How To Make Your Own Essential Oils At Home

By Alena Hall   ‧   05/22/2017   ‧   Live /

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If aromatherapy is the name of your game but you’re sick of shelling out big bucks for designer brands, it might be time to make the DIY switch. Extracting an essential oil from a plant like lavender isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but prepping your own finished oil combinations for your next massage, your at-home diffuser or your perfume preferences is a breeze.

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First things first: what is carrier oil?

Carrier oils are what you use to dilute a pure essential oil so that it can be applied directly to the skin without irritation. They are mild in scent or fragrance-free, and some are even hypoallergenic. Different oils come with different health benefits, but most of them promote smoother skin and relaxed muscles.

What are the best essential oil scents to use?

Well, there isn’t really a definitive ranking since they cater to a variety of needs. But some of the most popular (and readily available) options are listed below.

  • Lavender
  • Lemon
  • Peppermint
  • Eucalyptus
  • Cedarwood
  • Sandalwood
  • Frankincense
  • Cinnamon
  • Bergamot
  • Neroli
  • Jasmine
  • Chamomile
  • Geranium
  • Rosemary
  • Vanilla

How exactly do you know which scents mix well together?

This one often requires some trial and error depending on what your particular nose likes. You typically don’t want to mix more than three at a time to maintain the integrity of the individual scents. Each blend has a top note, middle note and base note, meaning each oil added serves a specific purpose in the way you experience that particular scent combination. Below are a few we’d recommend.

  • Boost your mood with bergamot and lemon.
  • Ease your breathing with eucalyptus and peppermint.
  • Get floral with lavender, rose and geranium.
  • Clear your mind with lemon and rosemary.
  • Feel romantic with jasmine and neroli.
  • Relieve stress with lavender and rosemary.
  • Feel refreshed with geranium and grapefruit.
  • Sleep well with lavender and chamomile.

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Now that we have that covered…

The assembly process is simple.

You will need:

Step 1: Using one of the plastic funnels, pour your carrier oil into one of your empty glass bottles until the bottle is about 75 percent full. You want to make sure you leave enough room for the essential oils and any adjustments at the end.

Step 2: Take your first essential oil of choice and add 5 drops to the carrier oil in the glass bottle using one of the mini plastic pipettes (yes, only 5 drops at first). Repeat the same step with your second essential oil in your blend using a separate, clean pipette. Repeat a final time if your blend involves a third essential oil. (If you end up using three essential oils instead of two, add a little more carrier oil to the bottle with the funnel from Step 1 to reestablish the proper dilution.)

Step 3: Close the bottle and gently swirl the oils to blend them evenly. Open the bottle and give it a sniff. Like what you smell? Great! You’re all done. Think it’s a little weak? Carefully add one more drop of each essential oil you chose using their particular pipettes until you’re satisfied with the strength of the scent. Feel like it’s a little too much? Top the bottle off with the carrier oil to dilute the blend one final time.

We’ve never met a human being who said essential oils negatively impacted their life. They boost your mood, relax both your mind and body, and can even improve your brain function. And making them at home? Well, that just makes the experience even sweeter.

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