10 Brilliant Ways to Use Essential Oils in Your Everyday Life

Hey, trash smells — that's what it's known for. Douse a cotton ball with lemongrass or tea tree oil and tuck it in the bottom of the trash can, where it will mask smells until trash day. If you're like most people, you probably have a few other stinky zones in your home, like wherever your sneakers are kept. Make a deodorizing spray with rubbing alcohol and a few drops of essential oils and spritz it inside smelly shoes.

Picture it: You're holding an especially hard yoga pose, trying to relax rather than grimace, when you catch a whiff of soothing lavender. Spritzing your yoga mat with essential oils is an easy way to engage your sense of smell while enjoying your yoga practice. Make a simple spray using water and a few drops of an oil that won't irritate the skin; tea tree and rose oils are both good options. After spritzing the mat, wipe it down thoroughly so the oil droplets don't make the mat slippery.

Prefer DIY cleaning sprays over the chemical-laden type you find in stores? Vinegar will get surfaces clean, but it doesn't smell great on its own. Adding essential oils is a simple solution. Citrus oil is an especially good choice for this, as are lavender and tea tree oils.

Few people write letters and handwritten cards anymore. But we all love receiving them, right? You could become the person in your family or friend group who sends correspondence through the mail. While you're developing this old-school habit, go a step further and spritz the paper with an essential oil spray. Call it your signature scent.

You've been working hard, and your body might be protesting. Oils including peppermint and eucalyptus can be useful in easing aches and pains. Experts generally don't recommend putting essential oils directly on the skin, largely because some types can cause irritation. Dilute the oils well by adding just five or six drops to an ounce of a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil. Do a test on a small patch of skin first, and if you have no adverse reaction, rub it over achy joints and sore muscles.

Fresh flowers brighten up your whole space... but have you seen how much they cost? Save fresh blooms as an occasional treat and instead, make a cost-effective floral display using silk and other artificial flowers. When you're happy with the arrangement, spray it with rose oil diluted in water. Administer another spritz whenever the scent starts to fade.

If you need some help resisting food cravings, you're far from alone. Enlist essential oils the next time you're tempted to gorge on candy. Peppermint oil in particular is said to help curb sugar cravings. Use it in a diffuser after dinner, or whenever you're most likely to experience those cravings.

We all want skin that's silky smooth and smells good, too. Skip the pricy lotions and creams and instead, make a batch of homemade body powder. With simple ingredients like cornstarch and a few drops of an essential oil you love, it takes just minutes to create your own powder. Dust it on areas where you tend to sweat.