Uses for Essential Oils: A-Z Physical and Emotional Wellness

Uses for Essential Oils: Plant Therapy Essential oils are pure oils extracted from various botanicals, like plants. Essential oils have been used for their healing properties for thousands of years. They offer many benefits, each dependent on the plant they are derived from.

 

Uses for Essential Oils: Plant Therapy Single Oils A-Z

A-B

Allspice: Alleviates stiffness and cramping

Amyris: Known as an aphrodisiac, also relieves congestion, reduces fine lines in skin

Basil: Mental alertness, supports sore muscles/joints, menstruation

Bergamot: Skin purifying, emotional support

Black Pepper: Antioxidant, reduce cigarette cravings, supports healthy circulation, flavoring

Black Spruce: Stress management, calming, soothing to skin, reduces skin irritation

Blue Tansy: Soothing sensation to skin, reduces skin blemishes

Buddha Wood: Perfect for enriching meditation practices and promoting clarity and mindfulness

C

Cardamom: Supports healthy digestion, respiratory health, cooking

Camphor: Used to help clear lungs and boost circulation within your body

Cardamom: Used to help uplift and energize your mood, especially when dealing with stress, fatigue, or feelings of depression

Carrot Seed: Helps with skin rejuvenation as well as digestive and respiratory issues

Catnip: Aids with anxiety reduction and better sleep as well as easing muscle tension

Cassia: Supports healthy cell function, digestion, arousal

Cedarwood: Repels insects, supports healthy skin, emotional support

Chamomile, Roman: Calming, immune healthy immune function

Cinnamon Bark: Supports metabolic function, oral health, cleaning

Citronella: Pest repellant, cleaning, skin and scalp soother, uplifting, stress relief

Clary Sage: Supports healthy hormonal balance, tension, emotional balance, healthy hair, sleep

Clove Bud: Promotes cardiovascular health, oral health, immune health

Common Myrtle: Healthy skin, uplifting, stimulating

Copaiba: Antioxidant, supports cardiovascular/immune/digestive systems, calming, healthy skin

Coriander: Supports digestion, clear skin, sore joints and muscles

Cypress: Soothes muscle tension, energy, uplifting, skin health

D-F

Davana:  Eases menses and menopausal symptoms

Dill Weed:  Boosts immunity and supports menstrual discomfort

Douglas Fir: Respiratory health, skin health

Elemi: Great for meditation and supports young looking skin

Eucalyptus: Supports healthy respiration, skin, cleansing

Fennel (Sweet): Promotes healthy digestion, metabolism, circulation

Fir Needle: Tranquility, relaxation, soothing massage

Frankincense: Supports healthy cellular health, skin, emotional balance

G-J

Geranium: Healthy skin and hair, calming, insect repellant

Ginger: Digestive support, grounding, cooking, antioxidant

Grapefruit: Cleansing, skin health, healthy metabolism, alertness

Green Mandarin:  Supports healthy nervous/digestive/respiratory systems, immune support, uplifting, soothing

Helichrysum: Promotes skin appearance, healthy metabolism

Ho Wood: Promotes calm and relaxation

Jasmine: Skin health, balanced mood

Juniper Berry: Kidney/urinary function, skin appearance/toner, cleansing, stress

Kumquat: Energizing for a morning boost

L-M

Lavender: Universal oil, calming, skin health and recovery, flavoring

Laurel Leaf: Promotes confidence and courage to the body and mind

Lemon: For increasing energy, digestive and respiratory support, cleaning

Lemon Eucalyptus: refreshing and uplifting, invigorating, facial cleanser, cleaning

Lemongrass: Healthy digestion, supports muscles and joints, complexion, insects

Lime: Cleans, detoxifies, energizes, healthy immune function

Magnolia: Anxiety relief, relaxation, soothes skin

Marjoram: Emotional support, muscular support, cardiovascular function

May Chang (Litsea):  Uplifting and promotes emotional wellbeing

Melaleuca (Tea Tree): Cleansing, healthy immune function, skin complexion

Melissa (Lemon Balm): Supports healthy immune function, tension and anxiety relief

Myrrh: Cleansing, skin and complexion, emotional balance

Neroli: Anxiety relief, relaxation, soothes skin, uplifting

Niaouli: Eases allergies as well as helps with skin imperfections

Nutmeg:  Eases sluggish digestion as well as achy joints

O-P

Orange: Emotional balance, overall health, cleansing/purifying, antioxidants

Oregano: Powerful cleansing agent, healthy immune/digestion/respiratory function

Palmarosa:  Supports digestive health as well as lifts mood

Palo Santo:  Known for healing and calming

Patchouli: Supports skin health/complexion, grounding, tension

Peppermint: Wonderful for digestive/respiratory function, energy, cooling

Petitgrain: Supports cardiovascular and immune function, antioxidant, sleep

R-T

Ravintsara:  Eases congestion and stuffiness

Roman Chamomile: Calming, immune healthy immune function

Rosalina: Eases congestion

Rose: Promotes skin health/complexion, emotional balance

Rosemary: Promotes healthy digestion, respiratory function, healthy hair/scalp

Sandalwood (Australian): Healthy skin, meditation

Spearmint: Promotes digestive health, oral health

Star Anise:  Eases hot flashes and supports healthy digestion

Tangerine: Cleansing, healthy immune system, cooking

Tea Tree (Melaleuca): Cleansing, healthy immune function, skin complexion

Thyme: Cleansing, purifying, healthy immune function, insect repellent

Turmeric: Supports healthy glucose and lipid metabolism, healthy nervous and cellular function, immune support

V-Y

Vanilla (Love blend): Rich, creamy, and sweet, cooking/beverages

Vetiver: Calming, grounding, healthy immune function

Wintergreen: Soothes muscles/joints, skin/complexion, emotional support

Yarrow (Blue): Supports metabolic function, immune support, antioxidant, soothing to skin

Ylang Ylang: Promotes healthy skin and hair, antioxidant, calming, increased libido 

Yuzu:  Supports respiratory health

---

Hypno-Aromatherapy: Uses for Essential Oils As Anchors in Hypnosis

Stress Management: Vanilla, Lavender, Sandalwood, Orange, Chill Out (blend), Relax (blend).

Feeling Anxious or Depressed: Vetiver, Cedarwood, Geranium, Melissa, Happy Place (blend), Blues Buster (blend).

Sexual Issues: Lavender, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Neroli, Sensual (blend).

Meditation: Ho Wood, Frankincense, Australian Sandalwood, Juniper Berry, Palo Santo, Meditation (blend), Chakra Synergies (blends).

Fears & Phobias: Lavender, Bergamot, Sweet Orange, Vetiver, Atlas Cedarwood, Worry Free (blend), True Expression (blend).

---

Uses for Essential Oils: How to Apply Essential Oils

1. Through smell. We call this “aromatic” use of essential oils. This includes any application method that helps you experience the aroma of the oil. You can use essential oils aromatically by:

• Diffusing in an essential oil diffuser
• Applying a drop to your hands and inhaling
• Wearing as a personal fragrance

2. On your skin. “Topical” application of essential oils allows the oil to absorb into the skin. Some ways to use essential oils on your skin are:

• Massage
• Apply to targeted areas and rub in
• Add to lotions or moisturizers

3. Ingesting, or “internal” use of essential oils allows the oil to be transported throughout your body. Make sure the essential oil is safe for internal use first, and then try one of these methods:

• Add to a glass of water
• Take in a veggie capsule
• Put a drop under your tongue

Uses for Essential Oils: Aromatically uses for essential oils

Aromatic use of essential oils is especially powerful.

The sense of smell is a tool that can elicit powerful physiological, mental, and emotional responses. Essential oils are quickly absorbed by smell receptors, which have a direct link to the limbic system, which is the part of your brain that stores memories and emotions. Some essential oils induce uplifting or invigorating effects, while others are more calming.

Diffusing is one of the simplest ways to use essential oils aromatically. You can use an essential oil diffuser if you’d like but using essential oils aromatically does not require any special diffusing devices. You can achieve the same health benefits by simply placing a few drops of essential oil in the palm of your hand, cupping it around your nose, and breathing deeply.

Other Ways to Use Essential Oils Aromatically:

• Apply oil to a cotton ball and place in the air vents of your vehicle
• Mix oils in a spray bottle with water and mist over furniture, carpet, or linens
• Add oil to a batch of laundry or to dryer sheets
• Use in household surface cleaners

---

Uses for Essential Oils: Topically uses for essential oils

Essential oils easily penetrate the skin for localized benefits, making topical (on the skin) application a great way to experience the benefits of essential oils. This is why Plant Therapy works to create potent essential oils that are powerful enough to promote healthy-looking skin, yet gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

When used topically, essential oils can improve complexion and skin tone. They can also be used as part of a soothing massage. Before topical application, be sure to follow all label recommendations and dilution instructions.

Beneficial Areas You Can Apply Essential Oils

• Neck
• Forehead and temples (unless the oil is classified as a “hot oil”)
• Chest and abdomen
• Arms, legs, bottoms of feet

Other Ways to Use Essential Oils Topically 

• Add a few drops of oil to a warm bath
• Make a hot or cold compress by soaking a cloth in water, adding essential oils, and then applying to the desired area
• Add oil to a lotion or moisturizer and then apply to skin

Sensitive Areas to be Avoided

• Some facial areas, such as the skin around the eyes
• Eyes and inner ears
• Broken, damaged, or otherwise injured skin
• Genital area

---

Uses for Essential Oils: Internally (Ingestion) uses for essential oils

When ingested, essential oils directly enter the blood stream via the gastrointestinal tract, where they are transported throughout the rest of the body. Essential oils are readily transported to all organs of the body, including the brain.

Follow professional guidelines for dosage when using essential oils internally.

Effective Methods of Internal Application

• Add essential oils to water, smoothies, milk, tea, or other drinks
• Put a drop under the tongue
• Take in a veggie capsule or add to a small amount of applesauce or yogurt
• Use oils in recipes for cooking or baking to replace fresh or dried herbs and spices (Remember, essential oils are much more potent than dried or fresh herbs and spices, so start with a very small amount. Use a toothpick for particularly potent oils.)

---

Uses for Essential Oils and Hypno-Aromatherapy