Have you ever wondered if you're doing it right? 

It may sound simple, but you start by opening the bottles. If you don't open them you won't use them, and if you don't use them, you've wasted your money. So, your best bet is to keep it simple.  What are your needs?  If you're not sure, take my Healthy Home Survey first!

It can be difficult for us to know the quality of as essential oil because, at least for most of us, we aren't scientists.

When I first starting using essential oils, it was off the shelf from my natural market. Then came doTERRA and I could smell the difference. Scents that were offensive to me before (hello, Melaleuca, I'm talking to you!) no longer made me flinch. That was my first clue that something about doTERRA was different. Their oils seemed.... cleaner, more natural, not as jarring to the nose as many of the oils I'd used before.  

If you're looking at a number of essential oil companies, find out what testing the company does and if they share their test results quality reports like doTERRA does. In the end, that may be all you need to know because in my mind, purity and transparency count for a lot.

Experience has taught me essential oils can be used as often as you feel you need to use them, but with consistency. This is one of the reasons it's great to have an essential oil mentor, someone who can help you get started, show you the ropes, and help you feel confident that you can tune in to what your body is telling you and use your oils safely and effectively.

• On Guard: doTERRA's "protective blend," immune booster.This is for anyone in the family, but if you have kids, you need this oil. It can sometimes seem that children (especially kiddos in daycare or school) are walking, talking petri dishes. And let's face it, it's no fun when our kiddos are sick. To keep our immune systems healthy and strong, we use the OnGuard line of products. Not sure where to start, just get the oil. It's perfect rubbed on the bottom of little (or big) feet, and it's a dream in the diffuser.
• Peppermint: The "lifter", harmonizer and up-beat essential oil that every family needs for belly aches, body temperature regulation and a little lift in your step. I keep a bottle in my car for when I'm getting tired while driving. Talk about a pick-me-up!
• Breathe: doTERRA's "respiratory blend." This is another must-have oil to keep on hand, hoping you won't need it, but knowing you likely will (at least at some point). Breathe has saved this mama more times than I can count, with littles who needed to breathe freely through the night so the whole family could sleep. We dilute it and rub it on the chest and back, as well as use it in the diffuser when we sleep. Admittedly, there are times of the year it gets more use than others, and we can go months on end without opening the bottle, but it's another oil I wouldn't be without.
• Frankincense: If in doubt, use Frankincense. It is a swiss army knife of essential oils! This is a key ingredient in my Owie Spray (check out the blog for the recipe) and I use it when I'm feeling a bit down (two drops under the tongue, or a drop on my thumb pressed into the roof of my mouth). It's a beautiful oil!
• Serenity: doTERRA's "calming blend" for sleep, mind calming and emotional stabilization. This was one of the first oils I started with. I was a tired mama of twin babies and we all needed some rest. It also helped me connect with my daughter as a newborn. She never seemed to be calmed by me, until that day I tried oils. Serenity and Balance literally changed our lives!
• Balance: doTERRA's "grounding blend" is my "6th oil gift to you." I know, I know, the deal was my top five oils, right? I just couldn't do it, I love them all! Balance, though, is particularly important to me because it was one of the oils I started with (Balance, Serenity, and DigestZen). Balance creates a sense of calm and well-being and is a gem at stabilizing emotions. Now, it's an oil I used with my daughter very early on, but it didn't take long to discover how much it helped me. Years ago my son used to call it my "grumpy oil," thankfully I know when to break open the oil bottles so the grumpy nowadays generally doesn't show. Oh how I want to tell you about DigestZen.... another time, though. So many oils, so much goodness, so much love!

These three things are simple ways to deliver essential oils on the go:

• Rollerball: a cynlindrical tube, filled with a diluted essential oil that can be rolled onto skin. I carry these with me everywhere! They're super easy to tuck in a pocket or a purse, and it keeps our favorite or most-used oils handy and easy to apply.
• Spray Bottle: a small bottle, filled with a diluted essential oil that can be sprayed directly for something such as cleaning or skin irritation. Check out my blog post on Owie Spray. This is another gem that comes with us everywhere. It seemed that some days at the park I sprayed down every kiddo but my own, and made a lot of mama friends in the process (trust me, when you have the tools to take care of a bloody, screaming little one, you become the playground hero).
• Diffuser: a device that can spread essential oils into the air. We have diffusers in most rooms in our house. Diffusing essential oils is one of the quickest ways to effect moods (because the oils go so quickly to the amygdala) and diffusers are an indispensable tool in our essential oil arsenal. We especially love them for sleep. Any mamas out there who don't remember exactly what sleep feels like? A diffuser could be your new best friend!

You need to dilute oils for two reasons. Essential oils are very potent and while some oils can be used neat, there is always the possibility of irritation. When paired with a "carrier oil" to dilute your essential oil, you'll have better absorption and the effects of the oil will reach deeper into the tissues and become longer lasting. Dilution is always necessary for children and the elderly.

Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) is my favorite carrier oil and the most common. This oil has had the fat removed so it is clean, assists in the absorption and dilution of essential oils, and will not go rancid.

Simple Version: I like to use a US dime, penny, nickel, or a quarter for a simple reference.

NOTE: doTERRA has a collection of essential oils that are pre-diluted and ready for use on the go. These are great for children who want to "do it themselves" (and what toddler hasn't hit that stage?), they're easy to keep in the diaper bag or purse and simple enough for grandma or the babysitter to learn how to apply.
These two lines are: doTERRA Touch with basic family essential oils OR doTERRA Emotional AromaTherapy Touch, I literally can't keep my kids away from my Cheer and Peace Touches, they LOVE them!