37 Super Easy Essential Oil Recipes
Overwhelmed by all the information out there on using Essential Oils?
We're here to help!
Aromatherapy doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By starting off with just a few basic oils, you can create massage blends, room sprays, bug repellents, diffuser blends and first aid remedies. We’ve collected a few fast and simple ideas to get you started.
Here's what you'll need:
A Carrier Oil, like sweet almond, grapeseed, jojoba or safflower oil.
These ten essential oils: Lavender, Peppermint, Chamomile, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Orange, Lemon, Geranium, Grapefruit, Rosemary
Optional but recommended essential oils: Marjoram and Ginger
First up: Essential Oils for Pain Relief and First Aid
1. Ease headache pain by adding two drops of Lavender and two drops of Peppermint oil to a tablespoon of vegetable oil and massaging into the nape of your neck.
2. Ease bug bite / sting pain with lavender oil. Truly amazing how fast this works! Add a drop (neat) to the area for quick relief.
3. Poison Ivy Remedy: Mix 4 ounces of aloe gel or juice with 15 drops of Lavender and 15 drops of Chamomile essential oil. You can add this to enough witch hazel to make a soothing spritzer or simply dab the gel blend directly onto the rash. If you keep the gel refrigerated, it will be even more soothing.
4. To ease muscle pain and tightness: mix 1 ounce of carrier oil, (arnica would be especially nice) 4 drops Rosemary, 4 drops Lavender, 2 drops Sweet Marjoram and 2 drops Ginger. Massage into sore muscles for sweet relief!
5. For burns or scalds, run cold water over area first. Then dry the skin gently and add a drop of pure Lavender oil to the burn. Note that this is not for burns with blistering or broken skin!
6. Sunburn Relief: Add 6 drops lavender and 6 drops tea tree to 2 tablespoons of aloe gel. Apply to painful areas as needed. This is so soothing!
7. Motion sickness? Try Peppermint oil. Add a few drops to a portable inhaler or handkerchief and inhale as needed.
Essential Oils for a Fragrant Home
8. To make your laundry smell fresh add a few drops of lavender or geranium oil to a washcloth and toss into the dryer with your clothes.
9. To make an easy air freshener (and much healthier than the synthetic kind) add a few drops of essential oil (peppermint is nice as is lavender and/or a blend of citrus oils) to a spray bottle of water. Shake well before using.
10. DIY Fragrant All Purpose Cleaner: Add a few drops of lemon or grapefruit essential oil to your household cleaner – this is a favorite for cleaning kitchen counters and trashcans as it adds a bright, lemony scent to your room.
11. Make your own carpet deodorizer: Add 10 drops of Lavender, Geranium, Peppermint or Lemon to a box of baking soda. Shake well and then sprinkle over your carpeted areas. Let sit for an hour or more and then vacuum.
12. For fragrant sheets and towels, add 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil to a small cloth (like a washcloth) and toss into the dryer while drying. Lavender is always wonderful, but citrus is nice as well as geranium.
13. Orange essential oil is a powerful and natural solvent. Use it to remove labels, sap or gum. Just add a few drops to a cloth or sponge and wipe well until the offending substance is removed.
14. Aromatic Closets & Dressers: Add 10-15 drops of a favorite oil or blend to a cotton ball and place inside a plastic baggie (leave open). Place the bag in your closet or a dresser drawer to impart a lovely scent to your clothing.
15. Help keep ticks away from your dogs—add a few drops of Rose Geranium essential oil to your dog’s collar. *For wonderful recipes and advice on using essential oils with pets, we strongly recommend the book “Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals" by Kristen Leigh Bell
Essential Oils for Bath & Beauty
16. Make Your Own Scented Soap. Scented soaps you buy are most likely scented with synthetic chemicals. Why not make your own? Buy unscented liquid soap base and add your favorite oils. We love a blend of lavender and geranium. Rosemary is also fantastic!
17. Make your own anti-aging face oil with tamanu (calophyllum inophyllum) oil. Use alone or add a few drops of lavender, geranium or chamomile essential oil.
18. For healthy, lustrous hair, add a drop or two of Rosemary oil to your hairbrush before brushing.
19. Make your own perfume. Blend 20 drops of Lavender, Rose, Jasmine, Neroli, Sandalwood or Patchouli to two ounces vodka OR jojoba (for a perfumed oil). Let steep for 1-2 weeks before using. The traditional perfume can be spritzed on and the perfumed oil can be dabbed onto pulse points.
20. Super easy perfumed lotion. Add 12-15 drops of your preferred essential oil (or blend) to four ounces of an unscented lotion. Shake vigorously!
21. Make your own body powder: Mix 10 drops of geranium, bergamot and ylang ylang with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Essential Oils for Emotional Balance
22. To increase Concentration and Memory: Try a combination of rosemary and lemon essential oils. Combine equal parts and diffuse while studying or working long hours. You can also use these in a portable inhaler.
23. Trouble sleeping? Add a drop or two of Lavender, Chamomile or Marjoram essential oil to a handkerchief and place beneath your pillow.
24. When traveling, use aromatherapy to freshen and personalize a stuffy hotel room. Spritz your favorite essential oils in the room to make it more comfortable and relaxing. Try Geranium, Lemon and, of course, Lavender.
25. Feeling anxious or ungrounded? Try diffusing a blend of equal parts Lavender and Geranium or make a massage oil blend and apply to the nape of your neck, temples and wrists.
26. Energize with a blend of 8 drops white grapefruit, 4 drops orange, 4 drops ginger and 4 drops peppermint. Diffuse in a candle aroma lamp or mix with 8 ounces of water, shake well, and spritz into the air.
27. Candle diffusers are a really easy and economical way to fill a room with your favorite aroma. Try different oils for different moods—lavender for relaxation, citrus for uplifting, geranium for grounding.
28. Long, stressful day? Treat yourself with an aromatherapy foot bath. Add 10-12 drops of Lavender, Lemon or Peppermint oil to a tablespoon of Epson salts and add to warm or cool (your preference) water in a large basin. As you soak your feet, feel your stress melt away.
29. To help ground you: Diffuse lavender or geranium or add a few drops to a tablespoon of carrier and dab on your pulse points.
For Kids
30. Make your own “Monster-Away” spray for your child’s nighttime jitters. Mix 5 drops Lavender oil and 5 drops Chamomile oil in a 4 oz spritzer bottle. Shake well and spritz those monsters away!
31. Make your own relaxing baby massage oil. Add 3 drops organic Lavender essential oil and 1 drop Chamomile to 2 ounces of organic safflower or organic sweet almond oil. Massage gently into skin (except face) to relax and soothe a fussy or over- tired baby or toddler.
32. Resource Tip: We highly recommend the book Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child by Valerie Ann Worwood to learn how to use essential oils safely and effectively with your children.
Personal Care:
33. Peppermint flower waters are wonderfully cooling during the summer or when overheated. They're also a life saver for hot flashes. Keep a 2 oz bottle handy in your purse to stay cool and centered.
34. Athlete’s Foot: the best thing we’ve found is a blend of grapefruit seed extract and tea tree oil. Add two drops tea tree to the extract and paint onto the affected area once or twice a day.
35. Make your own deodorant: mix two drops lavender, 1 drop tea tree and 1 drop lemon in 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil and apply lightly to the underarm area.
36. Use black pepper oil in a portable inhaler to help when quitting smoking. When the urge to smoke comes on, inhale the black pepper oil.
37. Say goodbye to smelly feet by adding a few drops of lemon oil to your shoes. Add tea tree for extra power and to help fight athlete’s foot.