Essential oils can be kinda overwhelming at first, huh?
Not only are there a million-and-one different oils to choose from, but then comes the question of accessories… Oh, the accessories.
Two of the top questions I get are, “What oils should I start with?” and “What else do I need to go along with them?”
Today I’m going to introduce you to my most-used oils, along with the tools that you’ll want to have as you dive into the world of essential oils.
The Oils You Just Gotta Have:
It’s easy to go cross-eyed with all the different varieties of essential oils out there. I remember the feeling of wanting all of them when I started, but knowing my budget would definitely not allow that… So then I was left with the process of picking out the ones I wanted… Lemon, ok sure, that sounds familiar. But what the heck was Vetiver, and did I need that one right away?
My Four Most-Reached-For Oils
- Lemon – Lemon is the queen of homemade cleaning products. It’s an incredible deodorizer, and can cut grease (and crayon marks!) like no other. Add it to your DIY Protective blends, carpet cleaning projects, or homemade laundry detergent.
- Lavender – When in doubt, use Lavender… It is also well-loved for its ability to support healthy skin, ease stressful situations, and promote relaxation. It’s one of the main ingredients in my Homemade After-Sun Spray.
- Peppermint – Peppermint is a tasty addition to homemade milkshakes and hot cocoa, but it’s capable of a whole lot more than that. Whenever I have a spot of tension in my body, Peppermint is the first thing I reach for. It’s also my favorite for supporting digestive health.
- Melaleuca – Melaleuca (aka Tea Tree Oil) is a really “trendy” oil right now, but incredibly useful. Melaleuca is renowned for its cleansing effect on the skin, promotes healthy immune function, and protects against environmental and seasonal threats.
A couple of others that are handy:
- Frankincense – Frankincense, of Biblical fame, is a powerful oil. You really can’t go wrong reaching for this one, no matter what is ailing you. It’s wonderful for skin and emotional support as well.
Carrier Oil
(This post contains affiliate links)
Carrier oils are a must-have if you plan to use essential oils for anything other than homemade cleaning products. A carrier oil is simply a liquid vegetable oil of some sort that is used to dilute the very concentrated essential oils.
My favorite carrier oil is Sweet Almond oil. Other options would include olive oil (kinda greasy, but it works), avocado oil, apricot oil, and fractionated coconut oil.
You can usually find these at your local health food store, or Amazon carries them.
*Fractionated coconut oil is simply coconut oil that has had the long chain fatty acids removed from it. The benefit of FCO is that it stays liquid at room temp, and is a lot handier to use for essential oil applications than regular coconut oil, which is usually solid at room temp.
Use a carrier oil if you are applying a “hot” essential oil like Oregano or Peppermint, as well as well you are applying essential oils to a child or someone with sensitive skin.
A Good Reference Book
If you are looking for a book that is not brand-specific, try The Complete Book Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood. And a couple of handy animal reference books are Essential Oils for Horses by Carole Faith and Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell.
Diffuser
Yes, it’s possible to enjoy essential oils without a diffuser, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I have 3 diffusers in my home and I adore them! I use them constantly and can’t imagine my essential oil life without them. This post has 10 of my fav diffuser blends.
Here’s my diffuser comparison post with all the nitty-gritty details of several different models.
Extra Bottles
Once you get your EOs, you’ll want to start playing around with blends and mixes of your own. It’s always handy to have a few extra glass bottles hanging around. I save all of my empties and reuse them for my DIY blends (use a bit of Lemon oil to remove the label). You can also grab glass spray bottles and extra small bottles at AromaTools. Choosing dark colored bottles (like the amber or cobalt blue ones) is advised to help shield the oils inside from excess light. (I’m not affiliated with AromaTools- I just order from them a lot.)
- Keep 1/4 dram sized sample bottles on hand if you plan to share oils with friends and family.
- 5-15 mL bottles are useful when you are mixing up your own blends.
- I like the 4 oz glass spritzer bottles for things like Sunburn Spray or room spritzers.
- Roller bottles make the topical application of oils super easy. I like to place a few drops of Lavender in a roller bottle, and then fill it up the rest of the way with carrier oil. Prairie Boy and Prairie Girl love me to swipe it on their feet before bedtime.
- If you end up with more empty bottles than you need, here are 15 ideas for using empty essential oil bottles.
Droppers
The biggest complaint I hear from my essential oil team members? Sometimes it’s hard to measure out drops from the tiny glass bottles without spilling. This is where glass droppers come in handy. Sometimes you can find droppers that screw right onto the bottle, which makes mixing and blending even easier.
A Notebook
You won’t be sorry if you start keeping a essential oil notebook right off the bat. Use it to write down notes about your favorite blends, ideas you might find in your internet travels, and tips for which oils work best for your family members. You might think you’ll remember what you mixed up last week for your great-aunt Martha, but trust me, you’ll forget.
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Interested in learning why I’ve stuck with the same brand of oils for over three years? GO HERE.
How do you travel with yours?
I have a case with a foam insert that holds them all. I got it off of Aroma Tools. It was around $50, but worth it, I think!
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! This is exactly what I needed, Jill. Thank you for the time and effort you put into gathering all this info for us. After you suggested peppermint oil a couple of weeks ago for my spider problem, I have used it every few days in the corners where they seem to want to gather and my husband and I have been blown away by the results. It has really made me want to dip my toe into the EO pond, but I hesitated because I didn’t know where to begin. Now I’ll feel confident taking the first step because you presented it all so nicely. Thanks again!
Those are all my top favorite oils too! And seriously…when in doubt…lavender. Every time! I want to grow my collection. It’s so little right now! I also want to get a good shelving unit to have them orderly plus a nice travel box. Any suggestions from anyone?
I have been contemplating starting EO’s. Just not exactly sure if my homestead is ready for them.
They are so much fun Erika!
I’m wondering what lead you to this company? The prices are much higher than I would pay for an essential oil purchased from my local health food store which includes brands such as Now, Beeyoutiful and Aura Cacia. Just curious. Should we be using the pricey oil’s because they are a better quality? Is it even safe to use the “cheaper” brands? They all seem to be labeled “pure”.
I would like to know this as well. I am new to essential oils and it can be overwhelming. This is awesome information. thanks
I buy from mountain rose & love all their items. I accidentally overbought & had to cancel an order & they were so nice about it. If I have any questions, I can call & ask. I bought safflower oil for a carrier because it seems to be the purest of all the oils. Lightest & most fragrant free. Thats my opinion. I also bought herbs there & plan on making my own essential oils for my cosmetic products. That way, I know exactly what is going into my products.
Hi Desiree,
Essential Oil brands are a touchy subject- especially online. I love this because of their commitment to purity, and the ethics of the company. Each liter of oil undergoes 5 different third-party tests to make sure it’s free of any foreign substances or adulteration. They are beyond organic. Many of the cheaper oils plainly state “Do Not Ingest” on the label– and I’m just not comfortable with that. As far as YL oils, I’m personally not comfortable with the business ethics that that company has portrayed. So, that is my reasoning in a nutshell. Feel free to email me if you have any questions! 🙂
I just wanted to say DITTO on this. I love oilsand what they stand for and some of the things GY has done make me want to vomit so I stay away from YL oils. I Know they seem pricey, but everyone is looking at the RETAIL pricing and not wholesale 😉
I would very much like to know what specifically makes you want to vomit about Gary young. I have tried to research info in him as I prefer yl oils and the blends they offer. Not to sound rude, just wanting to know so that I can make informed decisions. The only thing I could find was a quack watch article which I don’t put much stock in.
Oh– also wanted to say that if you take advantage of wholesale pricing, the oils are much more affordable. Yes, they are still more expensive that the cheapie oils at the health food store, but they are pretty comparable to other, more-quality oil companies online.
So helpful! Thank you.
I find olive oil to be a good carier. I put tea tree, eucalyptus, and pepermint with some olive oil and mix half and half with melted bees wax to make a good all purpose skin balm. I also put tea tree oil with fresh aloe pulp in a glycerin lotion base for a good burn cream.
You bet- olive oil is a good one too. 🙂
I am new to essential oils in general and this is exactly what I needed! Thanks so much for the great info!
How do you know where to apply the oils? Temples, feet, etc
Is there a spreadsheet that says if you have a headache use this oil on this location?
That’s what I need 🙂
Thank you !
I ordered the starter kit with the lemon peppermint and lavender. They didn’t come with any type of dropper. How do I get “drops” out of my jars? I don’t want to wasted oils!
Jo
I’ve always respected the various opinions written by the homesteader blogs, as I do place value in what they are promoting. Not necessarily their “specific” products,I don’t need to be told what to buy, as I do have a mind of my own. But because healthy living, clean eating and creating non-toxic homes are some of my passions, I continue to follow. But today’s posting about essential oils left a very sour taste in my mouth. I love my YL oils, and I know they are superior over ones found in stores, and even ones sold on the internet. Why not use your blog as a way to educate vs. slander a reputable company?
What post are you referring to Angie? I do not slander companies on my blog or FB page, and in fact, make every effort to keep the “essential oil wars” off of my social media and this blog. I’m not sure which post you are talking about?
I have a number of different oils from different companies. I like Plant Therapy, Spark Naturals, Aura Cacia.
Hi Jill! Thanks for such a great article on how to get started with EOs. I’m currently working up the nerve (and credit card bill!) to get a diffuser to round out my stash. 🙂 I have a question for you; when using droppers to measure your oils, what do you clean them with? I’ve read some good articles on the importance of drip vs drop when measuring, but I hate the idea of wasting my precious oils by leaving a drop or two in the dropper that needs to be cleaned out! I’ve also read that storing your droppers in your EOs isn’t a good idea bc some of the oils can degrade the rubber squeezie over time. Any suggestions?
Well, I don’t use droppers a whole lot–mostly I just use the orifice reducers that come on the bottles. When I do use a dropper, I just rinse it really well with water. And yes, I never store a dropper in my oil bottles. 🙂
I have a question about droppers, can I go from one bottle to another, or do I have to rinse the dropper in between? and what do I rinse them with? I did oils long ago, and now want to start up again, but can not remember a lot of the stuff…
So I need help….can anyone help me?????
You are SO welcome Connie!
I’ve had good results with a brand. Do you know anything about them. They say they are therapeutic grade, but are way cheaper. I know they are sold thru dealers. says they are cheaper cause they sell directly.
I like using Hemp oil for my carrier oil. Especially for healing blends. Jojoba, Almond or Sesame oils are good as is Vit. E oil.
I’ve never “replied” on one of these things before but here goes…
First, all blogs are in and of themselves self-promoting and selling something…because this is how these wonderful people who do all the “leg-work” for us busy/lazy people so all we have to do is jump onto a few blogs that we trust and “voila” done!
Second, it is the ONLY “certified pure essential oil” on the market…they are certified because as noted in the article due to very rigorous 3rd party testing. There are several great suppliers of “pure essential oil”…which don’t go through the same testing but are “pure” and are tested as such. (i.e. Mountain Rose, Young Living that I can name off the top of my head).
Third, anything less than “pure” I would maybe use only for cleaning products, possibly diffusors (when using for enjoyment purposes).
Please get your facts straight before you post something that is completely false. Someone new to the EO life may read your information and not do any further research to “fact check”…
I use mine topically and internally, but it is a hotly debated topic. It depends on who you talk to. 🙂
Getting ready to dilute my first batch. I have my bottles and my carrier oil, but I failed to consider how to get them both in my 5ml bottles without wasting any! I can pick up a dropper for the EO, do you use a funnel for the carrier oil, or does anyone have any tricks or tips for the process?
I just usually drip it in carefullly. 🙂 But I do spill a bit sometimes…
I would love to learn more about selling oils!
I’d love to tell you more! Shoot me an email: jill(at)theprairiehomestead(dot)com
I go through a LOT of lavender oil (teething baby, she has two teeth and is trying for two more!) And just found a fabulous local lavender farmer who sells EOs. I bought a huge (1oz) bottle of oil from him yesterday and I was wondering if there could be any issues putting it in an empty lavender bottle without cleaning the bottle first? Also I love regular coconut oil as a carrier oil! It is cheap, melts at a low temp so I don’t feel like I am cooking my oils and solidifies right up in a little pot. (Unrefined CO + a few drops of lavender is our butt cream. One of the few things that works AND is cloth diaper safe!) I find it less messy to use than liquid oils lol
I don’t see any problems putting it into an empty lavender bottle. 🙂
can you add coconut oil to your oils in the diffuser to make them last longer
My diffusers are just designed to work with water. 🙂
Can I use safflower oil in the sunburn spray?