5 Must-Have Essential Oils For Aromatherapy (2024)

Table of Contents

1. Lavender Essential Oil 2. Frankincense Essential Oil 3. Peppermint Essential Oil 4. Rosemary Essential Oil 5. Sweet Orange Essential Oil Precautions new to essential oils? Take a look at this:

Whether you’re new to essential oils, or you’ve been using them for years, most folks will agree that you don’t need a wide variety to really experience the joy of aromatherapy. At Mountain Rose Herbs, we’re passionate about offering high-quality, organic whenever possible,100% pure essential oils—all handpicked by our in-house aromatherapist. We’ve highlighted our top five best-selling essential oils (among the 100+ that we carry) along with some of our favorite ways to use them.

1. Lavender Essential Oil

Easily the most popular and widely used essential oil, lavender is the perfect relaxing scent to have in your aromatherapy stash. Our lavender essential oil is sourced from a cooperative of sustainably minded farmers who grow certified organic lavender from seed. We carry three different kinds of lavender essential oil, but our favorite go-to is the Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia).

Note: Middle

Distillation Method: Water-steam distillation

Aroma: Sweet, floral, herbaceous

Blends well with: bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, eucalyptus, geranium, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, palmarosa, peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree

Favorite uses:

2. Frankincense Essential Oil

Fresh and balsamic, frankincense is one of our favorites to diffuse around the home to freshen and clear the air. Often used for grounding during meditation, this essential oil is distilled from the resin or sap that comes from the bark of Boswellia cartarii. The aroma of frankincense can also be enjoyed by using the resin as incense, but for those who don’t want to deal with the smoke, the essential oil is the perfect alternative.

Note: Base

Distillation method: Steam distillation

Aroma: Fresh, woody, spicy, balsamic with a hint of citrus

Blends well with: bergamot, cinnamon, cypress, geranium, lavender, lemon, orange, patchouli, pine, sandalwood, and ylang ylang

Favorite uses:

Makes for a wonderfully grounding oil to use in your favorite diffuser.
Make your own frankincense and myrrh hand balm.
Add a few drops to your DIY facial serums.

3. Peppermint Essential Oil

This minty fresh oil is a must-have for your aromatherapy collection. Its fresh scent uplifts the spirits and promotes focus. The passionate folks (and their ancestors) who distill our peppermint essential oil have been doing it for over a century, and their specialty nowadays is fair trade and organic certified spearmint and peppermint.

Note: Top

Distillation method: Steam distillation

Aroma: Fresh, minty, hot, herbaceous

Blends well with: basil, cypress, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, marjoram, niaouli, pine, ravensara, rosemary, and tea tree

Favorite uses:

Add to homemade cleaning products like these toilet bombs for a fresh and clean scent.
Make your own minty body butter.
Add a few drops to a washcloth or cotton ball and place in the shower. The steam will carry the aroma, helping to invigorate your morning routine.

4. Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary is well-known for its stimulating and rejuvenating aroma. You’ll also find it in a variety of hair care products because it helps support healthy hair. Our certified organic rosemary essential oil is crafted by knowledgeabledistillers whose recipes have been passed down from generation to generation. Note: rosemary has many different chemotypes;ours is cineole which is most commonly used for aromatherapy.

Note: Middle

Distillation method: Steam distillation

Aroma: Strong, fresh, camphor-like, woody-balsamic undertone

Blends well with: basil, bergamot, cedarwood, cinnamon, clary sage, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, marjoram, oregano, peppermint, pine, tea tree, and thyme

Favorite uses:

Make your own DIY hair serum.
Mix with peppermint for a stimulating and uplifting afternoon diffuser.
Add to a variety of DIY cleaning products.

5. Sweet Orange Essential Oil

For those of you who love the scent of a freshly peeled orange, this oil is a must-have! Also known as the “happy oil,” sweet orange essential oil is perfectly citrusy and uplifting to help support a happy mood. Our sweet orange essential oil is certified organic and cold pressed here in the U.S. by skilled and dedicated distillers.

Note: Top

Distillation method: Cold pressed

Aroma: Sweet, sugary, fresh, citrus

Blends well with: basil, bergamot, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, fresh ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, lemon, marjoram, nutmeg, patchouli, and vetiver

Favorite uses:

Add to a diffuser with other citrus oils like grapefruit and lemon during the warmer months or with spicy oils like clove and cinnamon during the cooler months.
Add to a variety of DIY cleaning products for a clean, citrusy aroma.
Make your own summery body spray.

Precautions

Citrus oils can be phototoxic, so always use caution and avoid using citrus skincare products, including lip balm and facial oils, if you plan on spending time in the sun.As with all essential oils, never use them undiluted. Do not use in the eyes or mucus membranes. Do not take internally unless working with a qualified and expert health care practitioner. Keep oils away from children.