For centuries, cultures around the world have been using essential oils for therapeutic and practical purposes. For those of you not familiar with essential oils and their use, let me give you a little background info.

Essential oils are a highly concentrated version of the oil that natural occurs in plants and herbs. The oil is extracted from the plant/herb through a process called “distillation.”

Aromatherapy is the most common therapeutic application of essential oils, where the oils are burned in a diffuser or sniffed straight from the bottle to achieve healing results. Many oils are believed to have an uplifting effect on the human mind, so aromatherapy is commonly used to help people boost mood, energy, attention, as well as produce a sense of calm, focus and general well-being.

Additionally, many essential oils are thought to have antiseptic properties. When applied directly to the skin, they can reduce the possibility of infection, promote faster healing and provide on-the-spot pain and itch relief. You should use caution when applying oils directly to your skin, as too much can have adverse effects.

So, you might ask, which of these essential oils might I want to use? Take a look at 3 most commonly used oils and their beneficial effects. For a more comprehensive list, click here.

Peppermint

The humble peppermint plant is a favorite among essential oil enthusiasts and gardeners alike. In fact, peppermint has one of the longest list of uses and benefits of the most popular oils.

Some of the highlights are that it soothes digestion, freshens bad breath, relieves headaches and joint pain, improves mood, and boosts mental focus. You can also use it to help clear up respiratory tract congestion, as well as aid in appetite control.

As I mentioned, gardeners tend to be big fans of peppermint, too. It not only makes for a refreshing food seasoning, but peppermint also attracts “beneficial” insects like non-stinging bees, lady bugs and butterflies, while repelling their less-than-popular counterparts like flies, ants and wasps. Therefore, peppermint oil can act as a great bug repellent to keep these pests from disturbing your picnics and your other outdoor fun.

You can find peppermint oil at just about any health food and high-scale grocery store including GNC, Whole Foods and Sprouts. If you shop at GNC, save with these GNC coupons, deals and offers.

Lavender Oil

Today, lavender is the most used essential oil in the world. You’re probably already familiar with the use of lavender for its calming and sleep inducing properties. In fact, it seems to be on the ingredient list of just about any calming tea or natural sleep aid.

But lavender essential oil doesn’t stop there. It also has strong anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. This means that it can be effective in reducing the severity of symptoms and speed up the healing of skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis, as well as burns and wounds.

When it comes to mood and mental well-being, lavender oil not only helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep, but it can also alleviate headaches and depression. Lavender can also balance blood sugar levels and help in the management of diabetes. If you want to buy some high-quality, pure lavender oil, I suggest buying it at Puritan’s Pride. Be sure to use these Puritan’s Pride coupons, deals and promo codes to save.

Tea Tree Oil

I am a big fan of tea tree oil. It not only has many therapeutic and practical uses, it also smells really good! Like many other oils, it also has powerful anti-microbial capability. This makes tea tree oil great for cleansing wounds, treating fungal infections, and clearing up colds and congestion.

But, what I love about my trusty tea tree oil is that it has several practical uses, too. You can use it as a household cleaner, insect repellent, deodorant, and laundry freshener. It even helps remove mold.

You’ll also see tea tree oil in many natural beauty product.s like shampoo and face cleansers. It’s known to help clear up dandruff, acne and psoriasis. My friend who struggles with dry scalp swears it. She uses Aveda’s Tea Tree Oil Scalp Remedy and boy does it make her hair look and smell amazing. Save on this and other Aveda products by using these Aveda coupons, promo codes and offers.

So, now that you know about just a few of the most popular essential oils and their multiple benefits, why not give one, or several, a try.