How to Use Essential Oils from Trees | Grounding & Restorative Essential Oils



It’s helpful if you start to think about essential oils in categories. This makes it a bit easier to discern how to use the oil to optimize its benefits. Of course, every oil is unique in its constituents and properties, but I want to make this extremely easy for you. 
 
Tree and wood oils are earthy, grounding, and restorative whereas citrus oils are bright, fresh, mood elevating, and uplifting. Floral oils are great for hormone and emotional support. In this article we will be talking about all the tree and wood oils that doTERRA offers. Below you will find an image of a cheat sheet for each of the tree and wood oils that gives you a bit of knowledge on each of the oils. You can download the PDF version of this cheat sheet to keep on hand in your home. 


Note: In this article we will not be covering Birch, Hinoki, or Niaouli as these were limited time offerings from doTERRA. We will also be discussing Guaiacwood essential oil, which is not listed on the cheat sheet above - it is a new oil from doTERRA. 
 
When we think about tree and wood oils, these are oils that are going to come from the leaves, stems, and twigs of trees. Trees grow deep into the earth and are rooted. Many trees grow despite a harsh climate. Evergreen trees grow in some of the coldest, undesirable conditions. 
 
When I think about tree and wood oils, I like to think about strength and grounding. Wood is used to build the literal foundation of a home and tree oils can help support the foundation of the body. If you are feeling scattered, try putting a tree oil on the bottoms of your feet for a grounding effect. Tree oils also have amazing restorative properties. They can help restore skin tissue and support a healthy immune system.  


Let's dive into doTERRA's tree and wood oils, their benefits, uses, and sourcing information. 

Arborvitae

Known for its exceptional preserving properties, Arborvitae essential oil can help protect against a variety of outside threats and acts as a powerful purifying agent. 

 
The essential oil comes from the native Canadian Arborvitae tree, and has a warm, earthy aroma. 
 
It is used in meditation practices for its calming aroma. The Arborvitae tree also assists with skin restoration and can be used to help polish wood furniture. 
 
Emotional Properties: Oil of Divine Grace 
Peaceful, surrender, grounding, trusting, relaxed, grace. 
 
Benefits
  • Protects against environmental and seasonal threats 
  • Powerful cleansing and purifying agent 
  • Natural insect repellent and wood preservative
 
How to Use
  • Add a few drops of Arborvitae oil to a spray bottle with water and spray on surfaces or hands for a quick DIY cleaner. 
  • Mix 4 drops of Arborvitae essential oil and 2 drops of Lemon essential oil for a wood polish. 
  • Diffuse to freshen air and support clean breathing. 
  • Use during meditation for a sense of peace and calm. 
  • May help promote clear, healthy-looking skin when applied topically. 
  • Apply to ankles and wrists when hiking. 

Black Spruce

A powerful wood essential oil, Black Spruce is distilled from the needles and branches of the Picea Mariana Tree. 

 
Known to create a relaxing atmosphere, start your day off with the cooling and soothing benefits of Black Spruce. Co-impact sourced from Canada. Maintain feelings of clear airways and easy breathing. 
 
Black Spruce is a by-product of the logging industry; the remnant branches and needles are collected, and steam distilled into essential oil. Any remaining matter is burned by local power plant to produce energy. The result is a closed-loop zero waste system. 
 
Emotional Properties: Stable, resolute, grounded, enduring, balanced. 
 
How to Use
  • After strenuous activity, combine one to two drops of Black Spruce with Fractionated Coconut Oil and massage into the skin for soothing comfort. 
  • When working through difficult circumstances, diffuse Black Spruce to help reduce stress. 
  • Apply topically to the skin to help soothe minor irritations. 
  • Inhale throughout the day to experience the refreshing aroma and to promote feelings of easy breathing.
 

Cedarwood

With properties that help to soothe the mind and body, the warm, woody scent of Cedarwood oil promotes a relaxing environment when used topically or aromatically. Repels bugs naturally. 

 
Emotional Properties: Belonging, connected, supported, social bonds, sociable, community. 
 
doTERRA’s Cedarwood essential oil is made from by-products of the lumber industry, making it a waste-free sustainable sourcing option. 
 
The use of cedar oil from different trees, and Cedarwood in general has a long historical past. The cedar of Lebanon is thought to be one of the first essential oils extracted from nature. The Sumerians regarded the cedar tree to be the Tree of Life. Ancient tribes believed God held the energy of the Cosmos in the cedar and that the wood was sacred, gifting those worthy with power, greatness, and immortality. The Egyptians incorporated it into their embalming rituals. The Phoenicians and Assyrians even used cedar to build fleets of ships. 
 
doTERRA Cedarwood is distilled from the wood of the hardy Red Cedar tree, which reaches heights up to 100 feet and thrives under difficult conditions. The aromatic, brownish-red wood is a remarkable material with powerful properties that come from tree’s essential oil content. Red cedar is purifying to the air and repels moths. Like the resilient tree it comes from, Cedarwood essential oil evokes feelings of stability, determination, and vitality. 
 

Copaiba

doTERRA's Copaiba is extremely unique. It’s a blend of four different species of Copaiba trees. Now why would doTERRA do that? Some would argue they do it because it gives sustainability, but that’s not the primary purpose behind combining four species of this essential oil.

 
Blending four species significantly increases the therapeutic potential. It increases potency and increases the diversity of that potency. This combination is not something you’ll be able to find anywhere else. It is truly unique to doTERRA. As a result of blending the four species the following outcomes can be enhanced:

  1. Liver and antioxidant support. 
  2. Cardiovascular health. 
  3. Sustain proper immune response.
  4. Digestive support.
  5. Support proper neurological function.
  6. Proper respiratory function.
 
Powerfully relaxing, Copaiba oil comes from a fragrant tropical tree native to South America. It helps soothe anxious feelings and supports the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, immune, and respiratory systems. 
 
Emotional Properties: Worthy, self-aware, clarity, forgiven, redefinition of self-purposeful existence. 

Check out my article: Copaiba Essential Oil Benefits, Uses, & Sourcing with doTERRA | Co-Impact Sourcing Series to learn more about this incredible oil. 

 

Cypress

Fresh and woody, Cypress is often used in spas for its refreshing aroma and its many benefits to the skin. It reduces anxious feelings and encourages feelings of energy and vitality. 


It empathizes with suffering, the energies that eliminate from a
life in sorrow. It offers strength and energetic protection to those who need protecting, and to those who are feeling vulnerable and insecure or have lost their purpose.

Cypress reminds you that nothing can stay still forever. When you experience stagnation in your life, use Cypress.
 
Emotional Properties: Flexible, trusting, flowing with life, adaptable. 
 
Emotional Healing 
To encourage comfort, change, assertiveness, understanding, balance, stillness, confidence, inner peace, wisdom, stability, patience, trust, willpower, and straightforwardness

Tip: Are you feeling overburdened right now? Combine Cypress and Grapefruit oils with Epsom salts into a foot bath of water. Feel the water nourishing your feet. Cypress offers deep grounding, and when combined with Grapefruit, creates buoyancy in your heart. Connect with the Mother Earth, as all that doesn't serve you flows from your soles down. Sense the planet taking your troubles and transmuting them back into the light.
 

Douglas Fir

Fragrant and refreshing, it cleanses the air and promotes feelings of clear airways. Douglas Fir smells distinctly coniferous, yet lemony. Calming to the mind and promotes uplifted feelings.

 
Emotional Properties: Generational healing, respect for elders, wisdom, learning from the past. 
 
Douglas Fir is a conifer that grows natively throughout North America. This tall, evergreen fir tree is frequently used in the Christmas tree industry and has a lemon-scented note that’s sweet and refreshing. doTERRA Douglas Fir essential oil is sustainably sourced from young trees in New Zealand, where it is a highly invasive species threatening the country’s ecosystem. By harvesting young Douglas Fir trees and using them for essential oil, doTERRA is helping combat the environmental impact of the trees overtaking the land while providing a premium conifer essential oil. 
 
Douglas Fir has a unique chemical composition that’s particularly rich in beta-pinene, contributing to its fresh and clear aroma. Douglas Fir can also be used to cleanse the skin and provide an uplifting aroma. Blending Douglas Fir with citrus oils will create an uplifting environment and refreshing aroma. 

 

Eucalyptus

Has a clean, refreshing aroma that supports easy breathing, dispels odors, and clears the mind. Emotionally, Eucalyptus oil is used to decrease feelings of tension and promote relaxation. 

 
Emotional Properties: Able to heal, whole, well, liberated, responsible, encouraged.
 
doTERRA recently released a reformulated version of Eucalyptus that combines several species of eucalyptus together.
 
The benefits of blending species help us achieve more consistent products over different seasons at all times of the year. It can also help create more consistent chemistry and helps create better sustainability and reliability.
   
This blend may help calm the mind during periods of mental stress, perfect to add to your favorite DIY cleanser, and provides a cooling sensation that may support open airways.
 
This new blend of Eucalyptus is made up of five different species: Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus radiata, E. polybractea, E. kochii, E. loxophleba, and E. globulus.
 
Learn more ways to use Eucalyptus by reading my article, 15 Ways to Use Eucalyptus Essential Oil 

 

Frankincense

Frankincense is often referred to as the King of Essential Oils because of its powerful benefits. It may support a healthy digestive system when ingested and supports smooth healthy skin. 

 
Spend enough time around essential oil people and you will hear the phrase, “when in doubt, use Frankincense. Frankincense can be used to improve the appearance of skin imperfections and it can also be used in a veggie capsule to support healthy cellular function. It is known for supporting healthy cellular, immune, nervous, and digestive function when used internally. It can also be diffused to create a peaceful and satisfying aroma.
 
This ancient oil has been cherished for thousands of years. By all accounts, Cleopatra was a real beauty. She was described as having eternal youth and immortality. Her secret? Frankincense! 
 
One of the ways that I use Frankincense for healthy skin is by adding a drop to my Verage Moisturizer from doTERRA and apply it to my skin every night, especially around my eyes to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. 
 
For cellular support, you can add a drop of Frankincense under your tongue every day to help promote homeostasis within your body. You can also put Frankincense on your feet to support grounding. 

Frankincense is such a powerful oil and there is so much to say about it, to learn even more ways to use Frankincense - check out my article: 31 Days of Frankincense
 
Primary Benefits
  • Ingest to support healthy cellular function
  • May provide a soothing aromatic experience
  • Helps reduce the appearance of skin imperfections when applied topically
  • Supports healthy immune and nervous system function when taken internally
Emotional Benefits
Frankincense is the oil of truth. It allows you to let go of lower vibrations, lies, deceptions, and negativity. It creates new perspectives based on light and truth and recalls the memory of spiritual understanding, gifts, wisdom, and knowledge. 
 
Emotional Properties: Enlightened, loved, protected, discerning, spiritually open. 

 

Juniper Berry

Juniper Berry essential oil has a fresh, woodsy aroma that dispels stress and worry. Juniper Berry is refreshing to the skin and can also be taken internally to support the health of the urinary tract and kidneys. 

 
Emotional Properties: Protected, peaceful dreaming, courageous, self-aware. 
 
Tip: Struggling with bedwetting? Combine 1 drop of Juniper Berry and 1 drop of Cypress in your palm and apply topically across the lower abdomen as needed or 3+ times per day for chronic issues.
 
How to Use Juniper Berry 
  • Detox: Add one to two drops to water or citrus drinks as part of a natural cleansing regimen. 
  • Skin: Apply one drop to your skin care routine.
  • Purify Air: Diffuse with citrus oils to freshen and purify the air. 
  • Facial Mask: Add one to two drops to a Bentonite clay mask.
  • Grounding: Provides a calming grounding effect that is ideal for any massage.
  • Urinary Tract: One to two drops internally, will help support healthy kidney and urinary tract function. 
  • Traveling: It can help ease emotional and physical problems that may arise when traveling. 
  • Stress: Cup your hands over your nose and inhale to help combat stressful feelings. 
  • DIY Spray: Make a DIY Spray to freshen a linen closet, mattress, car, or the air.
  • Sleep: Diffuse with Sandalwood to help ground emotions and help sleep.
 

Myrrh

While it is known to hold powerful cleansing properties, particularly for the throat and mouth, Myrrh oil can also create an inspiring atmosphere with its aroma. 

 
Ancient records show that Myrrh was deemed so valuable that at times it was valued at its weight in gold. Myrrh essential oil is derived from the gummy resin of the small, thorny Myrrh tree and has been used for centuries for its internal and external health benefits. Myrrh has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense, and health aid. It was also employed in embalming and religious ceremonies. Myrrh has powerful cleansing properties, especially for the mouth and throat. It is also soothing to the skin—promoting a smooth, youthful-looking complexion—and promotes emotional balance and well-being.
 
Emotional Properties: Safe, trusting, bonding, maternal connection, nurtured, loved, secure. 
 
Primary Benefits 
  • Powerful cleansing properties, especially for the mouth and throat
  • Soothing to the skin; promotes a smooth, youthful-looking complexion
  • Promotes emotional balance and well-being
 

Petitgrain

Petitgrain oil is distilled from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree. Benefits include, antioxidant support, and promoting the health of the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, and nervous systems. 

 
Emotional Properties: Accountable, self-aware, progressing, realigned, empowered, independent. 
 
Ways to Use Petitgrain 
  • Diffuse for a calming and relaxing aroma. Blends well with other citrus oils.
  • Take internally to help ease feelings of tension, help calm the nervous system and promote restful sleep. 
  • Add one to two drops to water and drink to help support the health of the cardiovascular, immune, nervous, and digestive system.
 

Sandalwood

Both the wood and oil have been highly valued for centuries and sandalwood has a documented history of many applications. Traditionally used as an incense in religious ceremonies, Sandalwood essential oil has a sweet, woody, grounding aroma. Sandalwood is very beneficial to the skin; reducing the appearance of skin imperfections and promoting a healthy, smooth complexion.

 
The sweet, woody aroma of Sandalwood oil is a reflection of the soothing benefits of the essential oil – which can be used for skin imperfections or to enhance meditation. 
 
Emotional Properties: Humble, spiritual devotion, spiritual clarity, still, surrender. 
 
Ideas to Use Sandalwood 
  • Immune Function: Take one drop in a veggie cap daily to maintain healthy immune function. 
  • Rejuvenated Skin: Apply 2 drops to your face and place it above steaming water, cover head with a towel. 
  • Hair: Apply two drops to wet hair to help restore moisture and give hair a silky shine. 
  • Emotions: Inhale directly from palms or diffuse to balance emotions. 
  • Blemishes: Apply to the skin as needed.  
  • Grounding: Apply to the bottoms of the feet and behind the ears. 
  • Gardening: Make a DIY Spray to help support plant health and growth.
  • Meditation & Yoga: Diffuse during your practice.   
  • Bedtime: Diffuse  or apply topically to relax and wind down.
 

Hawaiian Sandalwood

Hawaiian Sandalwood has a rich, sweet, woody aroma making it a perfect oil to incorporate into massage or aromatherapy. Hawaiian Sandalwood is very soothing and beneficial to the skin. 

 
Emotional Properties: Humble, spiritual devotion, spiritual clarity, still, surrender. 
 
Sustainably sourced from Hawaii, Hawaiian Sandalwood is soothing to the skin and promotes a youthful-looking complexion. This rich, sweet-smelling essential oil has been used for thousands of years to instill calmness and well-being. It helps balance emotions and lessens feelings of tension. 
 
For hundreds of years, native Hawaiians used the leaves, bark, and wood shavings of this tree. doTERRA Hawaiian Sandalwood essential oil is sustainably sourced from old-growth mountain forests; only dead or dying trees are harvested. 
 
Benefits
  • Promotes healthy-looking smooth skin 
  • Creates a positive environment 
  • Frequently used in meditation for its grounding aroma  
 

Siberian Fir 

The Siberian fir tree is a tall, light in color, conifer tree native to Russia and Canada. Siberian Fir essential oil has a refreshing, woody scent that is known for its calming and relaxing aroma. Siberian Fir oil has a unique chemical composition that is predominately bornyl acetate, which provides a majority of the benefits of this essential oil. Siberian Fir oil can be very soothing to the skin, making it an ideal essential oil to add to a comforting massage.


The fresh, pine-like aroma of Siberian Fir is used to soothe feelings of anxiousness, combat daily stress, and ease muscle soreness. Helps calm the nerves and soothe anxious feelings. 
 
Emotional Properties: Comforted, forgiveness, perspective, honest, wisdom, optimist. 
 
Primary Benefits 
  • Creates a tranquil, positive space 
  • Diffuse for a relaxing aroma
  • Use to help enhance a soothing massage
 

Tea Tree

Tea Tree essential oil, which is also known as Melaleuca, has been cherished for centuries by cultures across the world for its soothing effect on the skin and profound ability to promote clear breathing and healthy skin function. When added to your daily skincare routine, Tea Tree can serve as a powerful instrument for rejuvenating the skin and soothing uncomfortable irritations.

 
A powerfully cleansing essential oil with a fresh, slightly herbaceous aroma. Used in skin care, hair care, cleaning products, and in chest rubs. Best known for its purifying properties. 
 
Emotional Properties: Energetic boundaries, healthy and respectful connections, safe. 
 
Top Uses
  • Apply to skin irritations 
  • Make a DIY all purpose kitchen spray 
  • Apply to fingernails and toenails after showering to help purify and keep nails looking healthy 
  • Diffuse during the day to help purify the air
  • Add to your shampoo to support scalp health and hair growth 
  • Use on the chest to support clear airways
 
Tea Tree essential oil is an astringent oil that supports a healthy immune system, clear skin, and is an excellent cleanser in your DIY cleaning products. 
 
Tea Tree is an herbaceous oil with a clean and fresh aroma. It is an oil that is great for all things cleansing. Tea Tree is included in almost all the essential oil kits that doTERRA offers, because this is just one of those must have on hand oils to use whenever you need it. 

 

Guaiacwood

Guaiacwood has been used for centuries in meditation practices and wellness ceremonies by Native Americans. It is often used in perfumery and skincare products. Steam-distilled from the heartwood of the Bulnesia sarmientoi tree, Guaiacwood essential oil has an earthy, grounding aroma with a subtle sweetness. 

 
The Guaiacwood is blended with Fractionated Coconut Oil and can be used both topically and aromatically. Its woody scent provides a calming, tranquil atmosphere. 
 
doTERRA Guaiacwood essential oil is sustainably and ethically sourced from Paraguay. Working with their sourcing partner, doTERRA is changing the future of the at-risk Gran Chaco Forest—one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world.
 
doTERRA’s Guaiacwood has over 90% Sesquiterpene alcohols. Sesquiterpenes are stabilizing and soothing. The two Sesquiterpenes that make up Guaiacwood are Guaiol and Bulnesol, which are uncommon and not present in very many essential oils. This essential oil has a unique chemistry that has never been seen in any other essential oil. Bringing Guaiacwood to doTERRA users took over 5 years, so nothing about this oil is simple. 
 
Guaiacwood can be used to relieve occasional joint aches, rid the body of free radicals, support the lymphatic system, bolster the immune system, ease stress, reduce anxious feelings, and induce a meditative state. 
 
The earthy scent of Guaiacwood is grounding making it a powerful oil for meditation, during a massage, or when you want to feel more in tune with yourself. 

To learn more about Guaiacwood, check out my article: Guaiacwood Essential Oil Benefits, Uses, & Sourcing with doTERRA


As you can see, while each of these oils has its own unique properties they all share  grounding and restorative properties. The best way to learn which oils will work best for you is to get them in a diffuser or on your body. I hope this helps you use your tree and wood essential oils.

 
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Stress Buster, Morning Bliss, and Immune Support are three things I can use more off as a busy mom. Luckily, I have a specific roller bottle for each of those things and I can easily apply them as I am driving my daughter to school each morning. If you want to make your own roller bottle blends with those recipes plus 12 other recipes, grab my free eBook below. 




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