Creating Your Own Essential Oil Blend

• Download: Blending Experiment Worksheet
   
• Download: Blending Activity Labels 

Introduction 

Essential oils have amazing properties and benefits that can be used throughout the day. For example, you can diffuse Wild Orange oil to uplift mood and freshen the air. You can use Lemon oil in a spray bottle of water to clean tables and other surfaces. And you can apply Lavender oil with Fractionated Coconut Oil to your feet at night to help you unwind before bed.

While each of these oils is powerful and potent on its own, when combined with other essential oils the characteristics and benefits of these essential oils are increased as they work together to promote wellness. For instance, Lavender essential oil by itself is soothing, but in doTERRA Serenity^® when combined with other calming essential oils, such as Cedarwood and Roman Chamomile, its soothing properties are increased and enhanced. This is called “synergy”.

Essential oil blends are created to build upon the qualities of individual essential oils and make them even better, kind of like a team working together to accomplish a goal. Scientists do a lot of research when creating essential oil blends. Some factors that they consider include the desired effect of the essential oil blend, how the essential oil blend will be used, the chemistry of different essential oils, and the aroma profile of each oil. By keeping all of this in mind, scientists are able to make essential oil blends that benefit your entire family

Determining the Purpose

The first question you need to ask yourself when creating an essential oil blend is what do I want this oil blend to do? If you don’t know the purpose of the oil blend, you won’t know which essential oils to include. You may want an essential oil blend that helps you focus or maybe you want a blend that helps you relax after a busy day. You may even just want an oil blend that smells good and is uplifting. Once you’ve decided what you want your oil blend to do, you can start selecting the oils you want to use.

How It’ll Be Used

As you start selecting your oils, keep in mind how you want the oil blend to be used. If you want a blend to use topically, you may want to avoid citrus oils because they can cause photosensitivity. If you want a blend to use aromatically, you probably don’t want to include Fractionated Coconut Oil because it isn’t designed to be diffused. You will also want to ask yourself who you want using your oil blend. If you’re making an oil blend for kids, you’ll want to use gentler oils because children’s skin can be more sensitive. If you’re making an oil blend as a scent for men, you may want to use more wood oils as most men don’t like smelling like flowers.

Chemistry

Once you’ve determined how you want to use your oil blend, you next need to consider the chemistry of the oils you want to use. The chemistry of an essential oil tells us which molecules an essential oil contains. Molecules are tiny particles or pieces found in essential oils that give the oil its characteristics. Molecules have been researched and tested by scientists to determine what they do and how they act in the body. Knowing what molecules an oil contains and the effects those molecules have helps you develop a blend that accomplishes what you want it to. For example, Lavender contains esters, a type of molecule that is known to be calming, making Lavender the perfect addition to a relaxing blend. 

For ideas of what molecules an essential oil contains and the characteristics these molecules give, check out the doTERRA Oil Chemistry Wheel.

Aroma Profile

Now that you know which essential oils will help you accomplish the purpose of your blend, you can start blending essential oils. As you combine different essential oils, keep in mind the aroma or scent of the blend you’re creating. First, you want to make sure that the blend smells good. Most people don’t want to use something that smells funny. Next, make sure that the smell is balanced. When you make a blend, you want to make sure that you can’t smell too much of one oil. Instead, you want the oils to work together, creating a new scent.

Conclusion

Creating an essential oil blend involves multiple factors. By considering the oil blend purpose, use, chemistry, and scent, essential oil blends can be created that both smell good and support personal wellness.

• Back to Essential Oil Usage.
   
• Learn about the doTERRA Kids Oil Collection.

Recommended reading ages are given as suggestions and a starting point when reading dōTERRA Science for Kids content. You have a better understanding of the needs of your child and what level they are currently working at. Feel free to adjust content to better suit the individual needs of your child.