A Beginner’s Guide to Blending Essential Oils

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Last Updated on August 14, 2019 by uts_admin

Essential oils have been used for generations across the globe for health and wellness reasons. Today, more and more people are returning to natural alternatives to health and essential oils are regaining their relevance.

You probably know the basic properties of the popular essential oils, for example lavender helps to relax your mood or aids sleep, and eucalyptus can help give relief from a cold, but you can get even greater effects by blending complimentary oils together for an even better combination.

Blending oils allows you to tap into more benefits from the oil components. Blending oils however requires some level of understanding so that you know what you are looking to achieve, but its is not difficult and is a fun and creative activity.

So whether you are looking to create the ultimate germ fighting floor cleaner, or something to clear the most stuffy nose, read on.  

A quick look at the benefits of essential oils

If you are new to essential oils, you probably don’t know what you are missing. Below is a quick look at all the health benefits you are likely to enjoy.

  1. Improve your sleep by promoting overall relaxation
    Insomnia or sleep issues are becoming a major problem in our fast-paced society. Without restful sleep every single night, your stress levels will go up sparking other health problems. Essential oils like lavender have been proven effective in promoting sleep and improving health.
  2. Reduce pain naturally
    If you are suffering from aches and pains, certain oils can help you alleviate the problem naturally.  From gynecological to postoperative pains, multiple studies have shown that these oils are indeed helpful.
  3. Reduce anxiety and stress
    Essential oils have healing properties that stimulate the brain to produce positive feelings or vibes while curtailing stress hormones. This way, you can tackle stress and anxiety naturally.
  4. Treat skin conditions and boost hair health
    Skin conditions like acne and eczema can be devastating. However, many oils have anti-inflammatory elements that help fight these conditions. If you have a wound, the antimicrobial properties of the oils will help as well. Your skin and hair will benefit greatly.
  5. Reduce migraines and headaches
  6. Improve your energy levels
  7. Promote immunity and ward away infections
  8. Balance hormones and improve brain function

As you can see, the benefits of essential oils are innumerable, and blending oils allows us to combine these properties to even better effect, just like a composer combining different instrument sounds to create music. In this respect, blending essential oils is a creative process, and you should feel encouraged to experiment to develop personal blends that work best for you. Having said this, some prior knowledge makes it easier to get the results you want, while avoiding obvious mistakes.

The purpose of oil blends

As mentioned above, there are countless benefits to blending essential oils. However, to get the most out of them, you should blend the right oils for the right purpose. For example, if you are looking for relief from aches and pains, your blend will be different from the one that seeks to add an engaging aroma to a room for stress relief.

Therefore, the first step when creating a blend is to clearly define its intended purpose and how it will be used e.g. in a diffuser, mixed with a carrier oil and applied topically, inhaled etc..

Also, you should note any oils that need to be excluded from the final mixture, either due to a sensitivity or just because the end-user doesn’t like a certain aroma. If you want to include a certain scent, make sure to note that down as well.

Understand essential oils

Once you have a purpose for your blend, start by researching oils that would work to that effect and make a list. For example, if you are looking to make an all-natural floor cleaner you will want oils that offer anti-microbial properties such as orange and lemon, or (if you are looking for an alternative to the citrus scent) you may consider lavender, tea tree and cinnamon.

Get some essential oil recipes

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the vast selection of essential oils available, or just don’t know where to start, try out some recipes other people have shared and get inspiration from them.

Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way to blend oils so be creative, change up the recipe, and see what you can come up with; you can pioneer your own blend.

Get your DIY supplies ready  

Once you have established the oils to use, there are other tools that will help you in the blending process. This includes glass bottles, pippets and a notebook. Pippets are great for sucking oils from their bottles. You also need a clean spacious area to blend your oils. Bottles made of glass are best to maintain the chemical composition of your essential oils.

Make sure to source your oils from a trusted source. Only high-quality oils can give you the best results.

Get blending!

Once your supplies are ready, it is time to start blending your oils. You can start by blending just a few drops in a small container before going all out. This experimentation process helps you blend effectively. Sniff the small oil blends first before making a decision. This process takes time and you might have to give your nose small breaks. This way, you will create blends that truly inspire. Also, be careful with the amounts, some oils are more potent than others. In the beginning, there is no need to go crazy with the measuring, allow your instinct and sense of smell to guide you. If you are not happy with a certain scent, add another oil to produce the most pleasing aroma.

And remember to have fun!

Label your oil blends

Your notebook should contain the ratios you used as well as the name of your oil blend. List all the oils combinations you used. This will help you keep track of your creation. Once you are done, store the bottles in a safe place.

Blending your own oils is not complicated, is rewarding and can save you money.

50 thoughts on “A Beginner’s Guide to Blending Essential Oils

  1. Jackie Diprimo says:

    Juniper berry I like mixed with rosemary but I also like it mixed with fruits as lemon, orange and tangerine!

  2. Ann Marie Moore says:

    I truly have to try this. My son is afflicted with never ending acne, and I would love to try essential oils to help clear this up.

  3. Beth Bendl says:

    all the information I need to try blending essential oils – very helpful article ! especially appreciated the recipes link !

  4. Sarah L says:

    My tip: LABEL, LABEL, LABEL. When I first started blending EOs I was sure I’d remember what I put in. HA! Put down what proportions of which oils.

  5. Annette says:

    I’m not a beginner, but I sorta drifted away from oils and really need a refresher to get me inspire.

  6. staci thompson says:

    I use essential oils for many things, however, I have never blended the oils. Great article!

  7. Jessica W. says:

    I just recently got a diffuser and I love it. My favorite scents are Rosemary and Lavender for relaxing.

  8. Sandra S says:

    I normally just blend the oils in the diffuser when I use them, but I will try to blend them in a bottle, should be fun.

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