If you’re planning a getaway this winter, don’t forget to pack essential oils for travel. Many of us go to a warm destination for a break from the cold. Perhaps a weekend spa getaway is in your future. Or do you prefer to go to the slopes and immerse yourself in a winter wonderland of active outdoor adventures in snowy nature?
Essential oils can be a great traveling companion, offering natural solutions to common travel challenges like jet lag, motion sickness, anxiety and stress.
In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about essential oils for travel, including packing tips and safety regulations, to the must-have oils for your journey. By the end, you’ll feel confident incorporating aromatherapy into your next adventure, ensuring a more comfortable and rejuvenating experience. Let’s connect nature to your travel routine!
This blog is all about the best essential oils for travel.
Why Use Essential Oils for Travel?
Traveling can be a great break from the everyday, however, as exciting as it can be it also brings a few discomforts. For example, some of us experience travel anxiety, stress from crowded airports and restless nights in unfamiliar hotel rooms. Using essential oils for travel can make a big difference for your well-being. So, why should you use essential oils for travel during your next adventure?
1. Curb the Cold
Do you ever feel like travel is nice but you tend to come back with a cold? Airports, airplanes, and public spaces are a great place for germs to hang out. Essential oils like tea tree, lemon, and rosemary may help you bypass those germs. Using a hand cleansing spray may be your key to staying healthy while on the go.
2. Combat Jet Lag and Fatigue
Crossing time zones can leave you feeling drained and disoriented. Oils like lavender, patchouli can help regulate sleep patterns while peppermint may keep you feeling energized when you want to be awake and exploring.
3. Ease Travel Anxiety
For those who feel uneasy about flying, driving on the highway, or navigating new places, calming oils like lavender, bergamot, and frankincense can provide comfort and grounding. Use a roller blend with carrier oils on your pulse points or a personal inhaler for discreet relief.
4. Headaches
You may find that peppermint essential oil is helpful in alleviating headaches. Blend it with lavender and sweet marjoram to create a roller blend that can be used on your temples.
5. Digestion and Motion Sickness
Settle stomach woes by being prepared in advance. Ginger essential oil may help to ease your digestive system. Blend it with bergamot in a personal inhaler for a portable solution that you can fit in a pocket or purse for ease of use.
6. Enhance Your Relaxation
Vacations are meant for unwinding, and essential oils can help you create your own personal spa style experience anywhere. Use a terra cotta essential oil diffuser with essential oils for travel like ylang ylang, clary sage, or a relaxing blend of lavender and patchouli in your hotel room to set the mood.
Essential oils can help to elevate your vacation experience by lessening the discomforts associated with travel.
Top 10 Essential Oils for Travel
When packing your bag, including a small collection of versatile essential oils and blends can make a world of difference when you need it. These oils are travel-friendly powerhouses that support your well-being throughout your trip. Here are my top ten essential oils for travel and how they can help. I recommend choosing your favourite 5 to keep your travelling oils to a minimum.
1. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender is helpful in so many situations it just can’t be ignored. Lavender essential oil is known for its calming properties. You may find it helpful for travel anxiety and stress, to help promote restful sleep in unfamiliar places, or relax after a long day of sightseeing.
2. Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
This invigorating oil might be your new favourite for combating travel fatigue, motion sickness, and digestive discomfort. A dab of peppermint oil on your temples may also help for relief of headaches.
3. Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Known for its antimicrobial properties, tea tree oil is a great choice for hand cleansing, or help with minor cuts, and scrapes.
4. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Rosemary may be helpful if you are feeling mentally or physically exhausted. Rosemary is the queen of cephalic oils. It may help you to bring your focus back and encourage you to live in the moment. If your vacation is for rejuvenation, you may want rosemary to be high on your list of essential oils for travel.
5. Lemon (Citrus limon)
Bright and uplifting, lemon essential oil is a multitasker. It may help you with upset stomach, act as a natural disinfectant, and even freshen the air in your travel space.
6. Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
Frankincense offers grounding benefits and is excellent for relaxation, meditation or quiet moments. It may also support skin health, making it a great addition to your skincare routine if needed.
7. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger essential oil may be helpful when travelling for motion sickness or digestive troubles. Blend it with lemon essential oil in a personal inhaler to use on a plane,
8. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Travel can be stressful, but bergamot essential oil helps ease tension and elevate your mood. Its citrusy yet calming aroma is perfect for relaxing after a busy day. It may also help you with digestive upset if you prefer its scent over lemon.
9. Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)
Chamomile might be your personal hero when travelling, especially if you are not a fan of lavender. If you are dealing with travel anxiety or trouble sleeping, chamomile may provide soothing relief. Use it in a roller blend to unwind after a hectic travel day.
10. Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)
Is there an essential oil more luxurious than ylang ylang? You may find this oil provides stress and anxiety relief, promoting relaxation and emotional balancing. It is also an exotic smelling floral that has been used to celebrate newlyweds.
These essential oils for travel will cover a wide range of needs, from relaxation to immunity, ensuring a smoother, more enjoyable trip. I recommend choosing your favourite 5 essential oils for travel from this list and creating blends to help you with your most pressing needs. Remember that essential oils should never be ingested. Let’s find out how to pack them safely.
How to Pack Essential Oils for Travel
Packing essential oils for travel isn’t complicated, but it does take the proper planning and mindfulness. By following a few simple steps, you can ensure your oils remain safe, organized, and ready to use whenever you need them.
Use Small Glass Bottles
Make sure your oils are in small glass essential oil bottles with orifice reducer to prevent leaks. If you are travelling for a week or two you don’t need more than a 5ml bottle. Keep it small to keep it safe.
Choose a Protective Case
Store your oils in a padded carrying case like this one designed for essential oils. These cases help to protect the bottles from breakage during transit.
Double-Bag for Extra Protection
Place your essential oil bottles in a resealable plastic bag. This adds a layer of protection against leaks, especially if you’re packing them in your checked luggage.
Label Clearly
Label each bottle with the oil’s name, supplier name and dilution instructions, if applicable. This makes it easy to grab the oil you need without confusion.
Keep Them Accessible
Choose your favourite and keep it within reach, like your carry-on bag, if allowed. This ensures you have quick access to oils for motion sickness, relaxation, or headaches during your journey.
By taking these steps, you can travel confidently with your essential oils, knowing they’re secure and ready to enhance your trip.
Airline Regulations
Knowing the guidelines for liquids on airplanes is essential to a hassle-free experience. Regulations can change at any time so be sure to do your own research before you fly. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Know the Liquid Rules
If you’re traveling by air, essential oils count as liquids. Know the current limit before you fly.
Pack Most of Them in Checked Luggage
If you need to bring larger quantities of essential oils, pack them in your checked luggage. Use protective cases and double-bagging to prevent spills.
Research Airline Policies
Some airlines may have additional rules regarding liquids or essential oils. Check your airline’s website before your trip to avoid surprises at the airport.
Be Mindful of Aromas
Strong scents can bother fellow travelers. Avoid opening essential oil bottles on the plane, and instead, use discreet methods like personal inhalers or pre-diluted roller bottles.
Declare When Necessary
If you’re traveling internationally, research customs regulations in your destination country. Some places restrict certain plant-based products, including essential oils.
By following these tips, you can travel with your favorite essential oils while complying with airline and international travel regulations.
DIY Blends for Your Journey
Here are a few suggestions for blends that you can make to help your vacation be extra enjoyable!
Relaxation Inhaler for Flights
Keep yourself calm during flights with this personal inhaler.
Ingredients:
- 5 drops bergamot essential oil
- 3 drops frankincense essential oil
- Personal inhaler
Instructions:
- Add the essential oils to the wick of your personal inhaler.
- Seal the inhaler and label it.
- Pack it in your purse or carry-on bag.
- Inhale deeply as needed to reduce stress during your flight.
Stomach-Settling Blend for Travel Sickness
If travel makes your stomach queasy, this essential oil blend may help you out.
Ingredients:
- 10 ml roller bottle
- 5 ml fractionated coconut oil
- 3 drops ginger essential oil
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil
Instructions:
- Add the carrier oil to the roller bottle.
- Carefully drop in the essential oils and replace the cap. Shake gently to combine and label your bottle.
- Apply to your wrists, abdomen, or behind your ears for relief.
Headache Relief Roller Blend
This roller blend may offer relief for travel-related headaches.
Ingredients:
- 10 ml roller bottle
- 5 ml jojoba oil
- 4 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3 drops lavender essential oil
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
Instructions:
- Fill the roller bottle with carrier oil.
- Add the essential oils and and replace the cap. Shake gently to combine and label your bottle.
- Roll onto temples, the back of your neck, or your wrists at the first sign of discomfort.
Traveling with essential oils can make your adventures smoother, more enjoyable, and a little more relaxing. Whether you’re calming travel nerves, staying refreshed, or tackling common travel woes, these oils are friendly companions. Start with a few favorites, pack smart, and enjoy the journey ahead. I wish you safe travels!
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