Aromatherapy
Which Essential Oil Is Right for You? A Beginner's Guide
Lavender, eucalyptus, bergamot, peppermint. With so many oils to choose from, here is a simple way to find the right one for how you want to feel.
Walk into the world of aromatherapy and it can feel like there are a hundred oils and no map. The good news is that you do not need to learn them all. The simplest way in is to stop thinking about the oils themselves for a moment and start with a feeling. Once you know whether you want to feel calm, clear, focused or refreshed, the right oil almost chooses itself.
Choose by How You Want to Feel
For sleep and calm
Lavender is the classic, gentle and soothing, and it pairs beautifully with chamomile. These are the oils to reach for in the evening, in a bath or misted around the bedroom.
For focus and energy
Bright, sharp scents wake up the senses. Peppermint, rosemary and citrus oils like lemon and grapefruit are lovely for mornings, work and study.
For clearing and refreshing
When you want to feel clear-headed, eucalyptus and tea tree bring that crisp, just-cleaned feeling, especially welcome through cold and hay-fever season.
For balance and mood
Bergamot and ylang ylang sit in the middle, gently uplifting and grounding at once, a good choice when you simply want to feel a little more like yourself.
One Thing to Look For: Real Oils, Not Synthetic Scent
Not every scented product contains actual plant extract. Many are made with synthetic fragrance oils designed to mimic a natural smell. Pure essential oils, distilled from real plants, carry a more complex, genuine aroma, and they are what give aromatherapy its character.
- Natural extracts distilled from plants
- Complex, genuine aroma
- The heart of real aromatherapy
- What we use across the Spritz range
- Usually synthetic compounds
- Designed to mimic a scent
- Often labelled simply as fragrance
- No true botanical benefit
Four Lovely Places to Start
Each of these blends is built around a mood. Explore the one that matches how you want to feel.
Want to go deeper on a single oil? We are building a growing library of guides, starting with our full piece on lavender essential oil, and every oil we use is explained in the Ingredient Garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose an essential oil?
Start with how you want to feel. Choose calming oils like lavender and chamomile for rest, bright oils like peppermint and citrus for focus and energy, and clearing oils like eucalyptus when you want to feel refreshed.
What is the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils?
Essential oils are natural extracts distilled from plants, while fragrance oils are usually synthetic compounds designed to mimic a scent. Pure essential oils carry a more complex, genuine aroma and are the choice for a natural aromatherapy experience.
Which essential oil is best for sleep?
Lavender is the most widely loved oil for rest, often paired with chamomile. Both are gentle, soothing and a lovely part of an evening wind-down.
Discover every botanical we use and what it is known for, all in one place.
Explore the Ingredient GardenLaura Colucci is a yoga teacher and the creator of the Spritz Wellness range. You can find her classes and teaching at Laura Colucci Yoga.
