The 21 Best Essential Oils for Kids Reviews 2020 (Plus Blends)

Are you curious about the best essential oils for kids?

Maybe you’re wondering how to treat sniffles and tummy aches naturally.

Essential oils are good for helping restless children settle down at night, too.

Today, I’ll review the kid-safe essential oils list.

I’ll also discuss which essential oils are not safe for babies, toddlers, or children.

And I’ll tell you how to use essential oils safely for kids.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.

Don’t use these essential oils on kids

Essential oils are potent. They are the refined, concentrated parts of plants.

Therefore, they are too strong to use for children without diluting them first (1).

But there are a few oils you shouldn’t use on little kids at all.

Sadly, peppermint is one of them.

Don’t use peppermint around infants or children under the age of six.

Moreover, keep wintergreen and camphor far away from your little ones. They are poisonous if ingested.

Next, there’s eucalyptus. It’s a staple for relieving congestion. But don’t use it on kids under the age of ten.

What’s more, rosemary is also not safe for children under the age of ten. That’s also true for the “hot” oils like clove, cinnamon, and oregano.

Even if you’ve tested these oils on yourself and have not experienced any adverse effects, you’re an adult. Your immune system and your skin are tougher than your child’s.

I’m sure you want the best for your children and would never harm them on purpose.

How to use essential oils on children

The safest way to use essential oils for children is to diffuse them.

Make sure there’s adequate ventilation in the room.

Also, don’t diffuse for more than fifteen to thirty minutes at a time. And please don’t diffuse around babies under six months old.

Now, when it comes to topical application, you need to dilute the essential oils.

Use a carrier oil like fractionated coconut or sweet almond.

Stick to 0.5% for infants between six months and two years old. (Although I personally prefer never to apply essential oils to babies’ skin. Check with your pediatrician to see what they recommend.)

And 1% for ages two through ten.

Some oils are safe for 2% dilution on six through ten-year-olds.

But what does that even mean?

Here are examples:

• 5% = three drops per four teaspoons of carrier oil
• 1% = three drops of essential oil per two teaspoons of carrier oil
• 2% = six drops per two teaspoons of carrier oil

Don’t worry that diluting will make the oils less powerful. It won’t. It doesn’t weaken them – it only makes them less likely to cause an allergic reaction on the skin.

When it comes to putting essential oils in the bathwater, it gets complicated. As you know, water and oil don’t mix. This means that water is not enough to dilute the essential oil properly.

You’ll need to dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil or Castile soap before you add it to the bath. Even then, you might notice the sheen of oil floating on the surface. Perhaps it’s best to avoid the problem altogether.

Finally, please don’t let your children ingest essential oils. Always consult with the child’s doctor before taking that step.

The kid-safe essential oils list

Based on the latest research, here are some of the most popular essential oils for children.

• Bergamot
• Cedarwood
• Chamomile
• Cypress
• Frankincense
• Helichrysum
• Lavender
• Patchouli
• Petitgrain
• Sweet marjoram
• Tea tree oil (AKA melaleuca, but be absolutely sure you dilute it)
• Thyme
• Vetiver
• Ylang Ylang (but not Ylang Ylang Complete, which is the most potent version)

What essential oils can do for kids

Essential oils are being studied all over the world.

Unfortunately, many of the experiments are done in petri dishes or on animals.

Therefore, there’s not a lot of information about how essential oils affect children.

We know about the adverse effects because of kids who suffer allergic reactions, burns, poisoning from the oils.

But the positive effects are still mostly anecdotal evidence.

With that said, here is the good news from science about a handful of essential oils for children (2).

First, lavender has a calming effect. It may help your child sleep better at night.

Second, chamomile might help treat colic.

Third, tea tree oil may help reduce acne, warts, and lice.

Fortunately, essential oil manufacturers like Plant Therapy and Edens Garden have an extensive lineup of kid-safe blends.

Let’s jump down to the reviews so you can see what’s available.

Edens Garden Tummy Aid

Stomach aches are a big problem.

But Tummy Aid is a ready-made solution.

It’s pre-diluted to make it safe for children’s skin. Plus, it’s in a roll-on format, which makes it easy to apply.

It’s a blend of ginger, lemon, lavender, petitgrain, spearmint, sweet orange, Roman chamomile, German chamomile, and vanilla.

The fragrance is as calming as a stroll through the forest.

Edens  Garden is one of the top essential oil companies. They sell straight to the public – there’s no multilevel marketing nonsense.

They test their oils for purity and quality and make the results available to customers.

Additionally, they have certified aromatherapists ready to answer questions.

Rocky Mountain Oils – Tummy Time

Tummy Time is diluted to 2% in a base of fractionated coconut oil. It’s ready to rub on sore bellies.

It’s a mix of ginger root, dill, fennel, black pepper, and mandarin.

Rocky Mountain Oils provides free gas chromatography and mass spectrometry test results on each product they sell. That way, you can verify the purity of each oil yourself.

Plant Therapy KidSafe Tummy All Better

Plant Therapy also makes a blend to calm an upset stomach. It also works to relieve queasiness.

It contains ginger, spearmint, Roman chamomile, dill weed, and petitgrain diluted in fractionated coconut oil.

Massage it in a clockwise direction on your child’s tummy. Otherwise, you can put it on the tops of their feet.

Edens Garden Calm ‘Em Down

Are they bouncing off the walls? Then use this blend to calm everyone down.

It’s a pre-diluted roll-on with lavender, sweet orange, vetiver, Douglas fir, Damiana, and vanilla.

The aroma is soothing to parents and children alike. (You might need some yourself!)

Plant Therapy Essential Oils Calming the Child Synergy

About half an hour before bedtime, apply this blend to your child’s chest or back of the neck.

It contains Roman chamomile, lavender, tangerine, and mandarin orange in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

What’s nice is that Plant Therapy offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Rocky Mountain Oils – Counting Sheep

This bottle of sleepy time “medicine” is ready to use right now.

It has patchouli, lavender, sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang in a base of fractionated coconut oil. The oils or diluted to a 2% concentration.

Edens Garden Sleepy Head

Calm the restless little ones with this roll-on. Dab a little on their wrists or the back of their necks when it’s time for a bedtime story.

It’s a mixture of lavender, frankincense, cedarwood, tangerine, petty green, ylang ylang, sweet marjoram, and Roman chamomile.

Plant Therapy Essential Oils Nighty Night

Take note that this blend is not pre-diluted.

You’ll need a carrier oil to use it on the skin.

Otherwise, you can diffuse it. Put two or three drops in the tank of your ultrasonic diffuser and let it run for a few minutes at bedtime.

It’s a cocktail of blue tansy, Roman chamomile, clary sage, patchouli, cedarwood, mandarin, sweet marjoram, and lavender.

Plant Therapy Kidsafe Immune Boom

If you’re tired of cold and flu season starting up the minute the kids go back to school in the fall, you need Immune Boom.

It’s designed to keep them healthy in the face of all those germs.

Diffuse it at home. Or you can dilute it with your favorite carrier oil for topical application.

It contains certified organic essential oils like frankincense, dill weed, lemon, palmarosa, copaiba, and petitgrain.

But keep in mind that no essential oil can protect your child like proper hand washing and vaccinations.

Edens Garden Germ Ease

Here’s another immune system booster to diffuse or dilute according to your preference.

Edens Garden recommends a 1% concentration if you put it on the skin.

This blend has frankincense, lemon, juniper berry, sweet marjoram, pink pepper, cedarwood, sweet orange, petty green, cedarwood, Damiana, blue tansy, and vanilla.

Plant Therapy Germ Destroyer Synergy Essential Oil

If your kids have the sniffles, try the Germ Destroyer.

Rub it on their chest, the back of their neck, or their feet.

It’s based on tea tree oil, lemon, lavender, marjoram, and hemlock in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Edens Garden Healthy Hero

This blend is undiluted. It combines lavender, lemon, rosalina, spruce, and sweet marjoram.

Here’s an idea for you: combine it with aloe vera gel to make a hand sanitizer.

Edens Garden Ouch Ease

Bumps and bruises are part of childhood. But this blend speeds up healing and takes away the sting.

Be sure to dilute it to 1% before dabbing it on the skin.

It’s a mix of lavender, tea tree, juniper berry, lime, German chamomile, Roman chamomile, Davana, and Ylang Ylang.

Fabulous Frannie Boo Boo Blend

Here’s a pre-diluted blend to care for scrapes and small cuts. It’s a roll-on with tea tree, lavender, and chamomile in a base of coconut carrier oil.

Rocky Mountain Oils – Ouchie

This pleasant blend calms the mind while it soothes the skin.

It’s ready to use on owies.

The mix features 2% mandarin, lavender, helichrysum, geranium, and foraha in 98% fractionated coconut oil.

Rocky Mountain Oils – Muscle Soothe

Mommies, daddies, and kids all love Muscle Soothe. It takes away the aches and pains of too much exercise.

The spicy aroma comes from black pepper, frankincense, lavender, tangerine, and marjoram. They are pre-diluted to 2% in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Plant Therapy KidSafe Shield Me

Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy time outdoors without getting bitten?

Shield Me is an insect repellent.

It combines citronella, pink grapefruit, bourbon geranium, patchouli, and rosalina. It’s made for kids ages two through ten.

But it’s also useful for diffusing at barbecues in the backyard.

Keep in mind that it’s not diluted. You’ll need to add a carrier oil to put it on the skin.

You can also make your own bug repellent spray, wipes, or candles.

Edens Garden Up & At ‘Em

It used to be hard for my mom to get me out of bed in the morning. She would’ve loved having this oil.

It’s a blend of lemon, sweet orange, lime, lavender, cedarwood, spearmint, frankincense, vetiver, and osmanthus.

I know, you’re thinking, “Why is lavender in a wake-me-up oil?” Lavender isn’t just for bedtime – it’s also good for feeling grounded and relaxed.

Edens Garden Bee Happy

Are the winter blues getting you down? Are the kids tired of being stuck in the house?

Try Bee Happy. The aroma will add some sunshine to your day.

It has sweet orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime, Douglas fir, mandarin orange, geranium, lavender, vetiver, Damiana, and vanilla.

Plant Therapy KidSafe No Worries

If the kids are anxious over their homework or an upcoming test, here’s a blend that may help.

No Worries contains  Ho Wood, coriander, sweet orange, amyris, bourbon geranium, pink grapefruit, and helichrysum.

Diffuse up to three drops per 100 milliliters of water. Or dilute it to apply it topically.

Some moms have made aromatherapy jewelry with it for their kids.

Edens Garden Study Buddy

Some scents get our attention.

Try lemon, litsea, grapefruit, black pepper, cedarwood, Douglas fir, cypress, lime, vetiver, spearmint, patchouli, Damiana.

This is a blend that could help your children focus on their tasks.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a natural way to improve your children’s well-being, essential oils could be the answer.

To be on the safe side, use kid-safe essential oils. Be sure to dilute them, too.

If you found oils today that help your kids stay healthier and happier, tell us about them in the comments below.

Sources:

1. https://parenting.nytimes.com/childrens-health/essential-oils-safe by Teresa Carr, published July 23, 2019 accessed December 21, 2019

2. https://www.checkupnewsroom.com/essential-oils-and-their-use-on-children/?fbclid=IwAR190TZT6X36ochz-QCtFM2E__E480iKOCO2f6MCE_XAzZWVluIKpo3Kprk by Justin Smith, published July 23, 2019, accessed December 21, 2019