Benefits of Essential Oils and Their Common Uses

Essential Oils for Anxiety

Stress and anxiety relief is one of the more notable benefits of essential oils. Keep the following list of essential oils handy if you could benefit from having a bit more zen in your world! 

Lavender Essential Oil

With its alleged ability to calm your mind, it's no wonder that lavender is so commonly used by massage therapists across the globe. In addition to helping with stress and anxiety, it's known to having a calming effect on your mind. 

Bergamot Essential Oil

Bergamot is a type of citrus believed to be a hybrid of an orange and lemon. A 2017 study found that bergamot oil inhalation helped people feel happier when in a waiting room at a mental health treatment center.(2) 

Holy Basil Essential Oil

Like the others on this list, this calming essential oil is placed in a diffuser and enjoyed aromatically. Sometimes it can be applied directly to the skin on pulse points—like on your wrist or at your temples—but the product should be diluted or approved for topical use to avoid skin irritation. 

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang Ylang is a pretty, star-shaped yellow flower with origins in Southeast Asia. It has a very fragrant, slightly sweet floral scent. 

Rose Essential Oil

Rose doesn't just offer a quintessentially floral smell. Studies have found that rose oil can help with relaxation and easing anxiety both physiologically and psychologically.(3) 

Essential Oils for Allergies

Whether you've got a case of light sniffles or are plagued by seasonal pollen, dust or dander, consider using essential oils. 

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Some people report that aromatherapy with eucalyptus oil works in helping them find allergy relief.(4) You can either inhale or apply topically, but make sure you dilute essential oils first or use a skin-approved product. 

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has natural antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.(5) For all the above reasons, it's a popular essential oil for allergies and other medicinal uses. 

Peppermint Essential Oil

If you've ever smelled or tasted peppermint, you're already familiar with the fresh zing it offers. Some say this essential oil helps clear the nasal passage while offering some soothing relief. 

Lemon Essential Oil

Like peppermint, lemon oil may help with allergies by clearing your sinuses via its citrus zing. It also has a nice, clean scent that makes your entire house smell amazing. 

Essential Oils for Sleep

Want to improve your Zzz's? Essential oils may be able to help you get to sleep and enjoy deeper rest. 

Lavender Essential Oil

In addition to helping soothe your mind and ease anxiety, lavender essential oil can be utilized to help lull you into a peaceful slumber. These benefits of essential oils actually go hand-in-hand. After all, the more at ease you are, the easier you'll fall asleep. 

Chamomile Essential Oil

Chamomile has long been known for its soothing effects, which is why chamomile tea is so popular at bedtime. It has an earthy, calming scent that can deliver notably better sleep quality. 

Bergamot Essential Oil

This woody essential oil is back again! A study that combined bergamot with lavender and ylang ylang essential oils found that participants experienced significantly better sleep quality compared to those in a placebo group.(6) 

Sandalwood Essential Oil

Sandalwood has an incredibly rich and earthy smell, which is reason enough to add it to your diffuser. It can also help you feel more relaxed and ready for sleep. 

Essential Oils for Headaches

Anyone who gets headaches knows just how much of a damper they can put on your day. The good news is that essential oils can potentially help. Anyone who struggles with chronic headaches or migraines should speak to a doctor about options for pain management. 

Peppermint Essential Oil

In addition to helping with allergies, it's believed that peppermint oil can help with headaches. The theory of it clearing out congestion and improving sinus pathways applies for this usage. 

Lavender Essential Oil

Yep, this is the third time lavender essential oil has been mentioned, which means it's definitely worthy of your shopping list. One study concluded that inhaling lavender essential oil could serve as a viable and safe treatment in acute management of migraines.(7) 

Rosemary Essential Oil

This favorite cooking herb can also be used to help relieve headaches. Try adding a few drops to your shower and inhaling deeply. 

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus oils have a history of regulating and activating various systems in our body, including the nervous system. People swear by its ability to soothe headaches and migraines.(8) 

Essential Oils for Hair Health

Along with the above benefits of essential oils, you can use these powerful plant extracts as a way to improve your  hair health. 

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil is beloved for its antimicrobial, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects. You'll often find it in shampoos, conditioners and scalp treatments. It, along with other essential oils, can help soothe and treat scalp conditions.(9) 

Peppermint Essential Oil

This fresh oil can also help foster a healthier head of hair. One study even pointed to notable results when using essential oils for hair growth, specifically.(10) 

Almond Essential Oil

It's believed that almond oil can help nourish hair strands. This can make hair feel and look stronger, more hydrated and less prone to split ends and breakage. 

Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary's claim to fame is that it can reportedly help hair growth. In a study that compared the effects of minoxidil (a common hair growth ingredient) against rosemary, researchers found that rosemary was effective in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA).(11) 

Essential Oil Safety Tips

Essential oils are generally considered safe. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using them. To use essential oils safely and properly, heed the following advice: 

• Dilute Them: When applying essential oils topically, they should be diluted in a neutral carrier oil, such as jojoba, safflower, almond, olive or coconut. Remember, essential oils are raw, highly concentrated plant extracts that pack a lot of power. 
• Test Your Skin: Some people do experience an allergic reaction side effect even if the essential oil is diluted. Stop topical use if irritation occurs. 
• Never Ingest: Though natural, certain botanicals are highly toxic in this concentrated form when ingested. Side effects include burning and irritation, agitation, hallucinations, seizures, difficulty breathing and organ failure.(12) 
• Store Out of Reach: For all the above reasons, keep essential oils out of reach of children and animals. 
• Be Mindful if Pregnant: Certain essential oils should be avoided if you're pregnant. These include camphor, basil, clary sage, mugwort, sage, thyme, rosemary, peppermint and others.(13) 

As you can see, essential oils provide so many wonderful benefits. Use them with care to reap their benefits, and speak to a doctor about any concerns or alternative health treatments. 

Citations:

1. “How and Why to Use Essential Oils." https://health.osu.edu/wellness/integrative-healing/essential-oils.

2. Han, Xuesheng, Jacob Gibson, Dennis L. Eggett, and Tory L. Parker. “Bergamot ( Citrus Bergamia ) Essential Oil Inhalation Improves Positive Feelings in the Waiting Room of a Mental Health Treatment Center: A Pilot Study: Essential Oil Inhalation Improves Positive Feelings." Phytotherapy Research 31, no. 5 (May 2017): 812–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5806.

3. Mohebitabar, Safieh, Mahboobeh Shirazi, Sodabeh Bioos, Roja Rahimi, Farhad Malekshahi, and Fatemeh Nejatbakhsh. “Therapeutic Efficacy of Rose Oil: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Evidence." Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine 7, no. 3 (2017): 206–13.

4. “Essential Tools: Essential Oils – Natural Health and Beauty." https://publish.illinois.edu/flowerchild/2018/09/17/essential-tools-essential-oils/.

5. Carson, C. F., K. A. Hammer, and T. V. Riley. “Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil: A Review of Antimicrobial and Other Medicinal Properties." Clinical Microbiology Reviews 19, no. 1 (January 2006): 50–62. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.19.1.50-62.2006.

6. McDonnell, Brenda, and Patricia Newcomb. “Trial of Essential Oils to Improve Sleep for Patients in Cardiac Rehabilitation." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.) 25, no. 12 (December 2019): 1193–99. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0222.

7. Sasannejad, Payam, Morteza Saeedi, Ali Shoeibi, Ali Gorji, Maryam Abbasi, and Mohsen Foroughipour. “Lavender Essential Oil in the Treatment of Migraine Headache: A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial." European Neurology 67, no. 5 (2012): 288–91. https://doi.org/10.1159/000335249.

8. “Essential Oils Used in Aromatherapy: A Systemic Review." Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 5, no. 8 (August 1, 2015): 601–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.05.007.

9. Abelan, Ursulandréa Sanches, Andressa Costa Oliveira, Érica Savassa Pinto Cacoci, Tércio Elyan Azevedo Martins, Virginia Mansanares Giacon, Maria Valéria Robles Velasco, and Cibele Rosana Ribeiro de Castro Lima. “Potential Use of Essential Oils in Cosmetic and Dermatological Hair Products: A Review." Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, June 23, 2021, jocd.14286. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.14286.

10. Oh, Ji Young, Min Ah Park, and Young Chul Kim. “Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs." Toxicological Research 30, no. 4 (December 2014): 297–304. https://doi.org/10.5487/TR.2014.30.4.297.

11. Panahi, Yunes, Mohsen Taghizadeh, Eisa Tahmasbpour Marzony, and Amirhossein Sahebkar. “Rosemary Oil vs Minoxidil 2% for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Comparative Trial." Skinmed 13, no. 1 (February 2015): 15–21.

12. WebMD. “More Kids Accidentally Poisoned by Essential Oils." https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20160513/more-children-accidently-poisoned-by-essential-oils.

13. Contributors, WebMD Editorial. “Is It Safe to Use Essential Oils While Pregnant." WebMD. Accessed March 17, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/is-it-safe-to-use-essential-oils-while-pregnant.