I always have a few bottles of essential oil in my fridge and always make sure I stock up before summer rolls around. I’ve previously written how I add a few drops of peppermint oil to a water and vinegar mix when cleaning my house but these oils have so many more uses than just smelling nice. Essential oils are liquids extracted from plants which contain the essence of that plant. They can be pretty strong so you only ever need a few drops at a time. There are so many different kinds of oils, each with their own particular properties, that it can be difficult to know which would be useful. To give you some idea of where to start, here is a list of my favourite oils and what I use them for: vinegar, some olive and jojoba oil, a bit of ethanol (for the insect spray), some baking soda and some castile soap and you’ll be pretty much ready for anything!

Peppermint
Add a few drops to a cup of water with a tbsp of vinegar for a cooling, anti-frizz hair rinse. Add a few drops to the bath to help cool down in the summer.

Lavender
I use this directly on skin, mixed with a carrier oil, if I’ve been out in the sun too long. Add a few drops to the kids’ bath to calm them down before bed. When they were smaller and still in nappies, I used a few drops of lavender in cooled boiled water poured over cotton wool squares to use as baby wipes. (N.B. Lavender is the only essential oil that is thought to be safe for younger children.)

Rosemary
I mix rosemary with my peppermint hair rinse to help moisturize sun-dried hair.

Lemon
Add a drop to vinegar/water solution for a fresh, citrus cleaning alternative (this is acidic though so always test before using over a whole counter top!).

Tea Tree
Dab on to insect bites to help ease the sting. Also good for a summer foot spray along with peppermint.

Citronella
Mix with lavender and tea tree oil in an alcohol and oil solution for a homemade insect repellent (because of their potency you should be careful when using essential oils around small children. If you’re using them as a repellent always spray on a child’s clothing or bedding rather than directly onto their skin).

I like the fact that the Aura oils FBC sells are organic; if I’m going to buy something highly concentrated, going organic seems to make more sense. I can also buy carrier oils at the same time. Whilst some essential oils are okay to use in small amounts directly to your skin, it’s usually a good idea to dilute them in a carrier oil. Olive oil is great with a few drops of rosemary added as a hair conditioner but I prefer an oil like jojoba as a base for my own insect repellent or when applying oils to my skin. The more I use natural soaps, the more I have come to dislike heavily perfumed shampoos, cleaners and body soaps. I find blending my own scents much more fun. Stock up with some basic essential oils, some