A Beginner's Guide to Essential Oils: Tips & Tricks for Getting Started + Recipes

Essential Oils have become a very popular commodity. Google “Essential Oils” and get About 58,500,000 results! Search “Essential Oils” on Amazon and get 238,576 results! Needless to say, people are crazy about their essential oils!

There are large companies that sell Essential Oils (EOs for short) such as Young Living, DoTerra Mountain Rose Herbs, etc. There are tons more smaller companies too. My favorite brands are:
Now Foods, Majestic Pure, ArtNaturals, First Botany Cosmeceuticals, Living Pure, and Sun Organic. 

Essential Oils have a ton of uses, but first, I want to caution you. Do NOT just throw yourself into using EOs. Do your research before using and if possible, communicate with an essential oils expert or essential oils company. Don’t just buy EOs and start putting them all over your house, your body, or worse, ingesting them. 

Typically, EOs are created by distilling the parts of the plant. The steam from the compound allows the volatile compounds to condense through a coil back into a liquid. EOs are highly concentrated, which is why caution must be exercised while using them, especially if you decide to ingest them. EOs are commonly used to scent soaps and bath products, for aromatherapy, and also for topical and internal therapeutic uses. 

Since EOs are so strong, it’s not common to use them “neat”, or directly on the skin. For example, one drop of peppermint essential oil is equivalent to 26-28 cups of peppermint tea! If you wouldn’t drink 26 cups of tea, think twice about using the oil. Although there are a few uses for this practice, most of the time, EOs are used with a carrier oil to dilute the EOs. 

As a general rule, essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil like coconut oil or almond oil in a 3-5% solution. You can also use butters such as Shea Butter. On a practical level, this is 3-5 drops of essential oils per teaspoon of carrier oil (and much less if using on a baby or child). 

Citrus oils can cause photosensitivity (makes the skin more sensitive to the sun and can cause premature sunburn).

Eucalyptus, Rosemary, and Peppermint/Wintergreen/etc. oils should not be used on a baby or young child except in extreme cases and under the advice of a medical professional. These oils have menthol and a chemical called 1-8 cineole that can adversely affect breathing in young people as their lungs are smaller. I would even use caution if you’re going to use them in a diffuser. Make sure you highly dilute them and only use the diffuser in a well ventilated area and for a short period of time.

Lavender, Chamomile, Frankincense, and most citrus oils are safe to use around babies. Some people even make a highly diluted massage oil with these for bedtime or as a calming technique. 

My pet peeve with EOs is that most brands say they are “therapeutic grade.” This term can be misleading as no government agency actually regulates this. So, buyer beware. Do your research. Read product reviews. Google. Whatever you need to do. Remember I am not a medical expert, nor do I consider myself an expert in essential oils. I can only tell you what I have done and what I know. 

All that said, there are a TON of Essential Oils. Here is a partial list: (I will provide links to my articles about the individual oils as I write them!)

Anise 
Basil 
Bay 
Bergamot 
Black Pepper 
Birch 
Caraway 
Cardamom seed 
Carrot seed 
Cedarwood 
Chamomile (German)
Chamomile (Roman)
Cinnamon
Citronella
Clary Sage
Clove 
Coriander
Cranberry seed 
Cumin/Black seed 
Cypress
Curry leaf
Dill 
Eucalyptus 
Fennel seed 
Fenugreek 
Fir
Frankincense 
Geranium 
Ginger 
Goldenrod
Grapefruit 
Henna 
Hickory nut 
Horseradish 
Hyssop
Jasmine 
Juniper berry 
Lavender
Lemon
Lemongrass
Lime
Mandarin
Marjoram
Melaleuca/ Tea tree
Melissa (Lemon balm)
Mentha arvensis/Mint 
Mountain Savory
Mustard 
Myrrh 
Myrtle
Nutmeg
Orange 
Oregano 
Parsley 
Patchouli 
Pennyroyal 
Peppermint 
Pine 
Red Cedar
Rose 
Rosehip 
Rosemary 
Rosewood 
Sage 
Sandalwood
Sassafras
Savory
Spearmint 
Spruce
Star anise 
Tangerine
Tarragon 
Tea tree
Thyme 
Turmeric
Valerian
Western red cedar
Wintergreen
Yarrow
Ylang-ylang

The EOs I use regularly are Lavender, Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Frankincense, Myrrh, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Roman Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, Tea Tree, Tangerine, Lime, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Geranium, Fennel, Cinnamon, Citronella, Basil, and Rosemary. 

This is my favorite diffuser, but there are tons to choose from.

Lavender oil is my favorite. It is calming, relaxing, and healing. This is one of the few oils that I will use a drop or two “neat” (directly on the skin). I put a drop on mosquito bites or blisters to aid healing, swelling, and itching. I also put a drop behind my ear if I’m extremely stressed. It can help with sleep too. I also use it when I make soaps and bath products. It is a natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antidepressant. It also is great for repelling mosquitoes. If you’re going to start trying EOs, I recommend this one. 

Lemongrass EO is fun! It smells citrusy and is relaxing. It is great for cleaning products or in a load of laundry. It is one of the best EOs for repelling bugs. It is a great oil for blending. Try it with grapefruit or bergamot or lavender. It’s also a great oil for deodorizing. 

Grapefruit is a great oil for soaps and bath products. It is uplifting and invigorating. It has diuretic, disinfectant, stimulant, antidepressant, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties. It is one of the best oils for creating salt or sugar scrubs. 

Orange smells amazing. It’s a great scent to use with kids. It’s also good for linens or to freshen areas that smell kind of musty or stale. It is anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, and diuretic. It is very uplifting and is a great oil for cleaning products.

Lemon is another oil that is great for cleaning. It’s bright and also great for disinfecting. It’s soothing and refreshing. It’s antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, antidepressant, antihistamine, astringent, and detoxifying. It’s highly versatile as it can be used for cleaning or health uses. One of my favorite ways to use it is to combat allergies. It also is great to soothe sore throats when added to a gargle.

Frankincense is another favorite. I use it year round. It’s antiseptic, disinfectant, astringent, diuretic, an expectorant, and a sedative. It’s used to treat acne, allergies, congestion, bug bites, anxiety, and stress. It also repels mosquitoes. 

Myrrh is an antimicrobial, astringent, antioxidant, expectorant, antifungal, anticatarrhal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory oil. It is good for the skin. It has an interesting smell, almost smoky sweet spicy. It’s a great oil for allergies and also can be used to stop bleeding. 

Peppermint oil is a very popular oil. It is very strong. It is commonly used in bath products and toothpastes and gum. It’s anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and an expectorant. It helps with digestive issues. There’s even capsules that contain pure peppermint oil. It also helps headaches, mental health, and respiratory problems. Rodents and many bugs also hate the smell. (DO NOT USE WHILE BREASTFEEDING AS IT WILL REDUCE SUPPLY) (USE EXTREME CAUTION AROUND BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN)

Eucalyptus oil is commonly used in vapor rubs. It is anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic, antibacterial, analgesic, decongesting, disinfectant, and deordorant. It can be used to treat bug bites and respiratory infections and congestion. It’s commonly used to combat stress too. (DO NOT USE ON OR AROUND BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN AS IT CAN SLOW OR STOP BREATHING)

Roman Chamomile is safe for even newborns to be around (ask your doctor first!). It’s warm and fruity smelling and it relaxes and calms. It’s an antispasmodic, antiseptic, antibiotic, antidepressant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-infective. It can be used to treat minor skin ailments and helps with insomnia and anxiety and depression. I use a few drops around naptime and bedtime to help my kiddos relax. (DO NOT USE IF SENSITIVE/ALLERGIC TO RAGWEED)

Ylang Ylang is a new oil for me. It’s an antidepressant, antiseborrhoeic, antiseptic, and nervine oil. It is calming and relaxing. It’s good for boosting the nervous system. It blends well with bergamot, grapefruit, lavender and sandalwood. 

Tea Tree Oil is the first oil I started using. I accidentally stepped into a fire ant swarm and within seconds, my entire foot was on FIRE! I stopped the burn using Windex, but I was left with a horribly itchy and nasty looking foot. One of my friends saw this and recommended using TTO on it, just “neat” to reduce the pain. It worked! It has a strong scent but man, this stuff works to heal nearly any kind of skin issue- bites, burns, fungus, dandruff, boils, acne, warts, lice, fleas, and odor. (DO NOT USE INTERNALLY!)

Tangerine oil is uplifting and smells wonderful. It has antiseptic, antispasmodic, cytophylactic, sedative and antibacterial properties. I use it as a pick me up when I’m feeling very tired or depressed. It blends well with other citrus oils. 

Lime oil is another antiseptic, antioxidant, antiviral, astringent, apertif, antibacterial oil. It’s bright and fun smelling. It can help with respiratory issues and anxiety. It can increase the appetite. It is also a great oil to use for digestive issues and bacterial infections in the digestive system (consult a doctor!) Some people say it helps regulate blood pressure too. It’s great to pair with lemon to fight colds and flu and it’s also a great deodorizer. 

Jasmine oil is an antidepressant. It’s also antiseptic, antispasmodic, expectorant, and an aphrodisiac. It has an exotic, floral fragrance. I use it less than other oils because my particular bottle is pretty strong. It’s a common ingredient in bath products. It can help with menstrual issues such as cramping and pain. It also can quiet coughs when used in a diffuser. 

Sandalwood seems to be an underrated oil (at least to me). It has properties as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, antispasmodic, astringent, cicatrisant, carminative, diuretic, disinfectant, emollient, expectorant, hypotensive, sedative, and tonic substance. It smells amazing. It can be used on minor skin abrasions and bug bites. It can also help with muscle cramps and pain. It’s also good to help treat scars and spots. It is very soothing to the skin and is also great to treat coughs if used in a diffuser. It also blends well with other calming oils such as lavender, myrrh, and ylang ylang.

Geranium oil is great for keeping the buggies away. It can also be used as an astringent or deodorant. I like to use it in bath products. 

Fennel oil is good for digestive issues. It can also help with breast milk production. I used this oil on my breasts when Cocoa Puff was born to help my milk come in. I swear I could FEEL the milk coming in. It’s antiseptic, antispasmodic, aperitif, expectorant, and more. It helps with menstrual cramps too. You can rub a drop or two mixed with a carrier oil over your belly if you’re having digestive issues. 

Cinnamon is a “hot” oil. It’s strong. It’s antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, astringent, and anti-clotting. It’s sometimes used for respiratory issues and blood circulation problems. It can regulate blood sugar problems too. (USE VERY SPARINGLY AROUND YOUNG KIDS AND BABIES)

Citronella is the most used oil to keep bugs away. It also has antibacterial, antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It can also help with digestive issues, but I have never used it for this. 

Basil is effective in treating nausea and other digestive issues, including constipation. This is the only way I’ve used it, and I don’t use a lot of it since it smells strong. 

Rosemary oil has potent antioxidant, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory agents that help with respiratory issues, muscle pain, digestive issues, headaches, and cough. You can also use it in a mouthwash to improve oral health. (NOT FOR USE DURING PREGNANCY)(USE SPARINGLY AROUND KIDS)

I like to blend my essential oils in my diffuser. Depending on what I need, there are several ways to blend the oils. 

For calming and relaxing, I blend equal parts roman chamomile and lavender. 
To get an energizing boost, try lemon and ginger.
My favorite antidepressant blend is equal parts lemongrass and grapefruit. Sometimes I make the grapefruit one drop stronger. 
When my allergies are bugging me, I use a blend of frankincense, lavender, and lemon. Experiment with the amounts to see which blend smells the best for you. 
Another pick me up blend is wild orange and peppermint. 
If your house smells weird and you want to try to eliminate a stale or weird smell, try equal parts of lavender, lemon, and rosemary. Or try cilantro instead of the rosemary. Or, substitute lime for the lemon. Or use half lemon and half lime. It’s pretty versatile! 
If you’re congested, use lavender, lemon, and peppermint. 
For a citrusy scent in summer, blend lemon, orange, lime, and grapefruit. This blend makes me hungry! 
For respiratory issues, a popular blend is 1 part lemon, eucalyptus, and rosemary each and two parts peppermint (REMEMBER TO USE CAUTION AROUND YOUNG CHILDREN).
For a flowery gardeny experience, try geranium (I’d use only one part to two parts of the others), lavender, and roman chamomile.
My favorite bug repellent blend is lemongrass, eucalyptus, citronella, lavender, and basil. You can eliminate the basil if it's not your thing.
For a spicy, seasonal blend, mix 3 parts orange, 2 parts cinnamon, and 1 part clove. Oh my. It’s like fall!
Frankincense and cedarwood smell good together, but I like to use less cedar in this blend. 
If you’re just feeling blah and don’t really know why, try mixing orange, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus, and cinnamon (USE CAUTION AROUND YOUNG CHILDREN). 
If you have a sore throat, use clove, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, oregano, or thyme. (AGAIN, NOT FOR USE BY YOUNG CHILDREN, although some say that CLOVE is fine even for teething babies)
For blisters, bug bites, etc. try using three parts Tea Tree, one part lavender, and one part roman chamomile. 
For stress relief, try frankincense and bergamot. This is not my favorite but some people absolutely love it. 
For a sleep aid, try lavender and chamomile. You can add sandalwood or ylang ylang to it too. 
I have used tea tree oil and lavender in the laundry when washing gym clothes or cloth diapers. You can add lemon or orange to this too. 
Peppermint and lime smell yummy together. To me, it kind of smells like a mojito! 
For a romantic blend, try jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang, and vanilla. 

What are your favorite essential oils?