A-Z Oil Guide
Learn · Field guide
A field guide to our oils by what matters most: how they smell, how they blend, and the traditions they come from. This is our launch collection, with more added over time.
How to read an entry: each oil lists its scent, its note (top, middle, or base), the plant part it comes from, a few blending partners, and a line of heritage - cultural and historical tradition, shared for interest, not as health claims.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Scent: Fresh, herbaceous, slightly spicy with sweet, green undertones
Blends with: Bergamot, lime, rosemary, geranium.
Heritage: Sweet basil - the bright, green, faintly spicy herb beloved in Mediterranean kitchens. (This is culinary sweet basil, not holy basil / tulsi.)
Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
Scent: Warm, woody, dry with soft, balsamic, earthy undertones
Blends with: Frankincense, cinnamon, orange, lavender.
Heritage: Atlas cedar, from the mountains of Morocco - a warm, woody staple of traditional perfumery and the scent of cedar-lined chests.
Cinnamon Leaf (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Scent: Warm, sweet, richly spicy with clove-like undertones
Blends with: Orange, clove, ginger, fir.
Heritage: Ceylon cinnamon - a treasured spice-route aromatic, warm and festive, the scent of holiday baking.
Clove Bud (Eugenia caryophyllata)
Scent: Strong, spicy, warm with sweet, woody undertones
Blends with: Orange, cinnamon, ginger, pine.
Heritage: Prized along the ancient spice routes of the Maluku (Spice) Islands; its warm scent has perfumed homes and pomanders for centuries.
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Scent: Fresh, sharp, camphoraceous with clean herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Peppermint, pine, lemon, rosemary.
Heritage: Native to Australia and a classic spa and steam-room scent - bright, clean, and cooling.
Fir Needle (Abies alba)
Scent: Fresh, clean, coniferous, green, and forest-like
Blends with: Pine needle, cedarwood, orange, lemon.
Heritage: Silver fir - native to the mountain forests of central Europe; evergreen boughs have marked winter celebrations for generations.
Frankincense (Boswellia neglecta)
Scent: Warm, resinous, balsamic with sweet, woody, incense-like undertones
Blends with: Myrrh, orange, cedarwood, lavender.
Heritage: Boswellia resin has been burned as sacred incense across the ancient world, prized in temple and meditative ritual for its warm, resinous smoke.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Scent: Warm, spicy, fresh-rooty with sweet, woody undertones
Blends with: Orange, cinnamon, clove, lemon.
Heritage: A warming spice at the heart of Asian and Ayurvedic culinary tradition.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)
Scent: Fresh, tangy, citrusy with sweet, bright undertones
Blends with: Orange, lime, mint, rosemary.
Heritage: A brighter, more modern citrus - an 18th-century Caribbean cross - cheerful and clean.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Scent: Subtle, sweet, fresh floral with herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Nearly everything - cedarwood, citrus, frankincense, mint.
Heritage: Treasured since antiquity - the Romans scented their baths with it, from the Latin lavare, 'to wash.'
Lemon (Citrus limon)
Scent: Bright, fresh, clean, citrusy with sweet undertones
Blends with: Lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, other citrus.
Heritage: A sunny kitchen and household classic, bright and familiar.
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
Scent: Bright, zesty, citrus with fresh, tangy undertones
Blends with: Orange, grapefruit, mint, ginger.
Heritage: A lively tropical citrus, crisp and sparkling.
Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
Scent: Warm, earthy, balsamic with smoky, resinous, incense-like undertones
Blends with: Frankincense, cedarwood, orange, patchouli.
Heritage: One of the oldest known aromatics, traded and burned alongside frankincense in ancient ritual.
Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Scent: Sweet, fresh, fruity, sunny
Blends with: Cinnamon, clove, frankincense, ginger.
Heritage: The warm, sweet scent of winter holidays and sunny groves.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Scent: Fresh, cool, sharp with mentholated, herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, lavender.
Heritage: A cooling classic enjoyed for centuries as a refreshing aroma.
Pine Needle (Pinus sylvestris)
Scent: Fresh, crisp, forest with clean, woody, balsamic undertones
Blends with: Fir, cedarwood, eucalyptus, orange.
Heritage: Scots pine - the fresh, resinous scent of the northern evergreen forest, long tied to winter tradition.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Scent: Fresh, herbaceous, camphoraceous with woody undertones
Blends with: Peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, basil.
Heritage: An 'herb of remembrance' in old European lore - a crisp, garden-fresh Mediterranean staple.
Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Scent: Sweet, fresh, softly minty with a rounded, candy-sweet character
Blends with: Lime, grapefruit, lavender, basil.
Heritage: A softer, sweeter mint - gentle and familiar, milder than peppermint.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Scent: Fresh, camphoraceous with herbaceous undertones
Blends with: Eucalyptus, lemon, rosemary, lavender.
Heritage: A prized aromatic of the Bundjalung people of Australia, clean and crisp.
Keep exploring
Found one you love? Learn to blend and use it safely in How to Dilute Safely, or start with the basics in Aromatherapy 101.
Traditional and historical uses are shared for cultural and educational interest and are not health claims. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Wyndmere essential oils are cosmetic aromatic products and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For external use only.