Mixing Your Own Aromatherapy Oils

Six secrets for blending essential oil recipes

Not to worry - with these six secrets for mixing aromatherapy oils, you can quickly learn how to blend essential oils and then...

Confidently begin blending essential oil lotions and potions for any mood or moment.

Secret #1: Get Into Groups

• Floral - such as lavender, geranium, jasmine and rose
• Citrus - such as lemon, grapefruit, orange and bergamot
• Spicy - such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and pepper
• Woody - such as cedarwood, rosewood, patchouli and sandalwood
• Green (or Herbaceous) - such as peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus and rosemary

Citrus oils generally blend well with spicy oils. Citrus and floral also often work well together. Woody and floral is usually a good combination, and green and citrus are good too.

Here's a quick trick for figuring out how to blend essential oils: If you're not sure about a blend, take the caps off the bottles, hold them together in a tight group and waft the combination under your nose.

Secret #2: Start Small

For instance, you could begin with lavender, bergamot, cinnamon, cedarwood or pine and peppermint or tea tree.

Then try adding rose geranium (smells more flowery than regular geranium) or ylang ylang, lemon, orange or grapefruit, sandalwood or patchouli and eucalyptus or rosemary.

Pick more essential oils from the groups with the scents you prefer. Grow your collection slowly, adding essential oils as you come across new aromatherapy recipes you want to try.

If this all seems a bit overwhelming, simply buy a starter kit - the oils are chosen for you, and they often come in smaller sizes so you don't have to commit to paying for full-sized bottles before you know what you really like.

Mountain Rose Herbs (my favorite aromatherapy supplier) has a few nice kits available. A good first choice is their "Classic" Sampler Kit with Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary and Tea Tree. Easy!

Handy Hint: Make small batches when you're just starting out. Once you know what works, you can go bigger.

Secret #3: Stick With Simple

Try these ideas for blending essential oils in your everyday life:

• Add 5 to 10 drops each lemon and lavender to your unscented laundry detergent for sweet-smelling clothes. (Using fabric softener or dryer sheets will cover up the aroma - replace the fabric softener with white vinegar and hang your laundry outside to dry.)
• Make your own essential oil bath or body blend by combining three drops of your three favorite essential oils in two tablespoons of oil. (Plain vegetable oil will work, but grapeseed, sweet almond and sesame are nicer.) Use the blend as a body oil, bath oil or massage oil.
• Create a refreshing room spray: Boil some water and let it cool. Pour it into a spray bottle and add 5 drops each lemon, peppermint and eucalyptus. Coincidentally, this aromatherapy recipe is also a disinfectant. Perfect for sickrooms!

Secret #4: The Rule of Three

Yes, it's true that lots of recipes, especially commercial blends, use many scents in one product, but a simple fact is that three essential oils together work just right. Your nose can still smell all three, but at the same time they create a beautiful harmony.

Secret #5: Learn a Little - Be Sensible About Safety

Some essential oils are skin irritants (cinnamon and thyme, for example.)

Most of the citrus oils are photo-toxic, which means you can get sunburned if you're exposed to sunlight after applying them to your skin.

And did you know that too much lavender can be stimulating rather than relaxing?

Or that sandalwood, patchouli and frankincense are among a whole list of oils that are exceptionally healing to the skin?

There's a whole world of interesting essential oil facts out there, and part of the fun of mixing your own aromatherapy oils is learning what they're good for. Take the time to enjoy the research!

Secret #6: Follow Your Nose!

Your mood, your hormones, even the time of year can affect how you feel about a certain aromatherapy blend on any given day.

Trust yourself! If you've learned some basic safety and therapeutic guidelines, you can't go too far wrong.

Benefits of Mixing Your Own Aromatherapy Oils

That's what makes the world of mixing your own aromatherapy oils so exciting - every day you can try something new, and it will always be good for you. Because every oil is part of earth's gift to us.

What Next?

Or jump right in - check out some related pages and then GET MIXING!!! These links are an easy way to begin your essential oils adventure.

Massage Oil Recipes

Facial Recipes

Essential Oil Use Chart

Essential Oil Profiles

Aromatherapy Recipes Homepage from Mixing Your Own Aromatherapy Oils


Or look for recipes with a certain essential oil in them by using the search box below. Lavender for example... Simply type in "lavender" (without the quotes) and hit Search.

Every page on this website that includes the word Lavender will pop up. Poke through them and decide what recipe you want to try first. Have fun!