By now, you have probably heard of essential oils, whether from family, friends, someone on youtube ranting about the benefits, but you might be wondering what they are, and how, and why, to use them.

According to globalhealingcenter.com, “Essential oils, also called volatile oils, are scented oils extracted from plants.”

Essential oils are popular because they have many benefits and also smell amazing.

These products have many uses in everyday life. According to draxe.com, essential oils help balance hormones, boost immunity to fight infections, support digestion, boost energy levels, improve brain functions, reduce stress and anxiety, and more.

Another reason many people find themselves using these oils is that they are completely organic and safe to use on and in your body and for the environment.

Many, including English teacher Rachel Appleby, dilute them with water and use them as cleaning products, because not only are they effective, but they are completely safe.

“I started using them because I’m trying to weed out chemicals from our lifestyle and make things more natural for my kids,” said Appleby.

These are not the only benefits of them either. Each oil, or combination of oils, yield different results. These results can vary depending on the person–some oils may be more or less effective for you than they are for someone else–but they generally have the same effects.

For example, lavender, frankincense, and cedarwood are all essential oils that help soothe you to sleep, and peppermint, lemon, and eucalyptus oils are said to boost energy and liveliness.

These benefits can be achieved by using the oils in many different ways.

Generally, oils are applied topically, through a diffuser, or ingested orally.

To use the essential oils topically, the oils are generally put in roller bottles and rubbed onto the skin. These areas are usually the wrist, neck, or under the nose.

To use them through a diffuser, you just add a few drops of oils to the water in the diffuser and turn it on. This is a good option when at home or work and you are staying in one place.

Orally they are used a few ways. They can be taken in supplement-style pills that are sold, or a few drops can be mixed into your drink or food. It is important to note that, because there are no regulations, some essential oils may have other ingredients that are not safe to ingest. If you plan to use oils this way, be sure that the ones you use are safe to eat.

Appleby likes to mix lemon oils in her water, use lavender oils in her pancakes, and when she feels like she might get sick, she uses a Young Living oil blend called Thieves–a clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus radiata, and rosemary essential oil blend–in her tea.

If all of these benefits and different uses may seem interesting to you, and, at this point, you are probably wondering where to start.

Well, generally the best thing to do is buy a diffuser and a relatively inexpensive set of basic oils and see if you like them and what works for you.

Some companies, such as Young Living, sell starter kits that contain some basic oils that are commonly used amongst other customers. The Young Living set also contains a diffuser, but not all starter kits include one.

Something to consider is the cost. Larger and better-known companies, like Young Living and DoTerra, can be pretty expensive, but these companies guarantee that the product is genuine and 100 percent essential oils.

Since there are no regulations on essential oils, the very inexpensive or less professional brands may not be giving you pure essential oils.

A good solution to this problem is a website called Planttherapy.com. This website is recommended by Appleby and sells essential oils that are pure oils for a cheaper price than bigger companies.