Learn how to create your own natural First Aid Kit using Essential Oils. Not everyone wants to reach for harsh chemicals or medicated creams when faced with a mild “boo boo”, so as an alternative, I’ll show you my favourite essential oils to have on-hand to help ease minor mishaps.

There are six common essential oils (EOs) that every natural first aid kit should contain Lavender, Tea Tree, Chamomile, Rosemary, Peppermint and Eucalyptus.

Lavender: Lavender is probably the most popular EO and there is good reason why. In fact, if you could have only one essential oil in your arsenal, this would be it! Lavender is great for treating minor cuts and scrapes, as it is known to have anti-bacterial properties. It also encourages healing, can prevent scarring of cuts and burns and it can relieve minor pain and itching (which is great for pesky bug bites). However, beyond that, Lavender is also known for its calming properties, perfect for not only soothing “boo boos” but also soothing your soul!

Tea Tree or Melaleuca is one of the strongest and safest natural antiseptics known and is often used to prevent and treat infection. It is a helpful essential oil for cold sores, rashes and scrapes. We have often heard of Tea Tree used for acne because of its anti-bacterial properties. Not only is it anti-bacterial but also anti-fungal, so is also used to treat fungal infection such as athlete’s foot.

Camomile essential oil has natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain reliever) properties. It is also valuable as it is one of the few essential oils gentle enough to safely use on children. Great for treating bumps, bruises, and sprains. Keep in mind that there are several different kinds of Chamomile essential oil. However, only two of them, German Chamomile and Roman Chamomile possess the healing properties useful for your essential oil first aid kit.

Rosemary is a good all-purpose EO. It contains similar properties as those mentioned above by relieving aches & pains, being anti-bacterial, and soothing minor cuts/scrapes. But Rosemary is also useful for relieving digestive discomfort. Another useful property that Rosemary has is that it is a mild stimulant, which can come in handy when needing to boost alertness.

Peppermint is another EO that can also boost alertness, but that is not its only benefit. In addition to this Peppermint is great for relieving nausea, motion sickness or indigestion. Furthermore, applying it your scalp, or at the back of your neck can help relieve irritating headaches. Because of its cooling sensation, Peppermint is also often used to cool the skin if sunburned and can even help reduce body temperature.

Eucalyptus is a great EO to have around for coughs & colds and to help sooth respiratory issues. It is often found in cough drops for this reason. In addition, Eucalyptus makes a great insect repellent to keep those stinging/biting bugs away!

The common applications of essential oils are: topically (directly on the skin using a carrier oil), via inhalation (drop oil into palm of your hand, then cup your hand around nose to breathe in), or by diffusion (using a room diffuser).

As with any type of herb or natural medicine, make sure that you are purchasing the best quality essential oil on the market. Lower quality oils may state that they are 100% pure, but that does not necessarily mean they are 100% pure essential oils. They may contain fillers! I like to use oils from companies that use third party testers to ensure the quality. A few companies out there do this type of testing.

Now that you know a handful of good oils to keep on hand for an emergency, you need to know how to use them properly. Essential oils are very potent and powerful– start low and go slow and dilute with carrier oils. In most cases, using 1-2 drops at a time is adequate and using more may waste product. Proper usage is indicated on each Essential Oil label. It’s very important to follow label instructions

To learn more about how to use essential oils or to see what my favourite oils are, go to my website CanadianMoms.ca or contact me at SProvenski@gmail.com