After writing about carrier oil substitutions, I couldn’t wait to write more about swapping this ingredient for that, and why things do or don’t work. So, today I’m writing about essential oil substitutions. There are fewer variables here, so it’ll be a shorter entry, but hopefully you find it useful!
First off, let’s look at the different roles essential oils can play in our various DIY projects:
- Scent
- Therapeutic benefits
- Physical benefits
- A combination of any of the above
Scent
This one is pretty obvious, of course. Sometimes, you just add essential oils to something because you want it to smell nice. I’d put lip balm, lip stick, perfume, and soap in this category. If the essential oils are just there for scent, you are almost always free to swap them out for something else if you like. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t use citrus essential oils in anything you’ll be putting on your skin unless it is “bergaptene free”, as citrus oils make your skin photosensitive and you are very likely to get a sunburn with very little sun exposure. Sad, but true.
Therapeutic Benefits
This one is hardly a secret! If you start reading about essential oils you will quickly discover that there is an essential oil (or 12) for every ailment you can imagine, from acne to menstrual cramps to dandruff. Each oil has a different profile and a different set of ailments it is said to help, so when it comes to therapeutic benefits, it can be quite difficult to make substitutions as no two oils are quite the same. Here’s a rough chart of a few categories that you may be able to trade within, though.
Anti-bacterial | Anti-viral | Relaxing | Healing |
Tea Tree | Oregano | Chamomile | Helichrysum |
Honey Myrtle | Lavender | Violet Leaf | Cinnamon Bark |
Pine Scotch | Ravensara | Vetiver | Cinnamon Leaf |
Chamomile | Tea Tree | Vanilla | Fir Needle |
Ravensara | Patchouli | Fenugreek | Myrrh |
Savory | Helichrysum | Cypress | Patchouli |
Thyme | Onion | Ho Wood | Rue |
Garlic | Hyssop | Rosalina | Spearmint |
Lemon Myrtle | Honey Myrtle | Frankincense |
Physical Benefits
Balms & salves like Tiger Balm use essential oils for the physical effect they have on your skin. Essential oils like peppermint and menthol have a cooling effect. Cajeput and camphor help clear the sinuses. Cassia and cinnamon increase circulation and provide a warming sensation.
Cooling | Sinus Clearing | Warming | Pain Killer |
Peppermint | Cajeput | Cassia | Clove |
Menthol | Menthol | Cinnamon | Juniper |
Camphor | Ginger | Chamomile | |
Cinnamon |
When it comes to oils you’re using for their physical effects, you can’t really swap them around—while oils may exist in the same category, that is generally all they have in common. Know that if you switch oils around the effect will not be the same, though it may be close.
Thank you for detailing the benefits of the EO, its very useful to me as I am just starting to use them =)
Thanks for reading, DinoMama! Feel free to pass on any suggestions for other more informative articles you’d like to see 🙂
What eo would you substitute for eucalyptus?
Hi Sharon! This is really hard to say without any extra information. Did you read the article? Why are you using eucalyptus? Basically, figure out what characteristic you want from eucalyptus and then look for an EO with similar properties.
Really appreciate your blogs, esp. this one to break down the mystery of essential oils. Thank you-
Thanks for reading, Kathi! Let me know if you’ve got any other “break down” type article requests 🙂 I’m always looking to help!
How do you determine how many drops of essential oil to put in a formulation or experiment? Would the amount of drops be the same for EO substitutions? Thanks!
Hi Laura—great question! When it comes to scent or aromatherapy type benefits, I generally just add EOs until the scent is strong enough for me, counting as I go. It’s not exactly an exacting science 😛 When it comes to scent, it’s really all up to you—use the same oil, use a different one, use more, use less. It’s all up to personal preference. For aromatherapy/therapeutic benefits, I can’t claim to be much of an expert in terms of substitutions and amounts. I generally read up on the benefits of the oil and include them in a scent blend, and mostly aim to come up with something that smells nice 😛 So far, that’s worked for me very nicely. A general rule of thumb is don’t exceed 2%, so keep that in mind and I’m sure you can’t go too far wrong!
However, when it’s something like tiger balm or my AC in a bottle, where we’re looking for an immediate physical effect, the percentages tend to be high (waaaaay more than 2%—my tiger balm is around 50%! Bug spray is 5–20%.). So, here substitutions are much harder, and I wouldn’t really recommend them. If you read through some of the comments on my AC in a bottle, where people have asked if they can use this or that instead of the peppermint or menthol EO, I walk through the math required to ensure you end up with the same amount of menthol (the active ingredient) in the spray.
Hope that helps!
Hi,
How do you like New Directions Aromatics’s essential oil comparing to other company? like doterra, Young Living , Aura Cacia.
I am really confusing about their qualities.
Thank you
I’ve never used any of those other brands as they are pretty pricey/hard to get in Canada, but I have always been very impressed with the quality of NDA’s essential oils.
As a certified Aromatherapist I have found MLM distributors are about sales and do not generally have the education to make the claims and usage suggestions especially related to ingestion. The oil markups are huge as everyone gets a cut and many of the “pure” oils are mixtures of several varieties of oils. Such as inexpensive lavenders with a small about of exquisite lavender and what is referred to as stretchers such as copaiba which is a great oil but if you think you are buying one oil and you read the fine print and find it to be a blend you lose faith in their allegations. New directions is honest and I have had great success with their products, customer service and recipes suggestions.
Thanks, Jill! It’s great to hear from an expert on this topic 🙂
hi jill,
i am juststarting out with the essential oils and i love them! currently i am using doterra, but they are very very pricy! are all EO’s the same? and if not, what should i look for? doterra is great but like i said pricy. i would like to find possible alternatives. any suggestions?
Hey Kristen! I’m obviously not Jill, but I thought I’d chime in. In my experience, the MLM companies are never worth it. There are so many layers of salespeople between you and the product that they are grossly overpriced. There’s also no evidence their products are any better, with some potential evidence to the contrary. I’m also super suspicious about how they advocate eating their products—yikes! A drop of lemon EO is like eating a pound of lemons, and there’s a reason people don’t go around eating full pounds of lemons (unless they’re in lemon meringue pie, in which case, carry on!). There is no safety oversight in the manufacture of essential oils that aren’t specifically food grade, so telling people to self-medicate with such potent, unregulated substances seems like a TERRIBLE idea to me. I really like the EOs I’ve purchased from New Directions Aromatics, and I’ve also got a massive list of places to shop here. I’d recommend choosing a supplier that sells ingredients for making body products rather than one that tells you to eat essential oils to solve all your problems 🙂
Has New Directions changed? I was always told that their oils aren’t necessarily the best. I use Aromatherapist, Awaken My Senses or a few based out of Quebec.
I doubt Jill will return to chime in seven months after she left her comment, but I can say that I’ve always been happy with NDA. They do sell some blended EOs, but those are always clearly labelled as such 🙂
I love your blog…
I learned so much I don`t know where to start thanking you!
I especially like this post about EO… Is there a post that would be an hybrid between this one and the one called `my potion cabinet`where you give advice on what a starter EO enthusiast should buy…
If there is please show me where I have been looking at your site a lot and I seemed to have missed that one…
If there isn`t… Please consider writting one!
And whatever you do… keep this up!
Thank you Marie! I’m so thrilled you’re finding my blog helpful 🙂 I can sure tell you’ve done a very thorough job looking around. I don’t currently have a starter EO entry, but it is definitely on the list. For now, I cover the topic briefly in the comments section of the “My Potions Cabinet” article.
Thanks so much for reading & always feel free to get in touch if you have any questions 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your posts. (: I enjoy reading every single one of them. I’ve read through a couple of websites, and I must say yours is my favorite. 🙂
Aww, thanks so much, Bo! I sure have a lot of fun devising the projects & writing up the posts—I’m really glad you’re enjoying my efforts 🙂
I am desperately trying to figure out a good substitute for copaiba oil in a blend I’m making, what do you recommend? Marjoram, balsam fir, frankincense or….?
Hello Angel,
As you’ll have read in the post, you need to figure out what you want your essential oils to be doing in your formula. Scent? some sort of purpose other than scent? If you do a quick google search, they have lots of information about swaps for copaiba oil.
Happy making
Barb
Marie, do you know of any substitutes for vetiver? Is patchouli suitable?
Vetiver smells overwhelmingly of smoke, and patchouli most definitely does not—I’d try Birch Tar EO instead 🙂
Cedarwood is a good sub for Vetiver. Similar fragrance IMO. 🙂
Really? My cedarwood is soft and subtly woody whilst my vetiver is incredibly strong and overwhelmingly smokey—just a few drops will completely overwhelm an entire batch of soap. I’d have a hard time imagining any two essential oils that are more different. Do you have links to the EOs you have? I’d love to compare!
Thank you so much for this handy explanation of substitutions! I was looking for a replacement for Cypress in a facial blend. Going to read your other entries now!
I’m glad you found it useful, MW 🙂 Enjoy the rest of the entries, there’s lots to choose from!
I was making a massage planned call for peppermint and realized I was out can I substitute cinnamon leaf instead. Or should I just leave it out. its for tired muscles and has lavender, rosemary, lemon, chamomile and peppermint with a carrier oil, what do you suggest?
Hi Doris! Peppermint essential oil contains menthol, which produces a cool, tingly sensation on the skin that is lovely for sore muscles. Cinnamon leaf essential oil will not give this sensation as it does not contain any menthol. From what I’ve read you could add it to your muscle oil, but it would not be anything close to a true substitute 🙂
Hello, I have a 4 year old that I am trying to make a blend of essential oils for, could you give me a substitute for fir needle essential oil? I can’t seem to find a safe alternative with similar benefits…thanks
Well, that depends—which particular benefits are you interested in?
Hi,
Just found your site today and love it! I’ve been making and teaching people to make simple home and skin care products for about 3 years, and I love hearing the why’s behind all you do! I have had friends requesting scents like apple in things we make together, and I was wondering your thoughts on fragrances vs essential oils, particularly if there are any companies you trust. Secondly, have you ever tried mountain rose herbs? They are maybe my favourite company ever. Based out of Oregon, a lot of their oils are wild harvested if possible and they have reasonable prices and significant bulk discounts. Shipping in the states is cheap and often there are ‘shipping receiving’ stores on the other side of the Canadian border for you to receive your shipments without paying an arm and a leg – I do this in Vancouver/point Roberts.
I have a couple more questions for you, if you don’t mind (if you mind, stop reading :))
How did you learn about making skin and beauty products – are there books you would recommend on making your own? I own “make your own body care recipes” but its not exactly what I was looking for.
Did you play around with other companies before you settled on NDA?
Hi Ali! I’m generally against using fragrance oils—I really only make an exception for rose, and that’s just because the EO is soooo expensive. Even then, I find fragrance oils of all kinds to be really quite overpowering and I don’t enjoy how long they stick around on the skin. Trust has nothing to do with it—they’re artificial chemicals no matter who sells them, and they’re always really strong and fake.
I’ve never tried Mountain Rose Herbs because with the poor Canadian/US exchange rate, international shipping, and import fees, I’d rather not bother with the hassle and added cost.
As for how I learned, I’m mostly self-taught through observation and experimentation 🙂 I research individual ingredients, but my formulas and what not are the result of experimentation.
I did try a few other companies before NDA, including one from the US. I’m not married to NDA, but I’ve yet to find anywhere with better selection and better pricing. Between them and Saffire Blue I’m pretty happy, though I’ll definitely be placing an American order the next time I visit relatives down there 🙂
I am really glad you made this post—its very helpful! I have a a question about photosensitizing essential oils because I don’t really understand how it works. If I were to put a small amount of lemon EO(diluted of course) on my skin at night would it be alright? Or is it also a gradual thing– do they weaken your skin over time making you more susceptible to burning even if you stopped using them? Sorry if that makes no sense 🙂 I would really love your help
Sophia
Hi Sophia! So, you should not be using any essential oils straight, so dilution is a given. Even with dilution, it’s not a good idea. I once put on a bit of lotion that had 4 drops of tangerine EO in the entire batch. I went for a bike ride at 8AM on a cloudy day and still got a sunburn in 20 minutes. The EO really amplifies the effects of the sun, so it is an immediate effect that will not lessen over time.
Is there any way to get a cooling effect without a peppermint scent? I’m planning to make a cross between your chai and your peppermint shampoo bars for that “icy hot” feeling on my scalp. The problem is I’m not a huge fan of minty scents and the essential oils I want to use (ginger, frankincense, myrrh, black pepper, and neroli) don’t really mingle with peppermint. Do you think I could add peppermint powder, extract, and/or hydrosol to solve my problem? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance~
In my experience—no. Menthol, the compound that gives us that awesome cooling sensation, is also the compound that gives peppermint it’s characteristic scent. Pure menthol smells distinctly minty. There may be refined versions that commercial manufacturers use to get the same effect without the scent, but I’ve never seen one for sale.
In my facial mask to combat double chin, few drops of peppermint oil is prescribed as part of the ingredients. Can I substitute this with any menthol cream like robb? On the other hand, can you provide me with a substitute? Thanks
Hi Ay! Menthol is the cooling component of peppermint, and can comprise up to ~40% of peppermint EO, depending on the variety. Pure menthol is obviously going to be quite a lot stronger, so you will want to use very, very little of it. Personally, I find even very small amounts of peppermint (just a couple drops) to be unpleasantly cold on the face, so you may find almost any amount of menthol to be unenjoyable, depending on how sensitive your skin is.
Hi Marie, s there any substitute for helicrisum? I’m trying to make a joint pain blend,
Hi Ive! If your main concern is pain you can probably just leave it out as helichrysum isn’t much of a topical analgesic. Have you checked out this recipe? It’s awesome!
Hi,
I am looking to make an anti ageing night cream, are there oils you would suggest. I was thinking lavender, chamomile and geranium, are there others I should consider?
Check out helichrysum and carrot seed as well 🙂
Is there anything I can use to substitute frankincense oil in my face cream? I’m having trouble buying locally. I have spearmint on hand…not sure if this would suffice.
In general spearmint isn’t a good alternative to frankincense as they have pretty much nothing in common. Why do you want to include frankincense in your face cream? I’d go looking for an essential oil that has those benefits, or something similar, and choose an alternative that way 🙂
Is there a substitute for carrot seed, primrose, and meadowfoam seed? I’m trying to make an eye treatment using lavender, rosehip seed oil, and the aforementioned oils.
Hi Ivy!
Evening primrose oil, and meadowfoam seed oil are both carrier oils. Please take a look at this link. If you want to give this Soothing Under Eye Gel a look see perhaps it might be something you’re interested in.
Hi Barb,
I’m looking to substitute carrot seed oil in a mature agreed skin oil blend I’m making.
Currently have sweet almond, rosehip & Geranium.
It’s for a night oil. Can’t find anything to substitute with.
Any help would be great.
Thanks in advance
I’m looking for a good diffuser that will last most of the night. The one I diffuser I have is still putting out mist by early morning but no scent any more. Looking for suggestions, thanks
I love my AromaCloud from Saje, but you might consider one of their larger ones if you want it to last all night 🙂 Also… try adding more EOs from the get go?
Hi, just wondering if you have purchased essential oils from saffire blue? They seem to be the cheapest in price that I’ve seen but I’m wondering if the quality there as well?? Otherwise where would you buy from online in Canada? Thanks! Sarah
Hey Sarah! I’ve got several EOs from Saffire Blue and have been quite happy with them (especially their cocoa absolute—LOVE!). New Directions is also good in Canada 🙂
Thanks for the subject “EO substitution” for long time I am trying get a guide or hint on what to do if I do not have the the exact recipe
Best Regard,
Happy to help 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Hi! I know that lilac essential oil doesn’t really exist (all the lilac scents out there are fake and usually awful) because the flower doesn’t infuse well in oil, so what floral scents would you recommend for creating a similar smelling product? Not looking for the “same” scent, but one with the same sort of soft floral-y warmth, not so sharp as lavender. Lilac is my favorite scent and I’m always at a loss when trying to find a suitable replacement!
Love your blog, and the more posts I read, the more I feel I can actually be a soap-maker (haven’t made one yet, though, waiting for the supplies).
Good news—I found Lilac Absolute 🙂 It’s cheaper than rose, thankfully.
Other reading tells me that infusing the blossoms in oil will get a softly lilac infused oil, but you would have to be careful to either use dried blossoms or attempt to remove any water from the fresh blossoms to prevent spoilage (or include a preservative… or use it quickly).
I did once find a blend of some EOs that smelled like lavender, but I can’t remember what was in it for the life of me. Possibly jasmine. Hmm.
You’ll be totally hooked on soaping when you give it a go, I promise 😉
Wow awesome! I’ll definitely check it out. There are some butchers who sell at our Farmers Market, so hopefully they’ll be willing to give me their fat trimmings so I can make tallow. Can’t wait to start!
If they aren’t, ask around—there’s always somebody who is, you just might have to go further up the butchering train to find the person who originally has it/throws it away.
Hi,
I’m wondering if for making a decongestant massage oil/inhaling oil, you can substitute cypress for cedar oil or vice versa. Also, where do you get your information- is there an online resource for this? Thanks.
Hey Lydia! Cedar oil is very soft smelling and won’t do much of anything for any kind of congestion, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Most of my research is gathered from a wide variety of sources—all online, but nothing specific I can direct you to. Supplier websites are a great place to start, as is the EWG’s Skin Deep database.
Thanks Marie!
I have used black pepper oil before combined with lemon in a carrier before for periop pain. The black pepper oil is nicely warming.
Thanks, Anne! I also love the sharp spicy scent of black pepper 🙂
Hi Marie,
I am looking at making a flu/cold bomb that calls for Tea Tree oil, Lemon EO, OnGuard, Oregano EO and Frankincense EO. I have everything but the Frankincense. It is sooo pricey. any suggestions on a substitution?
Hmm. Frankincense is said to boost immunity, and so is lemon, lavender, and peppermint, so perhaps one of those?
Hi!
I recently subscribed to your Beginner’s DIY email list and I find myself spending literally all day everyday that I am off work researching recipes and oil substitutions and suppliers, ect. I know more than I need to to start, but I am still trying to bring my initial Amazon cart (the only supplier delivering in time for Christmas goodie-making unfortunately– NDA looks amazing though!)down out of the $hundreds$.
On that note, essential oils seem like an expense that can be cut and returned to later. But I’ve been looking around to see what kind of substitutes I may have at home for color and/or scent and I was wondering if alcohols could be used in 100% oil products (balms, deodorants…). I’m guessing my grenadine might be pushing it in terms of water content, but I was thinking Chambord raspberry liquor could be great for coloring lip balm and schnapps could be good for scent/flavor. Yes, or too watery? I don’t want to buy preservatives at this time. I noticed that you didn’t use preservatives with the small amount of honey in your lip balm (unlike some other blogs I’ve seen), so I was thinking maybe this small amount of alcohol would also be fine.
Other than that I’m going to try my hand at infusing oils with teas and other herbs (cinnamon, rosemary, fresh basil…candy cane? =P )– I’ve seen this done both over time by seeping the herbs in the oils over weeks and by heating in the oil the day of then straining. Which would you suggest? Maybe the former would wring out more EO-like effects from the cinnamon and chamomile tea? Candy cane would probably just melt in the later.
I’m sorry that my comment/question is so long! Of all of the blogs I’ve stumbled across this past week though, you have been by far the most helpful. Thank you so much– and I so hope I win that book lol! I can’t imagine how great it will be if your free blog is this good 🙂
P.S. Last question sorry. What is your favorite main liquid carrier oil? I’ve been going back and forth on what to buy. I know in your course you suggest safflower oil, and the quick absorption sounds brilliant for my chapped lips, but most top lists I’ve found don’t mention it and I want to make sure whatever I get is versatile and nourishing. Thanks again!
I see this awaiting moderation and I am wishing I could edit! It’s even longer than I thought- should have split it between your posts probably– I have your carrier oil one saved. Sorry.
No worries, truly! It’s far from the longest comment I’ve ever received 😉
Hey! Welcome to the wonderful world of DIY 🙂 You should not include alcohol in 100% oil based concotions; it won’t emulsify, and you will be introducing water and spoilage concerns. You can infuse oils with herbs and teas, but I would stick with those rather than foods—stick with things that are meant to be infused, rather than eaten 🙂 You could try vanilla beans, too! I don’t think a candy cane would melt in oil much as they are water soluble; the dye might, but the sugar wouldn’t. If you smashed it up, it would be gritty—like a sugar scrub.
You can read about the availability of the water present in honey here to see why I don’t use a preservative 🙂 I’m not sure I’d chance that for re-sale, but for personal use it has worked out brilliantly 🙂
I honestly do not have a “main” liquid carrier oil. I use a lot of safflower and sunflower oils for lotions, sweet almond for lip balms, and lots of argan and evening primrose oil for my face, but depending on applications or desired characteristics of the end product, I’ll switch it up. I love macadamia, walnut, grapeseed, avocado, and so many other oils. Safflower is, as noted, a good starting point, though 🙂
Thanks so much for reading! 🙂
What is a good substitute for black pepper in a focus type roll on recipe blend?
Honestly, I’m not really sure why one would include black pepper in a focus roller blend since black pepper is mostly used for warming, digestion, and cramps. It is quite zesty, so perhaps it would work in a sort of “smelling salts” kind of way? I’m guessing it’s complimenting some of the other EOs in the blend to round out the scent, rather than adding to the focus function, so in that case… maybe clove bud, since it’s also warm and spicy?
Thank you for this great information. Also thank you for the link to New Directions. They have quality oils at very affordable prices!
After reading today and visiting your Facebook page, I was so inspired that I made several blends, including two rollerball blends.
They do—prepare to be a bit addicted, haha! Enjoy those roller blends, and thanks for DIYing with me 🙂
what can I substitute Myrtle with
What kind of myrtle? There are quite a few!
I found a recipe for a bug spray that calls for Lemon Myrtle. Do you have any idea what I can substitute for it? I already have all the other oils in the recipe, but not Lemon Myrtle.
Maybe lemongrass or lemon eucalyptus? I’ve used both in bug spray and they work, plus they smell citrussy.
Hi I am wondering if I can use fragrance oils in things like lotion? What is your opinion on fragrance oils? I see that New Direction Aromatics supplies them as well.
Hey! You definitely can 🙂 Fragrance oils tend to be a fairly polarizing thing, especially in the crunchy/DIY community. Generally, they are MUCH stronger and longer lasting than EOs, they’re cheaper, and they come in a much wider array of scents (many of which are unavailable as EOs). The typical complains about fragrance oils is that we don’t know what’s in them (not strictly true—NDA provides MSDS sheets with chemical breakdowns… whether or not that information makes sense to the individual is another matter!) and that they aren’t “natural” (a rather insubstantial accusation to level at anything). Individuals may find the scents from fragrance oils to be too strong for their liking, or otherwise give them headaches/other reactions.
So… do whatever you want, I guess. Use ’em if you like them and they don’t bother you. Most people are totally fine with fragrance, but some people get pretty militaristic about avoiding them (you wouldn’t believe some of the backlash I’ve gotten from using them in my recipes!). If you like ’em, go nuts! 🙂 Hope that helps!
What is a good substitute for Black Spruce?
Any of the fresher coniferous EOs—pine, spruce, and fir are all fairly interchangeable 🙂
What would you substitute for cinnamon?
Well, that depends, as per the post. Why are you using it? Scent? Therapeutic benefits? Physical benefits? Figure that out, and then choose an EO that has similar characteristics 🙂
What can I use to substitute Helichrysum? I’m using it on some skin cancer and the protocol I’m following is working great but the Helichrysum is so expensive. I need to find a good substitute to apply topically. I’ve heard Myrrh is a good substitute. Frankinsence is already part of the protocol I’m using so I’m considering substituting Helichrysum with Myrrh. I would appreciate your thoughts.
If you have skin cancer, please consult a doctor. I’m not going to make any recommendations or have anything to do with DIY cancer treatment.
Is there a substitute for carrot seed oil in skin care?
Hello Erica!
Of course! It all depends on what you are hoping carrot seed oil will do for your skin. Once you can answer that question, it’ll be so much easier to figure out what to substitute it with!
Happy making!
Barb
Hi there! I am looking for a substitute for the labdanum essential oil any recommendations? Thank you
I’m afraid not; it’s very unique :/
I currently use benzoin and cedarwood in my bath bombs, my supplier has indicated that both oils are on the endangered species list and will eventually stop selling these oils. What would you recommend to replace both essential oils?
Vanilla could be a good swap for benzoin (though expensive + water-soluble), but I don’t know of any essential oils that smell much like cedar. There are a lot of coniferous trees (fir, spruce, pine) that also have essential oils, but the scent is much sharper/fresher. You could look at fragrance oils if you’re interested as well—there are a lot of options! Happy making!
Hi Marie! I’m making bath bombs, but I don’t have any essential oils at all, and I don’t have time to buy some. What could I use as a replacement?
You could just leave them out, or use a fragrance oil instead. Happy making!