My Top 12 Favorite Essential Oils

Think Celeste will help you use the essential power of nature to improve your strength of mind, balance your body and stimulate the psyche.

Photo from https://pixabay.com/en/aroma-basil-preparation-natural-906137/

Essential oils are scented oils extracted from plants.  I strongly recommend you add essential oils to carrier oils.  NEVER take them orally.

If you are pregnant, or breast feeding, do not use essential oils, not even in a diffuser, unless you check with a licensed therapist or doctor.

Before I let you know more about my favorite 12 Essential Oils, let me remind you that we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Now that we got that out of the way, let’s continue!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the benefits of essential oils and is with my InnoGear Aromatic diffuser, which I rely on to make my home happy and nice smelling!  I especially like not having to worry about the votive candle

Each essential oil contains unique healing and therapeutic benefits.   Some of my favorite essential oils and how to use them are listed below (their latin name is in italics):

1. Bergamot (“Citrus Aurantium”): Bergamot oil is known for its calming effect, and has a wonderful effect on aging skin. The bergamot orange tree is grown in Italy and southern France.  The rind is pressed to release its oil, which is used for depression, stress, anxiety, skin infections such as eczema and psoriasis.
   Put it in a diffuser, or in your bath water.  It blends well with massage oils and is used at various salons, such as spas and massage therapists for its benefits.
   Always dilute with carrier oils because it can burn the skin in its pure form.  It is photosensitive, so stay out of the sun when you use it!
2. Cedarwood (“Cedrus Atlantica”): It has a woodsy fragrance.  It dates back to ancient Egypt and just might be one of the first oils used therapeutically.  Today steam distillation is used to removing the oils from the tree’s wood chips.  Use in your diffuser for a calming experience if you have stress or feel anxious; skin problems, and urinary tract infections, and your spirit energy will feel uplifted.  Use in your bathwater and massage oils. Dilute with carrier oils because it can burn the skin in its pure form.  Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding.
3. Eucalyptus “Eucalyptus globulus”: Native to Western Australia,  the eucalyptus is cultivated for its gum, resin, oil, and wood. It is obtained by steam distilling the leaves.
   Eucalyptus essential oil is effective for respiratory diseases, colds, and congestion. It can improve concentration and is great as an insect repellent. It is used as an antispasmodic, antiseptic, decongestant, stimulant, and diuretic. It is wonderful for fevers, headaches, and migraines due to its cooling elements and it is used for a deodorant and helps with muscle aches and pain.
   In one study, researchers found that the combination of eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil boosts cognitive performance. These two essential oils combined also reduce headaches and promote mental and muscular relaxation.
4. Lavender (“Lavandula angustifolia”): It is native to the Mediterranean, eastern Africa, southwest Asia, and southeast India. The very popular fragrance smells sweet and heavenly. Derived from the steam distillation of fresh lavender flowers, lavender oil is one of the most versatile essential oils.  It is great for relieving stress, the common cold, flu, and headaches including migraines. It is useful as an antidepressant, decongestant, anti-inflammatory agent, sedative, diuretic, and deodorant.
   It is wonderful in your diffuser, in the bath for you own spa-like experience, and a few drops on your pillow at bedtime aid in a restful night’s sleep.  Helps with relaxation, improves mood and heals burns and cuts.
   Lavender may also help fight anxiety, without sedative effect.
5. Lemon (“Citrus limonum”) also known as Citrus Limon, is a native of India. Lemon oil is obtained from the fresh fruit peel by cold expression. The cool, clean and fresh scent is ideal for cleaning your happy home.
   It decreases acid in the body, a good thing, and aids with digestion; Great to use in homemade cleaning products, improves lymph drainage and cleanses the body. It improves concentration to help you in making decisions. It is great in your diffuser to help with headaches, fever, and uplifting a depressing mood.  Add a few drops to your bath and for help with many things including circulation and skin problems. Lemon is not toxic but can cause an allergic skin rash, so dilute with carrier oils because it can burn the skin in its pure form.  It is photosensitive, so stay out of the sun.
6. Palmarosa (“Cymbopogon Martini”): Extraction of this essential oil is done by steam distillation of dried grass which is harvested before flowering. This oil smells like rose oil, which is how it got the name Palma Rosa. This is also why it is sometimes used in place of rose oil.
   I use this oil is widely used in soap, perfume, oil and cosmetics.  While the oil has many therapeutic uses, it is most frequently used for skin care because of its moisturizing properties.  It helps your body retain the moisture in the tissues and maintains the moisture balance throughout your body.  Therefore, this can relieve inflammation and certain other symptoms of dehydration, and is particularly good for the skin.  It keeps the skin soft, moist, and looking young.
   When used in your aromatherapy diffuser, Palma Rosa oil relaxes the muscles and nerves, fights depression, fatigue, anxiety, anger and nervousness, while also having an uplifting effect on the mind.
7. Peppermint (“Mentha Piperita”): It is a hybrid crossed with watermint and spearmint.  It originally came from Europe and the Middle East but now is found all over.   The herb is extracted by steam distillation before its tiny purple flowers bloom.
   Peppermint oil can help alleviate nausea, headaches, upset stomach, indigestion, gas, and anxiety.  It works on the digestive system by speeding up the rate of elimination.  Peppermint oil calms the involuntary smooth muscle of the stomach, producing an antispasmodic effect, and improves the flow of bile. Peppermint oil is effective because it contains menthol that interferes with the movement of electrolytes across cell membranes, stopping involuntary contractions.
   It is used in diffusers as an energy booster.  It is cooling, refreshing, and great for mental alertness.  Use it in your diffuser, vaporizer, massage oils, and in you tub bath. The cooling vapors have a menthol component that boosts your mood, to be centered and focused, it removes irritation and redness on skin, helps with congestion and digestion.
   Even though peppermint is not toxic, the menthol might irritate some people.  Keep it away from your eyes and the mucous membranes of the nose because it can be irritating.

8. German or Blue Chamomile (“Matricaria Recutita”): Blue chamomile oil is extracted from German chamomile. It has the strongest anti-inflammatory compounds of ANY therapeutic essential oil, yet, is extremely gentle in use. It’s excellent for pain and stress relief, healing skin and mouth wounds, and soothing arthritic – rheumatic inflammations, while it is non-irritating. As with all Essential Oils, it is better diluted with a carrier oil for sensitive skin, and the elderly and infirm.
   The remarkable feature of German Chamomile essential oil is its color – a deep indigo blue from its chamazulene content. It also has a distinctive “green” aroma, like freshly mown grass, an aroma renown for anti-inflammatory effects that may be used to reduce swelling and puffiness, as a nervous system sedative, which is calming and pain-killing, and as an immune system booster. This color fades and turns dark yellow during storage, but, don’t worry, the oil’s benefits don’t fade.
   Chamomile has been used therapeutically for thousands of years by Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians to remedy everything from skin conditions and injuries to fever and insomnia.
   Chamomile tea can help with insomnia, and inhaling the aroma of chamomile oil produces a mild sedative effect on the brain, which makes you feel sleepy. Like lavender, chamomile oil offers a mild anti-anxiety effect for those who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder.
9. Rosemary (“Rosmarinus officinalis”) is a native to Asia and the Mediterranean region, and is steam distilled from the flowers. It is used as a mental stimulant. The oil in your diffuser will boost memory, reduce congestion and sinusitis problems. It is wonderful as an antidepressant, helps to sooth aches, cramps and muscle tightness, headaches and migraines. Rub some on your scalp for stimulation and circulation and also for better hair growth. Add to your hot bathwater for a soothing bath. It works on skin problems, and aids liver and digestive conditions.  Can naturally thicken hair so I add it to my homemade shampoos.  Also, it improves brain function and memory so it’s great to used when working, reading or studying.
10. Tea tree (“Melaleuca alternifolia”): Tea tree oil is my favorite essential oil when I need antimicrobial properties. In Australia, it has a long history of use as an antiseptic. Aborigines native to Australia inhale the aroma of crushed leaves to relieve cough, and used poultices (as a paste) to help heal wounds.  Today, we know that tea tree oil is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral.  Tea tree oil also inhibits the growth and sporulation of yeast and fungus.  The oil can be applied topically to cuts to discourage infection.  It reduces bad odors and can help stimulate the immune system. Put tea tree oil in your diffuser, bath, or massage oils with carrier oils or blend with other oils for a relaxing experience.  My brother loves the liquid soap I make for him with tea tree oil!
11. Sandalwood (“Santalum album”): Both the tree and the oil produce a fragrance that has been prized and valued for centuries. It is expensive and has a woodsy fragrance and many aromatherapy benefits.  Sandalwood is distilled in a four-step process, incorporating boiling, steaming, condensation, and separation, and is mainly carried out industrially in India.
    Use in your diffusers, and blend with massage oils.  It can be used diluted as a gargle for your throat. Sandalwood reduces tension, anxiety, and has a calming effect. It is wonderful as a hydrator for the skin, eliminating flakiness.  It is an anti-inflammatory agent.  It is a natural aphrodisiac that improves libido and can also improve energy.
12. Ylang Ylang (“Cananga odorata”) is a tropical tree originally from the Philippines and is highly valued for its exotic and intoxicating flowers. The oil is removed from the flowers and steam distilled. Its sweet fragrance is wonderful for aromatherapy and it is excellent with therapeutic benefits reducing stress. It is also known as an aphrodisiac. Use in your diffuser, in the bath, add to massage oils and enjoy its heady fragrant benefits, its calming abilities. It soothes headaches, skin problems, nausea, stimulates hair growth, intestinal upsets, and high blood pressure.

Different oils can be blended together to enhance each person’s energy or can be blended with a base oil to be used for massage, shower gels or body lotions.  These blends are great to use in a diffuser!  More to come….

DISCLAIMER: None of the health topics presented here have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. They should not replace personal judgment nor medical treatment when indicated.

I do not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always talk to your physician about the use of these or any other complimentary modalities.