Best Essential Oils for 2021
The 17 Most Popular Oils
(That You’ll Probably Love Too)
Key takeaway: 2021’s best essential oils include lavender, tea tree, and cinnamon -- as well as the popular “Sweet Dreams” and “Anxiety” blends.
The 17 Best Essential Oils (and Blends) for 2021:
- Anxiety (blend)
- Lavender
- Sweet Dreams (blend)
- Peppermint
- Eucalyptus
- Orange
- Lemon
- Relax & Unwind (blend)
- Ylang Ylang
- Tea Tree
- Lemongrass
- Rosemary
- Cinnamon
- Bergamot
- Grapefruit
- Cedarwood
- Vetiver
1.Anxiety Essential Oil (Life Blend)
Source: Aroma Energy
Oil Blend: Bergamot, Lavender, Ylang Ylang
Benefits of Anxiety Essential Oil Benefits
2020 wasn’t exactly “smooth sailing,” so it’s not a surprise that our most popular oil from the past year has been the Anxiety Essential Oil. With the ongoing threat of coronavirus, the challenges of lockdown, and the stress of job losses, nerves are understandably frayed.
Anxiety Essential Oil contains a specialist blend of lavender, used for its anxiety-reducing effect…
Ylang Ylang, which can be helpful to lower blood pressure…
And finally, bergamot, which signals the release of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.
Combined, they’re proving to be one of the best essential oil blends on the UK market.
2. Lavender Essential Oil
(Lavandula angustifolia)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Flowering tips
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil
When it comes to pure, non-blended options, lavender sits at the top as our most in-demand oil.
And here’s a cool fact:
Most essential oils contain 100-250 natural compounds, but lavender has as many as 500!
Science has shown that lavender offers many desirable effects as an anti-anxiety agent. This includes calmness without sedation, a lack of dependence, and high tolerance.
As well as being a natural remedy to aid with sleep and stress reduction, lavender is also considered to be one of the best essential oils for odor elimination.
So if your room ever needs a freshen-up, spray a little lavender to take it from stuffy and stale to smelling like a summer meadow!
3. Sweet Dreams Essential Oil (Life Blend)
Source: Aroma Energy
Oil Blend: Camomile, Lavender, Ylang Ylang
Benefits of the Sweet Dreams Essential Oil
Ever have trouble nodding off lately?
In a recent survey of 1,500 British adults, over 50% had experienced changes in their sleep routine during the COVID-19 lockdown -- with 33% sleeping less than they did before.
If you find it hard to relax before settling down for the night, Sweet Dreams Essential Oil is the ideal pick!
An evening blend of camomile, lavender, and Ylang Ylang -- you just can’t go wrong with that…
Camomile is a well-known sleep aid, found to improve the sleep quality of postnatal women.
Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil can lower anxiety in high-stress situations, and insomnia is one of the main treatment uses of Ylang Ylang.
4. Peppermint Essential Oil
(Mentha piperita)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Flowering Herb
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint has been a trusted medicinal plant throughout the ages. The sharp yet pleasant aroma of peppermint oil is a pretty rapid refresher!
Modern uses and benefits of peppermint essential oil include its ability to soothe digestive problems and provide relief from headaches and muscle pain.
5. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Parts of plant used: Leaves and twigs
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Women’s Health Magazine featured an article on the 12 benefits of eucalyptus essential oil, which is worth a read.
A few of the key uses that the article mentions include sinus-clearing, treating bad breath, battling dandruff, and healing wounds such as accidental cuts and scrapes. Multi-functional!
6. Orange Essential Oil
(Citrus sinesis)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Fruit peel
Extraction process: Cold expression
Benefits of Orange Essential Oil
Would you believe that the origin of orange in medicine goes back thousands of years? Even Christopher Columbus took orange seeds with him on his famous expeditions in the late 1400s!
A natural immunity enhancer, orange essential oil can reduce the symptoms of chronic stress and support healthy circulation.
In China, oranges are seen as a symbol of good luck. Coincidence?
We’ll leave that up to you to decide!
7. Lemon Essential Oil
(Citrus limon)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Fruit peel
Extraction process: Cold expression
Benefits of Lemon Essential Oil
Another one of the best essential oils for odor elimination, a spritz of lemon is terrific to make your house feel clean and lovely in a matter of seconds.
Ever had the pain of getting lemon juice in a cut, or even worse, in your eyes?
Oh boy… it’s not fun! Yet lemon in an essential oil form has all sorts of wellness benefits.
With over 70 lemons needed to fill a 15 ml bottle, the oil is used to provide a welcome mood and energy boost.
8. Relax & Unwind Essential Oil (Life Blend)
Source: Aroma Energy
Oil Blend: Bergamot, Lavender, Lemongrass
Benefits of Relax & Unwind Essential Oil
I’m sure you wouldn’t say no to a) relaxing, and b) unwinding after a stressful day. Agreed?
You can do just that with this Relax & Unwind Essential Oil. Yep, it aims to do exactly what it says on the tin (or bottle, in this case!)
Relish in the exquisitely-scented bergamot, the earthy yet sweet lavender, and the oh-so-calming lemongrass.
Oil burners and diffusers are two options here, or you can mix with a carrier oil and massage it gently into your skin.
Bliss...
9. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
(Cananga odorata)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Flowers
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang Ylang sounds exotic for a reason -- it’s made from the wild flowers of the herb, Cananga odorata. Good luck remembering that name...
WebMD reports that Ylang Ylang has been used for increasing sexual desire, improving memory and cognition, and even killing head lice.
A varied mix of benefits indeed!
10. Tea Tree Essential Oil
(Melaleuca alternifolia)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Leaves and twigs
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Tea Tree Essential Oil
Science has supported tea tree essential oil for how it benefits hair, nails, and skin.
Originating from small, bushy trees that grow by streams and swamps in the “Land Down Under,” Aborigines extract the oil by crushing the tea tree leaves to use for coughs, colds, and wound healing.
Amazing what nature offers us, isn’t it?
11. Lemongrass Essential Oil
(Cymbopogon citratus)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Leaves
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil
Grown in tropical and subtropical regions, the lemongrass plant is known for its antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies have shown that a 2% concentration of lemongrass essential oil inhibits gum disease-causing bacteria.
The oil can also be useful for fighting bacterial strains associated with blood infections and pneumonia, which is worth finding out more about!
12. Rosemary Essential Oil
(Rosemarinus officinalis)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Flowering tops
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary is a familiar scent in kitchens around the world on Sunday afternoons, as families tuck into their roast lamb joints. But what are the benefits of rosemary essential oil?
Well, you might be interested to know that Ancient Greek scholars kept rosemary on their wreaths, as it was believed to give them a cognitive advantage!
Evergreen and needle-shaped, the rosemary leaves give off a pleasant, woody aroma that can ground you in the midst of a busy week.
13. Cinnamon Essential Oil
(Cinnamonum zeylanicum)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Leaves and twigs
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Cinnamon Essential Oil
“Cinnamon” -- don’t you love how that word rolls off the tongue? Maybe it’s just us…
Either way, the slightly spicy, mildly musky leaf is loved around the globe.
Dr. Axe’s article outlines some of the benefits of cinnamon essential oil, including cholesterol reduction, libido stimulation, and lowering blood sugar.
Oh and here’s a fun yet grisly fact…
Did you know that cinnamon oil was used by “grave robbers” in the 15th century, to protect themselves from the deadly plague as they went about their banditry?
We definitely don’t suggest using it for that!
14. Bergamot Essential Oil
(Citrus bergamia)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Fruit peel
Extraction Process: Cold expression
Benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil
Perhaps one of the lesser-known of 2021’s best essential oils, bergamot has antispasmodic compounds to relax the muscles and relieve pain.
Another benefit of bergamot essential oil is its ability to reduce cortisol -- which is the stress hormone in the body.
Essential oil expert, Dr. Couic Marinier, also recommends bergamot for helping with “constipation, loss of appetite, and indigestion.”
15. Grapefruit Essential Oil
(Citrus paradisi)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Fruit peel
Extraction process: Cold expression
Benefits of Grapefruit Essential Oil
Grapefruit oil is the perfect pick for all the citrus-lovers out there!
Healthline says that the six main benefits of grapefruit essential oil are:
- To suppress an overactive appetite
- To help with weight loss
- To balance mood
- To fight bacteria (e.g. H. pylori and E. coli)
- To lower blood pressure
- To treat acne
It’s hard to deny grapefruit essential oil’s value, with such a broad spectrum of wellness support available!
16. Cedarwood Essential Oil
(Juniperus virginiana)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Wood
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Cedarwood Essential Oil
Tibetan and Native American groups have used cedarwood oil for a long, loooong time indeed -- to treat everything from hiccups to severe illnesses.
A favourite among Ancient Egyptians, cedarwood essential oil was one of the compounds they used to make mummies!
Benefits of the pure and comforting cedarwood oil include the ability to cleanse the scalp and help ease the body into “rest mode”...
Oh yeah, remember what that felt like?!
17. Vetiver Essential Oil
(Vetiveria zizanioides)
Source: Aroma Energy
Parts of plant used: Roots
Extraction process: Steam distillation
Benefits of Vetiver Essential Oil
The final item on our list of 2021s best essential oils is vetiver.
Imagine walking through a field of uncut grass on a hot day... really, that’s the essence of vetiver.
Labelled as “The Fragrance of the Soil,” the benefits of vetiver essential oil are -- like many on this list -- wide-ranging!
The earthy aroma calms a frantic mind and its antiseptic properties are popular in Asia for skin health.
RELATED - Essential oils for anxiety
Whew, there we have it! Many thanks for stopping by for this guide on 2021s best essential oils.
But you know what’s kinda surprising?
The 17 most in-demand oils from the past year don’t feature the most powerful one of all…
Often called the “King of Oils”, studies have shown that frankincense essential oil stimulates the immune system and activates core proteins in the body.
So if you ever fancy a warming oil for the winter months, this pure frankincense essential oil might just do the trick!
Anyway, it’s probably about time we wrapped up. To get in touch with the Aroma Energy team, send us an email on:
Email: info@aromaenergy.co.uk
Or feel free to check out our full range of oils using the quick links below:
Catch you soon!
