7 Must-Have Essential Oil Supplies

Consider when you look up a recipe online. It is assumed you have pots and pans, utensils and basic pantry staples to cook with, those things are not listed on the recipe. The same thing applies when using essential oils at home, especially with kids. Here are 7 must-have essential oil supplies and “pantry staples” I keep on hand to make sure my kids can safely and quickly use our essential oils:

Carrier Oil (s)

A carrier oil is a fatty oil that we add essential oils to before applying topically (to the skin). The carrier oil has a slower absorption rate than the essential oil. Adding an essential oil to a carrier oil before applying topically has three benefits: 1. A carrier oil dilutes the essential oil and reduces any sensations for sensitive skin, 2. It slows the absorption rate of the essential oil, which makes the effects of the essential oil last longer.  3.  It makes the essential oil go further. With a carrier oil requires fewer drops of essential oil than it does “neat” (without a carrier) to achieve the same results. 

Carrier oil is the first of 7 must-have essential oil supplies because I always use one when applying EOs to my kiddos’ skin. To learn more about why and other safety tips read Safety First. Some of our favorite carrier oils include Fractionated Coconut oil ( I love that this one comes with a pump top for convenience!) Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Vegetable Oil – yup, the same oil you bake brownies with, yum…or cook with, can you tell I have a bit of a sweet tooth?

Baking Soda

I don’t know about your kids, but mine have always loved bath time! For some it calms them at night and for others it’s water playtime, but they all enjoy a good soak. I’ve found that I can make bath time even better with baking soda and essential oils. I learned the hard way that if you just add essential oils straight to the tub, the droplets bubble up and float along the top.

I know, I know, basic science taught us that, but I had 5 kids in 6.5 years! I was more than a little sleep-deprived and mom-brain is REAL! Anyways, here’s the suggested method for adding oils to the tub. 1. Add your desired drops of essential oils to baking soda. 2. Stir it up. 3. Add the baking soda mixture to the bath water, it dissolves and disperses through the water. My kids love how silky smooth baking soda makes their bath water. I like that the baking soda has numerous health benefits.

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Epsom Salt

My third of 7 must-have essential oil supplies is Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate. You might already use Epsom salt in your tub to relax and soothe sore muscles. But did you know, it too can serve as a dissolving and dispersing agent for essential oils? Magnesium, a natural sleep aid, is best absorbed through the skin. Taking a good soak in it is definitely the way to go. Adding calm scented oils like lavender or frankincense with the relaxing effects of magnesium is perfect for settling busy toddlers. I only use Epsom salt with my kids older than 1. I find it to be a little too rough for my baby’s ultra-sensitive skin.

Roll-on Bottles

A roll-on bottle is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a bottle with a roll-on top for quick and easy topical application. YL has a collection of wonderful roll-ons available for purchase, and we use many of them almost daily. But what about the home-made mixes/ blends that you like to use?

When I first started using E.O.s I would apply a few drops to the palm of my hand, add some carrier oil and then apply to the desired area. While effective, this was slow, often messy and it wasted precious drops of oil. I ended up washing any excess mixture off my hands. Also, the kids could be hard to corral before the oils absorbed into my skin. So, I benefitted but they missed out.

Putting together my favorite, most-used blends in roll-on bottles saved me time, money and my sanity! If I’m just making roll-ons for my family to use, I love to buy the roll-on top fitments from YL. I use empty YL bottles to mix them in. If you don’t have any empty bottles yet; or you want something a littler prettier, these bottles are my favorite.

Diffuser (s)

Inhaling (breathing in) E.O.s is one of the fastest and most effective ways to experience the benefits of essential oils. You can open a bottle and just breathe it in. But that can waste oils and it’s very tricky for kids to inhale without wanting to touch the bottle. Toddlers want to grab the bottle and walk away with it. Buying a quality diffuser is a much better way to get your kids to breathe in oils. Bonus: if you use the diffuser in one of the main rooms of the house, everybody benefits at once! YL has a variety of great diffusers to choose from, you can check them all out here.

One of my favorites for use with kids is the Owl Diffuser. I have one in each of my kids’ bed-rooms. Feather is a diffuser, a nightlight and a sound machine all in one! With multiple light and sound settings scientifically proven to promote calmness and sleep this diffuser is my must-have! Of course if owls aren’t your animal, YL has a puppy dog and a turtle diffuser with the same features!

If you’re new to oils and love Feather, just click on the image to order your Little Oilers Starter Bundle today!

Shot Glasses

This 6th of 7 must-have essential oil supplies may surprise you! The shot glass. No, the husband and I are not big drinkers! My family likes to collect souvenir shot glasses from different places we’ve been. Shot glasses often look cute or pretty, and my kids just love the size for their little hands. When we added essential oils to our routine, these little glasses became our favorite go-to for ingesting our oils.

Some EOs have very strong flavor so I like to “hide” the taste in my kids’ favorite juice. It’s as easy as 1,2,3. 1.Put a little juice in the glass. 2. Add a drop or two of the vitality oil you or the kids wanted to ingest. 3. Add a little more juice and drink. Also, NingXia Red, or “Ninja Juice” as my kids call it is one of our favorite morning supplements. As with all things oily, a little goes a long way. An ounce or two is perfect. The shot glass makes it easier for them to “measure” what they need so they don’t take too much.

Veggie Capsules

I don’t know about you, but I don’t need all the sugar in juice. I also don’t feel the need to “hide” the flavor of the EOs so much. Enter fillable veggie capsules for the win. With empty veggie capsules, I can add the drops I need to the capsule, fill it with carrier oil and it’s ready to swallow. It can take a little time to make the capsules. I’ll often make a batch of my favorite ingestible combos and freeze them in a glass jar. Then they’re ready when I need them. I have a couple of older kiddos, ok Teenagers (how did that happen?) They’ve joined me in putting their favorite vitality combos in capsules for quick and easy oil consumption. YL has veggie capsules you can order here.

We all want to keep our kids healthy. I’ve found that the best way for me to do that is to keep them oiled up. These 7 must-have essential oil supplies help me do that safely, quickly and effectively. If you’re new to essential oils be sure to check out 12 Must-Have Oils for Beginners! Also, be sure to subscribe for your copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Natural Living! Just click on the image below: