essential oils for hormone support

The trick to getting the best results from essential oils for hormone support is to use multi-tasking oils, that support various systems in the body.

This is because our hormones fluctuate in response to our daily life (particularly food, toxins and stress) and in response to each other.

A good example of this is estrogen and progesterone, which keep each other in check. Or the adrenal and thyroid hormones which also balance each other out.

So, this means that when using a natural remedy like essential oils, you’re better off choosing oils that provide multi-system support. Makes your life much easier!

And to help you get started this post is going to cover the 5 most important essential oils for female hormones, as well as some tips and blends that you can use.

Let’s get to it!

Note: this post contains affiliate links and I earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you use them to make a purchase.

TOP 5 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HORMONE BALANCE

ESSENTIAL OILBENEFITS
Ylang ylang oilboosts libido, relieves PMS, increases energy, enhances mood.
Clary sage oilregulates estrogen, supports the thyroid, reduces cortisol, improves sleep, relieves PMS.
Geranium oilimproves physical and mental symptoms of PMS, relieves hot flashes, boosts mood, regulates menstrual cycles during peri-menopause.
Sandalwood oilregulates testosterone, improves sleep quality, creates a sense of calm.
Thyme oilregulates progesterone, maintains healthy ratio of estrogen to progesterone.

1. Ylang Ylang Oil

This oil has historically been used as an aphrodisiac, which means it’s great for boosting libido.

In addition, ylang ylang oil is known to relieve PMS symptoms, increase energy and even enhance mood (source).

2. Clary Sage Oil

If you’re looking for an essential oil that supports the thyroid, reduces cortisol, improves sleep and relieves PMS, then clary sage should be at the top of your list (source).

Oh, and in addition to all of the above, clary sage is also very helpful for regulating estrogen levels (source).

Clary sage’s estrogen-regulating powers can be particularly beneficial for improving estrogen dominance symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, fatigue, PCOS and irregular periods.

3. Geranium Oil

Research shows that doing an essential oil massage with geranium (and almond oil) helps improve the physical and mental symptoms of PMS (source).

In addition, geranium oil has been shown to provide relief from hot flashes, boost mood and regulate menstrual cycles during perimenopause (1, 2).

And it’s that’s not enough, geranium essential oil promotes blood clotting and helps to constrict blood vessels, making it a great remedy for heavy periods!

4. Sandalwood Oil

Similar to ylang ylang, sandalwood is an aphrodisiac oil.

However, sandalwood offers one particular benefit that ylang ylang doesn’t: it regulates testosterone levels (source).

Too little testosterone can lead to low libido, while too much of it can result in symptoms like chronic acne.

So, adding sandalwood to your hormone balance essential oil collection can help you address both issues.

Furthermore, sandalwood improves sleep quality and creates a sense of calm (source).

5. Thyme Oil

Need to regulate your progesterone levels? Then thyme oil is just what you need (source).

Progesterone levels directly affect estrogen dominance (since estrogen and progesterone balance each other out).

And given that we’re exposed to external sources of estrogen daily (from food chemicals, water, birth control and toxins in cosmetics) this means many of us have relatively higher levels of estrogen compared to progesterone.

By using thyme oil, your body is better able to maintain a healthy estrogen to progesterone ratio.

HOW TO USE HORMONE-BALANCING ESSENTIAL OILS

MethodHow to Use
DiffusionAdd 4 to 6 drops essential oil to a diffuser.
Aromatherapy BathMix 5 to 20 drops of essential oil with 1 tbsp castile soap or carrier oil.

Add the mixture to bath water.
Body OilMix 12 to 30 drops essential with an ounce of carrier oil.

1. Diffuse The Oils

how to use hormone balancing essential oils

A diffuser is one of the easiest and quickest ways to enjoy the benefits of essential oils for hormones.

If you’re new to diffusing oils, choose one oil from this list and add 4 to 6 drops of it to your diffuser. Then just take in the aroma as you go about your regular activities.

As you get more comfortable with diffusing you can combine several few drops from 2 or more hormone balancing essential oils.

Essential oils produce better results when they’re combined, so feel free to play around and come up with your own unique scents.

2. Soak in An Aromatherapy Bath

Essential oils baths are a relaxing way of supporting the body’s detox pathways and restoring harmony to your hormones.

Just keep the following safety guidelines in mind when using essential oils in a bath:

  • Avoid using thyme oil in a bath because it’s a strong irritant.
  • For all other oils, always mix 5 – 20 drops with 1 tablespoon liquid castile soap (or a carrier oil). This prevents skin irritation or burns. Soap and oils are also more effective at diluting oils than bath salts or milks.

3. Use in A Body Oil

Since everything that touches the skin is eventually absorbed into the bloodstream, body oils are another way to use essential oils.

In order to make a body oil, you need:

  • A carrier oil like almond, coconut oil or olive oil. THIS IS A MUST TO PREVENT SKIN IRRITATION AND ENHANCE ABSORPTION OF THE OILS.
  • Glass bottle.
  • Essential oils.

When making a blend for topical use, a 2% to 5% dilution is generally considered safe.

If you’re not sure what the “dilution” means, it simply tells you how many drops of essential oil to use for every ounce of carrier oil. Here are the basic dilution guidelines:

DILUTIONESSENTIAL OIL DROPS (PER OUNCE OF CARRIER OIL)
2%18 drops
3%27 drops
4%36 drops
5%45 drops

So, let’s say you want to make a 2% hormone-balancing blend with clary sage, sandalwood and geranium. 

Based on the dilution guidelines, you need a total of 18 drops. You could use any one of the following combinations:

  • 6 drops clary sage, 4 drops sandalwood, 8 drops geranium
  • 6 drops clary sage, 6 drops sandalwood, 6 drops geranium
  • 4 drops clary sage, 8 drops sandalwood, 6 drops geranium

As you can see you can experiment with different ratios and see what works best for you.

Now, once you’re ready to use your body oil you can apply it to various parts of the body, including :

  • back of the neck and chest (for symptoms like hot flashes).
  • lower belly and lower back (for menstrual cramps).
  • bottom of the feet (this has been shown to be helpful for hot flashes) – source

You can get more tips on how to use these oils in this article on where to apply essential oils for hormone balance.

NOTE: Thyme and ylang ylang can irritate the skin. The recommended topical maximums for thyme and ylang ylang are 1.3% and 0.8% respectively (source). For help figuring out the right dilution rate, read this guide on how to dilute essential oils (includes a handy chart).

essential oils for hormone support infographic

ESSENTIAL OIL RECIPES THAT HELP WITH HORMONES

If you’re the DIY type and want to make your own blends, then try one of the recipes below.

On the other hand, if you’d rather skip the DIY-ing, you can simply buy this Hormones for Women blend made by Ancient Apothecary. It contains clary sage, ylang ylang, thyme and geranium.

Hormone Balance Roller Blend

Ingredients

5 drops clary sage

2 drops geranium

2 drops sandalwood

Evening primrose oil (or other liquid carrier oil)

10 ml roller bottle

How to Use

  1. Add the essential oils and evening primrose oil into the roller bottle.
  2. Fill up the rest of the bottle with almond oil.
  3. Seal and shake to blend the ingredients.

Hormone Support Body Oil

Ingredients

8 drops clary sage

8 drops geranium

2 drops ylang ylang

1 ounce glass bottle

Evening primrose oil (or other liquid carrier oil)

How to Use

  1. Add the oils into the glass bottle.
  2. Fill up the bottle with carrier oil.
  3. Seal the bottle and shake well to combine ingredients.
  4. Massage onto the body after your shower.

HORMONE-BALANCING ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS THAT YOU CAN BUY

If DIY isn’t quite your thing, then you can get a ready made blend that uses many of the oils we’ve covered in this post.

One blend that I always suggest is

All in all, this hormone balancing blend combines oils that help you to:

  • Get relief from PMS symptoms.
  • Feel more vibrant and energetic.
  • Sleep better.
  • Manage stress and reduce excess cortisol.
  • Regulate estrogen and progesterone.
  • Regulate your menstrual cycle.
  • Support your hormones through peri-menopause and menopause.
  • Improve PCOS symptoms.
  • Support your fertility.

FAQs ABOUT HORMONE-FRIENDLY ESSENTIAL OILS

Do essential oils increase estrogen?

Essential oils can help the body regulate its own production of estrogen. However, there is no evidence that essential oils actually contain hormones or that they can mimic (i.e. disrupt) estrogen (source).

Does lavender oil increase estrogen? 

According to essential oil expert and chemist, Dr. Robert Tisserand, “Lavender oil does not mimic estrogen nor does it enhance the body’s own estrogens. It is therefore not a ‘hormone disruptor’.” (source).

What are the best essential oils for mood swings?

In addition to ylang ylang, geranium, sandalwood and clary sage some other oils that are great for mood swings include lavender, citrus oils (bergamot, lime, grapefruit sweet orange), and frankincense (source).

CONCLUSION

Ylang ylang, clary sage, geranium, sandalwood and thyme essential oils are all great for hormone balance.

By combining these oils in the right ratios and blends, you can experience much needed relief and improve your overall hormone health.

I hope this article has simplified your search for hormone-balancing oils.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below! 🙂

essential oils for hormone support pin with geranium

Related Content:

How to Use Clary Sage Oil for Hormone Balance

The Best Essential Oils for Estrogen Dominance That You Should Be Using

DIY Essential Oil Spray For Hot Flashes: 5 Recipes To Use

Clary Sage for Menstrual Cramps: Benefits and How To Use

Essential Oils for Menopause: 11 Best Oils For Relief and How To Use Them

The Only Essential Oil Roller Recipe For Hot Flashes You’ll Ever Need