Investing in the best essential oils of 2024 can be a great way to improve your general wellbeing. Whether you're not getting enough sleep, feeling stressed or you simply need a mood boost, essential oils can help, especially when you use them in the best essential oil diffuser, in aromatherapy massage or with other wellness treatments.
Whatever wellbeing issues you want to address, there's most likely an essential oil to suit your needs. For example, lavender oil has long been used as a relaxation aid and can help you get a better night's sleep, while tea-tree oil has impressive antibacterial properties. Essential oils can even help you feel less congestion and more relaxed when you're ill, so there are plenty of benefits to adding essential oils into your home throughout the seasons.
Alongside having health-boosting properties, there's a simple reason you might want to stock up on the best essential oils around. That's because they smell amazing, and of course, scent can be a useful tool in improving your mood.
In short, for a natural non-toxic way to feel better all round, the best essential oils can really help. Do bear in mind, though, that if you're suffering from health issues, your first port of call should be your GP, who'll be much better equipped to provide you with the help and treatment you need.
Below, we've rounded up the best essential oils you can buy today. If you're new to the world of essential oils, we've explained what they are and how you can use them at the bottom of this guide.
Best essential oils ranking 2024
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The best essential oil to help calm anxiety and boost relaxation
+ High-quality organic oil
+ Soothing lavender scent
+ A little goes a long way
Believed to have sedative qualities, lavender is used by professional aromatherapy practitioners to reduce feelings of anxiety, to aid relaxation and to encourage better sleep.
This Neal’s Yard formula tops our best essential oils list because it's organic, potent, and has been steam-distilled from Hampshire-grown lavender. You can either inhale it – always read the instructions before doing so – or mix a few drops into your bath oil for a relaxing soak in the tub when you're feeling stressed.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil for meditation and increasing mindfulness
+ Trusted essential oil brand
+ Plant-based ingredients
+ Great for clearing your mind
Need to refocus your mind? The Aēsop Isabelle Essential Oil is a great choice when you're meditating or finding a few moments to be more mindful throughout the day.
Australian essential oils brand, Aēsop is well-established in this arena, and uses only purely plant-based ingredients. Case in point is this ultra-fresh-smelling Isabelle Oil, which blends spearmint with rosemary – a perfect concoction to aid clear thinking and refocus your mind.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil for sleep
+ Helps you nod off
+ Smells brilliant
+ Amazing ingredients
Having trouble sleeping? This Works is a go-to brand when it comes to pesky sleep-related concerns, as anyone who’s tried their popular Deep Sleep pillow spray will attest.
The Deep Sleep Super Blend is a heavenly brew of lavender, vetivert and camomile; a dreamy medley that aspires to calm the nerves, relieve tension and soothe the mind before bedtime. This is an ideal essential oil for diffuser use when you're starting your pre-sleep wind-down routine.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil for easing the winter blues
+ Zesty, uplifting scent
+ Helps you feel more positive
+ Mix with a base carrier for skin application
American essential oil specialists Ellia use only 100% pure, therapeutic grade oils, which can be used in a diffuser (add five to seven drops per session) or blended with a base carrier to be applied to your skin during massage.
Using grapefruits sourced from South America, this tangy concentrate is ideal for bringing out, as Ellia says, ‘when you need a positive perspective’. Motivating and refreshing, it’s also a brilliant scent to fill your home with during that next big spring clean.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best fragrance when you're in need of rejuvenation
+ Deeply woody scent
+ Affordable
+ Works with aroma diffusers
In short, the Muji Cedarwood Essential Oil is a good oil for rejuvenation, and when you're in need of a pick me-up. Muji does a great line of affordable essential oils, which they sell alongside their own Aroma Diffuser. There are lots of aromas to choose from, including lime, eucalyptus, pine and, our personal favourite, Cedar.
Steam distilled from the the American Cedarwood Virginian tree, this heady essential oil is described as having ‘balsamic undertones’ and a ‘comforting, passionate effect’. Sounds good to us.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil for use with an essential oil diffuser
+ A potent blend of 25 oils
+ Ideal for diffuser use
+ All-natural ingredients
Blending a whopping 25 pure essential oils, including pine, myrrh and lime peel, this intoxicating scent is designed to mellow you out, especially when incorporated into a warm bath or therapeutic massage at home.
Neom pride themselves on cooking up fragrances that boost your wellbeing and mood, with the helping hand of 100% natural ingredients. The only problem is that it keeps selling out!
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oils for soothing tired muscles
+ Uplifting scent
+ Perfect for the bath
+ Versatile
Tisserand have been a key players in the essential oil game since 1974, and top-notch ingredients are at the heart of their brand. Relieve those achy, overworked joints and muscles by splashing a few drops of this blend into your bath...
Invigorating ginger meets refreshing lemongrass and uplifting rosemary, all to create a replenishing tonic for both the body and mind.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil blend in facial oil form
+ Highly nourishing
+ Created to calm stressed skin
+ Soothes blemishes
Kiehl's have been doing their thing, pharmaceutically speaking, since 1851, so we trust that they know a thing or two about good skincare. A dedication to old apothecary-style, natural ingredients has led to some curious pairings – this facial oil blends Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil with Green Oregano Oil.
Intended for ‘skin prone to blemishes, visible redness and discomfort’, this lightweight concoction strives to calm stressed skin.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil for aiding post-workout recovery
+ Locks in moisture
+ Tones skin
+ Helps relax muscles
For a spot of post-workout pampering, look no further than this Anti-Fatigue Toning Body Oil by iconic British skincare brand, Ren. This oil is rich with oceanic ingredients like kelp extract, microalgae oil and red algae extract.
Collectively, this powerhouse body oil replenishes skin, locks in moisture and works towards toning skin and relaxing muscles. One to throw in your gym bag.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The best essential oil to turn your bath into a spa
+ Luxurious
+ Smells divine
+ Nourishing for your skin
Cowshed is one of the UK’s go-to spa brands, founded deep in rural Somerset by the same brains behind Soho House. This feminine bath and body oil is fragranced with Madagascan Ylang Ylang, Moroccan Rose, Indian Palmarosa, French Lavender and Linden Blossom.
This essential oil blend is devised to soften and relax you. Plus, the pretty packaging boosts its credentials as a gorgeous gift to give at any time of year, especially for anyone who wants to nourish their wellbeing.
Our rating: 5 out of 5 stars
What are essential oils?
Essential oils aren’t anything new – Ancient Egypt is widely believed to be their birthplace, and if they're good enough for Cleopatra, they're good enough for us. That's why we've been trying out various oils made by a range of brands, from Aesop to Neom, to bring you our pick of the best essential oils.
These types of aroma oils, which include the likes of lavender essential oil and peppermint essential oil, have gone mainstream in the past decade. Leading beauty brands are widely incorporating them into a whole world of nourishing products, from shampoos and body washes to perfumes and facial moisturisers. Albeit, these products are usually more expensive because they contain potent oils.
Once you open your eyes to the world of essential oils, you’ll notice that they’re everywhere – in ointments, gels, perfumes, candles and pillow sprays. There are a host of essential oil diffusers you can buy to make the most of them too.
Generally speaking, organic essential oils are of a superior quality and should also be favoured, budget allowing. There are some surprisingly powerful and affordable alternatives though, and we've included both options below. Let's take a look at these best essential oils now...
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