School is once again just around the corner, and with it comes feelings of excitement, nervousness, apathy, stress, and a whole slew of other emotions and “school” related conditions. But no matter which one has its grip on your child, I’ve got a few essential oils that will help hone their focus, buffer their immunity, release tension, and improve short-term memory.

Whatever it is that’s needed to help get your child through the school year with flying colors, you can find it here.

The Best Essential Oils for Back to School

Essential oils have long been used to bring balance to our minds and physical bodies, and there are few things that can throw us off kilter quite like school can. Learning which oils are best for each need will allow your child to better shoulder their studies and get the A’s they’ve been striving for.

You may notice that many oils overlap quite a few categories. A few that come immediately to mind are sandalwood, lavender, roman chamomile, and various citrus oils. If you need help choosing the right essential oil for your needs, even after glossing over my extensive lists below, you can rest assured that these oils cover pretty much all of the bases.

On another note, I’d like to askread THIcross-referenceTHIS ARTICLE first so that you can cross reference it. I have listed essential oils that may not be appropriate for your child’s age, so please, please, PLEASE, make sure to double-check before using ANY essential oil on your child.

A few that come to mind, in particular, are peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus, and ylang ylang. These oils are not okay for younger children, and you may be wondering why they are listed in a back-to-school article. The reason is that there are students of all ages, whether preschoolers or getting their Ph.Dof. I wanted to list everything that could be useful.

On another note, the use for these oils is pretty simple. You can either diffuse them as needed by adding a few drops to a diffuser and running it for 20-30 minutes, apply them properly diluted on the corresponding vitaflex points, making massage oils, etc.

You can learn more about dilutions and conversions here as well as the maximum dilution recommended for over 400 different essential oils here. Keep in mind that these dilutions are for adults, so you would need to dilute the appropriate oils like this:

0.25% max dilution for ages 2-6 yrs

1% max dilution for 7 yrs and older

Alrighty! So now that that’s out of the way and you are well informed, here’s the best essential oils for back to school:

Absentmindedness

We all know how easy it is to space out during a dry lesson. The essential oils below are known for their ability to sharpen focus and memory retention and wake up a foggy mind.

• Balsam fir – uplifting and clarifying
• Basil – alleviates mental fatigue
• Cardamom – invigorating to the senses
• Frankincense – increases blood flow to the pineal gland
• Melissa – helps remove mental blocks
• Peppermint – cuts through brain fog
• Rosemary – promotes excellent memory retention
• Sandalwood – its high sesquiterpene content increases oxygen flow to the brain therefore increasing focus
• Vetiver – mentally stimulating and awakening

Acceptance

Sometimes it can be hard to accept the seemingly endless school assignments, subjects, or even our future path. Other times, we can be hard put to accept others. These essential oils help open the mind and heart and instill strengthened fortitude and perseverance.

• Frankincense – promotes a positive attitude and outlook on life
• Geranium – discharges the negativity that is holding us back
• Neroli – calming, relaxing, and stabilizes emotions
• Rosewood – creates a feeling of peace and gentleness
• Sandalwood – removes negative programming from the cells of the body while helping us to accept others with an open heart. Allows us to give and receive

Agitation

Studying, trudging through difficult classes, exams, or even just feeling agitated towards others can be a common occurrence during the school year. The oils below are good for smoothing out frayed nerves, mitigating anger, rebalancing emotions, and easing the mind.

• Bergamot – soothing to the endocrine system and calms emotions
• Cedarwood – has a calming effect on anger and irritable feelings
• Frankincense – promotes a positive attitude and feelings of patience and acceptance
• Geranium – removes the blocks that hold us back from emotional balance
• Juniper – great for emotional balance and positivity
• Lavender – calms negative emotions, especially anger, agitation, and irritability
• Marjoram – to the Romans, it was known as the “herb of happiness” and to the Greeks “joy of the mountains”
• Myrrh – uplifting and calming to the nervous system
• Rose – brings balance and harmony to the mind, body, and soul
• Rosewood – instills a sense of peace in mind and body
• Sandalwood – improves attitude
• Ylang ylang – instills positive feelings

Alertness

It can be all too easy to fall asleep in class or space out while studying. Stay alert and clear minded by using the oils below.

Note that these oils are also great for memory and boredom!

• Lemon – opens and refreshes the mind when brain fog settles in
• Peppermint – cuts through brain fog and awakens the senses
• Rosemary – awakens the mind and aides in memory retention and focus

Anger and Hate

Resenting a teacher or fellow classmate will get us nowhere. Use these soothing, grounding, and stabilizing essential oils to help balance anger, hate, and other negative emotions that seem out of our control. These EOs are also great for the victims of bullying.

• Bergamot – relieves heated emotions and restores confidence and peace of mind
• Geranium – rebalances emotions and dispels hate and negativity
• Helichrysum – helps one forgive the trespasses against them
• Jasmine – instills optimistic feelings and a sense of self worth
• Lemon – reestablishes cheerfulness and a positive attitude
• Mandarin – relieves stress and irritability. A very uplifting oil
• Palmarosa – restores emotional balance
• Roman chamomile – expels negativity from the liver and dispels anger and the emotional charge of anxiety
• Rose – eases mind, body, and spirit
• Rosewood – increases the synergy of other oils. Relaxes the mind
• Sandalwood – dissolves negative programming in our minds and cells
• Spruce – helps one to release and purge negative emotions
• Ylang ylang – filters out mental garbage and negative emotions

Asthma

If you or your child has asthma, it may be helpful to have some asthma soothing essential oils on hand to go along with prescription asthma medication. These EOs help open the lungs and allow for easy expectoration and oxygen absorption.

Please refer to my Remedies for Asthma article as well as Essential Oils for Babies and Children for more on proper use. Not all of the oils below can be used for children under 10.

• Cypress – helps dissolve mucus and open airways (can be used for children 6 months and older)
• Eucalyptus – opens the bronchial tubes and thins mucus (can be used for children 10 years and older)
• Peppermint – opens the lungs (can be used for children 10 years and older)
• Marjoram – relieves spasms in the respiratory system (can be used for children 2 years and older)
• Pine – dilates the bronchial tract (can be used for children 6 months and older)

Blocks

Sometimes your child will run into mental blocks that prevent them from retaining information or understanding a lesson. Help open and loosen the mind so that understanding comes easily using the oils below.

• Cypress – gives a sense of security, very grounding, and helps open emotions
• Frankincense – promotes a positive outlook on difficult situations
• Helichrysum – uplifting for the subconscious mind
• Sandalwood – its high frequency helps support the mind and instill calmness about impending decisions
• Spearmint – hormone-like constituents help ease emotional blocks
• Spikenard – harmonizing and balancing when decisions are hard
• Spruce – opens the solar plexus

Confidence

Feeling confident in front of those around you and in your studies is key to success in all levels of schooling. These oils help promote self-worth and boost self-esteem.

• Cedarwood – relieves nervous tension
• Geranium – opens and elevates the mind
• Lavender – promotes consciousness and a sense of well-being. Calms nervousness
• Rose – calms emotions and feelings of anxiety
• Spruce – a very grounding oil that releases mental blocks and eases the heart
• Sweet orange – brings peace and harmony to the mind and body
• White fir – stimulates the mind while relaxing the body

Defeat

A low score, not making the cut for a class, or general malaise can leave your child feeling defeated and questioning their choices. In times like these, use essential oils that can uplift negativity and boost their sense of purpose.

• Cypress – eases feelings of loss
• Fir – instills feelings of empowerment. Grounding and anchoring in nature
• Juniper – elevates awareness of purpose
• Spruce – creates and openness in the heart in order to better give and receive

Emotional Trauma

At times, things happen that are out of our control like a nasty break-up, the death of a loved one, divorcing parents, and other emotionally taxing events. In order to help your child pull through with their schooling, use an oil that restores equilibrium in the face of chaos.

• Sandalwood – calms, harmonizes, and balances the emotions due to its high vibration. Incredibly grounding and soothing

Empowerment

Enhancing one’s feelings of empowerment can help your child get through a tough project, exam, or a difficult course. Use these essential oils to help boost confidence, positivity, and self-esteem.

• Balsam fir – grounding and anchoring
• Cardamom – clears confusion and uplifts, refreshes, and invigorates the senses
• Cedarwood – empowers the soul, grants a sense of clarity, and kindles connectedness
• Cinnamon bark – encourages feelings of self-worth, confidence, and awareness
• Ginger – calms butterflies in the stomach. Known as the “oil of empowerment”
• Lemon – boosts confidence
• Nutmeg – energizing, stimulating, and protective
• Patchouli – has a grounding and balancing effect on emotions
• Peppermint – increases mental accuracy and stimulates the conscious mind
• Rosemary – balances a nervous heart rate and calms the nervous system
• Rosewood – appeasing to the mind and instills a sense of peace
• Sandalwood – removes negativity on a cellular level
• Spruce – grounding and creates a feeling of balance
• Ylang ylang – boosts low self-esteem

Energy

Long days at school or studying for exams can really tax the mind and body. Use the oils below to help encourage necessary transitions for achieving greater goals, boosting energy levels, and keeping one’s mind open and receptive to new possibilities.

• Basil – awakens one to the possibility of higher potential
• Black pepper – stimulates the endocrine system and increases energy
• Cypress – promotes vitality and energy and invigorates the senses
• Eucalyptus – refreshes and stimulates the brain
• Juniper – improves circulation and awakens the senses
• Lemon – supports brain energy and clarity
• Lemongrass – sharpens mental clarity
• Myrtle – elevating and euphoric for the senses
• Nutmeg – has adrenal cortex-like activity which supports energy levels
• Sweet orange – provides emotional support and brings peace to the mind
• Peppermint – stimulates energy and clarifies the mind
• Rosemary – energizes the solar plexus and reduces mental fatigue
• Thyme – supplies energy in times of physical weakness or stress

Exhaustion

Overworking ourselves in the name of academic achievement can leave us feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Use the essential oils below for clarifying and calming the mind, soothing the nervous system, and reducing stress.

• Bergamot – combats physical and mental fatigue
• Coriander – a gentle stimulant for those with low energy
• Cumin – helps reverse nervous debility and exhaustion
• Elemi – a mild sedative that helps encourage restful sleep. Relieves nervous exhaustion
• Frankincense – promotes positivity in the face of chaos
• Ginger – helps positively influence physical energy
• Grapefruit – relieves stress and fatigue
• Lavender – calms an overactive mind and promotes restful sleep
• Lemon – invigorating, promotes physical energy
• Pine – stimulates the adrenal glands and increases energy
• Roman chamomile – combats insomnia and soothes a tired mind
• Rosemary – stimulates the nerves and eliminates brain fog
• Sandalwood – restores emotional balance

Expression (self-expression)

Expressing yourself to others can be challenging at school. Use these essential oils to help boost confidence, lighten your heart, and instill a sense of empowerment and control in order to allow yourself/your child to move forward with a clear vision into the future.

• Lavender – wonderful for balancing all emotions and repelling negative thoughts
• Roman chamomile – helps remove fears and empower the mind
• Spruce – empowering and anchoring, opens the ability to give and receive
• Ylang ylang – instills a sense of strength and confidence

Fatigue

Endless homework assignments, extracurricular activities, and long hours of study can leave your child feeling fatigued on a day to day basis. Use the essential oils below to help alleviate the different types of fatigue they may be experiencing.

• Clove (general) – helps one overcome fatigue by stimulating the adrenals
• Pine (general) – cuts through mental fog and overall feelings of fatigue
• Ravensara (physical) – soothes tired muscles and relieves inflammation
• Rosemary (nervous) – calms nervous tension and emotional negativity
• Thyme (general) – uplifting and invigorating. Relieves fatigue
• Basil (mental) – clarifying for the mind and sharpens focus
• Lemongrass (mental) – awakens a fatigued or emotionally taxed mind

Fear

Fear of a new school, a new teacher, or a new subject can make learning stressful for your child. If this is the case, try using the calming essential oils below to help relieve nervousness and tension, emotional trauma, and constricted oxygen levels in the cells caused by fear of the unknown.

• Bergamot – relieves anxiety, stress, and tension
• Blue tansy – sedates the nervous system
• Geranium – opens the liver chakra (the place where fear and anger build up)
• Jasmine – uplifting to the emotions and instills optimism
• Lemon – promotes cheerfulness, positivity, and warming thoughts
• Mandarin – sedative for the nervous system
• Palmarosa – harmonizes emotions and clarifies thoughts
• Roman chamomile – minimizes nervousness
• Rose – stimulates and elevates the mind creating a sense of safety and well-being
• Rosewood – relaxes the body and creates a sense of peace and well-being
• Sandalwood – harmonizes, calms, and balances the emotions
• Spruce – helps you release emotional blocks like fear and negativity
• Sweet orange – brings peace and happiness to the mind and body
• Ylang ylang – uplifts the emotions and encourages empowerment

Focus

Focus is one of the most important key elements for success in all levels of schooling. If your child is prone to spacing out, losing interest, or has trouble grasping a lesson, these are the essential oils you will want to try for better focus.

• Balsam fir – sharpens the mind and promotes wakefulness and clarity
• Basil – excellent for honing focus and clearing away brain fog
• Cardamom – enhances memory and focus
• Cedarwood – calms a stressed mind when swirling thoughts cloud focus
• Cypress – awakens the mind and increases blood flow to the brain
• Frankincense – promotes a positive mind and oxygenates the pineal gland by increasing healthy circulation
• Helichrysum – improves cognitive circulation
• Lavender – relieves the stress that may cloud the mind
• Melissa – calming and uplifting, balances emotions and attitude
• Palmarosa – strengthens one’s feelings of safety and security allowing for better focus
• Peppermint – cuts through brain fog and clarifies the mind
• Rosemary – reduces cortisol and enhances memory
• Rosewood – opens the mind and promotes positivity
• Sandalwood – increases circulation to the pineal gland

Forgetfulness

For times when your child keeps forgetting what they’ve read or studied. The essential oils below encourage memory retention and increase cognitive function.

• Cedarwood – helps to relax an overtaxed mind
• Cypress – stimulates healthy blood flow to the brain and cuts through brain fog
• Fir – uplifts the emotions and encourages memory retention
• Geranium – super uplifting and balancing, instills encouraging emotions while studying
• Juniper – increases optimistic feelings and clarifies the mind
• Marjoram – promotes restful and peaceful sleep which is very important for memory and cognitive function
• Myrrh – balances the nervous system and calms the mind
• Roman chamomile – dispels negative emotions that may be preventing good memory retention
• Rose – uplifts emotions and soothes the mind
• Sandalwood – opens the mind and promotes receptivity
• Sweet orange – helps increase focus and instill a sense of well-being and cheerfulness

Hyperactivity

For those with ADD, ADHD, or any other form of hyperactivity where it is hard to keep still and focus on schoolwork, the oils below are great for encouraging calmness, focus, and overall interest.

• Grapefruit – calming and uplifting, instills a sense of peace
• Lavender – relaxing and calming to the mind and body
• Lemon – cheerful and focusing
• Mandarin – uplifting yet slightly sedative and hypnotic
• Patchouli – sedating, calming, and relaxing yet balances energy levels
• Roman chamomile – clears the mind and encourages balance in overactive children
• Spearmint – relieves mental strain and encourages emotional balance
• Sweet orange – balances emotions and encourages peace. Slightly sedative
• Tangerine – slightly sedating and calming to the nervous system
• Ylang ylang – calming, relaxing, and dispels negativity

Immunity

It’s no joke that schools and classrooms are full of a variety of germs, bacteria, and viruses especially during cold and flu season. To help support your child’s immune system and boost their resilience against germs, use the essential oils below.

• Blue tansy – boosts the synergy and efficacy of other essential oils
• Cistus – a powerful antibacterial and anti-viral
• Clove – wonderful for killing germs and easing chills or body aches
• Cumin – warming anti-viral, antibacterial, and digestive aid
• Frankincense – promotes cellular health and immunity
• Geranium – improves immune function
• Lavender – helps lower cortisol levels which are known to lower immunity
• Ledum – harmonizes and balances the body. Supports immune function
• Lemon – the d-limonene content of lemon EO is known to increase white blood cell count and boost immunity
• Melaleuca – purifies and maintains the immune system
• Ravensara – encourages deep immunity. Anti-microbial and antibacterial
• Rosemary – antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-viral. Stimulates healthy lymphatic flow and circulation
• Thieves blend – a wonderful blend of potent germ fighting EOs that support immunity
• Thyme – fights infection and support a healthy immune system

You can read more about the best essential oils for boosting the immune system and fighting cold and flu here and here.

Indigestion

Feeling a bit of digestive upset is pretty normal when it comes to important exams, a daunting assignment, a big game, or having to give a presentation at school. When tummy troubles start to creep up, use the essential oils below to soothe an upset stomach fast!

• Angelica – a powerful stomachic (do not use on skin that is exposed to sunlight)
• Cumin – a digestive stimulant that relieves gas, constipation, and other digestive ills
• Fennel – an amazing remedy for bloating and intestinal spasms
• Ginger – warming and soothing for the gut. Treats nausea and other digestive symptoms
• Lavender – relieves the stress that may be causing digestive discomfort
• Nutmeg – eases gas, nausea, and vomiting. Laxative and tonic
• Peppermint – great for motion sickness, indigestion, and other forms of digestive upset

You can read more about the best essential oils for digestion here.

Injury (including sports)

It goes without saying that your child has a good chance of getting a bump or bruise while at school whether that be from sports, rough housing during recess/break, or (heaven forbid) getting into a scuffle. I personally recall quite a few times when I made silly decisions that resulted in falling on my head from the monkey bars, tripping and skinning my knee on the pavement, or hitting a tether ball too hard and jamming my thumb. The fact of the matter is, these sorts of things happen. Best be prepared with some soothing pain relieving essential oils!

• Balsam fir – Soothes sore muscles and bones, good for bruising
• Clove – warming and pain relieving. Best for wounds where heat it desired
• Cypress – one of the best EOs for bruising
• Frankincense – incredibly healing for the skin and balancing for the emotions
• Helichrysum – excellent for relieving pain and healing wounds
• Melaleuca – heals cuts, scrapes, and other wounds. Great for acne too!
• Myrrh – heals wounds and skin conditions
• Niaouli – a strong tissue regenerator
• Peppermint – cooling for sprains and strains, relieves pain
• Rosemary – eases muscular aches and pains
• Sandalwood – regenerates the skin, cartilage, and nerves
• Wintergreen – a powerful analgesic, great for sore muscles

You can read more about the best essential oils for relieving pain here.

Insomnia

Getting enough quality sleep can be difficult when your child refuses to go to bed at a decent hour, has a lot of homework, studies late, has emotional blocks, out of whack hormones, or generally just can’t fall asleep. Using relaxing nervine essential oils is key to readying the body for restful sleep.

• Basil – relieves insomnia caused by nervous tension
• Lavender – promotes restive sleep and lessens stress
• Lemon – bright, cheerful, calming, and relieves stress
• Mandarin – instills a sense of peace and relaxation
• Marjoram – eases symptoms of insomnia
• Myrtle – traditionally used by the French for treating insomnia
• Neroli – incredibly calming and nurturing, relieves insomnia
• Nutmeg – helps balance the adrenals and the circadian rhythm
• Petitgrain – a relaxing nervine. Promotes emotional balance
• Roman chamomile – relaxes the mind and body
• Rosemary – lowers cortisol levels and stress
• Sandalwood – Promotes a restful environment and atmosphere before bedtime
• Sweet orange – mildly sedative
• Tangerine – calming to the nervous system

You can read more about the best essential oils for sleep here.

Lice (aka pediculosis)

School can make it very easy to pass along not only germs, but unpleasant things like lice as well. The essential oils below are wonderful for both repelling lice (and other insects!) and getting rid of them. They work well in the house too on bedsheets, brushes, and other areas where lice or other insects may be hiding.

• Eucalyptus
• Geranium
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Pine
• Rosemary

You can read more on getting rid of lice naturally here.

Memory

Keeping our minds sharp is one of the key elements for success in school and every other aspect of our lives. If your child has trouble retaining information, the essential oils below can be used during study and then worn for an exam, presentation, or any other situation where they need to recall important information.

• Basil – promotes mental clarity and recollection
• Bergamot – relieves the stress and worry that may cause forgetfulness
• Calamus – improves brain power and memory
• Clove – reverses memory deficiency
• Grapefruit – dispels the negativity that may affect memory retention
• Lavender – eases a worried and overworked mind
• Lemon – sharpens focus and uplifts the emotions
• Lemongrass – promotes mental clarity and awareness. Stimulates higher oxygen levels in the brain
• Lime – improves memory
• Rose – stimulating and elevating for the mind
• Rosemary – stimulates memory retention on lowers cortisol levels

For more on boosting memory, check out these articles:

Memory and Concentration Blend Recipe
Herbs that Improve Memory for Back to School

Mood Swings

It’s common knowledge that children (and teens) can throw tantrums and have other emotional outbursts. Diffuse the essential oils below to help mitigate mood swings and balance emotions.

• Bergamot – uplifts and balances negative emotions, especially agitation and overall tension
• Clary sage – a soothing nerve tonic. Also relieves PMS and hormonal distress
• Fennel – balances hormones and the digestive system
• Geranium – helps us process negativity and then instills joy
• Jasmine – encourages feelings of confidence and optimism and helps us deal with dilemmas
• Juniper – restores emotional balance and soothes the nervous system
• Lavender – encourages calmness and balances the body on multiple levels
• Lemon – dispels negativity and anger
• Peppermint – relieves anger
• Rose – instills a sense of calm and well-being
• Rosemary – lowers elevated cortisol levels which may be causing negative behavior
• Sandalwood – harmonizes and balances the emotions
• Spruce – grounding. Relieves emotional blocks
• Yarrow – balances both internal and external energies
• Ylang ylang – helps with anger, rage, and low self-esteem

Motion Sickness

These are a few essential oils known to ease feelings of nausea, stomach/intestinal upset, cramping, and motion sickness.

• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Peppermint
• Spearmint

You can read more about the best essential oils for motion sickness here.

Negativity

Getting a less than satisfactory mark on a test, having a bout with a close friend at school, not making the cut for a sports team, and a multitude of other situations can instill a sense of hopelessness and negativity. Use the below oils to help encourage positivity and optimism.

• Grapefruit – prevents one from drowning in their own negativity. Anti-depressant, uplifting, and balancing
• Sandalwood – slowly and powerfully calms, harmonizes, and balances negative feelings leaving a sense of empowerment and open heartedness

You can learn more about treating depression naturally below:

Healing Depression Naturally

Essential Oils for Depression

Overwhelm

Feeling overwhelmed can be a common emotion felt at school especially when the school is new, your child has a lot of classes paired with extracurricular activities, has tons of homework, or when facing a difficult subject.  Use the essential oils below to help comfort the mind and senses while simultaneously keeping your child focused.

• Frankincense – stimulates emotional balance and well-being while lessening nervousness
• Geranium – eases nervous tension and encourages peaceful thoughts and emotions
• Juniper – evokes feelings of peace and tranquility
• Melissa – removes emotional blocks and instills a positive outlook
• Myrrh – uplifts and opens the heart
• Neroli – uplifts and positively influences the mind, body, and spirit
• Rosewood – appeasing to the mind and creates a sense of peace
• Sandalwood – removes negativity at a cellular level and instills a sense of empowerment and determination
• Spruce – helps release emotional blocks and grounds the body

Pimples/Acne

Help your teen overcome acne by using the essential oils below to help reduce inflammation and redness, kill acne causing bacteria, heal existing blemishes, and prevent future breakouts.

• Clary sage – helps to balance out of whack hormones
• Frankincense – Extremely healing for the skin. Reduces inflammation and redness. Reduces scarring
• Lavender – kills acne causing bacteria and heals the skin
• Lemongrass – anti-inflammatory and regenerates tissues
• Melaleuca (tea tree) – clears existing acne and prevents future breakouts

You can read more about the best essential oils for acne here.

Procrastination

When you would rather be playing outside or hanging out with friends, it’s easy to put off doing your homework or studying for a test. Use the essential oils below to help motivate your child to get things done!

• Geranium – fosters peace and hope while sharpening focus
• Lavender – known to work where there is need. Promotes positivity
• Roman chamomile – empowers one to move forward, removes fear
• Rose – stimulates the mind into action
• Spruce – helps encourage action
• Sweet orange – encourages a positive mood
• Ylang ylang – allows one to focus their thoughts and attention

Rejection

Not making the cut for your first-choice school for university and other setbacks can leave your child feeling rejected. Use the essential oils below to restore a sense of self-worth and self-love, relieve negative feelings, and open the heart and mind.

• Angelica – brings one back to the point before anger or rejection was felt
• Bergamot – helps relieve anxiety, stress, and tension. Uplifts the emotions
• Cedarwood – sedating and calming. Helpful for restful sleep
• Frankincense – promotes a positive attitude in spite of an undesirable outcome
• Geranium – helps discharge toxins that are holding us back from emotional balance
• Helichrysum – allows one to let go of angry feelings
• Jasmine – encourages feelings of peace, joy, confidence, and optimism
• Juniper – encourages positivity
• Lavender – calms raging emotions and instills peace and tranquility
• Lemon – promotes emotional healing
• Melissa – instills a positive outlook on life
• Palmarosa – speeds healing both mentally and emotionally
• Pine – grounding and balancing
• Roman chamomile – reduces negativity and feeling of rejection
• Rose – enhances the healing frequency of every cell and harmonizes the emotions
• Rosewood – uplifts negative thoughts and instills love and peace in the soul
• Sandalwood – improves a negative attitude
• Spruce – opens the heart to receive and give feelings of peace and love
• White fir – grounding, anchoring, empowering
• Ylang ylang – focuses one’s mind on the bigger picture

Restlessness

Whether it’s caused by excitement, boredom, or a multitude of other factors, feeling restless can prevent your child from focusing or getting restful sleep. Use the essential oils below to help relax your child’s mind or awaken their senses based on their needs.

• Angelica – calming and sedative for children having trouble sleeping
• Basil – stimulant, uplifting, and energizing. Hones focus and attention
• Bergamot – helps clear the mind and peak interest
• Cedarwood – sedative and relaxing for both mind and body
• Frankincense – promotes positivity and encourages tranquil energy
• Geranium – opens and elevates the mind. Instills purpose
• Lavender – instills balance where it is needed, calms the emotions and the body
• Rose – brings balance and harmony to the mind and body
• Rosewood – relaxes and energizes the mind and body as needed
• Spruce – grounds the mind and body
• Sweet orange – provides emotional support to overcome obstacles
• Valerian – induces sleep and relaxation both mentally and physically
• Ylang ylang – focuses the thoughts

Sadness

Whatever the cause may be, it’s pretty much guaranteed that your child will experience some form of sadness at while at school or because of school (for me, I think of graduation high school and leaving all my friends). For times when your child needs a pick-me-up, use the essential oils below.

• Helichrysum – and amazing oil for eradicating all forms of negativity
• Sweet orange – instills feelings of hope, happiness, peace, joy, and optimism

Self-Esteem

Feeling okay in your skin is something every child has to overcome at some point in their lives. Often, it’s during those awkward in-between years when voices change, limbs are lanky, and hormones are raging. Help support your child’s self-esteem by using the essential oils below to help promote positive body image and happy emotions.

• Bergamot – a very uplifting and cheerful oil
• Blue tansy – synergizes and enhances the effect of other essential oils
• Cardamom – a warming and calming oil that support a positive mind
• Frankincense – opens the heart to meditation and spirituality when doubt sets in about one’s self
• Geranium – uplifting and encouraging. Promotes a positive outlook
• Helichrysum – gets rid of anger, self-pity, and feelings of negativity
• Jasmine – penetrates the deepest layers of the soul and opens the emotions with positive energy. Instills confidence and optimism
• Lavender – promotes conscious awareness and emotions
• Lemon – instills positivity and cheerfulness
• Melissa – promotes a positive outlook on life and one’s self
• Neroli – strengthens and stabilizes emotions
• Palmarosa – stimulates positive thoughts and emotions
• Roman chamomile – removes fears and self-conscious feelings
• Rose – brings balance and harmony to the mind and body
• Rosewood – instills mental peace and gentleness
• Sandalwood – improves attitude
• Spruce – grounding. Helps one release mental and emotional blocks
• Ylang ylang – encourages confidence and joy

Stress

The higher your child progresses in school, the more your child has to take on in order to advance even further. This can often cause stress both mentally and physically. Use the essential oils below to help ease stress and calm the mind.

• Basil – its uplifting scent helps instill a positive outlook and relieve stressful thoughts
• Benzoin (onycha) – helps us react to stress in the best way possible
• Bergamot – opens the heart chakra and promotes relaxation
• Clary sage – sedative and promotes feelings of euphoria
• Cypress – balances emotions. Very grounding
• Elemi – sedative and psychologically balancing
• Frankincense – sedative, relieves tension, and balances emotions
• Geranium – detoxifies the liver which helps us process stress
• Grapefruit – cuts through negativity and relieves stress
• Lavender – helps you wind down and relieves stress
• Marjoram – calming, relaxing, and fortifying
• Neroli – stabilizes feelings and emotions and brings relief to seemingly hopeless situations
• Pine – revitalizes those suffering from mental and emotional fatigue caused by stress
• Roman chamomile – helps us release negative memories and emotions
• Rosemary – just sniffing rosemary EO can reduce cortisol levels in minutes
• Rosewood – synergizes with other essential oils. Relieves stress and negativity
• Spruce – recharging for the mind and soul
• Tangerine – sedating and calming to the nervous system
• Ylang ylang – promotes feeling of self-love and lowers cortisol levels

You can learn more about the best essential oils for stress here.

Tension

Having stress at school can cause physical tension in the neck and shoulders while mental tension can affect grades. Use the essential oils below to create soothing massage oils that can be rubbed into tense and sore muscles for pain relief or be dabbed onto the temples and the back of the neck for clearing mental fatigue.

• Basil – deeply soothes tight muscles and relieves nervous tension
• Bergamot – the scent clarifies the mind and eases tense and nervous feelings
• Cedarwood – sedating and calming for both the mind and muscles
• Frankincense – improves attitude and soothes tense muscles when applied topically
• Lavender – works where it is needed. Relaxes muscles and the mind
• Melaleuca – helps reduce inflammation and relieves pain
• Valerian – an anti-spasmodic that helps relieve tension and promote restful sleep
• Ylang ylang – reduces stressful emotions and relieves both mental and physical tension

Workaholic

Sometimes wanting to be the best student in the class with the highest grades can lead to an obsession with staying far ahead of everyone else. In order to help reign in this potentially destructive behavior, use the essential oils below to help ease those hidden symptoms of a workaholic.

• Basil – promotes relaxation of the mind and body in order to allow for stepping back and resting the mind
• Geranium – helps one reconnect with their inner self and relieves emotional distress related to overworking
• Lavender – addresses nervousness, exhaustion, and poor sleeping habits often exhibited by workaholics
• Marjoram – eases overstimulation and relaxes hidden stressors

What have been your favorite essential oils for back to school?

Don’t want to but figure out back to school essential oil blends on your own? I’ve got you covered in my 9 READY-MADE ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS YOU NEED FOR BACK TO SCHOOL post 🙂

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