101 Essential Oils — how to use them safely
Essential Oils 101
What Are Essential Oils?
If you have ever enjoyed the scent of a rose, you’ve experienced the aromatic qualities of essential oils. These naturally occurring, volatile aromatic compounds are found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. Essential oils provide plants with protection against environmental threats and play a role in plant pollination. In addition to their intrinsic benefits to plants and being beautifully fragrant to people, essential oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health-care practices.
How Do I Use Essential Oils?
Essential oils are used for a very wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. They can be used a single oil at a time or in complex blends in one of three methods:
Aromatic
Certain essential oils, when diffused, can be very stimulating, while others can be calming and soothing. Diffusing also fills a room with a pleasant aroma and helps mask unwanted odours.
Topical
Essential oils are absorbed through the skin. Dilute in a carrier oil before applying, and follow the dilution and photosensitivity notes on the bottle.
Internal
A small number of doTERRA oils carry food-flavouring labelling in Europe. Only those may be used in food, and only in the amounts the label states — European labelling differs from American labelling on the same oil.
Essential oils are both exciting and promising when it comes to taking care of your own and your family’s health. Whether you’re applying essential oils topically, enjoying the aromatic benefits through diffusing, or taking essential oils internally, the positive effects of essential oils are boundless.
That’s why you’ll want to ensure that the essential oils you are using are capable of delivering on their promise. You’ll want to make sure that you are choosing essential oils for their potency and their purity.
If you’re interested in delving deeper into the essential oils mentioned above, feel free to reach out to me through the social links provided below. I’d be happy to provide you with more information and answer any questions you may have!
Keep reading: Essential Oils for Women
Read next
- Cooking with essential oils: a UK and Ireland guide
- Can you cook with essential oils? What European labels actually allow
- Creating Your Own Signature Scent with Essential Oils
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, on labelling, the ingredient list and the responsible person. eur-lex.europa.eu
- Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods. eur-lex.europa.eu
- European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety — „How can fragrance substances become skin allergens?“, on air oxidation of limonene and linalool. ec.europa.eu
- doTERRA European product information sheets for the oils named, as published in the European shop that serves your country.
Checked 13 September 2026. Written by an independent doTERRA Wellness Advocate, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.