We've talked about essential oils for gorgeous skin and staying healthy, but now that it's almost January, we're all thinking about detoxing and getting rid of the various holiday excesses. Adding essential oils to your daily routine can help put you in the right mindset to start a detox, as well as support your body during any detoxes you may try. Quality matters here, so make sure you're working with pure essential oils.
Here are 11 essential oils that can help support your detoxing efforts.
As always, please talk to your doctor before using essential oils or detoxing if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Top 10 Essential Oils for Detox
1. Lemon
This citrus oil is a great one to have on hand for detoxing. Its refreshing and regenerating aroma can help brighten your mood if you're feeling down, but it's also a powerful antioxidant. Lemon is great for scavenging free radicals [source], which makes it a fantastic choice for supporting the liver through the detoxification process.
Everyday use: Add 1–2 drops of diluted lemon oil to the bottom of your feet. For tips on how to safely dilute essential oils in a carrier oil before placing them on the skin, read this important article.
2. Lavender
Lavender essential oil has a calming scent, which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves. It has a long history of use for treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension, and emotional stress.
While it’s true that the nervous system has a natural affinity for this relaxing aroma, it has also traditionally been used for digestion, sleep, and even pain relief [source].
Everyday use: Put 2 drops of diluted lavender oil on the wrists twice a day to support the nervous system or apply to the soles of the feet before bedtime.
3. Grapefruit
Grapefruit contains antiviral, antiseptic, and diuretic properties, and animal studies show it may even help with weight loss [source]. It has traditionally been used to support the lymphatic and digestive systems. Like other citrus oils, the crisp, invigorating aroma of grapefruit can help refresh and uplift the mind, helping to disperse negative energy.
Everyday use: Add to homemade body wash or to a carrier oil for an Ayurvedic massage to help get the blood and lymph moving.
4. Peppermint
Peppermint is great if your detox has you feeling sluggish, as its cool, minty aroma is incredibly uplifting. It's also stellar at supporting the digestive system in a number of ways [source].
Everyday use: Add to homemade toothpaste or make your own teeth whitening scrub.
5. Oregano
This is a powerful antibacterial oil, which is helpful because most of us are harboring pathogens, bacteria, parasites, and more. This oil is also high in antioxidants and is wonderful to have on hand during cold and flu season [source].
Everyday use: Add to coconut oil for an instant hand sanitizer.
6. Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a multi-purpose oil that can be used to support a healthy detox in a number of ways. Some of the therapeutic properties of lemongrass include analgesic [source], anti-fungal [source], anti-inflammatory [source], antioxidant, antibacterial [source], antiseptic, astringent and sedative, and in a very recent article, it is seen even to fight scabies [source].
Everyday use: Also a great beauty essential oil, lemongrass can be used on the skin diluted in your body lotion or other carrier oil.
7. Orange
Cold-pressed from the orange peel, sweet orange essential oil is excellent for helping you to feel more energized and revitalized, which is super beneficial if your detox has you feeling a bit tired as many do. It is also considered an effective oil for uplifting one's mood, as well as reducing feelings of anxiety [source].
Everyday use: Use orange essential oil on its own or in combination with other essential oils in your diffuser for an uplifting aroma. Orange oil also makes an excellent household cleaner.
8. Ginger
Ginger has long been used as a stomach soother, especially to aid digestion and help with feelings of motion sickness and nausea [source]. When I do a detox, my stomach tends to get upset in the beginning as my digestive system adjusts to toxins being removed from my body. If you're in the same boat, ginger may be the way to go.
Everyday use: Diffuse ginger to help with feelings of upset stomach or whip up a simple massage oil and give your abdomen a light massage.
9. Juniper berry
Juniper berry is believed to help the body to throw off toxic wastes, as well as support health in a number of ways [source]. The herb has traditionally been used to improve elimination and support liver function, but it has a number of uses to support health as everything from an anti-inflammatory to an analgesic [source].
Everyday use: Add 2 drops of diluted oil to wrists twice a day to help support detox or use it in a scrub to get the lymph moving and aid detoxification.
10. Fennel seed
Fennel herb has historically been used for a number of gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, flatulence, and constipation and is lovely as an afternoon tea [source]. Like the herb, the essential oil is also commonly used to help with feelings of stomach upset which is helpful during a detox since the digestive system works overtime to help eliminate toxins.
Additionally, research has shown that fennel essential oil has the ability to scavenge free radicals [source] which makes it a fantastic choice to help support your detox.
Everyday use: Inhale fennel straight from the bottle or use it to give yourself a foot massage.
11. Bergamot
Stress is a major contributor to illness and disease, and bergamot happens to be one of the best essential oils for helping the body cope with different types of stress such as infection, inflammation, and it even works on the nervous system when your thoughts are out of whack [source]. It is often found in formulations for anxiety, and the uplifting aroma can even help lift your spirits if you've been feeling down in the dumps [source].
Everyday use: Apply diluted bergamot essential oil to the bottom of the feet at bedtime to promote restful sleep or add to a warm bath—read this article to learn how to add essential oils to the bath safely.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified pediatrician who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical review board here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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