8 Essential Oils For Every Mood

We all know that a familiar smell from days gone by can bring memories and emotions flooding back, so it might not be all that surprising that we can use essential oils to help balance and manage our emotions.

It’s what the entire premise of aromatherapy is built on and it’s all thanks to the olfactory nerve delivering the input from these scents to various parts of the brain, but especially the amygdala which is basically our emotional control centre.

Whether you’re feeling flat, jittery, irritable or just a little lethargic, there’s an essential oil for that and we’ve found 8 of the best to keep your emotions in check.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is one of those all-rounders that can do just about anything. It will calm you down when you’re feeling anxious or stressed but it can also lift you up if you’re battling fatigue and burnout. Studies have also shown that it can increase the time your body spends in non-REM sleep, so it’s not just a short term solution for those of you feeling a bit groggy.

Sandalwood also promotes focus - it’s often used in Buddhist meditation sessions to help ground the mind and body - and it’s an aphrodisiac too. Is there anything this magical oil can’t do? 

Well, there is one catch. A 2006 study found that different people react differently to Sandalwood, some finding it calmed and soothed the mind and body while others experienced increased focused and alertness. Keeping in mind that it likely generates varying responses to the same person on any different day due to a huge range of factors, our advice is to give it a go and see how it works for you. 

Coriander

Coriander essential oil has a calming effect on the mind and body, clears the mind of negative thoughts and helps to alleviate anxiety, so you’ll want to keep this on hand for those times when you need to wind down. 

It also has mild aphrodisiac properties and it is an excellent choice for getting yourself off to sleep or for use before meditation to clear the mind. 

Lemon

Lemon is commonly known to invigorate and uplift the mind and for its antibacterial properties, but there have been plenty of studies demonstrating lesser-known benefits of lemon essential oils. 

It’s been found to have pain-relieving properties, to reduce morning sickness among pregnant women, to relieve anxiety, and to promote concentration and alertness. 

While more research is probably needed around those areas, you can always count on lemon oil when you’re feeling less than 100% to get you going again.

Peppermint

We’ve all become pretty accustomed to the smell of peppermint but it’s an incredibly energising and uplifting scent if you use it mindfully. While you might not get much of a hit from your minty fresh toothpaste, take a minute to get a whiff of some peppermint when you wake up and you’ll be ready to go in no time. 

Peppermint has also been found to promote concentration and increase alertness, so it’s perfect to push you through a mid-afternoon slump or help you get through a few long, boring tasks.

Amber

With a subtle but long-lasting woody scent, amber essential oil is one of the most luxurious smelling oils going around. The scent is remarkably relaxing and helps to diminish anxiety and negative thoughts, making it another great choice to enhance your meditation practice. 

Amber oil also stimulates feelings of happiness, increases blood circulation and triggers certain hormones in the body, making it a damn good aphrodisiac.

Frangipani

Frangipani is one essential oil that doesn’t mess around. Its effects are so potent that it’s been shown to alleviate all types of headaches and even to reduce the pain felt during labour amongst pregnant women. 

If it can do that, it’s no wonder that it does a damn good job at calming the mind and body and it has a fairly strong sedative effect, so it’s a good one to save for use before bed. 

Apart from all that, frangipani oil can enhance self-confidence which might play some part in explaining why it’s also an aphrodisiac. 

Ginger

If you’ve ever had a nice strong cup of ginger tea or a strong ginger stirfry you’ll be all too familiar with the warming and soothing effects of ginger. As an essential oil, ginger works to heighten concentration and it has also been found to have antidepressant properties according to this study which found that it inhibited anxiety-inducing hormones. 

Physiologically, ginger clears the respiratory tract, promotes the elimination of toxins and alleviates inflammation so it’s an excellent choice when you’re feeling a little under the weather. 

Frankincense

Frankincense is an ultra-relaxing scent and perfect for getting yourself into a meditative state. It invokes feelings of satisfaction and peace, reduces feelings of stress and can enhance concentration and focus. 

Heck, one study even found that frankincense might inhibit tumour progression and encourage the destruction of tumour cells in one specific breast cancer cell. No wonder this stuff was good enough for Jesus Christ himself. 

And if you thought we couldn’t find any more essential oils with aphrodisiac properties, you’d be wrong, frankincense is another love drug so don’t be afraid to top up the diffuser before your next date night.

Agarwood

With a similar reverence to our Indian sandalwood, historically agarwood has been associated with luxury and royalty, often reserved for nobility and the most sacred of ceremonies. Agarwood has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, know for its ability to induce a sense of calm and relaxation. It is often used in aromatherapy to alleviate stress, anxiety, and nervous tension.

The deep, woody aroma of agarwood is conducive to meditation practices, helping practitioners achieve deeper states of mindfulness and concentration. In some traditions, agarwood like sandalwood is considered an aphrodisiac, enhancing mood and intimacy.