Essential oils have grown in popularity over the years, going from a simple room-freshening alternative to a nation-wide trend. It’s been deemed a more natural alternative for alleviating different physical ailments. Whether you’re a curious newcomer when it comes to essential oils or you’re a diehard Young Living (or DoTerra) fan, essential oils can be a great way to create a comforting routine while traveling.

We’ve made a list of our favorite essential oils for travel and what they can contribute:

Jet Lag & Travel Anxiety – Lavender Essential Oil

Jet lag can put an extra load of stress onto your trip, especially when you’re expected to hit the ground running. Lavender has been called upon for hundreds of years to soothe anxious minds and aid sleep and that’s why it’s one of our top essential oils for airplanes.

If you’re struggling to fall asleep or relax on a flight, try rubbing a bit of lavender on your temples.

When you get to your destination, put some lavender on your pillowcase before you go to bed. The familiar scent will help calm your jitters, set your mind at ease, and send you to sleep.

Energy Booster – Peppermint Essential Oil

With a change in your routine and sleeping environment, getting up in the morning can be hard especially if you also have jet lag. A few drops of peppermint will perk you right up. Put some on a warm wet towel and inhale it for a boost in energy.

Have a hangover from a night of drinking with new friends? Rubbing peppermint oil on your temples and stomach can help ease the pounding headache and nausea you wake up with.

Room Freshener – Citrus Essential Oil

Not all hotel rooms are created equal, and there’s no damper quite like a hotel room smelling of cigarette smoke or just smelling not quite right. Citrus essential oil such as wild orange or lemon essential oil can help eliminate the smells in a room and make you feel more at home.

You don’t need to bring an essential oil diffuser to freshen up your hotel room. If you have an extra spray bottle in your bag, spritz away! The energizing scent of citrus will make it feel more like home.

Sanitizer – Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil has been touted as a versatile oil, helping with everything from acne to air purification. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties make it a useful oil to keep on hand at home or in a new city. It’s a useful oil for deep cleaning a new place of accommodation. Did you know you can also make natural hand sanitizer from tea tree oil? It’s also useful as an insect repellent when you’re out in the woods so you can ward off the insect bites. Talk about multiple uses from one small oil.

Immunity Guard – Thieves Essential Oil

Small, enclosed spaces like airplanes, trains, and cars can be a breeding ground for different bacteria. Our immune systems are more susceptible to what we’re exposed to when we’re traveling, and having something to help combat potential sickness can be key. If you’re feeling unwell before a flight, the first thing you should do is assess if you’re too sick to travel. If you’re good to travel, proceed with essential oils. If you have a sore throat or a cough, rubbing a few drops of diluted Thieves essential oil on your throat and chest can help you feel better.

Motion Sickness – Ginger Essential Oil

If you’re traveling in a car for long periods of time and get motion sickness easily, you’ll want to include this oil in your travel stash. Ginger has been known for centuries to help nausea and vomiting, but it’s hard to access ginger on the road. Having some as an essential oil can help squelch any nausea that comes from motion sickness. Add a drop or two to a glass of water to help calm the tummy waves.

Essential oils can be a travel gamechanger, and they’re easily transported. With a carrier oil like coconut oil or sweet almond oil, you can use a variety of different essential oil blends for topical, aromatic and internal use.

What’s your favorite travel essential oil?

Notes

With any essential oils, it’s important to use caution. The information on this page is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you have any kind of skin reaction or skin irritation, please discontinue immediately and seek the help of a medical professional.

For more information on safe essential oil usage, we recommend Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals.

Essential Oil Travel FAQs

Can I take essential oils on a plane?

Yes! As long as your essential oils fall within the TSA 3-1-1 rule (your liquids have to be less than 3.4 ounce each, they have to all fit in 1 quart-sized plastic bag, and you can only have 1 plastic bag). If you’re worried about your oils spilling, you can always bring an essential oil travel case.

How do you use essential oils on the go?

It’s best to carry essential oils that have little rollers. If your oils don’t have rollers on them, you can always purchase your own travel-size rollers for easy application. This travel case comes with refillable essential oil rollers.

What essential oils are good for jet lag?

Lavender is a great essential oil to carry for jet lag. It can calm you quickly and help you fall asleep at night.

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