With so many essential oils to choose from, it is common to wonder what the best essential oils for diffusing are. Some essential oils are favorites for diffusing simply because they smell so good. But they also have some therapeutic properties, as you will see below. If you are new to diffusing essential oils and have questions, you can find my Diffusing Essential Oils Basics post here. I cover reasons for diffusing, how to diffuse, and care for your diffuser. So how do you know which ones to buy? In this post, I will share with you my top 12 best essential oils for diffusing. Plus my 2 favorite pre-made blends! Did I mention these are all budget friendly essential oils? Well, they are! Because you can go through essential oils fairly quickly when diffusing, it is important to me that they are easy on my wallet…….. and nose! In this post, I will give you a brief overview of each essential oil. Then I will share some tried and true diffuser recipes. This will give you a great starting point for growing your essential oil collection specifically for diffusing.
Best Essential Oils for Diffusing:
These are my favorite essential oils for diffusing. They all smell wonderful. You can diffuse single essential oils, however I feel that can get boring over time. While I love the aroma of these essential oils individually, I also love that they can be mixed and matched into fresh, new blends! In this section, I want to give you a brief overview of each essential oil’s aroma and some of its benefits. This way you will know why I chose the essential oils for each blend.
- Lavender: Smells floral, sweet, herbaceous, with woodsy undertones. Lavender essential oil has balancing properties that can calm the body and mind. It may promote a feeling of calm and help combat nervous tension. Lavender has a tranquil aroma that soothes the senses.
- Peppermint: Smells sharp, cool, fresh, and minty. Peppermint essential oil may stimulate the mind and help with mental focus and clarity. It may help calm queasy stomachs, or ease congested sinuses when its crisp aroma is inhaled. Peppermint creates a refreshing aroma in the air.
- Lemon: Smells sharp, clear, sweet, and citrusy. Lemon essential oil promotes an uplifting atmosphere that encourages mental clarity. Also well known for its invigorating aroma, it may give you a boost of energy and cheer your mood. Lemon cleanses the air and eliminates odors.
- Rosemary: Smells herbaceous, strong, with woody-balsamic and evergreen undertones. Rosemary essential oil may help with mental fatigue; as it boosts alertness, mental clarity, concentration, and memory. It is a refreshing essential oil that may help ease sinus congestion. Rosemary also freshens the air.
- Orange: Smells bright, sweet, and citrusy. Orange essential oil is uplifting and may reduce feelings of sadness with its bright, happy aroma. Also known for inducing feelings of relaxation. Orange refreshes and deodorizes the air.
- Geranium: Smells sweet, green, citrus-rosy, and fresh. Geranium essential oil may help balance your emotions and lift your spirit. This floral fragrance essential oil helps release negative memories and ease nervous feelings. Geranium adds an uplifting floral aroma to the environment.
- Bergamot: Smells fresh, citrusy, with floral undertones. Bergamot essential oil may uplift your mood and improve mental clarity. You may find it calming to your emotions during times of tension and stress. Bergamot is a favorite for its mood-lifting aroma.
- Grapefruit: Smells sweet and tangy, citrusy. Grapefruit essential oil may help sharpen your senses and improve mental awareness and clarity. This uplifting essential oil may boost feelings of relaxation. Grapefruit adds a refreshing aroma to the air.
- Lime: Smells bright, tart, and citrusy. Lime essential oil may promote mental alertness. Many people find its aroma cheering and helps them release tense emotions. Lime refreshes the air.
- Eucalyptus Globulus: Smells slightly camphorous, sweet and fruity. Eucalyptus globulus essential oil may help open congested sinuses when inhaled. It is a favorite for supporting the body during times of seasonal illness. Eucalyptus globulus refreshes and purifies the air.
- Cedarwood: Smells earthy, woodsy, with cedar undertones. Cedarwood essential oil encourages feelings of calm in times of nervous tension, and may promote restful sleep. It encourages dreaming and may improve mental clarity. Cedarwood purifies the air and promotes a calm atmosphere.
- Pine: Smells fresh, coniferous, crisp, and woodsy. Pine essential oil promotes revitalization of the body, mind, and spirit. The grounding aroma may uplift your mood and refresh your mind. Pine freshens the air.
If you are looking for some pre-made blends to make things simpler, I have a couple that I highly recommend. My favorite pre-made blends are from Young Living Essential Oils. I only use Young Living essential oils in our home because they are the highest quality I can find. If you are curious, you can read my What You Need to Know About Young Living post here. Here are my top three favorite pre-made essential oil blends for diffusing:
- Citrus Fresh: Smells sweet, clean, citrusy, with a hint of spearmint. Citrus Fresh essential oil may stimulate the mind to amplify creativity. It encourages feelings of well-being and may help reduce uneasy feelings. Citrus Fresh purifies the air and adds a fresh, clean aroma to the environment.
- Thieves: Smells warm, spice-like, cinnamon. Thieves essential oil is most popular for its cleansing properties and whole body support. It is a favorite to use during times of seasonal illness and its spicy aroma may benefit congested sinuses. Thieves supports a fresh and healthy environment.
- Stressaway: Smells sweet and citrusy. Stressaway essential oil is calming to the body and mind. It may help reduce feelings of stress and overwhelm. Stressaway is conducive to feelings of ease and relaxation.
**If you are looking for a great diffuser and some basic essential oils to get started here is one of my favorite starter bundles. It has 6 of the oils in the list above as well as some vitality oils for internal use. This bundle is great to get you started.
Best Diffuser Blends:
Now that I have described the fragrances and some benefits of each essential oil, I want to share some blends. These blends will only use the essential oils listed above. They will cover a wide range of aromas and areas of support. These are tried and true blends that I have personally used in my home with my family and around my pets. None of these will be strong or irritating. Each blend is meant to be diffused in a cool mist ultrasonic diffuser. (If you are looking for a quality diffuser, I go over some choices and their features at the end of my Diffusing Essential Oils Basics post here.) You should only diffuse essential oils in a cool mist diffuser created for that purpose. Essential oils are potent and can break down certain materials. Remember, you should never use hot water, because it can alter the chemistry of the essential oils.
Seasonal Relief:
When you are looking for some extra support when the pollen and blooms get to you, this is a good start! Many people have found diffusing this blend helpful for calming their histamine response. It smells minty and floral.
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil
Laundry Day:
This fresh blend is floral and herbaceous, with a hint of lemon. The perfect aroma to boost your spirits while getting some laundry done. This is a favorite blend to diffuse when I am folding that mountain of laundry that comes with 5 little boys.
- 2 drops eucalyptus globulus essential oil
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
Winter Wellness:
The perfect duo to support your body during that time of year when the yuckies are going around. It smells fresh, warm, and cinnaminty. It’s one of my favorite winter blends!
- 4 drops Thieves essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
Herbal Tonic:
Minty and lemony, this blend is soothing to a stuffy nose. Also a great one to diffuse in the bathroom while you take a hot relaxing shower. Mint lovers will especially enjoy this refreshing blend.
- 2 drops eucalyptys globulus essential oil
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
Sun Salutations:
Greet the day with your favorite warm beverage and this invigorating diffuser blend! This gives off a floral, citrus, and minty aroma that is the perfect start to any day. The perfect get up and go blend!
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 4 drops orange essential oil
Sweet Summertime:
Reminiscent of long summer evenings. This blend will surely become a favorite with its comforting and calming aroma. Floral and sweet, it is the perfect ending to a long summer day.
- 4 drops Stressaway essential oil
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 2 drops lemon essential oil
Deep Breath:
Need some extra sinus support? Give this cool and opening blend a try next time your sinuses are feeling stuffy. This strong minty aroma has a hint of lemon to it. Take a deep breath and relax.
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
Be Well:
Feeling under the weather? This is a family favorite anytime there’s something going around. Surround yourself in the calming aroma of citrus and cinnamon. This is also a great blend for anytime you are looking for some autumn vibes.
- 4 drops Thieves essential oil
- 2 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops lemon essential oil
Windows Open:
Like a fresh breeze through your window, this blend will boost your mood. Herbaceous and citrusy takes the day with this refreshing aroma. If you can’t open your window, you will definitely want to give this a try to freshen your space!
- 1 drop eucalyptus globulus
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 1 drop rosemary essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
Keep Calm:
The perfect blend for supporting feelings of calm. Great for wound up children and pets too. Diffuse this anytime you need to boost a calmer atmosphere. The citrusy and sweet blend is likely to become a favorite for that afternoon crazy time.
- 3 drops Stressaway essential oil
- 3 drops bergamot essential oil
- 2 drops orange essential oil
Evening Unwind:
After a long day, this is the perfect blend to drop into your diffuser. The floral citrus aroma is calming and uplifting. Try diffusing it anytime you want to put your feet up and chill for a bit.
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 3 drops orange essential oil
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
Well Rested:
We all need a good night’s rest. This calming blend supports your mind and body. Woodsy and warm, this is a great choice to diffuse when you are looking to catch some good Z’s.
- 2 drops cedarwoood essential oil
- 3 drops lavender essential oil
- 3 drops Thieves essential oil
Crisp Breeze:
This blend will give you autumn breeze vibes. This warm fruity, minty aroma is a great choice for ditching scented seasonal candles! Warning: you’ll want to bake something apple or pumpkin when it hits your nostrils.
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 2 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops bergamot essential oil
- 2 drops Thieves essential oil
Happy Everyday:
This is the perfect start to any day! Energizing and emotionally calming, this is great to diffuse during the morning chaos. This blend smells sweet, minty, and a hint of citrus.
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 3 drops Stressaway essential oil
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
Fresh and Clean:
Do you need to accomplish some cleaning? This blend invigorating and fresh blend is a great choice. It will make your home smell fresh and clean while you get it sparkly.
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 6 drops lemon essential oil
Cozy Evening:
The perfect calming blend to cozy up with a loved one and enjoy some time together. This sweet and citrusy aroma will make you want to cuddle up with a blanket and a good book….. or maybe a movie.
- 3 drops bergamot essential oil
- 3 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops Stressaway essential oil
Spring Breeze:
Just like a happy spring breeze, this refreshing diffuser blend will calm and uplift your spirits. This blend smells herbaceous and citrusy. It is definitely one of my favorites!
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3 drops lime essential oil
- 3 drops grapefruit essential oil
Happy Blooms:
Craving the smell of fresh blooms? Try this diffuser blend. Bright and happy, just like a fresh bouquet of flowers. You’ll be smiling in no time from this dainty floral aroma. This is one of my personal favorites to diffuse every spring!
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 3 drops geranium essential oil
- 3 drops bergamot essential oil
Brisk Walk:
This fresh diffuser blend is woodsy and herbaceous, just like a walk in the woods. Just like time in the great outdoors, it supports you both physically and emotionally with its grounding fragrance.
- 2 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 4 drops bergamot essential oil
Fresh Kitchen:
Stiny smells lingering in your kitchen? This is my favorite blend to diffuse to knock out the stinky smells quick! The bright and citrusy aroma will deodorize your kitchen and get it smelling fresh again.
- 4 drops Citrus Fresh essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
Clean Floors:
The perfect blend to diffuse when your mopping your floors and want that fresh clean smell to fill your home. This scent is citrus and pine and oh so fresh and bright!
- 3 drops pine essential oil
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
Farmer's Market:
Just like a stroll through your local farmer’s market, this blend will give you all the outdoor and fresh feels. Fill your nose with a bouquet of floral, fruity, herbaceous, and pine scents.
- 2 drops pine essential oil
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 2 drops lemon essentail oil
Beach Day:
Just like a fun day at the beach, this bright and happy blend will uplift your spirits! There’s nothing like the aroma of citrus to give you the sandy saltwater summer feels.
- 3 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops lemon essential oil
- 3 drops lime essential oil
Garden Breeze:
Like a stroll through the garden, this uplifting and fresh blend will make you want to take deep breath and relax a moment. Breathe in the smell of trees, herbs, and flowers with this lovely blend.
- 2 drops pine essential oil
- 3 drops lavender essentail oil
- 3 drops rosemary essential oil
Spring Cleaning:
Get in the mood for spring cleaning with this refreshing and energizing blend! Double benefit- it will make everything smell fresh and bright! Not only will your house be sparkling, it will smell it too!
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 3 drops lime essential oil
Evening Romance:
Get your romance on! Set the scene for some special time with this floral and citrus diffuser blend. The perfect calming and uplifting aroma for lovers. Remember to set it to the flicker light for some added ambiance, and get cozy with your lover.
- 2 drops geranium essential oil
- 1 drop lavender essential oil
- 3 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops lemon essential oil
Citrus Twist:
All the citrus and summer vibes! The perfect blend to diffuse while you get ready for a beach or pool day. Uplifting and energy boosting citrus essential oils will fill the room with citrus salad like scents.
- 2 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 drops lime essential oil
- 2 drops orange essential oil
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
Pine Fresh:
Love the smell of that popular pine floor cleaner, but hate inhaling those toxic chemicals? I have the perfect solution for you! Diffuse this blend or even add it to your mop water. It smells like real pine and lemon.
- 4 drops pine essential oil
- 4 drops lemon essential oil
School Time:
Next time your kiddo needs to do some homework, drop this blend into the diffuser. This blend is citrusy with a hint of mint. A wonderful choice for encouraging focus and creativity. (Great for us grown-ups too!)
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3 drops bergamot essential oil
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 1 drop lime essential oil
Staycation:
If you’re looking for the vacation spa vibes this is the diffuser blend for you. Sweet and floral, this is sure to become a favorite anytime you need to relax. The perfect aroma to go alongside a relaxing massage!
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 6 drops Stressaway essential oil
Car Ride:
The perfect blend for travel. (grab a car diffuser and half this recipe for your next road trip) Mint for queasiness and the calming aroma of Stressaway make this the perfect blend for being cooped up in the car.
- 3 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops Stressaway essential oil
