Essential oils are fantastic tools to support the health and wellness of your kids when used with common sense and care.  I love having certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils in my home to support my family’s overall health. My 8-year-old daughter absolutely loves essential oils, and as a mom, I love that the oils we use are safe, pure and offer a natural solution to support our healthy lifestyle. Incorporating essential oils into our daily routine has been simple, inexpensive and effective. My favourite essential oil blend for kids is the first oil of my four part series. On Guard Protective Blend is dōTERRA’s proprietary essential oil blend for natural immune support. It is a blend of wild orange, rosemary, eucalyptus, cinnamon bark, and clove. This blend has a beautifully unique aroma which is warm, spicy, camphoraceous and woody. It is absolutely lovely!

When using essential oils with kids, it is extremely important to follow safety guidelines. Diffusing is a fantastic way to safely use essential oils in your home. When you diffuse essential oils the oil molecules are distributed through the air. Diffusing On Guard throughout the cold and flu season can help support a healthier indoor environment. We typically diffuse two drops of On Guard with two drops of Lemon essential oil in our diffuser if someone in our family is fighting a cold or flu during the fall or winter.

When using essential oils topically, it is important to remember that kid’s skin is different from adult’s skin; it is generally thinner and more sensitive.When used according to the labeling and to professional safety guidelines, essential oils are safe and can also offer profound benefits. It is important to dilute essential oils for topical use, especially for kids. Always dilute with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil or almond oil. My favourite carrier oil is dōTERRA’s fractionated coconut oil. It is a non-greasy, absorbent and light carrier oil that leaves your skin feeling smooth and soft.  Fractionated coconut oil has had the long chain triglycerides removed, so it will always be in a liquid form. It has a longer shelf life, has a lightweight texture and helps prevent sensitivity responses to topical application of essential oils.  When diluting for kids, you want to start with the minimum amount of oils, starting at a 2% dilution up to a 5% dilution for ages 1-12 years old. For example, 6 drops of essential oil in 2 tsp (10 ml) is a 2% dilution, 15 drops of essential oil in 2 tsp (10 ml) is a 5% dilution. I made my 8-year-old daughter her own 10 ml roller bottle with 10 drops of On Guard oil then filled up the rest with fractionated coconut oil just before school started this year. She rolled this blend on the bottom of her feet every day before school as a preventative measure, and this was the first year that she made it through the fall and winter season without getting sick. This was huge for her because in previous years she really struggled with recurring chest colds. Yay! Essential oils for the win! If you are not comfortable making your own roller blends for kids, I highly recommend doTERRA’s touch kit which contains the top ten essential oils already pre-diluted in 10 ml roller bottles at a safe dilution to use topically with kids. Simple and easy to use!

Another great way to use On Guard with kids is to make your own DIY hand sanitizer. Ditch the toxic sanitizers and make your own for a fraction of the cost; it is not only all natural, but another great way to support your health and keep little hands that touch everything clean. Find the roller bottle and DIY hand cleansing spray recipes at the bottom of the post.

Of course, I have to explain a little about my inspiration for this creative portrait series. As a creative director and photographer, my mind is always thinking, exploring, dreaming and creating. My vision was to create a portrait series that incorporated the essential oils in a very organic and creative way that also captured the essence of the oils and how the oils support our health and wellness as well as capture the feeling of each oil. On Guard is a very powerful essential oil blend, so my creative direction for the floral design was a piece that exudes this confidence and strength as well as keeping in mind the warm, woody aroma. This was also what I was looking for in the expression of our model; strong, healthy, confident. I think she did such a fabulous job! I love how these portraits turned out. The amazing floral design is by my good friends Laurie and Nemo of Art in Bloem. I was thrilled to collaborate with them on this shoot. They are so insanely talented, and they were able to bring this concept to life in such a stunningly beautiful piece. Also, a big shout out to Kelly Shepherd for hair and makeup. Thank you to my talented models too who came in on their March Break to model for this shoot. It was a brilliant and creative day!

To learn more about On Guard essential oil or get started with your own account to get wholesale pricing, click here.

Roller Bottle On Guard blend for kids

Place 6-15 drops On Guard Protective Blend in a 10 ml roller bottle *depending on age and sensitivity

Fill with Fractionated Coconut Oil

Use daily on the bottom of your kid’s feet in the morning before school throughout the fall and winter months.

DIY On Guard Hand cleansing spray

4-ounce spray bottle, glass

1 tbsp aloe vera gel

20 drops On Guard Protective Blend

In a spray bottle, combine aloe vera and dōTERRA On Guard and fill the rest with water. Shake until combined. To use, spray on hands and rub together.