But like, my whole carry on was basically essential oils.

I’m not kidding.

I had booked our flight with carry on luggage only, for 10 days. So I pretty much packed about 5 things to wear, and the rest was essential oils & my diffuser. Funny story, I actually was really anxious they would get taken off me... (Even though we were only flying domestic & I *know* you’re allowed liquids… I just had this image of myself in an arm wrestle with someone over the baggage security scanning area clutching little bottles of oil like Gollum with his “precious”)

Anyways, I digress. The whole point of this blog is to tell you how TRAVEL FRIENDLY essential oils are, how they are a really simple wellness tool to use while you’re travelling, that you will get compliments wherever you go, and that you can be a smug-mug knowing you’ve got all natural remedies for just about all your travel health needs! Ready??? Here we go….

Wellness in mini-fun-pack-size.

Essential Oils from doTERRA are available mostly in 15ml or 5ml bottles, with 10ml roller ball options for some blends. It is like they were MADE for travelling with in your carry on!  

I use my oils from the moment I wake up, until the moment I go to sleep… so having a full stash was really important to me. Having my diffuser was incredible too, in our AirBnB that was one of the first things I popped on when we arrived…. with some Lemon, Peppermint and On Guard to clear the air, protect against any unknown bugs lurking around, & help us feel a bit freshened up & more alive after travelling for over 12 hours.
 

Protection on the go

Road trips, airports, public bathrooms… I’m not a germaphobe by any stretch of the imagination, but having my On Guard oil (a protective blend… super for fighting bugs & nasties!) was incredible for using on my hands after trips to public bathrooms etc while we were travelling. I could also add a drop to my morning cuppa as a support for my immunity after breathing in airplane airconditioning & you know that general run-down feeling you can get after travel. Or the minute you actually go on holiday you suddenly come down with a cold? Yeah you know what I’m talking about. So you know the crazy added bonus of being in tip-top shape for the entire time I was away? Smelling fucking incredible. I actually had a complete stranger stop me in the airport baggage que and tell me I smelt incredible, and that I was like a piece of cake. UMMMM … I basically strutted my way to the plane like Beyonce after that compliment!

Gut Health 101

So for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you know that one of the fun side combos of Hypothyroidism is Leaky Gut and the myriad of IBS type symptoms that can come along for the healing-journey-ride. Having my Digest-Zen was like having a guardian angel with me. I was super careful with my food choices (another blog post specific to travelling with dietary requirements is coming!) just to be on the safe side … rather than spending my precious vacation time stuck in the bathroom. Ain’t nobody got time for that. But there are always a few ‘uncomfortable’ moments when new foods come in, routines get disrupted, you eat out more often. That’s where being able to add a drop of Digest-Zen to water or under my tongue was just too easy for words, & I honestly felt so relaxed having that sort of support on tap in my handbag. Amazing.
 

Morning Rituals

One thing I am pretty rigid about is sticking to my morning rituals as much as possible. Creating space for myself every morning to journal, meditate, focus on my self-care. Having my diffuser was incredible for this, I could get out of bed, pop some Frankincense in my diffuser, get out my journal & start my day right. Frank is known as the ‘king of oils’ and the ‘holy oil’... for good reason. This oil has incredible soothing properties and works wonders against inflammation (particularly in the brain). I also always start my day with some warm water and lemon (at home I will add Apple Cider Vinegar) so having Lemon oil on hand to add a drop to warm water sure beats having to rush around trying to find fresh lemons when you’re staying beach side.

Keeping Active

Peppermint oil is such a fantastic support for anyone who is active or training… I’ve heard someone really into competitive cycling refer to it as like the ‘natural blood-doping’ oil as it can support higher uptake of oxygen in our blood stream and is such an incredible mood booster. This oil defs came everywhere with me & was whipped out whenever I needed a boost pre-hike up a walking trail. My other essential was Deep Blue … the muscle and joint pain saviour… this one got more use on Darren who was surfing pretty much all day long while we were away, definitely giving his muscles a working over. (Side note - having Lemon, Lavender & Tea Tree in my bag were other active holiday tools - perfect for helping with scrapes, bumps, bruises, stings and sandfly bites that always seem to accompany outdoorsy travel!)
 

Chill Out Vibes

My trusty sidekick who helped me to unwind, chill out, and sleep better… was my precious little bottle of Lavender. Again, my diffuser was incredible for use at night times, especially when sleeping in a new bed or an unfamiliar environment (I can sometimes really struggle to get to sleep). Added with a few drops of Frankincense at night time, this was a real game changer. I actually used my lavender too as a skin calming lotion with a few drops added to my coconut oil and rubbed over my arms and legs after a long day in the sun and ocean before hopping into bed at night. BLISS.  

Smelling Like a Goddess

One not so secret side-benefit of using doTERRA essential oils on yourself as a scent (and one that echoes my earlier airport-security cake story) is that you smell incredible. Like constant compliments incredible. Like people stop and tell you all the time incredible. The triple-benefit of this is that you are using a product that is 100% natural plant extract. No fillers. No preservatives. No chemicals. No synthetic additives. Just plant-powered-goodness. I’ll go even further to say that the quadruple-benefit of this is that you’re positively affecting your mood by wearing and inhaling oils as a scent. This works by inhaling the oil molecules into your limbic system (otherwise known as your emotional brain) after applying them to your skin. So not only do you smell AH-MAZING, you’re doing good things for your brain and emotions at the same time. Miraculous right?
 

So now my latest travel expedition is over, I can say I was the most relaxed, healthy, vibrant and energized I think I have ever been while travelling. The part I think blows me away time and again is just how powerful these oils are as a natural wellness tool kit. No lingering sniffles or random travellers flu for me. Plus I smelled like cake. Me and my smug-mug are now off to have a warm water with lemon and kick start my day on the right note!

Want to know a bit more? Check out this link to an online essential oils class