Essential oils offer a powerful way to harness the natural properties of plants for wellbeing, aromatherapy, and personal care. Whether you're creating calming blends for relaxation or invigorating combinations for focus, knowing how to mix essential oils correctly can enhance their benefits and fragrance. Understanding how to blend them effectively not only improves the overall experience but also maximises the oil's therapeutic potential.

What Are Essential Oils? 

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts obtained through methods like steam distillation or cold pressing. These oils capture the essence of the plant's scent and beneficial properties, making them popular for use in aromatherapy, massage, skincare, and natural home cleaning products. From lavender to eucalyptus, each oil offers a unique combination of characteristics.

Used individually, essential oils are potent tools for supporting physical and emotional wellbeing. However, blending them allows users to tailor aromas and effects to specific preferences or needs. A well-crafted blend can bring harmony to the senses, offering benefits such as improved mood, deeper relaxation, or heightened focus.

Blending By Scent

When blending essential oils, scent compatibility plays a major role. Certain oils have natural affinities for one another, creating harmonious and pleasing combinations. Floral oils, such as lavender and geranium, blend beautifully with citrus oils like sweet orange or bergamot. Similarly, grounding base notes such as sandalwood or patchouli complement spicy or herbaceous scents like ginger or rosemary.

Scent blending also allows you to build a signature aroma. If you're creating products for personal use or a small business line, experimenting with scent profiles can help you develop a unique olfactory identity. Try combining oils from different families - floral, citrus, woody, spicy - to create something distinctive yet balanced.

Blending By Note

Another common method is blending by "note". Essential oils are classified into three categories: top, middle, and base notes. A well-rounded blend typically includes all three, creating a layered, lasting aroma that evolves over time.

Top notes like lemon, peppermint, and eucalyptus provide the initial impression of a blend. They are light and uplifting but tend to evaporate quickly. Middle notes - often called the "heart" of the blend - such as lavender, chamomile, and tea tree, offer balance and help bind the blend together. Base notes like cedarwood, myrrh, or vetiver are rich and grounding, lingering long after the top notes have faded.

Understanding this hierarchy helps you design blends that are both pleasing and enduring. A classic blend might include bergamot (top), rosemary (middle), and sandalwood (base) for a fresh, herbal scent with warm undertones.

How to Store Blended Essential Oils

Blended essential oils, like single oils, require careful storage to maintain their potency and shelf life. Exposure to air, heat, and light can degrade the quality of the oils, reducing both their therapeutic benefits and aromatic profile. Using proper containers and conditions is essential.

To keep your blended oils fresh and effective:

• Store in amber glass bottles to block UV light

• Use airtight dropper caps or pipettes to limit oxygen exposure

• Keep bottles in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight

• Label each bottle clearly with the blend name and date

• Avoid storing oils near heat sources or in fluctuating temperatures

With the right storage practices, essential oil blends can last anywhere from 6 months to several years, depending on the ingredients used.

Properly stored oils also present better to clients and customers, especially if you're selling or gifting your blends. Neat, professional packaging not only protects the product but also improves its perceived value.

Dropper Bottles from Freeman & Harding

At Freeman & Harding, as suppliers of a wide range of glass jars and bottles, we provide a comprehensive range of amber glass dropper bottles, ideal for storing and dispensing essential oils. Whether you're blending oils at home or producing aromatherapy products for retail, our bulk options make it easy to maintain quality and consistency across your range. Our dropper bottles come in sizes from 10ml to 100ml, with pipettes, tamper-evident caps, and spray tops available to suit your needs.

Made from durable amber glass, our bottles protect contents from UV light while offering an elegant, professional appearance. They're perfect for maintaining the integrity of your blends and presenting them with confidence.

To learn more, contact Freeman & Harding now

Ready to enhance your essential oil blends with high-quality storage solutions? Contact Freeman & Harding today to explore our full range of bulk dropper bottles and accessories. Whether you're an artisan, startup, or established manufacturer, we're here to support your business with reliable products and expert advice.