GUIDES & AROMATHERAPY
The knowledge behind the bottle.
Aromatherapy is the natural home of essential oils — diffusion, inhalation and scent. Clear, honest guidance, drawn from more than thirty years of blending and testing pure oils in Australia.
Getting started
What are essential oils?
An essential oil is the concentrated, aromatic essence of a plant — captured from its flowers, leaves, peel, wood, resin or roots. It carries the scent of the plant in a highly concentrated form: it can take many kilograms of raw material to fill a single small bottle, which is why a few drops go a long way.
How they're captured
- Steam distillation — steam is passed through the plant material; the aromatic compounds lift with the vapour and are collected as it cools. Most oils are made this way.
- Cold pressing — used for citrus. The peel is simply pressed, with no heat, so the oil stays bright and fresh.
- Absolutes — a gentler method for delicate flowers such as jasmine, whose scent cannot survive distillation.
Single oils, blends and pre-diluted
- Single oils — one plant, one species. Lavender, peppermint, frankincense.
- Signature blends — several oils composed together for a particular mood or setting, such as our Sanctuary or Spirit of Woman.
- Precious oils, pre-diluted — the rarest flowers (Rose Otto, Jasmine, Neroli) are offered at 2.5% in organic jojoba, so a costly aromatic is within reach and ready to blend into your own skincare.
Your first oils
Start with three.
If you are new to aromatherapy, three oils will take you further than a shelf of them. The Introductory Collection holds the three we would hand anyone starting out, at 5ml each.
Soft, floral and rounded; the classic of the diffuser, and the oil most people meet first.
Cool and intensely minty. A bright, sharpening scent for the desk and the day.
Cold pressed from the peel. Clean, sharp and zesty — a top note that lifts whatever it is blended with.
Between them they cover the three directions a blend can take — floral, fresh, citrus — which is why they work as well together as they do alone.
Then three more.
When you are ready to widen the shelf, these are where most people go next.
Fresh, green and cleanly camphoraceous. An Australian icon, distilled from a coastal paperbark.
Sharp, clean and unmistakably Australian. A fresh note for the cooler months.
The most cheerful oil on the shelf, cold pressed from the peel, warm and immediate.
Try each one on its own first, to learn the scent, then begin combining. A citrus with a floral, or a mint with a fresh eucalyptus, are easy first blends.
How to use them
Ways to use essential oils
In aromatherapy, essential oils are enjoyed through scent — diffused into the air or inhaled. These are the simplest and most reliable ways to use them at home.
Diffusion
An ultrasonic diffuser disperses a few drops of oil as a fine, cool mist. There is no heat, so the oil is not altered — the scent stays true. This is the everyday method, and the gentlest.
Direct inhalation
Add a drop or two to a tissue or cotton pad and breathe in the scent. Ideal on the move, or at a desk.
Steam bowl
Add a few drops to a bowl of steaming (not boiling) water, lean over, and breathe gently with eyes closed. Keep your face at a comfortable distance.
A scented bath
Because oil and water do not mix, always disperse the oil first — blend a few drops into a tablespoon of carrier oil, unscented base, or milk before adding to the bath, so the neat oil never sits on the skin.
Diffuser basics
A diffuser is the easiest way to enjoy essential oils, and the questions are always the same: how much, and how long.
How many drops
As a guide, 4–6 drops for a typical room. Add more for a large or open space, fewer for a small one. Start light — you can always add another drop.
How long
Run the diffuser for 30–60 minutes at a time, then let the room rest. Scent works best in waves; the nose quickly stops noticing a smell that is constant, so intervals keep it fresh.
Keeping it clean
- Empty any remaining water after each session — don't leave it standing.
- Wipe the reservoir now and then; a drop of our Vaporiser Cleaner, or a little white vinegar, clears any oily residue that can dull the mist.
- Use fresh water each time, and switch oils only in a clean tank so scents don't muddle.
To wind a room down at night, a single oil such as lavender, set going half an hour before bed, is often all you need.
Building a blend
A balanced blend usually pairs a top note (bright, citrus — orange, bergamot), a middle (floral or herb — lavender, geranium) and a base (deep, woody — cedarwood, patchouli). Begin with more top than base, and keep notes as you go.
Blends made for the diffuser are the easy ones — nothing is touching skin, so you can experiment freely. Four to six drops in total is enough for a room, whether that is one oil or four.
Choosing oils by need
Most people come to aromatherapy with a moment in mind — winding down, waking up, freshening the house. Here is a scent-led map to point you to the right shelf. Think of these as moods and atmospheres rather than remedies.
Calm & Sleep
Soft, quiet scents for the evening: lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and blends such as Sanctuary and Sweet Dreams. A single oil in the diffuser half an hour before bed.
Focus & Energy
Bright, sharpening scents for the desk and the morning: peppermint, rosemary, lemon and other citrus.
Breathe & Clear
Fresh, cooling scents for the cooler months: eucalyptus, tea tree, and our Ezi-Breathe blend.
A fresh home
Clean, lifting scents for living spaces: lemongrass, citrus, eucalyptus, and the My House blend.
Mood & uplift
Warm, rounded, feel-good scents: sweet orange, geranium, ylang ylang.
Use them safely
The four rules
- Not to be taken. Not a drop, not in water, not in a capsule.
- Extremely concentrated. Treat a 10 mL bottle as you would a strong chemical, not a food.
- Keep out of reach of children. The dropper insert is not a child-resistant closure.
- Never apply undiluted to skin. Even the gentlest oils.
Read the full safety guide →
Common questions, answered
What does “100% pure” actually mean?
That the bottle contains only the essential oil of a single named species — nothing diluted, extended or synthetic. We guarantee our oils are pure, natural, authentic and true to species, and confirm it by testing every batch.
What's the difference between a single oil and a blend?
A single oil is one plant species. A signature blend is several oils composed together for a particular mood or setting. Beginners often start with single oils to learn each scent, then explore blends for convenience.
What is an “absolute”?
An absolute is an aromatic extracted by a gentler method than distillation, used for delicate flowers — such as jasmine — whose scent would not survive steam. It is still highly concentrated.
What does Certified Organic (ACO) mean here?
Oils marked Certified Organic carry Australian Certified Organic certification, which verifies organic practice from the growing of the plant through to the finished bottle.
Why do prices vary so much between oils?
It comes down to the plant and the yield. Some oils need enormous quantities of raw material — it takes thousands of rose petals to fill one small bottle — while a citrus peel gives its oil readily. The rarest florals are offered pre-diluted so they remain within reach.
The colour or smell of my oil seems slightly different to last time. Why?
Pure essential oils are natural agricultural products, so small batch-to-batch variation in colour and aroma is normal and expected — it is a sign the oil has not been standardised with additives.
How many drops should I use in a diffuser?
About 4–6 drops for a typical room, more for a larger space. Run it for 30–60 minutes at a time, then let the room rest — scent stays fresher in intervals.
Can I use essential oils without a diffuser?
Yes. Add a drop to a tissue and inhale, add a few drops to a bowl of steaming water, or blend into a carrier oil for the bath. A diffuser is convenient, not essential.
Can I put essential oils directly on my skin?
No — not undiluted. Concentrated oils should be diluted into a carrier oil or unscented base cream first. A few oils are best kept to the diffuser entirely; check the product page. The safety guide covers this properly.
Can I add oils to my bath?
Yes, but disperse them first. Because oil and water don't mix, blend a few drops into a tablespoon of carrier oil, unscented base or milk before adding to the water, so neat oil never sits on the skin.
Can I put a drop on my pillow?
A single drop of a gentle oil such as lavender on a tissue tucked near the pillow is a common way to scent the bedroom. Avoid putting neat oil directly on fabric that touches skin.
Can I add essential oils to a humidifier?
Only if the humidifier is designed for oils. Many are not, and oil can damage the plastic or the mechanism. An ultrasonic diffuser is made for the purpose.
How do I use the precious pre-diluted oils (Rose, Jasmine, Neroli)?
They are already blended at 2.5% in organic jojoba. Add a few drops directly into your moisturiser, facial oil, body lotion or a plain carrier oil, then apply to the skin. The 2.5% strength reflects the high cost of the pure flower, not a limit on use.
Are essential oils safe to swallow?
No. Essential oils are for aromatherapy — diffusion, inhalation and diluted topical use — and are not to be taken internally.
How do I patch test a new oil?
Apply a small amount of the diluted blend to the inner forearm and wait 24 hours. If there's any redness or irritation, don't use it more widely.
Which oils are photosensitive?
Our citrus oils are steam distilled unless the label says otherwise, and distillation leaves the light-sensitive compounds behind. Where a label does say cold pressed — Bergamot — keep it off skin that will see sunlight. The full guide explains why.
Are essential oils safe during pregnancy?
Use sparingly, by diffusion, in a ventilated room, and avoid the stronger and spicier oils. Because individual circumstances differ, check with your doctor or a qualified aromatherapist first.
Can I use them around babies and young children?
Keep to gentle diffusion in a ventilated room and a 1% dilution for any skin use. Seek professional advice for children under two, and keep all oils out of reach.
Are essential oils safe around pets?
Animals — cats in particular — metabolise oils very differently to people. Diffuse only in ventilated rooms, let pets leave freely, and never apply oils to an animal without veterinary advice.
Which oils are most likely to irritate skin?
The warming, spicy oils — cinnamon, clove, thyme, black pepper. Cinnamon bark in particular is used at a maximum of 0.1% on skin. Dilute well and patch test, or keep them to the diffuser.
How should I store my oils?
Tightly capped, upright, away from heat and direct light. The amber glass helps; a cool cupboard is ideal.
How long do essential oils last?
Most keep well for a few years stored correctly. Citrus oils are the shortest-lived; deep woods and resins the longest. Keep bottles closed and away from heat to slow oxidation.
Should I keep them in the fridge?
Not necessary for most, though citrus oils can benefit from cool storage. Let a chilled oil return to room temperature before use.
How do you make sure every oil is pure?
We test every batch against a set of measures — appearance, colour, clarity, odour, specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation, GC/MS (gas chromatography & mass spectrometry), solubility where applicable, and checks for pesticide and herbicide residues — to confirm the oil is authentic, true to species and unadulterated.
What is GC/MS?
Gas chromatography & mass spectrometry — a laboratory method that separates an oil into its individual components and identifies them, so its composition can be confirmed and any adulteration detected.
Do you test on animals?
No. Our skincare, body and hair ranges are made without animal testing.