You’ve read the reviews of a new essential oil and decide that it’s worth a try. People have raved about how wonderful it smells, how amazing it’s helped them sleep, and so many more other things that you know you need it in your life. What could go wrong? You place the order, anxiously await its arrival, tear open the packaging, and take a whiff. To your dismay, it smells awful. Not just awful, but it’s one of the strongest smelling essential oils you’ve sniffed. What do you do?
Believe it or not, there are some essential oils that some people find the smell is just too strong. They can be overbearing and hard to use. You might feel stuck with an essential oil you don’t like. Are they usable at all? Can you mask the smell a little by using another oil? Can you use fewer drops? What if you just hate the smell? Well, we are here to help answer some of your questions, and hopefully, find new ways for you to use the strongest smelling essential oils that you just can’t stand. After all, you don’t want to miss out on the amazing benefits an oil has to offer! We’ll show you how to get the most out of these more controversial oils that maybe have you feeling a little stuck.
Blending With Other Oils
While it may be hard to believe, there is always something to love about an oil, even if it has a strong aroma. For some, it’s the strength of the oil that makes it so attractive and so wonderful. These people will usually tell you that all you need to do to improve the aroma of your oils is to blend them with something else. It could be a stronger grounding smell, or it can be a combination of lighter smells. It really just depends on the oil you’re working with. If you find yourself struggling to decide what to mix with your oils, check out the product page. Under Product Details, every single oil has a list of oils that it blends well with. This is a handy resource for those who just need a little help when blending, especially with those hard to stand oils.
Don’t Judge an Oil by the Bottle
More often than not, essential oils smell a lot stronger from the bottle than they do when diffused or added to a carrier oil. Because of this, it’s important to not give up on an oil purely based on how it smells straight from the bottle. When blended with other oils or mixed into a carrier oil, you may just find it’s exactly what you needed or were looking for in your essential oil journey! You can even try putting a drop on a scent strip, leaving it for a few minutes, and coming back to it to see how the aroma has changed.
Use Fewer Drops
Another simple technique to make stronger oils more bearable is to use less of them. If you want to diffuse a blend of Cinnamon and Peru Balsam, but the Cinnamon is too strong, cut down how many drops you are using. It’s completely okay to use less drops than your diffuser recommends. A key to diffusing strong-smelling oils is to start with less and build from there. Add a drop of your strong oils to the diffuser and see how you like the smell. If it’s not strong enough, add another drop. Start small, and increase only if you think it’s needed. Eventually, you’ll find the right ratio for you, and you’ll save yourself some precious oil because you won’t have to dump it out. You can always add more oil, unfortunately, you cannot take the oil out if there is too much.
Meet the Worst Offenders
Everyone’s sniffer is different. So there’s a good chance you might not be a fan of something that’s universally (well, almost) loved. But then there’s a handful of oils that elicit a strong response from just about everyone… and you either love them or you hate them. we’ve got a great diffuser blend for those super strong oils that you struggle to use, not to mention a few reasons why you want to keep these oils around.
Vetiver
Vetiver is a root oil that is jam-packed with therapeutic properties. Its powerful earthy, woody, smoky scent is pleasantly rich to some or overpoweringly smoky to others. This powerhouse oil is known for its ability to promote relaxation and mental balance. Vetiver is very popular for its bedtime use as it helps calm the mind. Due to its unique aroma, it’s also a wonderful addition to natural perfumery as a base note.
Melt Away Stress Diffuser Blend
What you’ll need:
- 3 drops Lavender Fine
- 2 drops Sandalwood Indian
- 1 drop Copaiba
- 1 drop Vetiver
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Cinnamon Cassia
The strong scent of Cinnamon Cassia is very warm and spicy like its relative cinnamon. That wonderful aroma that is familiar in the spice world, is a favorite to create seasonal blends that bring the holidays indoors. Even though it might smell like your favorite holiday, a single drop packs quite a punch. But when blended with softer oils, you can use this powerful oil to create an open, warm environment.
Home Sweet Home Diffuser Blend
What you’ll need:
- 3 drops Lemon
- 2 drops Cardamom
- 1 drop Clove
- 1 drop Cinnamon Cassia
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Ylang Ylang
Ylang Ylang has been used for centuries as a perfume and in religious ceremonies for its rich scent and mood-lifting abilities. To some, its a beautifully sweet and heady floral oil, but others can’t get over the powdery overtones. In spite of its scent, there is no shortage of beneficial uses of Ylang Ylang, but there is no denying that it has a strong aroma that may be hard to work with. Here’s a lovely, uplifting blend for you to try.
Magnetic Diffuser Blend
What you’ll need:
- 3 drops Balsam Fir
- 2 drops Ylang Ylang
- 1 drop Rose Absolute
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Petitgrain
Petitgrain Essential Oil originates from Paraguay and is extracted using steam distillation from the leaves and twigs of the Seville bitter orange tree. This oil has a woodsy, fresh scent with a hint of floral, but for some, all they can smell is twigs and grass (but not in a good way). In spite of this (or maybe because of it) the aroma is a favorite for natural perfumery, comforting the mind when emotions are running wild, and is gentle and effective for skincare.
Sweet Herbal Breeze Diffuser Blend
What you’ll need:
- 4 drops Manuka
- 3 drops Bergamot
- 1 drop Petitgrain
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Blue Tansy
Our Blue Tansy Essential Oil is a luxurious oil that is cherished and valued for its captivating scent and incredible clearing, calming properties. With a rich lush blue hue and a sweet, fresh scent, Blue Tansy provides unmatched support for healthy respiration during allergy season, helps soothe troubled or irritated skin, and supports self-esteem, confidence and enthusiasm year-round. But that sweet scent can be sickenly sweet for some. Don’t be afraid to blend it with other oils so you can enjoy the benefits, but without the intensely sweet overtones.
Free & Clear Diffuser Blend
What you’ll need:
- 1 drop Blue Tansy
- 3 drops Saro
- 2 drops Ho Wood
- 1 drop Lemon
- 1 drop Cedarwood Atlas
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Palo Santo
Originating in South America, Palo Santo comes from the Palo Santo tree that translates in Spanish as “holy wood.” But the cleansing, woodsy scent may have a licorice bend that might make it a little unpleasant. But its benefits make up for it. This sacred tree has been used for centuries for its healing properties and potential to ward off negative energy. Because of the powerful chemical makeup of this oil, it is well known for its healing, calming, and cleansing abilities.
Island Tango Diffuser Blend
What you’ll need:
- 4 drops Grapefruit
- 3 drops Mandarin
- 2 drops Palo Santo
- 1 drop Spearmint
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Patchouli
The calming scent of Patchouli can help balance feelings of worry and nervous tension, making the perfect partner for meditation and yoga, as well as an amazing tool for sleep. But what if Patchouli isn’t so calming, but just plain strong? This base note can be used sparingly so you still enjoy its benefits. Plus Patchouli is also widely known for its ability to support skin health and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and other blemishes.
Summer Slumber
What you’ll need:
- 4 drops Lavender
- 3 drops Black Spruce
- 1 drop Patchouli
What you’ll do:
Add the essential oils to your diffuser and enjoy!
Ever felt stuck on an oil you just can’t stand? What are some ways you’ve been able to use them? Let us know in the comments!
