Whether it’s headaches, weight gain, hot flashes or other symptoms, essential oils for menopause can give you the natural relief you’ve been looking for.

Not only do essential oils improve specific symptoms, but they also regulate overall hormone production.

This means that essential oils help us address the symptoms and the underlying causes of menopause symptoms.

So, to help you get started, this post is going to cover:

• The top hormone-balancing, menopause essential oils.
• How to use essential oils correctly and safely.

Alrighty, let’s dive right in, shall we?!

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

11 MENOPAUSE ESSENTIAL OILS: FOR HOT FLASHES, INSOMNIA, HAIR LOSS, HEADACHES AND MORE!

The top essential oils to use for menopause are:

1. Thyme
2. Clary Sage
3. Lavender
4. Sandalwood
5. Peppermint
6. Geranium
7. Basil
8. Neroli
9. Vitex
10. Roman Chamomile
11. Ylang Ylang

Now, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of each oil for menopause.

1. Thyme Oil

Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings and insomnia are associated with low levels of progesterone.

And as it turns out, thyme is one of the best herbs for regulating progesterone levels.

Since progesterone levels have a direct impact on estrogen levels, this means that regular use of thyme oil also improves overall hormone balance during menopause.

2. Clary Sage Oil

It’s hard to have a discussion about hormone balance without mentioning clary sage.

And for good reasons!

First, clary sage is very effective at regulating estrogen.

This is significant since estrogen levels naturally drop during menopause (sometimes too much).

Second, stress is a major contributor to both menopause and perimenopause symptoms.

And it just so happens that clary sage has been shown to reduce cortisol levels by 36%!

So, by combining clary sage with stress management techniques (like meditation or light exercise), you can improve your quality of life big time!

3. Lavender Oil

Anxiety and insomnia are quite common during menopause.

They also tend to occur together.

As it turns out, lavender oil is particularly helpful for anxiety and insomnia.

This is because lavender oil boosts your mood while also inducing feelings of relaxation .

By inducing relaxation, lavender helps to lower stress levels.

And less stress means less work for your adrenals.

When your adrenals work less, that also means they produce less cortisol 🙂

This is a massive benefit because excess cortisol disrupts sleep and contributes to menopausal weight gain.

So, by using lavender during menopause you improve anxiety, which improves sleep, adrenal function and subsequently, weight loss.

4. Sandalwood Oil

Sandalwood oil is known for creating a sense of calm and relaxation.

This oil also improves mental clarity, regulates sleep and improves insomnia.

When combined with other oils in this list, sandalwood can also improve stress and anxiety.

Furthermore, sandalwood is also known to regulate testosterone levels.

This matters a lot because low testosterone contributes to low libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain and other menopause symptoms (source).

Therefore, sandalwood oil is a natural menopause remedy that can help bring more balance to your body and mind.

5. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil ranks high as a natural remedy for menopause symptoms because of its ability to improve hot flashes.

So, how does peppermint do this?

Well, it all has to do with the fact that mint has a cooling and anti-inflammatory effect. 

And that cooling effect is something you can benefit from by inhaling the oil or applying it to the skin (this guide shows you how to use peppermint specifically for hot flashes).

Aside from hot flashes, peppermint’s anti-inflammatory effects are also excellent for reducing the severity of menstrual cramps.

Since up to 50 percent of women experience menstrual cramping during perimenopause, this makes peppermint oil a must-have.

And if all that isn’t enough…peppermint oil is also one of the best natural remedies for another common menopause symptom: headaches.

In fact, research shows that peppermint oil is just as effective as headache medications!

6. Geranium Oil

If you’re looking for an oil that works for your skin and mood, then look no further than geranium oil.

Geranium oil improves menopause symptoms like dry skin, mood swings and depression.

In fact, in a trial study, 120 women who received a massage with geranium oil, reported improvements in their depression symptoms.

7. Basil Oil

When you need to boost your mood, improve mental clarity, fight fatigue, increase energy and relieve anxiety, reach for basil oil.

Historically, basil oil has been used to combat nervousness, feelings of overwhelm and racing thoughts.

So, add this multi-tasking oil to your natural menopause relief kit and you’re sure to start feeling better.

8. Neroli Oil

In a study with 63 postmenopausal women who inhaled neroli oil for 5 minutes a day, the participants experienced (source):

• improvements in estrogen levels
• healthier blood pressure readings 
• less feelings of stress
• increased sexual desire

9. Vitex Oil

Vitex (aka chaste berry) is a go-to remedy for a wide variety of hormonal imbalances in women of all ages.

And when it comes to menopause, vitex oil regulates the ratio of progesterone to estrogen.

The ratio between these two hormones is critical for overall hormone balance before, during and after menopause.

10. Roman Chamomile Oil

Even though chamomile is most famous for being a “sleep” herb, chamomile oil actually has a broad spectrum of benefits for menopause.

These include (source):

• reducing anxiety and depression
• calming frayed nerves
• promoting relaxation

11. Ylang Ylang Oil

Historically, ylang ylang has been used as an aphrodisiac.

This means that ylang ylang is excellent for increasing your energy as well as boosting libido.

In addition, ylang ylang can help with perimenopausal and post-menopausal issues related to hair loss, chronic inflammation and heart health (source).

6 WAYS TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS FOR MENOPAUSE RELIEF

The best way to get relief with these oils is to use a menopause essential oil blend.

Why use a blend instead of just one oil?

Well, essential oils tend to work better when you combine them.

Plus, a blend makes it much easier to tackle multiple symptoms and hormonal imbalances at the same time. 

So, when it comes to blending oils, you have two options:

• First, you can buy the individual oils that you like and create your own blends (there are some recipes later in this post to get you started).

• Alternatively, you can use a pre-made blend like Hormones for Women.

The Hormones for Women blend is one of my favorites because it contains clary sage, thyme, geranium and ylang ylang.

With that combo you can improve weight gain, low libido, low estrogen, anxiety, fatigue and many other symptoms!

What I particularly love about this blend is that it’s made from all organic ingredients and it’s also made by CO2 extraction (the finest essential oil production method available!).

To experience Hormones for Women, follow this link to get it from Amazon.

Once you’ve got your essential oils ready to go, here are 5 ways to use them:

1. Diffuse Essential Oils for Menopause

The best thing about diffusing essential oils is that it’s easy and convenient.

A good place to start is to add 4 to 6 drops total of essential oils to your diffuser.

This means if you’re diffusing say, 3 oils, you can use up to 2 drops of each. 

That gives you a total of 6 drops.

2. Do A Quick Inhalation

For a quick “hit”:

• place 2 to 3 drops essential oil on a cotton ball. 
• hold it under your nose and inhale.

Alternatively, you can place a couple of drops on the palms of your hands (mixed with a little carrier oil, like jojoba oil).

Hold the palms of your hand close to your face and inhale.

3. Make A Cooling Spray

For hot flashes, you can make your own cooling spray using many of the oils we’ve looked at.

A cooling spray is very practical and you can store it in separate bottles so that you can have one for home and one for your purse, for example.

Check out the recipes section to learn how to make your own.

4. Add to A Body Massage Oil

A moisturizing body oil is an easy way to get regular doses of your favorite menopause essential oils.

To make your own body oil, simply combine the essential oils of your choice with a carrier oil like almond, jojoba, coconut or olive oil.

For topical application, a 2% to 5% dilution is generally recommended.

If you’re not sure about dilution ratios, here’s a summary:

NOTE: Thyme oil is a known skin irritant and it’s best to avoid using it in body oils. However, if you do use it, DO NOT exceed a 1.3% dilution (source). For all other oils start slowly with a 2% dilution. Increase if needed depending on the results you get.

5. Soak In A Menopause Essential Oil Bath

An aromatherapy bath is also a good way to enjoy menopause essential oils…as long as it’s done safely 🙂

Here are some basic guidelines to follow:

• avoid using thyme oil in a bath because it’s a strong skin irritant.

• Be aware that essential oils do not dissolve in water. This means you should not add undiluted essential oils into your bath water.

So, how do you use essential oils in a bath if they don’t dissolve in water? Well, here are two options to choose from (source):

• Mix 5 – 20 drops of essential oils in 1 tablespoon of liquid carrier oil (jojoba or fractionated coconut oil are best in this case). Add this mix to your bath water. While this doesn’t disperse the oils in the water, it dilutes them in the oil.

• Another option is to mix 5 – 20 drops of essential oil in 1 tablespoon liquid castile soap. Add the mixture to your bath water. This eliminates the greasiness issue and again, allows you to safely get the benefits of the oil.

6. Apply A Cooling Compress

If you experience tightness or discomfort around the perineum, then a compress can give you much needed relief.

Here’s how to make a cooling compress (source):

• Mix one drop lavender essential oil with aloe vera gel.
• Soak a pad in the blend.
• Apply it to the perineal area.

MENOPAUSE ESSENTIAL OILS BLEND

Here’s a simple and effective recipe that you can use to relieve hot flashes quickly.

Hot Flash Cooling Spray Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp witch hazel

6 drops peppermint oil

2 drops lavender oil

2 oz spray bottle

Instructions

• Add the water and witch hazel into spray bottle.

• Add the essential oils.

• Seal the bottle and shake to blend ingredients.

• Spray as needed on face, neck and other parts that need cooling.

RELATED QUESTIONS

How do you stop weight gain during menopause?

Weight gain during menopause is due to fluctuations in estrogen as well as other hormones, such as cortisol.

And depending on whether you’re transitioning into menopause or you are officially in menopause, your estrogen levels can be higher (perimenopause) or low (menopause).

So, the best way to stop weight gain during menopause is to not only regular estrogen, but to also balance cortisol as well as the hormones affected by cortisol (insulin and thyroid hormones, in particular).

For detailed steps that you can follow, read these posts on:

• Weight Gain Caused by Hormones

• How to Survive Menopause Naturally

• Estrogen Dominance During Perimenopause

What essential oil is good for night sweats?

For night sweats, it’s best to use a combination of cooling and hormone-balancing essential oils. Some of the best cooling oils to use are peppermint and lavender.

As for hormone-balancing oils, clary sage, geranium and rose are all very helpful for night sweats.

What helps hot flashes go away?

Hot flashes originate from, and are also controlled by, the nervous system.

So, the most effective way to get rid of hot flashes is to support the nervous system and the adrenals (which works with the nervous system to manage stress).

You can do this with nervine (calming) herbs that nourish the nervous system, such as St John’s Wort and wild oats. This post on hormone-balancing herbs gives you more details on these herbs and how to use them.

In addition, adaptogenic herbs that support the adrenals can be very beneficial. This includes herbs like maca, ashwagandha and holy basil.

For more on how to use adaptogens, be sure to check out this post on adaptogenic herbs for adrenal fatigue.

How do you use clary sage to balance hormones?

You can use clary sage on its own or in a blend, either diffused or applied to the skin.

Each method has different benefits depending on the issue you’re trying to address.

For tips and recipes you can use, I recommend reading this post on how to use clary sage oil for hormone balance.

CONCLUSION

Whether it’s clary sage, sandalwood or thyme, essential oils contain various natural compounds that make them very helpful for balancing hormones and improving menopause symptoms.

If you’re new to these oils, feel free to use the recipes and brands I’ve shared with you as a starting point.

On the other hand, if you’ve been using oils already, I hope this post has given you some more ideas on oils that you can use to support your health during this natural transition.

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, just drop a comment below 🙂

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