Learn about essential oils, their magical uses, and how to weave them into your witchcraft practice to make your everyday life more magical.
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If you haven’t read my book, Essential Oil Magic: Natural Spells for the Green Witch, you might be wondering, “What is oil magic?”
To put it simply, Oil Magic is the practice of making magic (or “magick,” as some prefer) with essential oils! If you’re not already familiar with essential oils, though, you might need some context, which I will happily provide.
So what are essential oils, and what’s so magical about them? Great question! Let’s talk about it.
What are Essential Oils?
In simple magical terms, essential oils are basically the lifeblood essence of plants (essence→essential). They are powerful concentrated substances that carry many of the chemical and magical properties of the whole plant they come from, and because of their form, they are especially potent, portable, and long-lasting. This makes them great allies to magical practice.
In scientific terms, essential oils are the volatile aromatic compounds present in plants which can be isolated through steam distillation. Let’s break that down:
- “Volatile” means they’re teeny tiny molecules that evaporate rapidly, which is what allows them to reach our noses so quickly.
- “Aromatic” means that when they hit our noses, they’re fragrant. Mostly, this is in a good way, although not every person loves the smell of every oil (more on that some other time).
- The “compounds” bit can be a little confusing, because in science talk, a compound usually refers to one specific molecule or ion. However, each essential oil actually contains many different chemical constituents! To get all the most important constituents, each different plant has to be grown, harvested, processed, and distilled with super precise methods. This is one reason why it’s important to get your oils from a trusted quality source who really has the resources and experience to know what they’re doing. (This is a huge part of why I only use Young Living essential oils).
- Finally, “which can be isolated through steam distillation” just means that all true essential oils are steam distilled. Some plants have volatile aromatic compounds which just aren’t suitable for this process for one reason or another> Jasmine, for example: the fragrant oils in jasmine flowers cannot be extracted by the process of steam distillation, so they have to be distilled a different way. This makes Jasmine essence an “absolute,” and not an essential oil — but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it in oil magic! In fact, Young Living even makes a Jasmine absolute that I use in my oil magic practice.
What is Essential Oil Magic?
Now you know what essential oils are. So, now you have the context to understand when I tell you that oil magic is just magic… but with essential oils!
The ways that non-magic folk use essential oils can all be done with a magical spin. This includes everything from roller bottles and room sprays to diffusing and DIYs. In fact, I would go so far as to say that anyone using an essential oil to do anything other than smell nice is using it magically. (Even if the only explicit intention is to smell nice, isn’t that still kind of a simple glamour spell?)
Essential oils do have scientific chemical properties, so some might argue that diffusing Lavender for relaxation or rolling on Rosemary for focus is science, not magic. I, however, would argue that it’s both. After all, so much of magic is simply undiscovered science.
Enchanting roller bottle potions and setting intentions with diffuser blends aren’t the only ways to make oil magic, though. Almost any method of witchcraft can be enhanced with the addition of high quality essential oils.
Candle spells can be enhanced by anointing beeswax candles with magical essential oils. A magical bath is made that much more magical with a handmade essential oil bath bomb. Got a new set of runes or a new tarot deck? Cleanse, consecrate, and bless it with magical essential oils.
I think you’ve got the general idea now, so let’s talk specifics.
Magical Ways to Use Essential Oils
There are nearly infinite ways to incorporate essential oils into your magical practice. The three traditional ways people typically use essential oils are topically, aromatically, and internally. All three of these can be practiced with a magical spin on them. Additionally, most existing forms of magical practice can be enhanced with the addition of essential oils one way or another.
Topical Use
Topical use refers to putting oils directly on your skin, either diluted or neat (undiluted). People often apply essential oils as a perfume or to address specific needs such as physical discomfort or emotional struggles. Essential oils are also often added as ingredients in massage oils, body scrubs, face serums, hand soaps, and more.
Magic can be instilled into the topical use of essential oils at at least two points in the process. The first way is by enchanting the topical potions during the crafting process. The second way is by ritualizing the application of such potions, such as by adding visualization and affirmations or incantations.
A magical spin on topical use of essential oils could look like…
- Enchanting a perfume roller with a glamour spell to enhance and magnify your desired energy
- Enchanting a focus-supporting roller with an additional layer of magical intention
- Pairing affirmations with specific oils and blends when you apply them to your skin
- Ritual bathing with magically crafted bath bombs and body washes
- Crafting a magical massage oil to turn up the heat in your romantic relationship
- and more!
Aromatic Use
Aromatic use refers to inhaling the essential oils. You can inhale straight from an open bottle or by adding essential oils to a diffuser, among other ways. Because essential oils are so volatile and composed of such tiny molecules, they can enter the bloodstream and affect our brain and all our body systems within a matter of seconds. This happens even without ever placing the oils directly on our skin. This happens whether or not you practice or believe in magic, because this is pure science!
However, you can add an extra splash of magic to aromatic practice by charging your oils with energy and intention beforehand, by coupling your aromatic practice with affirmations or incantations, or simply by choosing oils from plants that have magical properties which align with your intentions for the occasion.
A magical spin on aromatic use of essential oils could look like…
- Visualizing a peaceful aura filling your home as you start to diffuse Lavender and Bergamot
- Calling on Venus, Aphrodite, Freyja, or another goddess of love to aid you in setting the mood as you fill your diffuser with Rose, Cassia, and Vanilla
- Carrying an enchanted wick inhaler with Frankincense or Hinoki to enhance your intuition on the go
- Diffusing White Angelica in your bedroom at night to protect against nightmares and evil spirits
- Diffusing Rosemary, Hyssop, and Sage to spiritually cleanse and energetically purify your home
- and more!
Internal Use
Internal use refers to the ingestion of essential oils and requires a little more care and attention than other uses. Only certain oils should be consumed, and only from brands you know for a fact do not adulterate or synthesize their oils. (Young Living has a line of Vitality oils that are specifically labeled for internal use, so you know they’re safe in moderation–again, this is the ONLY brand I use, and I trust their quality and purity completely.)
I love to use Vitality essential oils in my cooking and baking. I add them to my coffee drinks, cocktails, and mocktails. And when the situation calls for it, I take them in capsules as dietary supplements. I wouldn’t suggest jumping right into this without guidance or research as there CAN be too much of a good thing, but kitchen witchery with essential oils is a major part of my personal practice, and I do recommend it with wisdom and moderation.
A magical spin on internal use of essential oils could look like…
- Adding a drop of Cardamom Vitality to a batch of buttercream frosting to infuse it with warm, loving energy
- Adding Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Vitality to avocado oil for roasting potatoes infused with good vibes and healing intentions
- Adding a drop of Frankincense Vitality and some vanilla extract to an iced latte to boost intuition and raise your frequency for the day
- Adding a drop of Grapefruit Vitality and a pinch of Celtic sea salt to a glass of water as a quick energetic cleansing ritual
- and more!
Other Magical Uses of Essential Oils
As for incorporating essential oils into existing aspects of your magical practice, this can come very naturally! Candle dressing with oils is already a big part of candle magic, and oils can easily be added to charm bags and potions, used to charge crystals and consecrate magical tools, and more.
If you can imagine it, it can probably be done. And whatever your intention is, there’s almost certainly an oil for that!
Other forms of essential oil magic could look like…
- Constructing a crystal grid of Citrine and Pyrite to attract prosperity, and anointing the crystals with Abundance essential oil blend to charge and awaken the grid
- Crafting a charm bag to put under your pillow for sweet dreams, and anointing in with Lavender, Cedarwood, Hyssop, and Vanilla
- Stirring a few drops of Joy essential oil blend into the jug of paint before you paint your walls to attract joyful energy into your home
- Rubbing a drop or two of Frankincense and Envision between your palms before handling a new tarot deck to consecrate it and instill it with visionary power for your divinatory workings
- and more!
Learn More About Essential Oil Magic
Ready to learn more? Here are some additional resources you can turn to to deepen your understanding and expand your practice of essential oil magic.
Oil Magic 101 Text Class
Would you like to learn about how you can get started practicing oil magic yourself? Are you short on time and attention? No worries! Take my FREE 14-day SMS text class all about different ways to incorporate essential oils into your magical craft!
To join, simply text OIL MAGIC to 737-35-MAGIC (or 737-356-2442). Then, you’ll receive 14 days of bite-sized lessons on your phone, perfect for learning in the little moments.
I also occasionally host Zoom classes on this exact topic if you’d rather join me live. When you sign up for the text class, I’ll make sure you get invited to the open zoom classes as well! Another good way to stay in touch and find out about upcoming offerings is to subscribe to my newsletter.
Oil Magic on the Blog
Check out the Oil Magic category of this blog for more posts on essential oil magic. Over time, I intend to build an online archive here of potions recipes, oil magic spells, essential oil profiles, recommended supplies, and magical correspondence charts.
Oil Coven: Level Up With Plant Magic
Are you looking for even more support on your magical oily journey? Then you might be interested in Oil Coven! We are an online coven of oil witches sharing what we know via our private Discord server and coven-exclusive Zoom calls. All you have to do to join Oil Coven is purchase your oils through my link (or use my referral number: 23669594), and then shoot me a message to introduce yourself and let me know you’d like an invite to the Discord! Then, all our coven-exclusive resources will be available to you through the Discord, which you can search, peruse, and participate in at your own pace. I’d love to have you join us there!
Essential Oil Magic: Natural Spells for the Green Witch
Did I mention that I’ve also written an entire book on this subject? It’s called Essential Oil Magic: Natural Spells for the Green Witch—and you can purchase it here if you’d like (or contact me directly if you’d like to purchase a signed copy).
Essential Oil Magic contains magical profiles of 30 individual essential oils, plus 50 different oil magic spells, potions, and practices across the categories of protection, love, wealth, healing, and divination.
And finally, I’d like to invite you to check back here often and subscribe to my newsletter so that we can stay in touch as I add more information, spells, potions, and recipes to the blog.
WHATEVER it may look like, I wish you love and luck on your oily journey.
Until we meet again – be well, seek beauty, and leave a little magic wherever you go.
Blessings,
