Our Everyday Favorite Essential Oils & How we Use Them

If you peeked in our cabinets, you’d find our favorite essential oils, the few we reach for just about every single day.

Some make the house smell amazing, some pull double duty in our natural cleaning, and a few end up in our favorite DIYs. We're all about getting the most out of every bottle.

Here are the everyday oils we'd grab first, and exactly how we like to use each one.

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Lavender

Soft, floral, and calming, lavender is the one we'd never want to be without.

Diffuse it in the evening to make the whole house feel calm.
Add a few drops to a spray bottle of water for a simple linen and pillow mist.
Stir it into your favorite DIY skincare and body care.

Learn more in our lavender essential oil post.

Lemon

Bright, clean, and cheerful, lemon is our go-to for a fresh-smelling home.

Diffuse it for an instant mood lift.
Use it in DIY cleaners to cut through sticky messes and grease.
Add a drop to a bowl of water to freshen the air in the kitchen.

Learn more in our lemon essential oil post.

Frankincense

Warm, woodsy, and grounding, frankincense is the oil we add to almost everything.

Diffuse it on its own or blended with citrus for a cozy, grounding scent.
Add it to relaxing roller blends.
Work a drop into your DIY skincare.

Learn more in our frankincense essential oil post.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca)

Fresh and clean-smelling, tea tree is the one we reach for constantly in our natural cleaning.

It’s the star of our all-purpose cleaning spray (recipe below).
Add it to DIY laundry and surface sprays.
Diffuse a little for a crisp, clean scent.

See more of our favorite ways to use it in our post on natural cleaning with essential oils.

On Guard

Warm and spicy, with notes of orange, clove, and cinnamon, On Guard is the coziest scent for the cooler months.

Diffuse it for a warm, spicy fall and winter scent.
Add it to DIY foaming hand soap and all-purpose cleaners.
Blend it with wild orange for an extra cheerful holiday diffuser blend.

Learn more in our On Guard post.

Our Simple All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

Homemade all-purpose cleaning spray in a glass bottle.

This is the cleaning spray we come back to again and again:

15 drops tea tree (melaleuca)
1/4 cup vinegar
A 16-ounce glass spray bottle
Water to fill

Add the tea tree and vinegar to the spray bottle, top it off with water, and shake well. Use it as a natural all-purpose cleaner around the house.

How we Like to Use Them

Diffusing: A few drops in the diffuser freshens the whole room.
Cleaning: Tea tree, lemon, and On Guard are wonderful in DIY sprays and soaps.
DIY and roller blends: Lavender and frankincense are our favorites for relaxing blends and skincare.

Other Favorites to Try

Wild orange for a bright, happy scent.
Peppermint for a cool, fresh pick-me-up.
Eucalyptus for a spa-like feel.

Expert Tips

Always dilute oils in a carrier oil before applying to your skin.
Citrus oils can make skin more sensitive to the sun, so skip the sunshine right after applying.
Store your oils in a cool, dark spot, and out of reach of children.

A Few Safety Tips

Dilute essential oils in a carrier oil before applying to the skin.
Do a patch test first if you have sensitive skin.
For external use only, and keep oils out of reach of children.

Favorite Essential Oils FAQs

What essential oils should a beginner start with?

Lavender and lemon are the perfect starting point. They’re versatile, they smell wonderful, and you’ll use them constantly.

How do you use essential oils around the house?

The three easiest ways are diffusing for scent, adding them to DIY cleaners, and blending them into rollers and skincare.

How should we store our essential oils?

Keep them in a cool, dark place with the caps on tight, and out of reach of children.

If you tried any of these essential oil ideas or another tutorial on our website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!