea tree) is too strong to be dropped directly into the ear. It's best to mix one or two drops with a carrier oil, then drop it into the ear and let it sit in there.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact me!

4 Favorite Ways to Use Essential Oils

I made this quick-reference graphic for my 4 favorite ways to use essential oils. For a more detailed explanation, please refer to this post.

Essential Oils 101: How to use Essential Oils

Life has been crazy at my house and I haven't had time to update my blog in awhile, and I've been so excited about this next section: how to use essential oils! A lot of people are curious about essential oils and want to try them, but don't know how to use them. These are my favorite ways to use essential oils.

1. On the feet. This is the best way to get oils into your body. Our feet have large pores that quickly absorb the oils and distribute them throughout the body. Studies have shown that when oil is applied to the feet, it can be detected throughout the body within 20 minutes. The feet also have reflexology points for every part of the body. For the most part, I simply apply a few drops of oil along the inside surface of the foot. The inside of the foot represents the reflexology signals for the spine. Since everything in our body is connected to the nerves that come from the spine, this is a great place to send the oils to be distributed throughout the body. I truly believe that oils go where they are needed. If you want to apply the oils to more specific locations (for example, if you want to apply Breezey and Aspire to the lungs), you can look at one of the many foot reflexology maps online to see where the energy signal is on the foot. I haven't found one online yet that I feel like is completely accurate (as I was taught in foot zoning) but they are close enough. I believe there is power in intention, and if you have the intent to send the oil to a certain organ, it will make it there. Here's an example of a reasonably accurate map:

You only need to apply a few drops of oil to the feet. Some sources say that you need to use 10-15 drops on the feet, but this isn't necessary (and can be excessive!) if it's a pure, undiluted oil. Another advantage to applying the oils to the feet is the feet are less likely to be sensitive to the oil.

2. Direct application. Since essential oil molecules are very small, they pass easily through the skin. An essential oil applied over a stomach ache can penetrate the skin and bring quick relief. When applying essential oils to the skin, especially over a large surface, you may want to dilute them with a carrier oil like coconut or almond oil. This prevents skin irritation and spreads the oils further than if used alone. For example, if someone had a sore back and wanted to apply peppermint oil, it would require a lot of the oil to cover the surface of the back and would likely be too strong and would irritate the skin. But if a carrier oil is held in the hand, and 1-3 drops added to it, the oil can cover the same area and provide relief without irritating the skin. Always dilute oils when using them on babies and children.

Layering: Oils can be applied one right after the other, a process called Layering. I was taught that blending oils together is a tricky process that requires a lot of knowledge about the oils and how they react to each other. I never put oils together in a bottle (like a roller bottle) to apply for convenience. It's most effective to layer them. It takes only a few seconds for the oil to be absorbed and the skin to be ready for the next oil. I see a lot of recipes online for roller bottles and, to be honest, I don't trust them. I leave the art of blending oils to the professionals. For more information on this, refer to the book "Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils" by LaRee Westover.

3. In a bath. I absolutely love having an essential oils bath! Add just 1-2 drops of oil and swish it around in the water. Water enhances the action of the oil, and the oil has a homeopathic effect on the bath water, mixing with the water molecules. When I have body aches from tension or sickness, I put a few drops of peppermint, Millenia, eucalyptus, and Deeper (or Paine or Warm Down) in the bath and soak away! You can also do a foot bath with warm water and a few drops of oil. Because the oils are pure and do not have any vegetable oils added to it, they are safe to use in baths with jets or jacuzzis and will not clog the motor.

4. Diffuse. The molecules of essential oil are very volatile and disperse into the air easily. There are a number of ways you can diffuse oils:

- Electric diffuser. Diffusers are either heated or non-heated. To maintain the integrity of the oil, choose a non-heated diffuser. Diffusers range in cost from $40-150. My favorite is the Classic Diffuser. Butterfly Express sells this diffuser for about $70. (**Update** Butterfly Express no longer carries this diffuser because of reports of it failing to work properly after the warranty expires. They chose to discontinue it because they want their name to be associated with high quality products. They are now recommending the Monarch Atomizing Diffuser and the Whisper Diffuser.) It can also be purchased on Amazon and at Natural Grocers. You simply fill it with filtered water, add about 5 drops of oil, and it will diffuse for up to 5 hours. During cold and flu season, or when I feel something coming on, I like to diffuse SpiceC to kill any bugs in the air and in my lungs.

- Scentsy warmer. Fill the warmer with water (after removing all the wax) and add about 5 drops of essential oil. The water heats just enough to evaporate slowly, diffusing the oil molecules into the air. Do not place oils into the warming dish by themselves, or the heat will destroy the oil.

- Humidifier. It's best to use a cold-air humidifier/vaporizer to maintain the integrity of the oil. I use this when my kids are sick and I want them to breathe in Breezey and Aspire all night to keep down a cough.

- The most simple method is to place a few drops of oil into a bowl and pour warm water over it. For really deep inhalation, add hot water, drape a towel over your head to form a tent over the bowl, and breathe in the steam.

- Room sprays. Put warm water into a spray bottle (preferably a dark glass bottle since essential oils can erode plastic) and add 20-30 drops of essential oil (more or less depending on your preference) and shake. Let sit for about an hour, then shake again and it's ready to spray. I have seen some recipes include witch hazel in their room sprays, but I don't like it. The scent of witch hazel overpowers the scent of the essential oil. I have heard many times of people putting lavender in a spray bottle and spraying their children's pillows before bedtime. It also makes a wonderful linen spray!

- Cotton ball. Add a few drops to a cotton ball and keep it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket or purse so you can bring it out and sniff it as needed. This can be helpful for nausea and morning sickness (citrus oils or peppermint can be helpful), Tranquility for stressful situations or panic attacks or for kids with ADD/ADHD to help them calm down and refocus in school, or whatever the need may be. You can also clip a cotton ball on to a heater vent or car vent to disperse the oil.

5. Household Use. I'm learning more about how to use oils around the house to cut down on chemicals and fragrances. Instead of using dryer sheets, I put a few drops of lavender on a wool dryer ball to reduce static and to lightly scent the clothes. I diffuse the oils or use room sprays made with oils in place of air fresheners. I saved my old foaming soap bottles from Bath and Body Works and now I make my own foaming hand soap with about 20 drops of SpiceC (because it smells better than Deliverance). The recipe for soap can be found here: http://www.mindfullyfrugalmom.com/2011/09/make-it-yourself-monday-eco-friendly/  There are so many resources online for using oils around the house!

I do not encourage using the oils internally. Some companies suggest putting 10-30 drops (or more) of essential oils into a capsule and swallowing it, or dropping oils under the tongue. As we learned in previous posts, essential oils are extremely concentrated plant material and one drop can be the equivalent of drinking 30 cups of herbal tea. Everything I've learned about essential oils says that they should not be taken internally. My gut feeling is that ingesting essential oils is not a good idea, and that applying them to the feet (or other methods listed above) are just as (if not more) effective. If you do choose to ingest oils, please do your research first and don't just take the word of the company selling the oil.

I like these two articles that I recently read on the subject:
http://empoweredsustenance.com/ingesting-essential-oils/
http://leetea.hubpages.com/hub/Why-Are-All-the-Articles-that-Suggest-Ingesting-Essential-Oils-is-Safe-Written-by-Young-Living-Sales-Reps

If you have any questions about how to use essential oils, please let me know!

Essential Oils 101: How do I choose which oil to use?

There are a lot of essential oils out there! How do you know which one to use? These are my favorite ways to choose which oil to use.

1. Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils by LaRee Westover. This 300 page book is packed full of information about essential oils! It lists every oil that Butterfly Express carries and how to use it. It has an alphabetized list of Suggestions and Practical Uses and a Physical/Emotional chart. You can preview the book here: http://butterflyexpressions.org/Oil/Front.html  I have learned a lot from this book and every time I open it, I learn something new! This book is available to purchase for $15.95 (plus shipping, unless it's in a group order). Contact me if you want to place an order.

2. The Suggestions and Practical Uses list is my go-to list for figuring out which oil to use. Not only can you look up the list in the "Butterfly Miracles" book, but you can also look it up online:  http://www.butterflyexpressions.org/Handouts/PracticalUses.pdf  This is an alphabetized list of ailments and the suggested oils and application. For example, if you wanted to look up which oils to use for a cough, you would go to the Suggestions and Practical Uses list and read this:

"COUGHS: LeAspire, LeBreezey, LeHoliday Spirit, LeMariah, cedarwood, manuka, opoponax. Dilute and apply over the lungs (both front and back) and on the throat; diffuse; inhale."

Keep in mind that you don't need to use ALL of the oils that are suggested. It just lists all the oils that are beneficial for that particular condition. From that list you can choose which oil(s) you feel would meet your needs the best. You may need to read the description of each oil to know which one would work best for you.

3. Also included in the "Butterfly Miracles" book is a Physical/Emotional chart that lists all the blends that Butterfly Express carries and color-codes them to show which oils are for emotional support, physical support, or a combination of physical/emotional support. This provides a fantastic quick-glance at all the blends so you can quickly remind yourself what they do. I keep one folded up in my case of oils so that when I'm zoning a client and they ask about the oil that I just put on their feet, I can pull it out and read the description. (I have over 100 oils and if it's an oil that I don't use often, I forget what it does!) You can also view the chart online here: http://www.butterflyexpressions.org/Handouts/physical_emotional.pdf  Or you can order a printed copy for $0.30.

4. Muscle Testing. In a very small nutshell, muscle testing is a way to measure how my energy responds to the energy of something else. If my body/energy needs an oil, I will get a positive response. If I do not need an oil, I will get a negative response. There are many ways to do muscle testing, and anyone can learn how to do it. It takes lots of practice and lots of allowing.

5. Ask someone that is knowledgeable about oils. When you're first getting started with oils, find someone that you trust and that has similar beliefs about oils as you, and talk to them about the oils that they use. I'm always happy to answer any questions and help pick out oils. If you choose to use Butterfly Express oils, I am a distributor and can place an order for you. My contact info is on the right of the screen. You can follow me on Facebook for updates on the blog and other oil info, or you can e-mail me directly. I also have a Pinterest page where I save my oil ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/katiebodily/essential-oils-class-ideas/

My Favorite Brand of Oils

In my last post I talked about how to identify a good oil, and I listed the 3 brands of oils that I know and recommend. I am sure there are other oil brands that are just as good, I just haven't come across them yet. 

When choosing which brand of oil you want to use, you'll probably hear a lot of different opinions. Some companies claim their oil is the only truly pure oil, or the only certified oil. Some companies offer business opportunities and income potential. It really comes down to your personal preference. 

I personally feel like the oils from Butterfly Express, doTerra, and Young Living are all good oils. I have used each of those oils. I have chosen to stick with Butterfly Express oils for these reasons: 

1. I'm not a fan of multi-level marketing companies. doTerra and Young Living are multi-level marketing companies. I have tried out a few MLM companies and found that it's really not for me. I don't like feeling pressured to ask my friends to host parties, to sign up under me and build my down-line, or to buy product so I can meet my quarterly minimum so I don't get kicked out. For me, essential oils are all about healing and balance. Bringing business and money into it like that ruins the energy of the oils for me. 

2. Butterfly Express is a family-owned business. It is run by a husband-wife team and their employees out of their warehouse in a (very) small town in Idaho. Health and wellness are their life. I recently toured the facility and was impressed with their commitment to retaining the best energy frequency of the oils. The oils are handled as much as possible so they are surrounded by good, positive energy. If anyone comes to work in a bad mood or with negative energy, they are not allowed to work with the oils until they change their energy around. They keep their overhead low so they can keep their prices low.

3. Their prices are much lower than doTerra and Young Living. Because they're not a multi-level marketing company, their prices can stay low. When you buy from a MLM company, there are a lot of people standing in line to get paid. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just not my thing. I made this comparison list to see the differences between their prices: 

doTerra and Young Living oils, for the most part, come in 15 ml bottles. Butterfly Express oils come in 10 ml bottles. It's a difference of 5 ml. (5 ml = 1 teaspoon)

4. When I energy test which oil to use, Butterfly oils come up every single time. Whether I'm using oils on my family or on a client for a foot zone, the oils in my case from doTerra never come up. They've been sitting there for over 4 years. When I energy test which oil has the highest energy frequency, Butterfly Express is the highest. A friend told me about a class she was teaching on energy testing. They put lavender oil from Butterfly, doTerra, and Young Living in unmarked bottles and had the students practice energy testing the oils to see which had the highest energy frequency. The Butterfly lavender tested the highest every time.

5. Butterfly Express promotes the use of essential oils in a way that I feel good about. Other companies suggest using their oils in ways that are contrary to what I have learned and it just doesn't feel right to me. I'm a believer in following your gut and listening to the Spirit.  

The website for Butterfly Express is http://butterflyexpress.net/. My favorite feature of the website is the Suggestions and Practical Uses list. This is my go-to list for picking out which oil to use for which ailment. I am a distributor for Butterfly Express so that I could assist my friends and family with purchasing affordable and quality essential oils. If you have any questions about oils, or specifically about Butterfly Express oils, feel free to contact me (my contact info is on the right of the screen).

Whatever brand of essential oils you choose to use, use it in health and joy! Essential oils are a wonderful tool for helping ourselves and our families. 

Essential Oils 101: What Are Essential Oils?

In the Essential Oils 101 series I'll go back to the basics of essential oils and discuss what essential oils are, how to identify a good oil, safety and precautions, ways to use oils, etc. This is the same information that I teach in my Essential Oils 101 class, for those who are unable to attend. If you're interested in hosting an Essential Oils 101 class, let me know!

As you learn about essential oils and hear the opinions of different people, you'll start to find some contradicting information. There are various schools of thought regarding essential oils. I would encourage you to spend a little time learning about the differences, then decide what you feel like is right for you.

So what are essential oils?

From the book "Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils" by LaRee Westover, we learn that essential oils "contain the nutritive values and healing properties of plants in a very concentrated form. They often heal the body, mind, and spirit, while regenerating damaged tissue and bring oxygen to deprived cells. The use of essential oils also seems to improve overall immune function."

Essential oils are made by extracting the healing properties of a plant, typically through a steam distillation process. I've read that it takes 16 pounds of the fresh peppermint leaf to produce one ounce of essential oil! And that one drop of pure essential oil is equivalent to drinking 30 cups of herbal tea. That's how concentrated they are!

There are 2 categories of essential oils: Singles and Blends.

Single oils are oils like peppermint, lavender, and lemon. They are not mixed with any other oil.

Blends are a combination of single oils. The mixture of the oils results in an blend "that is more effective than if those oils had been used separately." (from "Butterfly Miracles")  Examples of a blend are Deliverance, Breezey, and Aspire (as discussed in previous posts).

What do essential oils do?

This information can be found in "Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils":

1. Restore the body to normal energy frequency ranges to promote healing and well-being.
2. To one degree or another, all oils are antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic (some more than others).
3. Their small molecules are readily diffused into the air and absorbed into our bodies and purify the air.
4. When applied externally, they can act on internal organs. They quickly penetrate the tissues of the skin.
5. Activate capillary circulation to increase healing.
6. Improve the lymphatic system.
7. Cleansing effect on the body.
8. Powerful antioxidants.
9. Transports nutrients to cells.
10. Brings the body into a state of balance.
11. Some oils are able to cross the blood/brain barrier.

Know your oils!

There are 3 main categories of oils that are labeled "essential oils". You need to be aware of the differences between the 3 so that you choose the right kind of oil.

1. Fragrance oils: These are the oils that you'll find in stores like Bath and Body Works. Their only purpose is to smell good. They are synthetic oils and contain chemicals that you don't want on or in your body. We are learning more and more about how harmful these fragrance oils are to our bodies.

2. Flavoring oils: You will find these oils in a cooking store. They are used to flavor candies and desserts. While they are a food grade oil, they will not contain any of the healing properties desired in an essential oil. They are also made with chemicals and additives.

3. Pure oils: These oils have been properly extracted from a plant to retain their healing properties. Lately they have been called "therapeutic grade" as well. This is where you'll start to find some inconsistencies. Some oil companies claim to be the only "certified pure therapeutic grade" oil on the market. The reality is that there is no certification for essential oils. Any company can make that claim (or whoever gets the trademark first). The fact is that most essential oil companies buy their product from the same source. There are some oils labeled as "pure" but the company adds a filler oil, like coconut oil, to maximize their profits. You can tell the difference between a truly pure oil and an oil with a filler by how it feels. A truly pure essential oil does not feel oily. You can put a drop on a piece of paper or cloth and it will not leave a stain behind. An oil with a filler added to it will feel oily and will leave behind an oil stain. Not only do you not want to pay for an oil filled with other stuff, but the filler oil compromises the integrity of the essential oil and shortens its shelf life. Properly stored, a pure essential oil can have a limitless shelf life!

I like to energy test different oil companies to see where their oils are on my scale of 1-10. Oils from health food stores (like the NOW brand) test very low, around a 2. I stay away from those oils. I haven't experienced every oil on the market, but of the ones I've tried, I have my top 3 that I feel comfortable recommending:

1. Butterfly Express
2. doTerra
3. Young Living

...in that order. I'll discuss my reasons why in the next post!