What Are The Best Essential Oils?

WHAT ARE THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS?

Here at Saje we offer dozens of different essential oils, whether offered as part of blends (like diffuser blends or roll-ons) or as what we refer to as single notes, which means one singular essential oil packaged and offered on its own (like lavender or peppermint). While we do maintain that the best essential oils are determined by your personal taste and preference, there are some key indicators you want to be aware of when purchasing essential oils. Though this list is non-exhaustive, here are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing essential oils:

The first is to obtain essential oils only from a reputable supplier that you trust and who has a strong reputation for quality. Essential oils can be diluted or adulterated, meaning odorless, thin liquids (like some carrier oils) are added to the pure essence, thus ‘cutting’ or ‘thinning’ the formula and rendering it impure. It’s also important to be mindful of things like the potency in scent (a dull fragrance could mean the essential oil is old and has lost its staying power), the latin name of the plant being clearly labelled on the bottle (this is a standard in the aromatherapy industry; you should expect to see “eucalyptus globulus” printed alongside the common name “eucalyptus”, for example) and lastly, the size of the bottle vs the price tag being offered (a one litre bottle of lavender essential oil for $50? It’s too good to be true.)

Read on as we share what we think are the best essential oils in four different scent categories.

WHAT ARE THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE CITRUSES?

Citruses are bright, fresh and cheerful essential oils, typically referred to as top notes. What this means is that they are the first note your nose will sense in a blend because they are light and airy in comparison to base notes which tend to have richness and depth that cause the essential oils to linger. Citruses make us feel happy and give us a natural lift in our mood when we smell them.

Citrus essential oils we love:

Lemon: zesty, spirited lemon is the ultimate uplifter, helping to brighten your mood and clear your mind of less-than-positive thoughts. Naturally astringent, lemon energizes the body, helps improve the appearance of your skin tone and can be used to freshen and deodorize your home.

Orange: brighten the appearance of dull skin skin and temporarily relieve irritation from dryness while illuminating the positive in life with refreshing orange. Orange can also be used to help relieve restlessness and soothe feelings of stress or nervousness by helping to uplift the mind.

Grapefruit: A fresh, juicy, tart and uplifting citrus oil that can be used to rejuvenate both the body and the emotions. Grapefruit is used to invigorate and visibly tone the appearance of skin and to soothe and ease worries of a troubled mind.

WHAT ARE THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE FLORALS?

Flower-scented essential oils are also very popular because of their sweet, delicate and harmonizing scent. A lot of people gravitate towards floral essential oils because they are widely known in aromatherapy for their benefits in bringing balance, centeredness and feelings of peace and calm to both the body and mind. If you’re the type of person who loves having a fresh bouquet of flowers in your home, these might be some of the essential oils you lean towards.

Floral essential oils we love:

Lavender: well loved for its dreamy, relaxation-inducing properties, our single note lavender essential oil is high grade, meaning it’s derived from the world’s best natural sources to deliver calmness with a soft, sweet and peaceful floral scent.

Geranium: fragrant and rose-like, geranium is one of the strongest smelling florals and is known for calming and balancing for the mind. A natural, soothing tonic, it is used to relieve the appearance of minor skin discomfort or irritation and bring about harmony.

Jasmine: romantic and floral, jasmine is used in aromatherapy to help ease symptoms of stress like nervousness and restlessness, as well as to help relieve irritated skin caused by dryness.

WHAT ARE THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE TREE SCENTS?

We categorize tree scents as the fresh, opening and clearing scents of the forest. We’re inspired by the crispness of leaves and twigs crunching underfoot and the way you can’t help but take a deep breath when you’re surrounded on all sides by trees, shrubs and bushes that smell clean and green.

Tree scented essential oils we love:

Eucalyptus: eucalyptus is that signature spa scent that’s opening, clearing, and super soothing. This pure single note eucalyptus essential oil is so refreshing, it’s kind of like taking a deep breath while standing beside a waterfall—in a rainforest.

Cedarwood: rich, sweet and woodsy, this essential oil promotes relaxation, grounds the emotions and is balancing for the appearance of oily skin. Used to soothe and relieve the body and mind, cedarwood is a versatile forest scent we think you’ll love.

Sandalwood: a warm, spicy essential oil that soothes nerves and relieves the appearance of irritated skin and is known to help ease and relieve stress symptoms like restlessness or stress-related insomnia. Getting pure, natural sandalwood essential oil that’s been grown and harvested sustainably and ethically isn’t a simple feat; it requires over 30 years of proper cultivation, which is why we source ours from a world leader who is helping to ensure sandalwood remains available for future generations.

WHAT ARE THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE HERBS AND SPICES?

Different herbs and spices in aromatherapy are like getting a hug from a close friend. They're warming, they bring comfort and they help you feel balanced and grounded. You’ll find that these essential oils, referred to as middle to base notes, tend to have depth, richness and will last longer when applied to the skin or diffused in the air.

Herb and spice essential oils we love:

Rosemary: stimulating and warming, rosemary helps release stressful feelings and soothes the skin while keeping your mind and sense invigorated. Rosemary can also be used to ease the body and help bring comfort and relief.

Sage: fresh and balsamic, sage is especially comforting for sensitive skin and troubled minds. Sage is commonly used in rituals and wellness practices to bring about an emotional cleansing and to support in feeling deeply grounded and connected.

Cinnamon: ease the mind and comfort the emotions with this warm and spicy essential oil. Soothing, grounding, comforting and balancing cinnamon can help you feel cozy and connected; a little goes a long way.

LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR YOU

When it comes to choosing the right essential oils for you, the most important factor is trusting your preferences and your intuitions. Nine times out of ten, you’ll smell an essential oil and your body, mind (and nose!) will instinctively know if it’s the right one for you. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind:

1. Your nose knows! If you smell a certain essential oil and to you, it smells ‘off’ or doesn’t immediately evoke a pleasant sensation in the body, it might not be the right one for you. We sometimes move these oils into the ‘save for later’ category and revisit them at another time, because it is possible for your tastes to change.
2. Avoid any essential oils to which you have a sensitivity or allergy to the plant. So for example if you know you break out in a rash or hives around a fresh, live lavender plant, you’ll want to avoid the essential oil as it’s the concentrate of the plant that makes up the oil.
3. Don’t be swayed by popularity. Just because peppermint or eucalyptus is all the rage, it doesn’t mean a sweet, woody and resinous bottle of frankincense isn’t the right choice for you. Half the fun of discovering new essential oils is based in finding the ones that smell and feel the best to you personally.

—Robert Tisserand