They aren't the only tool in my wellness cabinet, but they're still one of the first places I reach.
For everyday wellness.
For our home.
For motherhood.
For emotional support.
For creating a space that smells amazing without artificial fragrance.
And sometimes simply because there's something special about opening a bottle, taking a deep breath, and slowing down for a minute.
Essential oils were one of my first introductions to living a more natural, intentional lifestyle—and all these years later, they're still very much a part of it.
Welcome to my oily life.
It All Started With Frankincense
My introduction to essential oils wasn't because I was looking for a new hobby or trying to make my house smell good.
It happened during one of the hardest seasons of my life.
In 2012, we learned that my dad had stage 4 lung cancer. I was scared, overwhelmed, and asking friends on Facebook to pray for us.
One of those friends I had known since Jr. High, her name was Sarah. In the midst of praying for me, she reached out and told me she had recently heard Dr. H.K. Lin speak about research involving Boswellia, the plant genus from which frankincense resin comes. She asked if she could send me some information to look through.
It took me about a month to finally sit down and really read what she'd sent. And then I took a leap of faith.
I ordered an essential-oil starter kit because it contained frankincense, along with several other oils I thought we could incorporate into our wellness routines.
I had no idea that little box of oils would become the beginning of a completely different way of thinking about our home, our products, and our wellness.
Oils Were Just the Beginning
As I began learning about essential oils, I also started questioning what else we were bringing into our home. My dad's lung cancer diagnosis had naturally made me more aware of the things we were regularly breathing in and being exposed to.
So in 2012, I started making swaps. Candles went first alongside conventional air fresheners and cleaners. I traded aerosol fragrance sprays and conventional cleaning wipes for simpler alternatives and began using Young Living's Thieves Household Cleaner as my primary cleaning concentrate.
Then, in 2014, working with a naturopath opened my eyes even further. I started paying attention not only to what I was cleaning my house with, but also to what I was putting on my body—fragrance, lotion, shampoo, body wash, soap, perfume. I learned to actually turn bottles around and read labels.
Essential oils aren't my entire wellness story. But they are a big part of it.
What Is an Essential Oil, Anyway?
If you're brand new to all of this, let's keep it simple. Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic compounds obtained from different parts of plants—including flowers, leaves, stems, roots, peels, resins, and other plant material.
Depending on the botanical, essential oils can be produced in different ways. Steam distillation is common, while citrus oils may be expressed from the rind and certain aromatic materials, such as frankincense, begin as resin collected from trees.
I diffuse them. I use them topically when appropriate. I add certain products intended for dietary use to my wellness routines. I've incorporated them into household cleaning, personal care, bedtime routines, travel, motherhood, emotional routines, and even moments of prayer and reflection.
After 14 years, I don't really think about "using essential oils." They're simply part of how we live.
What an Oily Lifestyle Looks Like Around Here
This isn't a perfectly curated cabinet filled with pretty bottles. This is real life.
It's lemon in my water. Lavender as part of our bedtime routine. TummyGize or DiGize when someone in the house is complaining about their tummy.
Owie and Rose Ointment after the inevitable bumps and scrapes. A diffuser running in the kitchen or living room. Stress Away when life feels like...well, life.
Thieves Household Cleaner under my sink. Oils tucked into bags when we travel. Baby-safe products I felt comfortable bringing into our home.
They're one tool in a much bigger wellness cabinet—and they're a tool I've loved having for more than a decade.
From Fertility to Motherhood
My oily story has followed me through so many different seasons. I used essential oils while navigating my fertility journey. They were part of my pregnancies. They came with me into labor and delivery. And both of my babies were anointed with frankincense when they were born.
I used oils and plant-based products throughout the baby years, and now that my babies aren't exactly babies anymore, I'm still reaching for many of those same little bottles.
The frankincense that first entered my life during my dad's cancer journey eventually became something I intentionally incorporated into the very first moments of my children's lives.
That's why this has never just been about bottles of oil for me. It's woven into our family's story.
Why I'm Particular About the Oils I Use
I get asked sometimes whether the brand really matters. For me, it does. I've been a loyal Young Living customer for more than a decade, and I've personally visited the Young Living Lavender Farm in Mona, Utah four times.
In 2014, after my dad had reached a point where there was no detectable evidence of disease following his stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, he and I took a road trip together to Utah. I had the opportunity to hear Dr. H.K. Lin speak in person and learn more about the research that had originally prompted my friend Sarah to reach out to me.
I've walked the farm. I've seen the greenhouse. I've watched the distillation process. I've visited Young Living facilities and learned more about how oils are produced, tested, bottled, and labeled.
Sourcing, plant identification, growing practices, extraction, handling, storage, and testing all matter when you're talking about a highly concentrated botanical product.
A Few Bottles You'll Almost Always Find at My House
Oh goodness...how much time do you have? 😂 There are so many I've loved over the years, but a few have earned permanent real estate in our house:
Frankincense — the oil that started it all.
Lavender — incredibly versatile.
Thieves — an oily-household staple.
Peppermint, Lemon + Orange — three basics I reach for again and again.
Stress Away + Peace & Calming — the name says it all.
Purification — for a fresh-smelling house.
TummyGize + DiGize — longtime staples.
Owie + Rose Ointment — for the little-kid years.
SleepyIze + Gentle Baby — bedtime memories.
Joy, Vetiver + Motivation — favorites for emotional routines.
Progessence Plus + EndoFlex — personal wellness staples.
Thieves Household Cleaner — always under my sink.
Oils for the Mind, Body + Soul
One of the things I've grown to appreciate most over the years is how many different ways aromatic plants can become part of an intentional lifestyle.
Sometimes I'm reaching for an oil because of something physical. Sometimes I'm creating an atmosphere in our home. Sometimes scent becomes part of an emotional routine—something familiar that helps me slow down, reset, or create a particular environment. And sometimes oils are part of something spiritual.
Essential oils and aromatic plants have been used for thousands of years and are referenced throughout the Bible. Frankincense, myrrh, cedarwood, hyssop, and other aromatic substances appear throughout Scripture in contexts ranging from anointing and worship to burial and everyday life.
As a woman of faith, that history has always fascinated me. Maybe that's another reason frankincense has remained so meaningful to me.
New to Oils? You Don't Have to Know Everything.
I remember what it felt like to have that first starter kit sitting in front of me and wonder: Okay...now what do I actually DO with all of these?
One of the best things I did was get a reference book. It helped me become more independent, understand what I owned, learn basic safety considerations, and feel comfortable incorporating oils into everyday routines.
You don't need 100 bottles. You don't need to replace everything in your house tomorrow. And you definitely don't need to memorize every possible use.
Start with a few versatile products. Learn how to use them well. Make one swap at a time.
Keep Exploring...
Fourteen years creates quite the resource library. 😉 Whether you're completely new, already have oils sitting in a cabinet, or simply want new ideas — here are a few places to start.
My Oily Bookshelf
Good reference materials at your fingertips make all the difference. Here are my favorites.
Explore My Favorite Oily BooksOily Resources
Practical resources I've collected to help make essential oils feel less overwhelming.
Explore Oily ResourcesWant to Talk Wellness?
You don't have to figure all of this out by yourself. I'm still an active Young Living customer and affiliate, and if you're interested in getting started, I'm happy to help you navigate your options and share what's worked well for me.
But you don't have to be ready to buy anything to talk to me. If you're curious about essential oils, trying to make some lower-tox swaps, or wondering where to begin, let's chat.
I'm an open book.
Book a Wellness ChatI am a Young Living affiliate and may earn compensation when purchases are made through my links. The information shared on this page reflects my personal experiences and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease or replace individualized medical advice. Always follow product directions and appropriate safety guidance when using essential oils.
