How to Travel with Essential Oils (and the BEST OILS for your NEXT TRIP!)

It still amazes me that 8 months ago I didn’t use essential oils, and now, I’m not sure I could go a day without them. Especially when I travel, my essential oils are my arsenal of wellness and happiness– just a few bottles cover so many things! They’ve been to Florida (twice), OBX (twice), Atlanta, Boston, Turks & Caicos… seriously, they’ve saved me more than once and I can’t believe that my little tote of oils can do SO DARN MUCH. Here’s some tricks to traveling with oils, plus my inside scoop on which ones you should never leave home without whether you’re going down the street or across the globe. 😉 Bon Voyage!

1. Invest in a carrying case! They aren’t very expensive and make great gifts too. I carry on all my oils when flying, so it tucks right into my carry-on or purse. The everyday essential oil case I have is very similar to this one. I also have a keychain carrier that’s perfect for using and sharing the oils on-the-go, and that little guy has saved me more than once.

2. Yes, they can go through the x-ray at the airport. While it’s probably better to have them hand checked, I never have enough time to go through that rigamarole. I simply send them through the scanner in my oil case and they’re JUST FINE.

3. Roadtrips and oils go hand in hand. Ever get sleepy on the road? Peppermint is my go-to roadtrip oil! I put a drop in my hands or in my car diffuser and I’m back on track. Purification is also amazing for roadtrips, especially the we’ve-been-in-the-car-for-hours-eating-fast-food variety. 😉

4. To diffuse or not to diffuse? If I’m taking a road trip (particularly an extended one) I’ll usually pack my Young Living home diffuser because it works so well. However, that’s not very practical for flying or when space is tight. They do have travel diffusers (the YL Orb diffuser looks amazing) but when I’m packing light I skip it and use my hands to inhale the oils.

4. Don’t be caught without a carrier oil. Some oils need to be diluted before using (like Thieves, which you will certainly want to have while traveling) so I filled an empty oil bottle from an oil I’d used up with V6. You can also use olive oil, sweet almond oil, or other carrier but you’ll definitely want a little bit on hand, even if it’s in a tiny sized sample bottle.

My Must-Have Essential Oils for Traveling

So now you know the how, here’s the what! These are the oils I never want to leave home without, and how I use them while on the road:

Citronella oil– We all know what citronella is good for. If we’re staying in a hotel, I dab this all over the beds. When we’re outside, it’s our DIY outdoor spray. Ditch the chemical sprays and go with all natural citronella!

Thieves oil- Also in our Hall of Fame, if I could only take one oil, it would be Thieves. I actually take two bottles with me. One is diluted with a carrier oil and has a roller ball on top. I use that on our feet after walking through security sans shoes, and each morning and night. The other bottle is straight up Thieves with no carrier oil, for just in case. It’s also great in warm water as a ‘tea’ for when you’ve been talking too much (who, me?)

Purification oil- Ever stay in a room with more than one person? Go on a girlfriends getaway and share a bathroom? Are you catching my drift? Make your own ‘Poo-pouri’ by putting a drop or two right in the potty to negate odors. Also makes a great outdoor spray, or use if there’s stinky situations to clear the air. Tee hee.

Peppermint oil- great for improving focus! See #3 above for how I use it in the car.

Valerian oil- Valerian is my best friend. It smells terrible, but I put a few drops on my feet, cover them with socks, and zzzzz…. was I saying something?

Lavender oil- Ahhhhhhh, lavender. Like a spaaaaaa. Calming and soothing. Perfect for airplane takeoffs, landings, turbulence, and pretty much any point while flying if you’re at all like me.

Valor oil- See lavender. Valor is my favorite smelling oil of all time. I drench myself in it (not really, figuratively– really a few drops behind the ears or on the jawline) and I feel ready to fly! (or kayak, or snorkel, or whatever brave thing I need to do).

Deep Relief oil- this roll on blend is formulated for using after activity or when you overdo things a bit. Not that I do that while on vacation. (cramped planes? carrying 4 suitcases through the airport? hiking gone wild? BOOM!)

DiGize Vitality oil- a must-have for traveling! Don’t leave home without it!

Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier- I LOVE THIS STUFF. It’s softer on my hands and smells terrific, like Christmas. I feel good using this on my kids (all the time) while traveling!

NingXia Red- I drink NingXia Red daily. It’s totally changed my life. It’s a nutritional supplement made with powerful NingXia Wolfberry puree and other essential oils to optimize wellness. I love the 2 oz. packets because I either throw them in the cooler or bring them along and store in a fridge for my daily boost! They are shelf stable but taste better cold, so it’s totally fine to travel with them at room temperature (but I highly recommend drinking it cold because it’s tasty).