Essential oils are becoming more popular by the day, but they can often seem like a huge investment if you’re just getting started. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy on a tight budget
1. Don’t Forget That a Little Goes a Long Way
Essential oils are highly concentrated, so you don’t need to use a lot of product to get the therapeutic benefits. In a diffuser, you typically only need three to five drops. For skin application, remember to follow recommended dilution ratios to save money while reducing the risk of irritation or allergic reactions.
2. Be Aware of the Cost Per Drop
Regardless of what brand you use, certain oils will always be more expensive because of the rarity of the plant and the cost involved in processing. Whenever possible, choose versatile and cost-effective oils like lavender, lemon, and peppermint for your projects. If you’re going to use a higher-priced oil, make sure you understand its purpose in what you’re making. If you simply must have the higher-priced oil, think about splitting the cost with a friend.
3. Make Sure You Use Every Last Drop of Essential Oil
Obviously, it’s not a good idea to be wasting any product. However, you really don’t want to waste any of your favorite oils! Pull the droppers off the bottles, then soak them in Epsom salts to make scented bath salts from the last bit of oil. Alternatively, you can use the last few drops to make your own body spray or room spray.
4. Buy Carrier Oils At the Grocery Store
Instead of spending money on separate carrier oils, you can start your journey with essential oils by using the same oil you cook with in your aromatherapy projects. Both olive oil and coconut oil make great general purpose carrier oils. Start with them and invest in others as needed.
5. Use Recycled Containers for Homemade Products
If you’re going to start making vapor rub, salt scrubs, body butter, all purpose cleaner, room spray, and other homemade concoctions, you’ll end up needing lots of different containers. You can buy empty containers online, but a thriftier alternative is to simply start saving glass jars, metal tins, spray bottles, and other containers from the products you already use in your home.
6. Make Your Own Diffuser Jewelry
Diffuser jewelry is a popular way to enjoy the benefits of essential oils, but purchasing jewelry can get expensive. Save money by making your own. Diffuser jewelry also makes an excellent gift to introduce friends and family to essential oils.
7. Check Vipon for Diffuser Bargains
If you need a diffuser, but don’t want to pay full price, Vipon is my favorite bargain-hunting source. This site offers coupon codes to get up to 90% off products on Amazon, although most discounts range from 30% to 50%. Thanks to Vipon, I have a diffuser in every room in my home and have been able to give several as gifts! (Sometimes, you can also find roller bottles, storage boxes, and other oil supplies as well.)
8. Earn Free Oils With Jade Bloom
Last but not least, Jade Bloom offers two ways to earn free essential oils.
First, you can earn credits towards the oils of your choice by completing the online Jade Bloom University courses. The classes talk about the benefits of specific oils, how to make blends, and essential oil safety. They are fun, informative, and easy to work through at your own pace.
