Before I scare you away, hear me out! Oils I do not see as an end all be all to protect yourself. I do see that different oils serve different purposes.
A few years ago, a friend made me bug and tick repellent with essential oils. I LOVED the scent, and it was great to know my skin wasn't absorbing all these nasty chemicals. Getting the whole mix can be a bit pricey.
I'm based in Northern NJ, and North America has a significant tick problem. Before heading out on the trail, I remember to spray myself with the homemade bug spray or distilled water and tea tree oil.
I'm sure by now you have heard about essential oil diffusers or people using essential oils for aromatherapy. It can seem very buzzwordy, or a new waved culture. Disclaimer, I am by no means an essential oil seller!
I have seen the benefits of using different oils over the years. I prefer to try an oil first rather than thinking about what medicine I can use. It is so easy when we're feeling sick, have a headache, or whatever ailment at the moment, to just reach for the quick fix.
Many times water and rest can do the trick. But if we've had water and not is a spot to rest, essential oils can be your friend.
It is crucial to understand how to use different oils. Many people have seen ads or heard people talking about diffusing oils. I will say I love this diffuser I got off Amazon. To diffuse an oil, you put distilled water in the container and adds the drops of oil you used to use.
You can combine different oils together, which is excellent! However, I would not recommend combining over three. It can be potent, or the blend does not work well together.
Each scent is potent enough on its own. If you are new to oils, I recommend using one at a time. See how your body reacts to the different scents.
Essential Oil Diffuser
Diffusion is probably the most commonly known use for essential oils. Diffusing is great for the benefits of aromatherapy, but it also gives a great smell to space. Diffusing oils have replaced buying candles for me!
Yes, a Yankee Candle or Bath and Body Works Candle are great. However, the amount you spend for limited use and being left with a glass jar is not the best.
Side note, I love when things can be repurposed. In the last few years, I have looked for ways to have a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle. Candles I did not see fitting into that lifestyle.
Essential oils are a sustainable alternative. Diffusing an oil, you use a few drops and can enjoy or hours or days! My favorites to diffuse or Eucculytus, Lavendar, Lemon, Cedarwood, Lemongrass, and Peppermint.
Disclaimer, I have a dog, and Tea Tree oil is not safe to diffuse with a dog. Whatever oils you choose to start with, see if they're safe to diffuse around animals or children.
Don't Have an Oil Diffuser?
If you do not have an essential oil diffuser, then you can apply it to your skin. I can understand waiting to get a diffuser. Now there are a lot of different diffuser options.
Something to keep in mind, do not put oil directly on your skin. What I mean by that, oils are pretty potent. It is advised to put oil on your skin with either coconut oil or spray with distilled water. I have seen people put a drop or two in their hand and cup it around their mouth and nose to inhale.
Another option is to open the jar itself and smell it. I prefer this option.
Another option besides mixing with coconut oil to smelling is making a roller blend or spray. You can get these containers off amazon or in stores. Make sure whatever container you use is glass or stainless steel. Essential oils, if mixed with a plastic material it will pull the impurities from the container. Do not use that.
Sprays and rollers are great to keep in your hiking pack for a camping weekend or day hike. The sprays I always make sure to take with me are bug spray or tea tree spray. The bug spray mix I have is to keep bugs and ticks away. Tea Tree spray is to prevent getting bitten by a tick.
Now What?
To help make it easier for you, here are my favorite oils and how I use them! If an essential oil is for sleeping, use the oil in a diffuser, or what the benefit of the oil is.
This is a great scent to defuse for sleep. If you're hoping to get an early morning start for a hike, I suggest diffusing this while getting ready for bed. It will naturally relax your body and calm it down. A good night's sleep is so essential before a day of hiking.
Peppermint oil uses and benefits have a wide range. Like Lavender oil, peppermint is among the popular oils people use. Even doing a quick google search for peppermint oils uses and benefits, the list the broad.
When camping, you won't have a diffuser. Peppermint oil topical uses help with headaches, joint pain, muscle aches, and itching. Now sleeping outside, your muscles are bound to be achy in the morning or at night. Having a roller packed and ready is a great way to make the most out of your weekend to be pain-free.
Peppermint roller is excellent for any reason to bring for a hike and camping. Sometimes on the trail, you might feel a bit off. Having the roller and an easy way to roll on your stomach is excellent to settle your stomach.
The roller can be used to smell if you have a headache on the trail. You can open the roller and smell the oil to help your head relax. I suggest rolling the roller along the back of your neck, over the hairline of your forehead, and inhaling the roller to help reduce headache pain.
Camping and hiking should hopefully be reducing your stress with being in nature and fresh air. Other benefits of peppermint oils if going the aromatherapy route is improving mental function, reducing stress, improving coughs or a cold, and helps disinfect spaces.
If they do not get started with peppermint oil, most people probably get started with lavender oil. When looking up lavender essential oil uses and benefits, there is a wide array of both. Lavender oil can be used in diffusers or for the skin.
When camping, I mainly think of lavender oil as an agent for sleeping. Think of how relaxing it is putting your head down on your pillow, or whatever you're using to prop your head up for sleeping, that you breathe in relaxing scent. I recommend before your camping trip, putting the oil on your pillow at night. This way, your body to get used to the smell and to sleep with this aroma.
It helps calm your body and mind down. If you don't want to spray or put a few droplets on your pillow or sleeping agents, putting this in a roller or mixing it with coconut oils before going is great to have. With the coconut oil mix, you can apply it to your feet to help rest. Or use the roller on your feet.
Lavender oil is known for being a calming and relaxing agent.
Many people who first get into it use it for combating anxiety or being anxious. I am not saying to replace any kind of treatments with lavender oils. There is a relaxing property to the oil. If you are on any medication for stress or anxiety, speak to your doctor about using the oil with the medicine you're taking.
Another helpful benefit of lavender oil is relieving allergy symptoms! Lavender oil ability to calm and reduce inflammation. Hiking during allergy season can be a pain! It is best to use the aromatherapy method pre and during the hike to help with your allergies. Another is using the oil as a chest rub.
Lemongrass essential oil benefits are not as well known as the oils above. This past year I've gotten to learn the benefits of lemongrass differently. Many are trying to combat getting a cold or protect a loved one. Diffusing this oil within my household has become a significant game-changer.
Diffusing lemongrass oil helps your immune system to prevent getting a cold. Or if you feel a cold coming on, right to breathe in. I keep lemongrass on hand for the chance of a cold to come about when camping. When I was camping at Letchworth, I felt a cold coming on, and this would have been handy to breathe in.
Tick repellent. Disclosure, if you have a dog, Tea Tree oil is not recommended to diffuse with a dog. The best use for tea tree oil is a spray, roller, or applied with coconut oil. In North America, there is a major tick issue. Before going on a hike, I recommend spraying your legs and arms with tea tree oil.
Tea tree oil uses range from skin, hair, pain, headache, and diffusing. Tea tree is used to kill germs, so many people will recommend this to be used on your face for acne. It can be used with distilled water to clean your face hiking. If you get a cut, it can promote healing in the wound. Consider this part of your first aid kit!
Who doesn't love this scent?! Eucalyptus oil benefits are similar to Tea Tree. However, it can be diffused with a dog. It can help clear your chest if you have a cough—no one likes to be coughing while hiking or enjoying a campsite.
It helps keep bugs away! While tea tree will keep the ticks off you, eucalyptus will keep bugs off you.
Lemon essential oil can be used for anxiety, depression, aid with morning sickness, relieves pain, help with a cold, heal wounds, and give you energy. With hiking or camping, this can be your aid at the end of the day if you're feeling sore. Some people who cannot fall asleep have used Lemon oil to fall asleep for its citrus fragrance.
Since citrus is not sleep-promoting for everyone, I encourage you to have this for waking up aid or a way to increase energy on the trail.
Lemon essential oil uses and benefits do range. Think about how relaxing it would be after a day of hiking, post-shower with lemon diffusing in your space. Unwinding from an adventure with this refreshing scent.
Trusted Oil Companies:
Young Living is said to have the purest oils.
Thrive Market, strong purity, and the company serves to aid less fortunate families. This is the company I use for all my oils I purchase.
Facts & Attractions of Essential Oil:
Diversity in ways to use can replace cleaning products, medicines, and candles
Oils have been used for years
Essential oils are plant extracts
Want to save this? Save these pins to not forget!
