How to Quickly Understand Essential Oils For Beginners

Updated October 2026

Essential oils are concentrated aromatic extracts from plants. As a beginner, you'll use them in two main ways: by breathing in the scent, like in a diffuser, or by diluting them in a carrier oil before they touch your skin. Start with a handful of gentle oils, learn the basic safety rules, and build from there. Below I answer the 20 questions I hear most from new oil users, from how oils are made to how much to dilute and which six oils to buy first. Jump to the 6 best starter oils.

I love helping new oil users! There's a little learning curve, and these are the answers I wish I'd had when I started.

1. Where Do Essential Oils Come From?

Essential oils come from plants. They're found in tiny structures in the flowers, leaves, needles, seeds, bark, roots, resin and fruit peels of aromatic plants. That's why you'll see lavender oil from flowers, peppermint oil from leaves and lemon oil from the peel.

People have used aromatic plants for thousands of years in perfume, skin care and ceremonies. The amount of oil a plant makes varies with the season, the time of day, the climate and where it's grown.

2. Why Do Plants Make Essential Oils?

Essential oils play several roles for the plant itself, including:

• Giving the plant its distinct scent
• Attracting pollinators
• Discouraging insects and animals that want to eat it
• Helping the plant cope with stress, like heat or injury

3. How Are Essential Oils Made?

Quality starts with timing and choosing the right part of the plant. Some flowers must be picked early in the morning, before the heat of the day, to capture their fragrance.

The part of the plant matters too. The Coriandrum sativum plant gives us two very different oils: cilantro oil comes from the leaves, and coriander oil comes from the seeds.

The most common extraction methods are:

• Steam distillation: steam passes through the plant material, carries the oil out, and the oil is separated from the water as it cools. Most oils are made this way.
• Cold pressing (expression): citrus peels are pressed to release their oil. Lemon, orange and grapefruit are usually cold-pressed.
• CO2 extraction and solvent extraction: used for some delicate oils. Solvent extraction makes absolutes, like jasmine.

Cutting corners at any step can produce a lower-quality oil.

4. Why Should Essential Oils Be Tested?

Testing confirms that an oil is what the label says and hasn't been cut with cheaper oils, carrier oils or synthetic fragrance. The most common test is GC/MS (gas chromatography and mass spectrometry). It breaks an oil down into its individual compounds and shows how much of each is present.

Many good companies post GC/MS reports by batch number on their websites or share them if you ask. If a company won't tell you anything about sourcing or testing, that's a red flag. My full checklist is in how to choose quality essential oils.

5. How Can Essential Oils Help Me?

Essential oils are traditionally used to support everyday comfort and well-being. Each oil is a little different, but common uses include:

• Creating a calm, relaxing atmosphere
• Lifting your mood and helping you feel energized
• Making your home smell fresh and clean
• Adding scent to homemade skin care, soaps and cleaners
• Making a massage or bedtime routine feel more soothing

Essential oils aren't a replacement for medical care. If you have a health concern, talk with your doctor.

6. How Do I Use Essential Oils?

The two main ways to use essential oils are aromatically (breathing in the scent) and topically (on the skin, diluted).

Easy ways to enjoy oils aromatically:

• Use a diffuser. Here's how to use an essential oil diffuser.
• Place a drop or two on a tissue or cotton ball.
• Use a personal inhaler. Try my inhaler blend recipes.
• Wear a diffuser necklace or bracelet.
• Make a room or linen spray. See my homemade essential oil sprays.

For topical use, mix the oil into a carrier oil, lotion or unscented soap first, then apply it to the area you want, like a massage oil for tired shoulders or a roller blend on your wrists.

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7. Do Essential Oils Need to Be Diluted?

Yes. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so always dilute them before they touch your skin. Diluting lowers the chance of irritation or an allergic reaction, makes oils easier to spread, and means a bottle goes much further.

Here's the dilution guide I use. I keep 1% for the face, kids and sensitive skin, 2 to 3% for everyday adult use, and up to about 5% only for short-term use on a small spot.

Some oils have lower limits, like tea tree (3%) and frankincense (2%). See my full dilution guide and chart.

8. What Is a Carrier Oil?

A carrier oil is a plant oil, like jojoba or sweet almond, that you mix essential oils into before applying them to your skin. Carrier oils dilute the essential oil, help it spread evenly and add their own softening, moisturizing feel.

Popular carrier oils include:

• Jojoba oil (technically a liquid wax, and very shelf-stable)
• Sweet almond oil (skip it with nut allergies)
• Grapeseed oil
• Fractionated coconut oil
• Virgin coconut oil
• Argan, rosehip and avocado oils
• Shea butter

Learn more in my guide to the best carrier oils for essential oils.

9. Where Do I Apply Essential Oils?

Diluted essential oils can go on most of the body, like the wrists, shoulders, back, arms, legs and feet. Avoid the eyes, the inside of the nose and ears, and other sensitive areas. Facial skin is delicate, so keep face blends at 1%.

For example, at bedtime I like to mix 1 drop of lavender into a teaspoon of jojoba oil and smooth it onto my upper chest. I can breathe in the calming scent as I wind down. Here's my head-to-toe guide on where to use essential oils topically.

10. Can Essential Oils Be Taken Internally?

No. I never recommend ingesting essential oils. They're extremely concentrated, and swallowing them can cause serious harm, especially for children. Even if a label says an oil can be taken internally, I stick to using oils by scent and on diluted skin.

11. Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?

Some essential oils can be used safely with children, and some should be avoided. Kids have thinner, more sensitive skin and smaller bodies, so they need gentler oils and lower dilutions.

• I don't use essential oils on babies under 2 without guidance from a trained aromatherapist or doctor.
• For kids 2 and up, I use a 1% dilution and gentle oils like lavender, sweet orange and Roman chamomile.
• I don't use peppermint or rosemary with children under 6, or eucalyptus with children under 10.
• Keep every bottle out of reach. Swallowing even a small amount can be dangerous for a child.

See my list of kid safe essential oils for more.

12. Are Essential Oils Safe During Pregnancy?

Some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and others are generally used with care. Myrrh, for example, is one I avoid entirely. Because every pregnancy is different, please check with your doctor or midwife before using essential oils while pregnant or breastfeeding. My list of essential oils notes which oils to avoid.

13. Are Essential Oils Safe Around Pets?

Pets, especially cats and birds, are much more sensitive to essential oils than we are. Cats lack some of the liver enzymes needed to break down many essential oil compounds, and tea tree is especially dangerous for them.

• Never put essential oils directly on your pets or give them oils by mouth.
• Diffuse in a ventilated room, and leave a door open so pets can leave.
• Don't diffuse near birds or fish tanks.
• Let surfaces cleaned with essential oils dry before pets walk on them.

If your pet has trouble breathing, drools, vomits or acts unusual, move them to fresh air and call your vet. For more, see this animal aromatherapy safety guide from the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.

14. Do Essential Oils Expire?

Yes. Essential oils don't go rancid, but they oxidize over time as air, heat and light get to them. Oxidized oils lose their fresh scent and are more likely to irritate skin.

Aromatherapy expert Robert Tisserand suggests starting the clock when you first open a bottle. As a general guide, he gives citrus, conifer, tea tree and frankincense oils about 1 to 2 years, most other oils about 2 to 3 years, and sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli much longer. Those numbers assume refrigerated storage, so expect roughly half as long at warm room temperature.

Here's how to tell if yours has gone bad: Can I use expired essential oils?

15. How Should Essential Oils Be Stored?

• Keep oils in their dark amber or cobalt glass bottles with the caps on tight.
• Store them somewhere cool and dark, away from sunny windows, the stove and steamy bathrooms.
• Citrus oils last noticeably longer in the fridge. Use a sealed container so the scent doesn't reach your food.
• When a bottle is half empty, move the oil to a smaller bottle so less air is inside.
• Write the date you opened each bottle on the label.
• Keep all oils out of reach of children and pets.

16. Why Is the Botanical Name Important?

Many plants share the same common name, so the botanical (Latin) name tells you exactly which plant your oil came from. "Eucalyptus" could mean Eucalyptus radiata, Eucalyptus globulus or Eucalyptus smithii, which are similar but not identical.

A good label lists both the common name and the botanical name. My list of 150 essential oils includes the botanical name for each.

17. What Essential Oils Should I Start With?

Start with a handful of oils and add more over time. That way you really get to know each one.

I have a confession: when I first started with essential oils, I bought a huge collection all at once. I was so overwhelmed that most of them just sat there collecting dust. Now, when I get a new oil, I spend a day getting to know it. I put a drop on a tissue or inhaler, smell it throughout the day and jot down how it makes me feel and what it reminds me of.

Here are the 6 essential oils I recommend buying first:

1. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): calming and gentle, great for bedtime and skin care. Kids 2+.
2. Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis): cheerful, budget-friendly and great for diffusing and cleaning. Kids 2+.
3. Lemon (Citrus limon): bright and clean, my favorite cleaning oil. Kids 2+. Can make skin sun-sensitive.
4. Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia): fresh and earthy, great for cleaning and skin care blends up to 3%. Kids 2+. Keep away from cats.
5. Peppermint (Mentha piperita): cool and energizing. Not for children under 6.
6. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata): crisp and clearing. Not for children under 10.

Many companies sell starter sets with these oils. Whichever you choose, check the label and testing information first.

18. Which Essential Oil Brand Should I Buy?

There are many good essential oil companies, and you don't have to stick with just one. Price alone isn't a good measure of quality, so look for:

• The botanical name, plant part, country of origin and extraction method on the label
• GC/MS test reports you can look up by batch number
• Dark glass bottles with orifice reducers
• Prices that make sense for each oil (rose should cost much more than orange)
• Clear safety information, including age guidelines

Read my full checklist in how to choose quality essential oils.

19. How Can I Use Essential Oils Safely?

• Less is more. A few drops go a long way.
• Always dilute before applying to skin, and do a skin patch test with new oils.
• Never ingest essential oils.
• Keep oils out of reach of children and pets. They can be poisonous if swallowed.
• Know your citrus. Some citrus oils, like cold-pressed lemon, lime and bergamot, can make skin sensitive to the sun. Avoid sun on that skin for 12 hours. Learn more about photosensitive essential oils.
• Use caution with asthma or allergies. Stop using any oil that makes symptoms worse.
• Talk to your doctor first if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have epilepsy, take blood thinners, are undergoing cancer treatment or are under a doctor's care for any condition.

Read more in my essential oil safety tips and the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy's safety guidelines.

20. How Can I Use Essential Oils Every Day?

At first, using oils takes a little intention. Once you build a few habits, reaching for them becomes second nature. Here are some easy ways to start:

• Morning: diffuse sweet orange or peppermint while you get ready.
• Shower: add a few drops to an unscented body wash. Try my foaming body wash recipes.
• On the go: keep a personal inhaler or roller blend in your bag. See my roller bottle recipes.
• Around the house: swap a few store-bought cleaners for homemade ones. Start with my 20 essential oil cleaning recipes.
• Bedtime: mist your pillow with a lavender spray or diffuse a calming blend.

Don't worry, you're not alone on your essential oil journey. Start small and enjoy the process.

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More Posts for Beginners

• How to Use Essential Oils for Aromatherapy
• Diluting Essential Oils Guide with Dilution Chart
• 7 Essential Oil Safety Tips
• How to Choose Quality Essential Oils
• List of 150 Essential Oils and Their Uses
• Top 10 Fan Favorite Essential Oils

Ready to start blending? My Aromatherapy Supply Kits have the bottles and supplies you need, and my free essential oil guides are a great place to begin.