Which oils do I start with? I get this question all the time. It can be overwhelming at first. You’re ready to add essential oils to your healthy lifestyle, Yay! While I know you’d love to have the financial means to buy all the bottles but that’s not an option. So, how do you pick a few bottles from hundreds of options? Simple, in this post I share the best essential oils for beginners.
Young Living makes this so much easier with pre-built starter bundles. Some of my favorites are essential oil sets for kids or for a healthy re-set for mamas. I often recommend the Premium Starter Bundle “PSB” (detailed in this post!) because it has all of the best essential oils for beginners!
I also love the “PSB” because it’s the bundle that gives you the most “bang for your buck!” as they say and it has everything a new oiler needs. There’s a little something to support every system in your body. And every body in your family, for almost a quarter of the usual price! After ten years of using essential oils with my family; I still use the oils from the “PSB” every day.
Here are the essential oils that come in the “PSB” and how I use them with my family:
Essential Oil Singles
Lavender is called the “Swiss army knife” of essential oils because of its versatility. I keep a bottle of lavender constantly on hand! It is a must-have for easier bedtimes, a calmer mama and happier skin. I grab Lavender whenever one of my kids falls, stays out in the sun too long, accidentally touches the stove or starts rubbing their ears. I use Lavender in bath soaks, homemade roll-on blends, and every night in the kids’ diffusers. Does it surprise you it’s one of the best essential oils for beginners?
Frankincense ~ You remember in the Bible when the wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus? Yes, it’s that Frankincense. I heard once that the word “frankincense” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “from head to toe.” This essential oil will support your whole body, rather fitting – don’t you think? Frankincense is one of my must-haves for relaxed, focused school days and more reverent Sundays. I use Frankincense in night-time diffusers, bath soaks, homemade roll-ons and DIY candles. Frankincense also comes in a vitality label (labelled for ingestion) and I use that in tea and homemade immune boost capsules.
Essential Oil Blends
Great for your budget, a huge time saver and easily understood, pre-made blends (mixes of oils) are a beginner’s best friend. The “PSB” comes with 8 amazing blends that are the best essential oils for beginners:
Emotional Support Blends
- Stress Away ~ Doing just what the name implies, It’s my personal belief that every mom should have a vat of this blend. Unfortunately the biggest size it comes in is 15 ml! This blend contains a unique combination of Lime essential oil and vanilla extract, giving it a “beach in a bottle” type of aroma. It also contains a mix of Copaiba, Cedarwood, Ocotea, and Lavender – such an incredible blend of well-rounded oils. This oil is a must-have for my better bed-time diffuser mix and bed-time bath salts. I also keep a roll-on bottle in my bag just in case I need a little extra calm while I’m out and about. Honestly, with 8 kids in tow, two of them twin toddlers, I’m needing ALL the calm I can get these days!
- Valor is inspired by the plant extracts and botanicals Roman soldiers would use before going into battle. This blend will give you that “I got this!” attitude. Made up of Black Spruce, Blue Tansy, Camphor Wood, Geranium, and Frankincense, this member favorite has been nick-named our bravery oil. I’ve used this blend in the labor and delivery room, before joining a new social club and for tear-free trips to the dentist. It’s also a favorite massage oil and a great blend to inhale at the start of every day.
- Peace & Calming ~ The name says it all with this blend. Like Stress Away, I really wish this came in a bigger bottle! A gentle, sweet blend of Ylang Ylang, Orange, Tangerine, Patchouli, and Blue Tansy this is one of Young Living’s most popular blends. It’s a favorite at my house as part of our bedtime routine, to inhale before a big test or to diffuse whenever the crazies…I mean high energy bundles of joy…get particularly unruly! When sleep seems particularly elusive, I like to apply P&C to the back of my neck and on my wrists.
Note: Peace & Calming contains citrus oil, citrus oils are photosensitive. That just means you don’t want to apply it to your skin if you plan to be in direct UV rays for the next 12 hours. Either apply it where the sun doesn’t shine, or just make sure clothing covers the area you apply it to.
System Support Blends
- Raven ~ “If I just breathe… everything is alright if I just breathe.” Remember that song? Ya, this oil will make you do just that – breathe and breathe well. Raven is a cool, refreshing combination of Ravintsara, Peppermint, Eucalyptus Radiata, Lemon, and Wintergreen essential oils. It’s the perfect blend for when your respiratory system needs some extra support. I keep it on hand for dry winter nights to add to diffusers at bedtime. I love to add it to bath salts and put it in the kids’ baths. This blend was a game-changer when my twins brought home RSV when they were 3 months old!
- PanAway ~ Ahhh…. sweet relief! It just makes that “you know what” go away, like the name implies. It has the smell of good ol’ fashioned root beer and feels like heaven when applied. With Wintergreen, Helichrysum, Clove, and Peppermint essential oils, PanAway has a refreshing, cooling sensation when applied to the skin. PanAway is perfect to apply after a good workout or for when my old sports injuries start acting up again.
PanAway contains Wintergreen, which is high in a constituent called Methyl salicylate. Many shelf products use a synthetic version of Methyl salicylate as the active ingredient in many sports creams. Young Living uses the real deal. Yet one more reason why PanAway is one of the best essential oils for beginners.
Vitality Essential Oils
The next 3 blends are also vitality oils. What does that mean? Vitality oils (white label) are labeled for internal/dietary use so they can be ingested. The oils with solid-color labels are labeled for aromatic/topical use. However, they are the SAME oil. The ONLY difference is the color of the label. The different labels help us know which oils can be safely ingested.
Thieves
- Thieves Vitality ~ is a sweet and spicy combination of Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, Rosemary, and Lemon essential oils. It provides immune system support, can cleanse the digestive system, has antioxidant properties and provides general wellness support. I often put a drop of Thieves Vitality in my morning coffee, the kids like it in tea with honey and lemon vitality, and we also will put it in capsules (with a few other oils) to take whenever we need that extra immune support.
The name ‘Thieves’ is inspired by the legend of four 15th-century French thieves who formulated and wore a special aromatic combination of clove, rosemary, vinegar, and other botanicals that they believed provided protection while they were stealing. Legend has it that when the thieves were caught they were offered a lesser punishment if they divulged the secret to their immunity. Pretty interesting, huh?? These thieves not only inspired one of the best essential oils for beginners but an entire line of products too! The thieves line includes hand-sanitizer, toothpaste, laundry soap, home cleaning solution and so much more.
More Vitality Blends
- DiGize Vitality ~ This oil is a powerhouse for the digestive system. Seriously – it works in seconds flat (at least for me it does). DiGize Vitality is a blend of Tarragon, Ginger, Peppermint, Juniper, Fennel, Lemongrass, Anise, and Patchouli essential oils. Put your googling fingers to work and do a little research to find out how amazing those oils are for your body! It will amaze you! You can take this oil internally with a veggie capsule, in food or drink, the kids like to hide in their daily shot of “Ninja Juice”, or directly under your tongue. It’s been a game-changer during multiple pregnancies, whenever a tummy bug starts making its rounds at my house, or for those weeks I make too many trips through a drive-through.
- Citrus Fresh Vitality ~ This oil is such a refreshing gem! It’s a mix of Orange, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Tangerine, Lemon, and Spearmint essential oils. Trust me you’ll want to add it to flavor food and drinks. You can also take it internally with a veggie capsule. Add a punch of flavor and pizazz to chicken, salmon, and gourmet salads. You can use it to keep yourself motivated and hydrated by adding a drop or two to your water. At Christmas time my little bakers add this to sugar cookie mix. “Yum!” It also tastes amazing when added to NingXia Red, a fabulous antioxidant drink I’ve alluded to a few times in this post! BONUS – you get 2 sample packs of this beauty in your Premium Starter Bundle!
Side note: Be sure to use glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel containers when adding citrus oils to beverages. Citrus oils can eat away at the petrochemicals in plastic, and nobody wants to drink plastic!
I use Citrus Fresh in color-label bottle a lot more. I love to put it in the diffuser with cinnamon for all the autumn vibes. It’s a must-have addition to wool dryer balls and home-made hand soap and it makes for fragrant DIY candles.
Vitality Singles
- Lemon Vitality ~ A drop of lemon here, a drop of lemon there, lemon drops everywhere! Sometimes I can’t help myself, I just need to sing! With antioxidant properties, immune support, circulatory support and cleansing properties, Lemon vitality is not just a flavor boost! I add lemon vitality to water, tea and my daily “get-up-and-go” shot! It’s also one of the oils I add to veggie capsules when I need an extra immune boost. Lemon essential oil is cold pressed from the rind of the fruit. It doesn’t contain the high acid content that the inside of the fruit does. Therefore, it’s not hard on your tooth enamel.
I can’t move on from Lemon essential oil before sharing how I use the oil in the color label bottle. (remember same oil different label) Lemon is one of my go-to oils for a clean kitchen, fresher smelling bathrooms and whenever I need an afternoon pick-me-up to finish our school day strong. Combine equal drops lemon, lavender and peppermint in a roll-on bottle, top it off with a carrier oil and you’ve got support for all the everyday irritants that have your friends saying, “bless you!”
And last, but not least: Peppermint essential oil! I fell in love with oils because of peppermint!
- Peppermint Vitality ~ Besides providing that refreshing, minty flavor we all know and love, it supports gastrointestinal system comfort, enhances healthy gut function and maintains efficiency of the digestive tract. My two favorite uses for peppermint vitality are to make peppermint brownies and a home-made peppermint mocha that rivals any $6 drink at your favorite specialty coffee shop.
One more thing, this one comes in a solid-label bottle too. You can use Peppermint essential oil in a diffuser or apply it topically as well. Remember – same oil, different label. I use peppermint in my favorite roll-on blend LLP (Lemon, Lavender & Peppermint) multiple times a day, every single day.
Added Bonus
It’s a running joke in my inner circle that “people smell me before they see me!” And it’s true. One time I took a child to the doctor, I can’t remember which child or what for, but the receptionist asked, “What I are you wearing?” I wasn’t wearing perfume, and I hadn’t applied essential oils as perfume, so I was a little confused. She must have read my face. She quickly followed her question with, “Because whatever it is made my headache go away! I’ve had a headache all day, and the minute you walked up to my desk it was gone!” Then, I remembered I’d just used LLP on my face to help with my usual sniffles associated with the change of seasons.
The “PSB” also comes with your choice of a diffuser, a small bottle of Thieves Spray, 10 sample packets of Thieves Hand Sanitizer and 2 roller top fitments so that you can turn your favorite blends into the perfect grab-n-go aromatherapy tool!
Adding something new to your lifestyle can be daunting , but it doesn’t have to be. Start small and take simple steps every day and I’m positive you’ll start seeing the results you want immediately. For me and my family it means fewer trips to the doctor, fewer missed days of school and improved health and wellness overall!
Get all the best essential oils for beginners now and see what changes you see in your home! Add the business essentials kit to your order; the monthly income this new “hobby” provides might surprise you. While you wait for your oils to arrive be sure to check out Must Have Supplies for Essential Oil Beginners!