Thieves is a favorite this time of year. The oil blend has antimicrobial properties (it kills bacteria/viruses) so it’s a great choice for using during the winter months.
We diffuse it here in the office, and it is my go-to at home as well. I also made a roller ball bottle with a carrier oil (90% carrier 10% essential oil) to stick in my purse as a hand sanitizer. This is as effective at killing germs, without using alcohol or any other harmful products on your skin.
You can use thieves topically, but use caution. Adults can test it on a small patch of skin to look for reactions. For kids, dilute heavily with a carrier oil (coconut or olive will work if you have some in the kitchen) and put on the bottoms of the feet for an immunity boost. Be very careful using this oil blend on young skin as it can burn.
There is a lot of disagreement on whether essential oils are safe to ingest. I generally choose not to, however I have used a drop of thieves on my tongue on occasion when I am sick with a cough and/or sore throat. Again, use extreme caution if you choose to do this, and never give this oil internally to a child.
You can use thieves as a disinfecting household cleaner too. There are lots of recipes online (especially pinterest) but a simple one is water, witch hazel or alcohol (like a shot of vodka) and thieves (one drop per ounce of water); you can also add in vinegar for a disinfectant boost (half water, half vinegar).
Where can you buy thieves? Here at IFC, of course. If you have questions about using essential oils, ask Dr. Kellie or Dr. Miranda.
