How Do You Blend Essential Oils So They Smell Good and Benefit You?

By Caryn Gehlmann, Clinical Aromatherapist

I often get asked:  how do you blend essential oils to create your blends? What’s your process for choosing oils for your new blends, like e3’s Wonder, Curiosity, and Imagination? And just as important — how do you create a blend that not only smells good, but also feels supportive? These are great questions. And the answer is both simple… and layered.

Scent speaks differently and powerfully to each one of us. This was so well illustrated in an NPR interview with ‘Wicked’ star Cynthia Erivo. It was fascinating to learn how she uses scent to get into character.

When portraying Harriet Tubman, she chose Cedarwood and Lavender, something that felt grounded, natural, of the earth. For Elphaba, she explored deep florals like Tuberose and Rose layered with Tobacco Oud.

Each scent helped her become the character. And that’s exactly how aroma works.

How Do You Blend Essential Oils Into a Blend You’ll Enjoy

When we create blends like Wonder, Curiosity, and Imagination, we don’t start with a strict formula. We start with a word… a feeling… a state of being.

For example, in my classes, I often give students a single word, like Imagination. From a fairly large selection of oils, I invite them to select 3–5 oils that intuitively feel like that word. Then I ask them to sniff one, walk away and think about it. Then come back and sniff the next one… and so forth.

At first, there’s hesitation and maybe even a little panic, “Just tell me the right ones!”

But there isn’t a right answer. And that’s where the shift happens. So here’s how we blend essential oils.

E3’s Process for Blending Essential Oils

The first layer is to let the nose lead. We begin by smelling individual oils, slowly. Then:

• Place a drop of each on a test strip
• Hold them together
• Breathe in

We ask:

• Does this feel harmonious?
• Is anything too sharp or too quiet?
• Does it evoke the Feeling/Word we’re seeking?

Then we wait. And smell again.

The second layer is to create balance in the aroma. Once we find a direction, we refine the structure. A well-rounded blend often includes:

• Top notes (bright, uplifting – citrus, light herbs)
• Middle notes (heart of the blend – florals, greens)
• Base notes (grounding, long-lasting – woods, resins)

This creates a scent that opens beautifully, evolves over time, and feels complete rather than flat.

The third layer is to support the intended effect. This is where intuition meets knowledge. Once a blend “feels right,” we look at:

• The known properties of each oil
• How they traditionally support the body and mind
• Safety and appropriate use

For example, Lavender is calming and balancing; Citrus oils are uplifting and mood-brightening; while Woods and Resins are grounding and centering.

We gently align the blend so that the aroma experience and the intended support are working together, not competing.

How Do You Blend Essential Oils Into a Blend You’ll Enjoy For Years To Come?

Here’s the thing: There’s no perfect formula because you’re not static. What smells like comfort or clarity today may not feel the same a year from now.  I’ve seen this firsthand. Someone may dislike an oil for years, then suddenly find it deeply supportive. Our preferences evolve — just like we do. That doesn’t mean the oil changed. It means we did.

How Do YOU Blend Essential Oils?

So, what do you do when you stare at the bottles of oils in front of you, and you don’t know what to do with them? Choose a Word/Feeling and pick 3 to 5 oils that speak to that word.

Blend… and breathe.

Listen…

to the aroma
to the body
to the moment.

Because often, the oils you’re drawn to are exactly what you need at this moment.

Blending essential oils is both an art (how it smells, how it feels) and a science (how oils interact, safety, application). At e3, we honor both.Pssst….it also helps to keep a blending journal of single oils or combinations you really like. And that’s the magic of aromatherapy. There are no rules other than safety rules. Our free ebook, The Art and Science of Blending Essential Oils, can get you started!