essential oils for hormone imbalance: hormonal acne, hot flashes +

If you know me, you know that I totally nerd out on anything regarding essential oils and hormones. Essential oils are some of my favorite all-natural remedies when it comes to just about anything—and they are definitely some of my favorite hormone-support helpers. In this article, we’re talking about the best essential oils for hormone imbalance. We’ll dive into the issues that come about from haywire hormones like stress, adrenal fatigue, hormonal acne, hot flashes, and more. Let’s dive in. 

Why Essential Oils?

I always like to reach for natural remedies as my first line of defense, whether after getting a cold or finding out I’m in stage 4 adrenal fatigue (true story!). I do this because I’m not interested in band-aid solutions. Not only that, but oftentimes conventional or OTC medications may help cover up certain symptoms but end up producing others. 

Essential oils are potent extracts of powerful plants! Yup, the same stuff that is in medicine, but luckily, in its purest and full form. No isolation here. Essential oils contain powerful compounds that get down to a cellular level (whether taken internally or externally) and help you heal there. 

Beyond that, they are super versatile. Meaning you can use one oil for 15 different things. Think headaches, toothpaste, laundry detergent, mood enhancement, muscle pain, energy, and more. I am all about economic efficiency, and essential oils are the pinnacle of wallet-friendly for me. 

When it comes to essential oils for hormone support, these plants are powerful. Some essential oils are potent adaptogenic plant extracts that help to balance hormones and adapt to a variety of stressors. Because they help regulate the stress response (the root of most hormonal issues) they in turn, help to balance hormones. 

They also help with a lot of symptoms that come along with hormone struggles, like hair loss, acne, low energy, poor sleep, horrible mood, increased PMS symptoms, and more. Now that we’ve covered the basics let’s get into specifics. 

Essential Oils for Hormone Imbalance Symptoms 

Below, I listed the most common symptoms that come along with hormone imbalance. Find your new favorite tools to help relieve symptoms and promote deep healing. 

Essential Oils for Energy 

Lack of energy is such a common symptom of hormonal issues like adrenal fatigue. A lot of times, we want to heal so badly but lack the energy to do what’s necessary. Essential oils can combat that and offer a natural boost of mental and physical energy to begin your healing journey. 

• Peppermint oil helps to promote mental alertness and energize. Add a drop to the shower floor, diffuse it, or add it to a yummy smoothie. I love to combine it with our vanilla honey collagen complex powder. That’s an added hormone balance benefit!
• Wild Orange helps to uplift the spirits and promote energy. Add a good quality orange oil to your water, or add a drop to your palms, rub, and inhale deeply. I love a good combo of peppermint and orange to start my day in the diffuser. 
• Rosemary oil is invigorating to the mind and body. I love to combine it with basil for a really great energizing duo. Another fabulous option is to wake up and massage it on teh soles of the feet. 

Essential Oils for Stress and Mood 

Some of the best essential oils for diffusing are stress-relieving essential oils. Aromatherapy is well-known for its speedy ability to relieve stress, relax the body, and calm the mind. The best part is that while they relieve stress, they can also enhance mood and lift spirits. Here are some of the best:

• Lavender is calming and relaxing and amazing for stress and anxiety. Add a drop or two of lavender to wrists and take 3 deep belly breaths. 
• Bergamot is lovely for uplifting spirits. This popular citrus oil can help relax a frazzled person and even aid in relieving symptoms of depression. 
• Frankincense is grounding, calming, and relaxing. Use if you feel disconnected and need to come back into the body. 
• Vetiver is also grounding and calming. When stress and anxiety lift you out of your body, deeply inhale vetiver to ground and calm. 
• Roman Chamomile is relaxing and helps to calm anxiety caused by stress. 

Essential Oils for Sleep 

When hormones go haywire, chances are you’re not sleeping well. Whether it’s falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep, essential oils can help. Try these essential oils for sleep support. 

• Lavender in a bath, diffuser, or on your pillowcase. 
• Vetiver in a diffuser with lavender will always do the trick. 
• Cedarwood to help soothe an anxious mind and help fall asleep and stay asleep. 

Essential Oils for Hormonal Acne 

While I always recommend working internally for acne, there are some essential oils for hormonal acne that may help soothe and reduce inflammation and scarring. Many people ask about tea tree oil uses and tea tree for cystic acne. I think tea tree is a lovely essential oil to help with acne, but typically blackheads rather than chronic cystic acne. Here are my other hormonal acne suggestions for topical use:

• Frankincense for scarring and repairing. Frankincense is so special! It gets down to the deep cellular level to repair from there. 
• Lavender for calming the skin, healing blemishes, and preventing further breakouts. 
• Sandalwood for rebalancing natural oils! So important with acne. Most think that we need to dry out to cure acne, but it’s actually balancing that helps the most. 

To learn how to use these oils and more acne tips, check out our article Essential Oils for Acne. 

Essential Oils for Hot Flashes & PMS issues 

PMS and menopause are two times when hormonal imbalances are super common. If you experience intense symptoms, essential oils can help. 

For starters, when it comes to essential oils for menopause, clary sage, and peppermint oil are going to be your go-to’s. For quick relief, dilute whichever you choose and add to the back of your neck and all over your feet. 

For PMS issues like cramping and headaches, essential oils work too. Try peppermint oil for headache and migraine relief. For cramps, try lavender, cinnamon, clove, and rose. Always make sure to dilute with a carrier oil like jojoba, almond, or coconut before applying directly to the area of concern. 

Fennel is also an amazing oil for PMS, cramps, irregular cycles, perimenopause, and menopause. 

Basil is also lovely for amenorrhea if you are struggling with not being able to get your cycle. 

Suffering from low libido? Try ylang-ylang to help balance hormones and boost libido. 

Essential Oils for Hair Loss

Another horrible and frustrating symptom of hormone imbalance is hair loss. If you are struggling with hair loss, try these essential oils. 

• Rosemary when applied topically, can stimulate hair growth. Research shows that rosemary oil is more effective at preventing hair loss in those with androgenetic alopecia compared to common conventional drug treatment. Read more about the benefits of rosemary, including its ability to lower cortisol levels and stimulate brain function here. 
• Cedarwood in conjunction with rosemary, thyme, and lavender, has been found to increase hair growth in 44% of those suffering from hair thinning. To read more about the benefits of cedarwood essential oil, go here. 

Essential Oils for Brain Fog 

One of the most disheartening symptoms of hormonal imbalance is brain fog. Trust me, I’ve been there. With stage 4 adrenal fatigue came debilitating brain fog. When I was in the throes of adrenal fatigue, I leaned on this essential oil diffuser recipe to bring clarity to my mind. 

Brain Fog Diffuser Recipe

• 2 drops rosemary essential oil
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil
• 2 drops lemon essential oil
• 2 drops basil essential oil 

I hope this article has helped you learn about the best essential oils for hormone balance. To learn more, check out our podcast episode on the best essential oils for hormone balance.