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Floral essential oils top the list of the most popular essential oils for several reasons.
For one thing, florals smell absolutely heavenly. Diffusing one or a combination of floral essential oils in your diffuser will fill your room with an aroma that resembles that of a bouquet of flowers. Some of the most popular perfumes have floral scents.
Aside from their delightful aroma, floral essential oils have some powerful physical and mental health benefits. Several of these oils are great for skin health too.
Another reason for their immense popularity is that these oils are incredibly versatile. You can combine them with oils from other aroma families such as citrus and herbal oils to create some fabulous perfumes as well as bath and body care products.
Floral essential oils are more than just sweet-smelling oils. They are packed with a bevy of benefits from supporting emotional well-being and promoting sleep to improving skin health and more.
Here’s everything you need to know about the best floral oils and how to use them.
What are floral essential oils?
All essential oils are highly-concentrated oils extracted from various parts of a wide range of botanicals including roots, leaves, flowers, fruit peels, and even bark. These may be sourced from herbs, flowering plants, and trees.
The extracted essential oils can be separated into 8 distinct aroma families – Floral, Citrus, Herbaceous, Spicy, Woody, Earthy, Resinous, and Camphoraceous. These categories are based on two things – the plant parts used to extract the essential oil and the aroma of the extract.
Floral essential oils refer to the oils extracted exclusively from the flowers of their plant of origin. For example, rose, lavender, and jasmine essential oils are extracted from the flower petals only. No other plant parts are used to obtain these oils.
The only exception is Geranium essential oil. This is the only floral oil that is extracted from the flower petals along with the leaves and stems.
Flowers and their petals are among the most delicate parts of any plant. The compounds they contain are just as delicate and get damaged when subjected to high temperatures. Floral oils are extracted by steam distillation, a process that extracts the oils from the petals without damaging the compounds within.
Although all oils extracted from flower parts are listed under one category, every oil is in fact unique. Each oil possesses its own unique chemical composition, characteristics, and benefits. The only thing they all have in common is that they are extracted from flower parts.
Here’s a look at some of the best floral essential oils and how to use each one.
Top 10 List Of Floral Essential Oils And How To Use Them
1. Lavender
A familiar favorite, lavender essential oil has a fresh, floral, light aroma with subtle herbal notes. It is well-known for its relaxing, calming, and soothing properties and is the go-to essential oil for unwinding and restoring a sense of balance at the end of a long day.
This is the best floral essential oil for improving sleep quality, supporting skin health, and relieving aches and pains.
With its boatload of benefits, it’s not surprising that lavender is the most widely-used oil in all types of bath, body, and spa products from aromatherapy candles and soaps to massage oils, skin lotions, and more.
Lavender essential oil blends well with cedarwood, nutmeg, and geranium.
How to use lavender essential oil
Add a few drops to a diffuser or bath or shower to reduce stress, calm nerves, and relieve tension.
Mix with a carrier oil and apply directly to the skin to calm nerves, relax, and regulate emotions. Or mix with a carrier oil and gently rub over temples to soothe throbbing headaches and migraines.
Spray pillows and bedding with lavender spray for a restful night’s sleep. You can make your own lavender pillow spray or get this Blissful Dreams Relaxing Pillow Spray from Plant Therapy. 
Make your own lavender spray and use it to refresh your car, bedroom, mattress, and bathroom.
Mix with a carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil is best) and rub gently over the skin to soothe skin irritation and sunburn.
Add sparingly while cooking to give desserts, marinades, and baked goodies a flavorful twist.
2. Rose
Another hugely popular floral essential oil, rose has a rich, sweet scent that’s distinctly feminine.
It takes approximately 22 pounds of rose petals to obtain 5ml of the oil. That’s a LOT of rose petals for a small bottle of oil and explains why it is so expensive. But the higher price is well worth it when you consider that it takes just a drop or two of rose essential oil to get some amazing benefits.
Yes, rose essential oil is packed with a lot of psychological and physiological benefits. Inhaling its aroma invokes feelings of harmony, balance, and calm, which can work wonders to boost self-esteem.
How to use rose essential oil
Inhaling rose essential oil releases endorphins, which help alleviate stress and depression and reduce physical pain.
Interestingly, the heady intoxicating aroma and its ability to release endorphins also make this the most powerful aphrodisiac essential oil. Adding a few drops of rose essential oil to a diffuser will set the stage for a night of romance. Enhance the seductive atmosphere by dabbing a few drops to your inner wrist and behind the ears.
Keep skin hydrated in winter by mixing one drop Rose oil with 4 drops Jojoba oil and applying the blend to the face with a cotton ball.
3. Roman Chamomile
Chamomile tea has earned a reputation as the best herbal tea for calming nerves. The same calming properties are also found in the essential oil extracted from the white chamomile flowers.
Inhaling the aroma of Roman chamomile essential oil can be immensely soothing and relaxing. It helps to calm the nerves, which reduces anxiety and restlessness and promotes sleep.
How to use Roman chamomile essential oil
Add a few drops to your diffuser or in your bath or shower at the end of the day to melt away the day’s woes and worries.
Make your own chamomile room spray and spritz the bedroom, pillows, and mattress before getting into bed. The calming aroma will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Because Roman chamomile oil helps to calm the nerves, it is also good for reducing discomfort, toning down irritability, easing an upset stomach, and improving digestion.
The oil can be mixed with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut to calm eczema symptoms and reduce itching.
Roman chamomile is the best floral essential oil to create a cheerful atmosphere in kids’ rooms.
Roman chamomile essential oil blends well with lavender, lemon, and ylang-ylang.
4. Geranium
Geranium essential oil has a light, floral scent that is almost similar to the aroma of rose but with subtle herbal notes.
As we said earlier, geranium is the only one on this list of floral essential oils that are extracted from the leaves, stems, and bright pink flowers of the plant. This is what gives the oil a complex aroma that’s not as heavily floral as the other oils on this list.
Geranium is one of the best essential oils for the skin. There are records dating back centuries indicating that the Egyptians used this floral essential oil for more radiant-looking skin. Geranium essential oil blended with a carrier oil makes a great cleanser and moisturizer for all skin types – oily, dry, and combination.
Geranium has an uplifting aroma that makes it effective for relieving stress and anxiety and boosting mood. It also helps to maintain hormonal balance and to soothe skin irritation.
Geranium blends well with many different oils, including clary sage, orange, and basil.
How to use geranium essential oil
Brighten a dreary day by adding a few drops of geranium oil to your diffuser. Or spritz a geranium-scented room spray to surround yourself with the uplifting aromas. Adding a drop or two of bergamot essential oil will add a touch of citrus to the aroma.
Add a drop to a teaspoon of fractionated coconut oil and apply gently over the face and neck with a cotton ball to diminish fine lines and keep skin smooth and supple.
Inhaling the aroma of geranium has a grounding effect, which can be very useful for those days when you feel like everything is spiraling out of control.
5. Ylang Ylang
No list of floral essential oils can be complete without mentioning ylang ylang. The oil extracted from the bright yellow ylang ylang flowers has a strong sweet and floral aroma.
Ylang ylang essential oil has a calming comforting aroma that uplifts the spirits boosts mood, and promotes positivity. It also has amazing moisturizing properties that make it great for the skin.
Blends well with sandalwood, bergamot, and other citrus oils.
How to use ylang ylang essential oil
Add to your diffuser and inhale the aroma to create a cheerful atmosphere and promote a positive outlook.
Mix a few drops with fractionated coconut oil and apply to the hair as a deep conditioning mask after a day out in the sun.
Add a few drops to your night cream to help skin replenish and rejuvenate while you sleep.
Add a few drops to an Epsom salt bath or an Epsom salt foot soak to unwind and de-stress at the end of a long tiring day.
6. Bergamot
With its citrusy and spicy floral aroma, Bergamot is a surprise addition to this list of floral essential oils. It is normally included in the list of citrus essential oils but this extract is not as distinctly citrusy as the other oils in the citrus aroma family. The aroma of bergamot essential oil is partly citrusy and partly floral.
Bergamot essential oil had an amazingly calming effect. Inhaling its aroma helps ease anxiety-related restlessness, calm the nerves, and boost the immune system.
Bergamot is incredibly versatile and blends well with all floral and citrus essential oils. When blended with floral essential oils, it adds a touch of zesty citrus to the aroma that cuts down the sweet floral scent. When added to citrus essential oil blends, bergamot injects sweet, flowery notes that elevate the scent from purely citrusy.
Bergamot blends well with vetiver, orange, cypress, and oils from the floral family.
How to use bergamot essential oil
Add a few drops to your diffuser or spritz over your pillow at night to get a good night’s sleep.
Add to your diffuser and inhale the aroma to calm the mind, de-stress and uplift your spirits.
7. Jasmine
Jasmine essential oil has a rich, exotic, and alluring aroma that’s on the warm end of the spectrum.
This floral essential oil is a popular addition to many high-end perfumes with sultry, seductive scents. It takes approximately 10 pounds of Jasmine flowers to make one 5 ml bottle of oil. That’s not all. The flowers must be picked at night before sunrise to maximize the scent! And that explains why only big brand perfume companies can afford to create jasmine-scented perfumes.
Jasmine essential oil has an interesting combination of ingredients that give it a wide range of properties of benefits. Inhaling the aroma of jasmine boosts mood and energy, instills an optimistic outlook, and inspires confidence.
The warm intoxicating scent is also a powerful aphrodisiac.
Jasmine essential oil blends well with bergamot, rose, and citrus essential oils.
How to use jasmine essential oil
Add to your diffuser, bath, or shower to create a seductive atmosphere.
Inhale the aroma through diffusing or direct inhalation when you need a quick boost of energy and self-confidence.
Diffuse jasmine with lime essential oil to infuse your home with a touch of the tropics.
Make your own scented body butter with jasmine essential oil.
Spritz a jasmine-scented facial spray (5 drops Jasmine oil in 3 ounces water) on your face, neck, and arms to keep your skin hydrated and smooth.
8. Helichrysum
Helichrysum essential oil has a unique earthy aroma that sets it apart from the other oils in this list of floral essential oils.
Helichrysum flowers, from which the oil is extracted, are also called immortelle, which translates to the everlasting flower. This alludes to the components that help nourish and moisturize the skin.
Helichrysum tops the list of the best essential oils for the skin. It is often used in skin creams and lotions for youthful, glowing skin.
The earthy-floral aroma of helichrysum also helps balance emotions, reduce fatigue, and soothe muscle and joint pain and inflammation.
Helichrysum blends well with bergamot, chamomile, and lavender.
How to use helichrysum essential oil
Add a few drops to your diffuser or to your bath or shower to soothe stress, reduce fatigue, and restore calm and balance.
Blend with fractionated coconut oil and apply over the face and neck with a ball of cotton wool to reduce the appearance of blemishes and wrinkles.
Mix 1-2 drops with 1 tablespoon of raw honey, rub over the face gently and rinse off after 5 minutes for a smooth, glowing complexion.
Soothe muscle and joint pain and inflammation by massaging affected areas gently with a blend of helichrysum and any carrier oil.
Mix with a carrier oil and massage into your temples and back of the neck for a soothing sensation after a stressful day.
Place a drop on the crown of your head to get out of a midday slump and feel invigorated.
9. Neroli
Also known as orange blossom oil, neroli essential oil has a sweet floral aroma that induces a calming, relaxing sensation. It is commonly used to calm anxiety and reduce nervousness.
Neroli blends well with lavender, jasmine, and rosemary.
How to use neroli essential oil
Use in a diffuser, bath, or shower to create a soothing, relaxing ambiance at the end of the day.
Inhale directly from the bottle or blend with a carrier oil and dab on the wrist and behind the ears to calm those stomach butterflies associated with nervousness.
Spritz a neroli-scented room freshener spray to boost mood and uplift spirits.
10. Blue Tansy
Blue Tansy essential oil has a fresh, floral, crisp aroma with notes of apple fragrance. The most unusual in this list of floral essential oils, blue tansy oil has a rich blue hue although it is extracted from small yellow tansy flowers.
Blue Tansy essential oil is one of the most expensive essential oils you can buy and is categorized as a ‘precious oil’. This is because of the large number of flowers that need to be steam distilled to extract 5ml of oil. The high cost doesn’t bother aromatherapy purists who love it as much for its crisp aroma as for its immensely soothing properties.
Tansy essential oil has powerful calming properties – emotionally as well as dermatologically.
Blue tansy essential oil blends well with bergamot, geranium, and lemon.
How to use Blue Tansy essential oil
Add to your diffuser, bath, or shower to reduce tension and anxiety.
Mix with a carrier oil and apply with a cotton ball to the skin to reduce redness and acne.
Add to your homemade perfume and bath and body care products.
Add a drop to your face wash for that extra fresh and clean feeling.
Blend with a carrier oil to create a relaxing massage oil for tired muscles.
Best Floral Essential Oil Sets
If you use essential oils regularly, you’ll find that buying floral essential oil sets is more cost-effective than buying individual bottles. Floral essential oil sets also make great gifts for your female friends and relative.
These are some of the best floral essential oil sets based on their popularity with users. You’ll find that some of the sets have oils that are not included in my list of floral essential oils. That’s only because it was impossible to include all possible oils in my list. It would be just too long!
DIY Ideas Using Floral Essential Oils
Floral essential oils are a versatile addition to your essential oil collection, more so if you are a DIY enthusiast. There are so many ways you can use these oils to give your homemade items a nice floral aroma, whether you’re making them for yourself or to give away as gifts.
These are just some of the many DIY projects that floral essential oils work well with:
Make Your Own Beeswax Candles With Floral Essential Oils
Homemade Reed Diffusers With Floral Aromas
Make Pillow Sprays Using Floral Essential Oils
DIY Bath Salts with Rose Essential Oil – This is a beautiful homemade gift idea as it uses rose oil and rose petals
Make A Variety Of Sugar Scrubs With Different Floral Essential Oil Blends
Recipe For Scented Body Butter With Jasmine Floral Essential Oil
You may also be interested in: Citrus Essential Oils – The Ultimate Guide
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult your doctor before using any natural medication or if you experience any unusual symptoms. See Full Disclaimer here.
