When I first become interested in using essential oils (beyond just lavender and tea tree oil), my sweet husband was a bit skeptical.  He wanted me to do lots of research to make sure that essential oils really are effective!

After having done months of research, I’ve decided that you have to pick a camp:
A) Either essential oils are not in the same category as medicine, so we shouldn’t act like they treat diseases and heal maladies, OR
B) Essential oils have medicinal benefits, so we should take precautions when using them, just like we would with over-the-counter drugs!

I fall in camp B.  After lots of research, I believe essential oils are effective for many different purposes, including having medicinal benefits, so we should take great care when using them so that we don’t overdose or use improperly!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent many hours compiling scientific studies that have been conducted using various essential oils.  I hope that all of this research will help you see that essential oils ARE effective and have a variety of uses!

I’m starting out by sharing the single oils that I own personally.  I’ll have to do future posts on the blends that I have, as well as other single oils!  If you have any specific requests, leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to research those oils too!

Try not to be overwhelmed by this list of 12 oils… if you’re new to essential oils, here are the three I recommend starting with.  Oh, and if you haven’t read it yet, here’s a link to the post I wrote telling why I chose this particular essential oil company!

Clove Bud

This oil can be used as a topical anesthetic.  It’s great for tooth pain and it is proven to be as effective an anesthetic as benzocaine (source).  It smells great (just like cloves you use in cooking) and it’s helpful for relieving pain caused by sore throats as well.  (To use it for this purpose, I would dilute it in fractionated coconut oil and put it in a spray bottle.)  Clove is antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral (source) and contains natural antioxidants (source) so it’s great for treating colds, the flu, and other infectious diseases. Learn more about clove bud.

Cypress

Cypress is commonly used for treating respiratory issues. It is known to help with cramps and spasms and it tightens tissues.  It has been studied to reveal high antioxidant properties (source). Cypress may be helpful in preventing diabetic or cardiovascular complications (source). Cypress helps with many different conditions and is safe to use with children (when diluted). Learn more about cypress.

Frankincense

This amazing oil is anti-inflammatory and is wonderful for supporting the immune system (source and source).  Frankincense could be helpful in treating swelling of the large intestine or colon (source).  It may be helpful in treating arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel diseases, and Crohn’s disease (source and source).  Frankincense is prized for its skin care qualities.  I love using it on my face every day, and I’ve seen a reduction in acne scarring since starting to use it.  Frankincense has an uplifting fragrance.  It can also be used to help prevent stretch marks, treat anxiety and stress, and reduce labor pains. Learn more about frankincense.

Lavender

Lavender may be one of the most versatile essential oils! It is excellent for relieving pain caused by burns or irritation caused by bites or stings.  I have used it on burns and stings and it’s such a great healer.  I also use it for headache relief. Lavender is effective for treating anxiety and depression (source). Several studies have revealed lavender to have sedative and mood enhancing properties (source).  I love using lavender at night to help me fall asleep quickly! Lavender can reduce stress (source). Lavender can be used to treat gastrointestinal problems without disrupting the beneficial gut flora (source).  Because it is antimicrobial (source), lavender is a great oil to have on hand for many different uses, including athlete’s foot, thrush, earaches, allergies, and more.  It is great for use in massage, as it is very soothing to the muscles. Lavender is very safe to use with children! Learn more about lavender.

Lemon

This is an excellent antimicrobial oil (source).  Lemon essential oil smells fresh and clean and it’s wonderful to use in homemade cleaners.  It can be used to treat colds, infectious diseases, sore throats, and the flu. Many find that a combination of lemon, peppermint, and lavender can help alleviate the symptoms of seasonal allergies. Learn more about lemon.

Melaleuca

Melaleuca, which is very similar to tea tree oil in its chemical makeup but it is more mild, is antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory (source).  Because of these properties, it is useful for treating respiratory issues, swollen glands, ulcers, and skin conditions (source). It is very helpful in treating acne (I personally use it any time I have a facial blemish!).   The scent is very medicinal. Learn more about melaleuca.

Orange

Orange essential oil is powerfully antimicrobial and inhibits the growth of bacteria such as E. Coli (source). Orange can reduce foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella (source).  Because of this, it would make a great counter-top or sink spray to help prevent the spread of illness in the kitchen.  It can also significantly reduce the growth of tumors in the liver (source).  Orange smells lovely and helps treat digestion, respiratory illnesses, muscle spasms, and anxiety. Learn more about orange.

Oregano

Oregano is antiviral and is useful for treating colds and coughs.  In a study done on rats, researchers found that there was a significant increase in pain tolerance after oregano essential oil was administered (source). Oregano is antifungal and has been proven useful for treating ringworm (source). Oregano has antioxidant properties (source), so many use it to strengthen the immune system! Learn more about oregano.

Peppermint

As another extremely diverse oil, peppermint is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antispasmodic, and a natural pain killer (source).  Peppermint has been proven to enhance exercise performance of athletes, including positively affecting blood pressure and respiratory rate (source).  Peppermint is very helpful in treating digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome or recurrent abdominal pain (source). Many people find peppermint to alleviate nausea, motion sickness, and morning sickness. It is antibacterial and anti-fungal (source), and many find it helpful in treating bronchitis, sinus infections, colds, the flu, asthma, and headaches. In a study done on food, peppermint essential oil was shown to kill or reduce the presence of Salmonella and reduce the presence of Listeria in several foods.  Peppermint is antimicrobial and antioxidant, and one study suggests that it could be useful in treating cancer, so more research should be done towards that possibility (source). Peppermint relieves some symptoms related to allergies (source). Learn more about peppermint.

Rosemary

This oil is antimicrobial and has been found effective against oral pathogens (source).  It is helpful for treating many different kinds of infections, including staph and strep. Rosemary stimulates the hair and scalp and can prevent premature baldness (source). It is used to boost the immune system and treat colds, the flu, and respiratory ailments.  Another study on rosemary found its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties to be effective against staph, E. Coli, and Candida (source).  Rosemary can ease stress and help with chronic fatigue. Rosemary essential oil may prevent damage to the liver due to its free radical scavenging activity (source). Learn more about rosemary.

Sweet Birch Bark

Birch bark is anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant (source).  It is NOT for internal use, and it should be kept far away from children since it smells so good!  Birch Bark is anti-inflammatory and it is helpful for soothing sore muscles and joints. Learn more about sweet birch bark.

Tea Tree

Tea tree oil is antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory (source). As part of a mouth rinse (combined with clove EO and basil EO), it is anti-plaque, anti-gingivitis, and antimicrobial (source). Tea tree oil is anti-fungal (source), so it is helpful in treating athlete’s foot. Tea tree can be used to get rid of lice and scabies (source). Learn more about tea tree oil.

All of the research in this post was compiled by me and this post should not be lifted (stolen) or excerpted from in any way without express permission by the author. You are welcome to link directly to this post from your blog or to share it through social media (Pinterest, Facebook, etc.)!  Thank you for respecting the time it took to compile this content.

Disclosure: First, I am not a doctor, so please consult your physician if you are seeking medical advice.  Also, I have included affiliate links throughout this post to the essential oil company I use and love. If you choose to purchase oils through my links, it will help support this blog and my family! Thank you!

I know for me, when I was starting my essential oils collection, it felt very overwhelming to know which oils to buy.  I wanted to get the ones that would give me the most benefit while I tried out this whole essential oil thing!  Even posts about “must-have” essential oils were overwhelming, because I didn’t feel like I could go and get 17 different oils all at once!  I’ve built my collection slowly.

I thought it might be helpful for you to know the top three oils I recommend getting first!  These oils mentioned in this post have tons of uses and are very diverse.  Many of them are safe to use with kids, so they’ll be helpful for your whole family.

You may want to read my previous post on which essential oil company I recommend and why.

One quick thing – all of the essential oils I mention in this post will last 10 years when stored in a cool, dark place!  No need to worry about them going bad before you can use them!  Also, each of these are available in two sizes, 5ml and 15ml. The 15ml is a better deal, but when you’re trying to save money, the 5ml is a great option.

Top Three Essential Oils – Singles

Lavender

I’ve been using lavender oil for years and years, but more recently I’ve discovered more uses for it!  I love putting a drop or two on my pillow at night to help me fall asleep.  I often diffuse lavender in our bedroom while I read before bed.  The girls love it when I rub it on their backs before bed too!  Lavender is great for burns and I have personal experience using it on both a small burn on my finger and on sunburn.  Lavender also provides relief from insect stings and bites.  I got stung by a bee or wasp (I didn’t see it closely) and using lavender oil on it helped relieve the sting right away!  I also like rubbing lavender on my temples or the back of my neck for headache relief.  There are many oils you can use for this, but lavender works well for me.  You can read more about lavender’s uses here.

Melaleuca

This oil is extremely diverse in its uses!  Melaleuca is anti-bacterial, so it’s great for infections, as well as cleaning up anything “icky”!  I use melaleuca for treating acne or other facial blemishes (it even works on the “boil” type acne).  I also clean with melaleuca all the time (it’s in my “for anything nasty” homemade cleaner), especially when dealing with mold, bacteria, or spilled bodily fluids (hey, I have kids, so it’s pretty common!).  Since I don’t use bleach, melaleuca is my go-to “chemical” for disinfecting!  Another use is for cleaning the seal of a front loading washing machine, which can get a little stinky.  Melaleuca cleans it right up!  When I feel like I’m coming down with a cold and my lymph nodes on my neck start to feel sore, I massage melaleuca onto my neck to fight off the infection.  I also used melaleuca to fight off mastitis.  I massaged it into the affected breast and placed a warm, moist compress on it also.  I didn’t have to go on antibiotics!  Melaleuca has a very strong, medicinal scent, so it takes a little getting used to.  But it’s one of my top three EOs because it can be used in so many different ways!  Find out some more ways to use melaleuca here.

Peppermint

I have been a little cautious about peppermint oil because it is not generally regarded as safe to use with children under 13 (based on the studies I have read, but feel free to do your own research), and when used in large quantities while breastfeeding it can deplete the milk supply.  (I have used peppermint in small amounts while breastfeeding without any problems, but proceed with caution if you’ve had milk supply issues.)  But I do think this is a great oil to have in your stash!  Rubbing peppermint on your temples can relieve headaches.  It’s lovely when added to a number of homemade products, such as lip balm or foot scrubs.  I like to inhale peppermint (out of the bottle) to eliminate queasy feelings related to motion sickness or anything else.  You can put a bit of peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place it in a room that needs a fresh scent!  Peppermint is very invigorating, so you can use it when you’re feeling droopy in the afternoon.  I’ve added it to coffee before and it’s really tasty (one drop for a whole pot is plenty!).  When you’re congested, you can inhale peppermint out of the bottle to open up your passageways.  Learn more about peppermint here.

Bonus: If you can get just one more, choose Frankincense. 
Frankincense is a wonderful oil and is so great for your skin.  When diluted it will last a long time, so it’s a great investment.  I use frankincense every night on my face (it’s great for dry spots, acne, scars, wrinkles, and many other things!).  I have had acne scarring on my face since I was 17, but after using frankincense on my face this year, it has faded considerably!  I love how frankincense smells and how calming it is!  I like to use it when I need to calm down and refocus.  I also use this one on my lymph nodes when sick or starting to feel sick.  See how else to use Frankincense here.

Many essential oils come already blended together with other oils, allowing the oils to work better together!  Here are my three favorite blends from RMO/NAN.

Top Three Essential Oils – Blends

First Aid

This oil blend is fantastic, and if you have kids, you should definitely get it!  We use it all the time for scrapes, cuts, and minor injuries.  The clove bud oil in this blend acts as a topical anesthetic to relieve pain almost instantly.  I’ve even used this on painful insect bites when I didn’t have lavender with me.  The helichrysum italicum in this blend heals the wound quickly.  I used First Aid on a toe injury (the toenail fell off) and it healed more quickly than I expected.  We use this oil a lot!

Tummy Rub

This oil blend is amazing too, and I carry it with me everywhere.  Because we eat so healthy at home, when I eat out I often feel a little “off” digestively.  I just apply a little bit of this oil to my stomach, and I have relief from queasiness, bloating, or gas.  I have used it (heavily diluted) for the kids too when they’ve had tummy issues.  I think it smells great, so just inhaling it can help me feel less queasy too.

Breathe Ease

I do not personally use this blend with children since it contains eucalyptus oil (feel free to research this yourself), but my husband and I have used it for head congestion and colds.  If you’re familiar with “steam treatments” (where you fill the sink with steaming hot water, close the plug, put your head down, and cover your head with a towel to trap the steam), you can add a drop of this blend to the water to help open up your nasal passages.  (Don’t open your eyes, though, as it could sting.)  You can also put a drop on the floor of your shower while you take a hot shower.  This blend will help relieve lots of different respiratory conditions! A great alternative that’s a little more kid-friendly is Deep Breathe.

You can find all these oils at Rocky Mountain Oils and at Native American Nutritionals.

For deals, specials, and coupon codes, I recommend signing up for the newsletters at Rocky Mountain Oils and Native American Nutritionals. They offer different deals, so sign up for both!  I love all the coupon codes, free oils with purchases, and sales on different EOs. There’s always something fun going on!

If you’re new to essential oils, what questions do you have? I’ll do my best to find an answer for you!

If you’re familiar with essential oils already, what are your top three favorites?

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which I will always disclose to you when using. If you choose to purchase anything through these links, it will help support our family and this blog. Thank you! All opinions in this post are my own.  Also, I am not a doctor, so please consult your physician for medical advice.