Here’s an alphabetical list of some well-known therapeutic oils, though it’s important to note that there are many more oils with unique properties and benefits:
- Argan Oil: Argan oil is derived from the kernels of the fruit of the argan tree. It is primarily comprised of fatty acids and a variety of phenolic compounds. It provides a good source of linoleic and oleic fatty acids, two fats known to support good health. It also boasts high levels of vitamin E. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is vegan-friendly.
- Bergamot Oil: Bergamot oil is extracted from the rinds of citrus fruit (Citrus bergamia) that grow on bergamot orange trees. It has a soothing scent, a spicy taste, and a wide range of potential uses and possible benefits. It has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be an effective spot treatment for acne or other small wounds on the skin.
- Black Seed Oil: Black Seed Oil is extracted from the seeds of the annual flowering plant Nigella sativa. It contains antioxidants and bioactive compounds. It may benefit skin and hair health, help reduce inflammation, and support weight loss.
- Carrot Seed Oil: Carrot seed oil is extracted via steam distillation from the seeds of the Daucus carota plant. It has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It might be beneficial in cosmetics as a rejuvenator for aging skin.
- Cedarwood Oil: Cedarwood Oil is Cedarwood oil has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antifungal, and insecticidal properties. It is often used for its rich flavor with a mild coconut aroma.
- Chamomile Oil (German and Roman): Chamomile oil is derived from the chamomile plant. In fact, chamomile is actually related to daisies. Chamomile oil is made from the flowers of the plant. There are two different varieties of chamomile you may come across: Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile or Anthemis nobilis) and German chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita). The active ingredient most researched is chamazulene, and it’s higher in German chamomile.
- Cinnamon Bark Oil: Cinnamon Bark Oil extracts are vital oils that contain biologically active compounds, such as cinnamon aldehyde, cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties and is used to treat diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- Clary Sage Oil: Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) is a flowering herb that’s native to the Mediterranean Basin. The essential oil that’s extracted from the leaves and buds of the plant has a clean, refreshing scent that you can use as a skin balm or gently inhale as part of an aromatherapy treatment. Clary sage oil has a range of health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial effects.
- Clove Oil: Cloves are a rich source of plant compounds that offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Cloves are particularly high in the compound eugenol, which makes up between 70% and 90% of clove essential oil. Eugenol has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and pain-relieving properties.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is 100% fat, 80–90% of which is saturated fat. This gives it a firm texture at cold or room temperatures. Fat is made up of smaller molecules called fatty acids, and there are several types of saturated fatty acids in coconut oil. The predominant type is lauric acid (47%), with myristic and palmitic acids present in smaller amounts, which have been shown in research to raise harmful LDL levels.
- Eucalyptus Oil: Eucalyptus oil has many potential benefits, including analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, and antioxidant properties. People use it to treat colds, fevers, and respiratory infections. It also helps reduce pain and blood pressure after knee replacement surgery.
- Frankincense Oil: Frankincense oil has been used for thousands of years for its therapeutic and healing properties. It can help relieve chronic stress and anxiety, reduce pain and inflammation, and boost immunity. It also has potential anti-cancer effects.
- Geranium Oil: Geranium oil has antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties, making it beneficial for reducing acne breakouts, skin irritation, and skin infections when applied topically. Its anti-inflammatory properties also make it beneficial for a number of inflammatory conditions, including those affecting the skin.
- Ginger Oil: Ginger oil has been found to have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It can stimulate immunity, provide antioxidant protection, and improve respiratory circulation. It’s also effective in reducing pain and inflammation and boosting immunity.
- Grapefruit Oil: Grapefruit oil is known for its ability to boost metabolism and reduce appetite, making it a great tool for losing weight quickly in a healthy way. It can also help the liver cleanse the body of toxins and waste, activate your lymphatic system, and control fluid retention.
- Helichrysum Oil: Helichrysum oil has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it may help kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can cause infections. It also has regenerative properties, which makes it an excellent oil to use for promoting skin health and healing.
- Jasmine Oil: Jasmine oil has been used for depression, anxiety, emotional stress, low libido, and insomnia. It has a stimulating effect on the brain and also helps improve mood. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can be useful in general skin care and the treatment of psoriasis.
- Lavender Oil: Lavender oil has powerful antioxidant, antimicrobial, sedative, calming, and antidepressive properties. It’s been used both cosmetically and therapeutically for centuries. It’s also been used to help ease the symptoms of menopause and PMS.
- Lemon Oil: Lemon oil has a purifying, cleansing, and protective effect on the body. It helps defend the body against harmful pathogens and promotes detoxification through the blood and liver. Lemon oil also stimulates lymphatic drainage, helping the body cleanse itself of waste and toxins.
- Lemongrass Oil: Lemongrass oil can help inhibit the growth of bacteria. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it may help kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can cause infections. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce symptoms related to an infection, such as swelling, pain, and redness.
- Myrrh Oil: Myrrh oil is derived from the reddish-brown dried sap of the thorny tree Commiphora myrrha. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. The oil has potential benefits such as killing bacteria, protecting oral health, and more. It has strong effects against several infectious bacteria, including some drug-resistant ones. It may also support oral health due to its antimicrobial properties.
- Neroli Oil: Neroli oil is extracted from the flowers of bitter orange trees. It emits a rich, floral scent with citrusy overtones. It may help with conditions like depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, seizures, and menopausal symptoms. It has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, which may make it helpful for reducing acne breakouts and skin irritation.
- Oregano Oil: Oregano oil comes from the oregano plant and has antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help with weight management and infection treatments. It contains compounds that have been shown to kill certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
- Patchouli Oil: Patchouli oil has antibacterial, antidepressant, antiemetic, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, astringent, antiviral, carminative, decongestant, deodorant, aphrodisiac, cytophylactic, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicide, insecticide, sedative, tonic, cicatrisant, stimulant, and euphoric properties.
- Peppermint Oil: Peppermint oil may have benefits like killing bacteria or protecting oral health. It’s traditionally used to treat oral infections and inflammation. Some natural mouthwashes and toothpaste contain peppermint oil.
- Rose Oil: Rose oil is extracted from the rose plant and contains over 40 different compounds, including menthol, which gives rose its refreshing qualities. It has been used as a remedy for a variety of ailments. It may help treat acne, balance hormones, relieve anxiety, improve depression, reduce rosacea, and naturally increase libido.
- Rosemary Oil: Rosemary oil is extracted from the rosemary plant. It has been used as an herb to flavor food and is one of the most popular aromatic and medicinal plants worldwide. It may help improve acne, balance hormones, relieve anxiety, improve depression, reduce rosacea, and naturally increase libido.
- Sandalwood Oil: Sandalwood oil comes from the sandalwood tree and is often used as a base for perfume and other fragrances. It has been used in alternative medicine to help manage a range of conditions. It may help reduce inflammation, fight skin or wound infections, and reduce wound size.
- Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil is an essential oil that has several uses, including keeping your skin, hair, and nails healthy. It has been used as a traditional medicine by the Aboriginal people of Australia for centuries. It may help treat acne, athlete’s foot, lice, nail fungus, and insect bites.
- Thyme Oil: Thyme oil is an essential oil that has several uses, including keeping your skin, hair, and nails healthy. It has been used as a traditional medicine by the Aboriginal people of Australia for centuries. It may help treat acne, athlete’s foot, lice, nail fungus, and insect bites.
- Vetiver Oil – Vetiver Oil is derived from the roots of the vetiver plant. The roots are unique in their ability to grow downward, creating a thick tangle. These roots are aged before being soaked in water. The highly concentrated oil that is released is then skimmed off the top of the water. This oil is obtained from the aromatic roots by steam distillation and hydrodistillation. It’s worth noting that extraction of vetiver oil from grass is known in India since the time of the Vedas. The main producers of vetiver oil are India, Haiti, and Indonesia. It has sever uses, including: alertness and mental fatigue by inhaling vetiver oil can improve alertness and brain function; as a breathing aid during sleeping, using vetiver oil in a diffuser while you sleep could help improve your breathing patterns; anxiety and ADHS. And as a tick repellant, as vetiver oil has a high toxicity for ticks. When diluted with a carrier oil and applied topically it may be more effective than some commercial products marketed to protect from the tick bites that could cause Lyme disease.
- Ylang-Ylang Oil – Ylang-Ylang oil is derived from the fragrant yellow blossoms of the Cananga odorata tree. This tree is native to Indo-Pacific countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, and parts of Australia. The flowers, which only bloom at night, are picked at sunrise and then steam-distilled right away to capture the fragrance at its peak. The amount of time the flowers are distilled for determines the type of oil that’s produced. It’s possible to produce five different grades of ylang ylang oil via the distillation process. The name Ylang-Ylang is derived from the Tagalog term for the tree “ilang-ilang” a reduplicative form of the word “ilang” meaning wilderness. Ylang-Ylang in Tagalog means “flower of flowers”. Ylang Ylang has been found in research to boost mood and reduce depression and can alleviate anxiety, it has also been found to lower blood pressure and decrease the heart rate. As a topical application Ylang ylang has been known to stimulate oil production in the skin and scalp. As a repellant Ylang Ylang can repel flying insects and kill bug larvae.