Top 5 Essential Oils for Healing with Aromatherapy

If you’ve been with me for awhile, you know that aromatherapy and perfuming are high on my list of passions, which is why I want to share with you my top 5 essential oils for healing with aromatherapy.

Because essential oils come from plants, they carry the energetic properties of the plant they were extracted from. So when you work with these sacred tools, you’re layering the energy of the plant medicine with the magic of aromatherapy. For example, an oil like Patchouli, may be antibacterial, anti-fungal, and carry attraction and abundance energy.

At the same time that you are invoking these medicinal and metaphysical properties, you are also tapping into the response of the body to the aroma of the oil.

This is where the olfactory system, which is strongly linked to our deepest subconscious, comes in. We can literally tap into our deepest memories through the power of scent. We just launched a brand new SG AroMagic essential oils collection, designed to heal the deepest levels of your body, mind, and spirit. If you’d like to learn more about the aromatherapy classes I teach, click here.  

So now let’s explore the top 5 essential oils for healing with aromatherapy.

Lavender

No discussion on the benefits of essential oils can begin without first singing the praises of the versatile and wonderfully aromatic lavender. One of the most popular essential oils for aromatherapy, lavender has an amazing smell that is gentle enough for most, but which still packs a remarkably powerful punch. Lavender essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the plant and then steam distilled. Well known for its curative properties, including stress relief, this oil can be used in countless ways. The word lavender comes from the Latin ‘lavera’, which literally means to wash.

Lavender essential oil is famous for its calming and relaxing properties, but did you know it possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties? Lavender essential oil has been used to alleviate pain and swelling of achy joints and can ease sore muscles as well.

This is an ideal essential oil to use in your bathing rituals. Just a few drops in a warm bath will leave you feeling refreshed, energized, and ready for new challenges. Lavender essential oil is a favorite amongst massage therapists to help relax their clients. If you have trouble sleeping consider adding a little lavender to your diffuser, or feel free to anoint your pillow or headrest to encourage more restful sleep.

Peppermint

Did you smell that? Or rather, did you feel that? A naturally cooling agent, it only takes a quick whiff of peppermint to put the bounce back into your step. Peppermint essential oil is potent, so keep that in mind when you choose to work with it. The menthol component in peppermint can be an irritant for many people, and contact with the eyes should be strictly avoided. But it is this cooling effect which has made peppermint so valuable for aromatherapy and healing throughout the world.

A naturally occurring hybrid of spearmint and watermint, peppermint essential oil has a remarkably refreshing effect that can be effectively used to stimulate mental awareness and encourage alertness. It also boosts energy. Unlike lavender, peppermint essential oil is extracted before the plant actually blossoms, and is then steam distilled.

A favorite amongst the ancient Romans, who prized it for its welcoming aroma and medicinal properties, peppermint primarily works its magic by reducing inflammation. It brings relief from joint and muscle pain, dissolves headaches, and can also be used to help clear up various skin conditions. Nausea, gas, bloating, and other digestive issues respond amazingly to the cooling effects of peppermint. In fact, peppermint was used as far back as Ancient Egypt to aid with digestion.

Tea Tree

Tea tree is by far one of the most popular and effective essential oils for aromatherapy. A native of Australia, tea tree oil is famously known for its antimicrobial benefits. The local Aborigines used tea tree oil as an effective antiseptic for thousands of years before European contact, and legend has it that the name ‘tea tree’ actually came from the British explorer Captain Cook. Tea tree oil has a delightfully fresh, herbal aroma, and much like peppermint, this essential oil is very potent and contact with the eyes and mucous membranes should be avoided.

Tea tree essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the tree and steam distilled. There are so many ways to use this oil. Tea tree essential oil can be inhaled through a humidifier, but it can also be applied directly to the skin through a neutral lotion, oil, or cream which can then be massaged into the skin. Another wonderful way of benefitting from tea tree’s medicinal properties is to add a few drops to your warm bath and allow yourself to enjoy a nice, invigorating soak that will leave you deeply cleansed and feeling refreshed.

Eucalyptus

Another native of Australia, eucalyptus is a powerful essential oil with an incredibly recognizable scent. Known for its fresh and minty aroma, this essential oil is primarily used to treat respiratory diseases, but it also enhances concentration and focus. A powerful antimicrobial and autoimmune stimulant, eucalyptus is highly prized as an ingredient in decongestant chest rubs and many topical pain relievers.

Eucalyptus essential oil’s properties don’t stop there. It can also be used as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, decongestant, and as a diuretic. Much like peppermint, eucalyptus also has cooling properties which help it fight migraines and fevers. This cooling capability also relieves muscle aches and pains.

Eucalyptus essential oil can also be used to help treat colds and flus and nourish hair. If you’re under the weather, just a few drops of oil in your diffuser will help cleanse your body of the toxins which are making you feel sick. If you suffer from dandruff or an itchy scalp, feel free to rub some eucalyptus essential oil into your scalp to give your hair a rejuvenating moisturizing treatment.

Frankincense

Frankincense is one of the oldest and most useful essential oils in the world. Extracted from the resin of one of four species of the genus Boswellia, this essential oil is well-known as a traditional incense that can boast a range of amazing curative properties as well. In fact, its roots as a sacred incense are so deep that it has been used throughout history and across several cultures in numerous spiritual and religious ceremonies.

Frankincense has a unique aroma which is hard to describe in words. It is a perfect combination of woodsy, earthy, and citrus and it compliments almost every other essential oil you can think of. Frankincense essential oil can be used to boost low spirits, relieve stress, and to aid with digestion. It is also an anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. It is also known that frankincense oil can help minimize the appearance of scars and can be used to help minor wounds heal faster. Insect bites and other skin ailments respond very well to this ancient oil.

Enjoy exploring the magic of aromatherapy, dear ones.