A simple guide to enjoying essential oils safely and confidently

Essential oils have been used for generations for their fragrance, wellbeing benefits and practical everyday uses. Whether you’re new to essential oils or looking for new ways to enjoy them, understanding how to use them safely and effectively can help you get the most from each bottle. From adding fragrance to your home to supporting relaxation routines or even natural cleaning, essential oils are surprisingly versatile.

Here’s a simple guide to what they’re good for and how to use them.

Aromatic Use: Fragrance & Atmosphere

One of the most popular ways to use essential oils is for fragrance. A few drops can transform the atmosphere of a room, helping create calm, freshness or energy depending on the oil you choose.
Ways to use them:

• Wax melt or oil burner: Add water to the bowl of your wax burner and then add 2–5 drops of your essential oil to the water. That will diffuse the fragrance and create a gentle fragrance throughout the room.
• Dry evaporation: Place a few drops on cotton balls, fabric, or even in car vents for a natural, subtle fragrance.

Topical Use: Applying to the Skin

Essential oils can also be used on the skin, but it’s important they are always diluted with a carrier oil to prevent irritation.

How to use safely:

• Mix essential oils with a carrier oil such as coconut, olive, jojoba, grapeseed or sweet almond oil. A 2% dilution (approximately 12 drops of essential oil per 30ml of carrier oil) is typically recommended for adults.
• Apply diluted oils to pulse points such as wrists, neck or temples.
• Add diluted oils to bathwater, shampoo or body wash.

Natural Cleaning with Essential Oils

Essential oils can also be used as a gentle, natural way to add fragrance to everyday cleaning routines. A few drops can help freshen spaces while leaving behind a light, clean aroma.
They can be used in simple ways, such as adding a few drops to carpet deodorisers, floor cleaning solutions or multi-purpose sprays, helping to bring both freshness and fragrance to your home.

Some commonly used essential oils for cleaning include:

• Lemon or Orange: Known for their fresh citrus fragrance and natural degreasing qualities
• Tea Tree: Often chosen for its cleansing and purifying properties
• Eucalyptus: A refreshing oil that helps leave spaces smelling clean and revitalised
• Lavender: Adds a soft, calming fragrance while supporting general cleaning routines

Used thoughtfully, essential oils can be a simple way to bring a more natural fragrance into everyday household tasks.

Popular Essential Oils & Their Benefits

Different oils are often chosen for different purposes, depending on the mood or result you want to create:

• Lavender: Known for its calming properties and often used to support relaxation and sleep.
• Tea Tree: A natural antiseptic often used for skincare and cleansing.
• Peppermint: Uplifting and refreshing, often associated with improved focus and energy.
• Lemon: Bright, fresh and commonly used for cleaning and mood lifting.
• Eucalyptus: Fresh and clearing, often used to support breathing comfort.
• Frankincense: Grounding and calming, often used during relaxation or meditation.
• Rosemary: Traditionally associated with mental clarity and focus.

A Simple Way to Start

If you’re new to essential oils, start slowly. Choose one or two oils you enjoy and experiment with simple uses such as diffusers or cotton pads for fragrance. As you become more familiar with them, you can begin exploring topical use (with proper dilution) or incorporating them into everyday routines.
Essential oils are small but powerful additions to daily life, bringing fragrance, atmosphere and small moments of wellbeing into your home in simple, natural ways.