From helping soothe skin concerns, to creating a calming environment, to offering a more natural and eco-friendly alternative for cleaning your home, there are many benefits of essential oils.

But did you know that a combination of essential oils working synergistically in a blend can make them even more beneficial? The below essential oil recipes are perfect for daily use, whether you’re trying to achieve clearer skin or a wonderful-smelling home.

Aromatherapy - Essential oil recipes for your diffuser

Aromatherapy focuses on the delightful scents (“aromas”) of essential oils and the benefits they may have on our physical and psychological well-being. One of the most popular methods for aromatherapy is using a diffuser.

If you love coming back to a fantastic-smelling home, using essential oil blends in your diffuser is a great natural alternative to burning candles or incense sticks, which may expose you to various chemicals and some carcinogens.

You should never directly inhale your 100% pure essential oils, as they may irritate your sinuses. Adding about 3-5 drops of essential oils per 100ml of water into your diffuser is a good ratio, as this will give you a slight, pleasant hint of the scent without it being overwhelming. The below recipes are perfect for most diffusers which typically hold up to 100 ml of water.

Use different essential oil blends depending on the time of day or the type of energy you want to bring into your space - calming, relieving stress or energising, rejuvenating. Here are 3 aromatherapy essential oil blends you can use to aid in sleeping better, improving focus and calming your mind.

1. Essential oil recipe for better sleep

If you occasionally have problems drifting off to sleep and counting sheep doesn’t seem to be working, try using these calming blend of essential oils.

• 2 drops of lavender essential oil
• 1 drop of neroli essential oil
• 1 drop of frankincense essential oil

Lavender has an excellent reputation for its calming properties and has been shown to help with sleep, while Neroli can soothe the mind & body and may even help reduce stress, so you can leave the worries of the day behind you.

Frankincense is a great contrast to these sweeter, floral essential oils. Its warm, spicy aroma helps enhance the scent of the lavender and chamomile and is known to balance moods and bring on feelings of peace and relaxation.

2. Essential oil recipe for improving focus

Finding it hard to focus at the office? This simple blend will help clear your mind, sharpen your focus and make you more alert, helping you dedicate yourself to the task at hand.

• 2 drops of sweet orange essential oil
• 2 drops of peppermint essential oil

Sweet orange has refreshing & enlivening properties with the added benefit of helping reduce anxiety, so you can feel less overwhelmed while you work and be more focused.

On the other hand, Peppermint can help enhance alertness, and its stimulating properties can provide you with a boost of energy.

3. Calming essential oil blend

Just as unwinding and de-stressing at the end of the day is essential, sometimes you need a little pick-me-up in the middle of your day to clear your mind and relax. If you need an extra boost of calm to fade away your mid-day stress and soothe your mind & soul, try this essential oil blend.

• 2 drops of lavender essential oil
• 2 drops of sweet orange essential oil
• 1 drop of frankincense essential oil

The relaxing properties of lavender combined with the energy-boosting qualities of sweet orange and frankincense will help you calm your mind while providing the boost you need for getting through a stressful day.

Essential oil recipes for hair and skin care

Essential oils have been extensively used as topical applications to benefit hair and skin health. Some essential oils have potent clarifying & uplifting properties to improve scalp health, reduce appearance of scars and blemishes, etc.

Before use, be sure to dilute your essential oils in a carrier oil (like coconut oil, grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil) to avoid any allergic reactions or skin irritations.

There are essential oil blends out there for most specific hair and skin concerns. Here are just a few DIY recipes that you can try. Simply blend all the ingredients in a small jar or bottle (adding the carrier oil first) and roll it around gently to mix them together.

4. Essential oil recipe for acne

Spots causing you some concern? This simple blend of essential oils can help reduce acne and the appearance of acne scars. Simply apply this mixture to your specific problem areas and be careful to avoid contact with your eyes, lips and nostrils.

• 6 drops of lavender essential oil
• 5 drops of tea tree essential oil
• 1 drop of geranium essential oil
• 30mL of a carrier oil (jojoba oiland fractionated coconut oil are great options)

While Tea Tree oil is known to be effective for soothing acne scars, with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it has quite an intense aroma. The sweet-smelling lavender and geranium oils balance out the sharp scent of tea tree.

Lavender oil also helps calm & soothe skin irritations while geranium oil helps with balancing sebum production which may prevent recurring acne problems.

5. Essential oil recipe for hair growth

Give your scalp a little boost by introducing essential oils to your hair & scalp care routine. This blend of carrier and essential oils can help soothe irritated and itchy scalps, and a healthy scalp will help stimulate healthy hair growth.

• 5 drops of lavender essential oil
• 5 drops of rosemary essential oil
• 5 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 1/8 cup of fractionated coconut oil
• 1/8 cup of castor oil

This easy DIY recipe works great as an in-shower conditioning mask when left on for 5-10 minutes.

For best results, gently massage this blend into your scalp by parting your hair carefully. Then, cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on overnight. Wash it off the next morning with a gentle, nourishing shampoo, and you’ll have long luscious locks before you know it.

6. An all-natural moisturizer with essential oils

This multi-purpose essential oils blend provides several skincare benefits. In addition to essential oils, this recipe also uses two natural ingredients - coconut oil and aloe vera, that are known to moisturize and soothe tired, sensitive or dry skin.

• 6 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops frankincense essential oil
• 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
• 1 tablespoon fractionated coconut oil

Frankincense oil acts as an astringent, helps reduce the appearance of acne scars, fine lines & wrinkles and also enables skin elasticity & firmness.

Lavender oil not only smells great but can also be used to calm stressed & irritated skin and soothe minor cuts, wounds, burns & insect bites.

You may need a blender or food processor for this recipe, as aloe vera gel is much denser than the other ingredients.

Essential oil recipes for cleaning

Besides great scent, many essential oils have antibacterial & antimicrobial properties making them excellent natural alternatives to chemical-based household cleaners. Here are just a few essential oil recipes that you can try out.

7. Natural all-purpose spray with essential oils

Vinegar has been a popular household cleaning alternative, from bathroom surfaces to cleaning your microwave and kitchen tiles. However, there has been one big issue - its sharp & overpowering smell.

This home cleaner recipe uses essential oils to balance out the strong vinegar smell, while its antimicrobial properties help cleanse and purify your home. Simply mix the below in a spray bottle and get cleaning!

• 420mL of water
• 30mL of white vinegar
• 25 drops of lemon essential oil
• 25 drops of lavender essential oil
• 10 drops of peppermint essential oil

8. Carpet deodorizer essential oil recipe

Many of us already know that baking soda is a great natural alternative to help remove strong, musky odours from a carpet, but adding essential oils can take it to another level.

• 5 drops of lemon essential oil
• 20 drops of lavender essential oil
• One small box of baking soda

Both lemon and lavender oils have antibacterial properties and smell fantastic whether used on their own or in combination. The citrusy aroma of lemon oil leaves a fresh and clean smell to the carpet, while lavender oil leaves its sweet floral aroma. Simply sprinkle this blend on your carpet, let it sit for 10-20 minutes and then vacuum it up.

9. Chemical-free natural dish-washing soap recipe with essential oils

This home cleaning essential oil recipe from HelloNest uses lavender, but you can combine virtually any wonderful smelling essential oil with castile soap for an all-natural dish soap that cuts through grease. It will leave your dishes sparkling, and your kitchen and hands smelling delightful.

• 2 cups of water
• 1/4 cup all-natural soap flakes or grated soap
• 1/4 cup castile soap
• 2 teaspoons super washing soda
• 1 teaspoon non-GMO vegetable glycerin
• 30-40 drops lavender essential oil

Try them for yourself

Once you try these DIY essential oil recipes, you’re sure to get hooked on the wonderful benefits that blended essential oils can provide - for your mood, your scalp, your skin, your home and more.

When you’re ready to start creating your own essential oil recipes, be sure to browse through our selection of 100% pure essential oils, which also includes eucalyptus oil, grapefruit oil and ylang ylang oil.

Please share any learnings you may have while experimenting and also additional recipes that you think we should try!