Using Essential Oils in Spray Form

Using essential oils in a spray form has advantages.  

Economical:

Sprays are an economical way to use your oils.  20-30 drops of most oils (or combinations of oils) allow you to enhance the air in a room, the linens in your closet, or to anoint your own body.   Four ounces of spray in a typical bottle, allows for liberal and regular use throughout your personal environment.  Essential oils dispersed in a spray are so convenient they may make the use of oils a more regularized experience.  Quality oils represent copious amounts of raw plant material and using essential oils in the most economical way makes good sense. 

Availability: 

Sprays make your oils readily available for use, and you may find you are more apt to use them because of their convenience. The ease in use is self-evident.  Squirting a fine mist of distilled water and oils is simple and the aromatic experience is immediate.  This is self-satisfying and goes together with your self-care routine.   

Efficient:

Essential oils are efficient in their abilities to sanitize heavily used items or rooms in the house.  Whether to spray down counters in the bath or kitchen, or to mist a mattress in the bedroom, using this method to dispense oils allows for ease in directing the oils onto a specific surface.  The mist will fan out into a confined arc and the aroma is then capable of drifting in the air as well. 

Customized Formulas for Specific Purposes

Customized sprays allow for room focus.  For example, an instructor might use a citrus based spray within the classroom to enhance student focus.  In the sleeping area of a home, calming and sedating oils can be employed. Customizing essential oil sprays allows you to address specific concerns in a very individualized manner. 

Ease in Dispensing:

Health challenges, such as arthritis, may make opening small bottles very difficult.  Using a spray bottle is less problematic for those with dexterity issues.  Because the spray bottle is portable and small, it can be carried from room to room easily.  Being able to graciously offer a natural solution in a delivery form that works around a health challenge, makes using an essential oil spray very desirable.  

Fun:

Rapid dispersing of scent molecules in an area is very self-satisfying.  Being able to immediately be gratified with a lovely aroma can be a luxurious experience. To be able to distill your own plant material with a Copper Pro distiller, is even more self-satisfying.   Copper Pro empowers you to create your own oils, and using these oils in spray form increases self-satisfaction.  

Allows for specific direction of the oil molecules:

With an essential oil spray, you can focus the mist directly on to the surface you want.  Perhaps this is on your body, or on an object.  Being able to focus the direction of the spray allows you to target exactly where you want to deliver your oils.  

Painless Application:

A fine mist application on an injured body part is less painful than topical application. Using your fingers to apply a crème or a lotion can be problematic when dealing with tender skin ailments.  Using an essential oil spray allows for delivery in a pain-free manner. 

What Kind of Spray Are You Looking For?

Essential oils offer a myriad of solutions to common life dilemmas.  Are you bothered by mosquitos?  Using Siam Wood oil (Fokienia hoginsii) in a spray can be very effective.  This oil comes from Viet Nam and its’ common name is coffin wood.  It is one of the longest lasting woods on the planet.  It is particularly effective in repelling insects.  Lavender blended with this oil would be especially appealing and especially effective at keeping you bug free.

Are you suffering from tension headaches?  What about a peppermint (Mentha peperita) spray to help “freeze out” the tightness or contraction you are feeling internally?  This is something you can simply mix up and keep on hand to smooth over the frayed edges of your day.  Peppermint is energizing and seems to open one to new ideas.  Use peppermint in a spray when you feel like life is closing in on you and you need to clear away tightness in mind or spirit. 

Do you want your bedroom linens to exude a sense of calm when you crawl between the sheets, or lay your head down on the pillow?  Think about Lavender (Lavandula angustofolia).

Mix in some Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) for dropping anxiety at the end of your day.  Marjoram would help with moodiness, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia, and has a delightful scent.  Combining Marjoram and Lavender would make a great bedtime spray to reduce tension and set the stage for relaxation into a balancing sleep state.  

So Are You Excited?

Let’s get the basics down.  With essential oils you want to use glass as much as possible as your container.  Plastics and oils can be problematic.  Some of the oils could break down plastic.  When you are thinking about a spray, think about making a small quantity, 4 ounces would be ideal.  There are many sites online that sell glass spray bottles in quantity.  You will want to have a number of these so, think about buying at least a dozen at a time for economic reasons.  When you see how handy sprays are, you will likely go a bit wild making them for yourself and friends.  A dozen is easy to make.

Using distilled water increases the life span of your spray.  Often tap water has impurities that can decrease the quality of the spay.   Distilled water eliminates this potential problem.  You will want to fill half of the bottle with the water.  With a spray, you will be mixing your essential oils with this water and if you add an equal quality of witch hazel it will make the process much easier.  So about 2 ounces of distilled water, 1.5 ounces of witch hazel and 20 -30 drops of your essential oil or a combination of your oils.  That’s it.  Easy to pull together and doesn’t take long to mix this together when you have your bottles and waters at hand. 

You need to remember to shake the bottle prior to spraying to make sure your oils are mixed with your carrier waters.  That’s it.  

Back to the Recipes

Student’s returning to a new school year often have pangs of anxiety as they move out of their comfort zone and begin a brand-new academic experience.  Think of marjoram (Origanum maiorana), which helps with balance within the emotions.  It will help them find their footing in this new environment.  Lemon oil (Citrus limonum) noted for sharpening focus, works by clearing the clutter of confusion.  Lemon oil is like our sun breaking through the clouds.  Think about Laurel (Laurus nobilis) for concentration.   If memorization is the name of the game, consider rosemary (Rosemary officinalis) as an additive in this spray.  Rosemary is known for use with those who do not value themselves.  This spray might be worthy of using in an area that homework is done.  To extend its influence this might be sprayed in the young person’s backpack or pencil box, or on their notebook.  An engaged student is one actively learning new things.  Essential oils can help build self confidence in new situations. 

Marjoram (Origanum marjorana) might be considered for deep loss and grieving. Marjoram has traditionally been used in funeral settings. Think about Melissa (Melissa officinalis) for grief as well.  It has the potential to lower depressive tendencies and releases strongly held emotions.  It is useful for deeply held trauma of an acute nature, or the shock of discovery of something deemed highly undesirable.   Cypress (Cuprssus sempervirens) is also an oil associated with funerals and letting go. It is associated with acknowledging the situation and releasing of tensions associated with that process.  This spray would be helpful as a room spray with the loss of a close associate.  Consider eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) for helping someone move forward and to enhance alertness.  Pine helps to move past regret.  A room spray specific to the individual experience could be most useful for someone who has just lost a loved one. 

Depression is something that all of us deal with from time to time.  When this malady comes calling, consider the citrus oils for their uplifting notes.  Grapefruit, lime, lemon, orange, bergamot, and the mandarins will help make the area sparkle with high energy.  Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) has traditionally been revered since Ancient Greece and is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. It is an herb associated with calming the nervous system and may elicit a profound sense of peace.  A depressed person is often disconsolate and not at peace with themselves or their world. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris thymoliferum) might also be an oil of consideration in that it considered a neurotonic.  Thyme is associated with drive and a will to succeed, so it would be appropriate with issues of self-confidence that are often associated with depression.

Dehydrated skin may have numerous contributing factors that cause it.  Ultimately it is a result of lack of moisture in the integumentary system or a faulty lipid barrier that contains the moisture in the skin.  Blackberry seed oil is high in essential fatty acids especially Omega-3 and Omega 6. Blackberry seed oil is excellent for use on the skin.   Carrot seed oil (Daucus carota) is known for helping to maintain the lipid barrier that can be compromised by over exfoliation.  Red Raspberry seed oil is high in vitamins E and A and both are associated with quality skin.  Passionflower Fruit oil(Maracuja) helps to maintain moisture in the skin.  A mixture of these oils could be highly beneficial to someone with dry skin.  Each of these oils individually could 

be used topically.  A spray would allow for a light topical application to the skin. 

Conclusion:

There are any number of essential oils available to the user of a Copper Pro distiller.  These oils can be used with ease, convenience, and thoughtfulness to address common everyday situations in life.  Using a spray to disperse the oils is quick and easy.  Sprays have many uses and applications within our circle of family, friends and even pets.  

References: Holmes, P., Aromatica Vo. 1,2, Singing Dragon, 2019

Mojay, G., Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Henry Holt and Co. 1996