Comparing The Best Essential Oils in your Collection

Do you know the difference between Tea Tree and Australian Erici folia?

How to Compare Essential Oils such as, Cypress and Blue Cypress? Or Peppermint and Wintergreen? If these related essential oils have you scratching your head in confusion, then this post is for you! Many classic pairs seem interchangeable on the surface. And while it’s true that you can use many of these oils in place of each other, they’re unique enough that you’ll want to keep both on hand.

Comparing essential oils Peppermint, wintergreen, frankincense, sacred frankincense. This comparison chart is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to comparing essential oils. If you want to see an even better breakdown of each Essential Oils pair, dive deep with us below!

Tea Tree vs. Australian Eric folia: How they’re different. Although they share the same genus, these two essential oils are entirely different species. A household staple, Tea Tree may be more well known, but Australian Eric folia’s light, sweet scent is in a class of its own.

Tea Tree Essential Oil:

Latin name: Melaleuca alternifolia
Aroma: Sharp and astringent
Perfect for: eliminating odors from extra-smelly places like garbage cans and gym bags
Also called: Melaleuca oil
Add to: homemade cleaners

Australian Eric folia Essential Oil:

Latin name: Melaleuca Erici folia
Aroma: Subtly clean with floral notes
Perfect for: revitalizing your spirit after a long day
Also called: Lavender Tea Tree
Add to: Vegetable Oil Complex and rub into chest and shoulders

How they’re similar - Both Tea Tree and Australian Erici folia fight musty odors with clean smells. They’re also cousins in the myrtaceae family.

Here’s how to use them:

Freshen any space by diffusing.

Get gorgeous, healthy-looking hair by adding a few drops to some carrier oil and massaging into your scalp.

Add to your skin care routine to make blemishes less noticeable.

Try these 17 usage tips with Tea Tree or swap in the gentler aroma of Australian Erici folia.

Peppermint vs. Wintergreen: How they’re different:

You can always rely on Peppermint to get the job done, but Wintergreen is a breath of fresh air in more ways than one! You may be surprised to learn that these oils aren’t related; in fact, wintergreen isn’t even a part of the mint family.

Peppermint Essential Oil:

Latin name: Mentha piperita
Constituents: menthol, menthone, and menthofuran
Aroma: Refreshing and cool
Perfect for: keeping it fresh
Add to: After-Sun Spray for a chill cooldown.

Wintergreen Essential Oil:

Latin name: Gaultheria procumbens
Constituent: methyl salicylate
Aroma: Sweet and shivery
Perfect for: Staying cool
Add to: thick foot cream for a tingly massage

How they’re similar Essential Oil:

Though Wintergreen and Peppermint aren’t family members, they have a similar minty-fresh scent! Use either when you’re in need of a little refresh-mint.

Here’s how to use them:

Dilute with carrier oil for a post-workout massage.
Try both Peppermint and Wintergreen Essential Oils.

Diffuse with Lemon or Geranium during the afternoon slump.

Lemon vs. Grapefruit: How they’re different:

Lemon’s aroma is all business, while Grapefruit’s aroma has a hint of playfulness. But which one is more a-peeling to you? Read on to discover the difference between these citrus essential oils.

Lemon Essential Oil:

Latin name: Citrus limon
Constituents: linalyl acetate, linalool, and ocimene
Aroma: clean and tangy
Perfect for: removing sticky residue from adhesives
Add to: baking soda and water for a quick DIY cleaning scrub

Grapefruit Essential Oil:

Latin name: Citrus paradisi
Constituents: sabinene, limonene, and nootkatone
Aroma: sweet and bright
Perfect for: creating a DIY exfoliating salt scrub
Add to: car vent diffuser for cheerier commutes

How they’re similar Essential Oil:

Lemon and Grapefruit are sweet and tangy, just like the citrus fruits they come from. They’re also photosensitive, so remember to use them out of the sun.

Here’s how to use them Essential Oil:

Add to your nighttime face cleanser for an extra glow.
Use in Thieves DIY cleaners for a bright scent.
Make your own perfume or body spray.
Cypress vs. Blue Cypress: How they’re different
Cypress and blue cypress are both evergreens, but the two trees have very different genes. Because of this, the oils are more different than you might think. See why you want both Cypress and Blue Cypress in your collection.

Cypress Essential Oil:

Latin name: Cupressus sempervirens
Origin: the leaves, nuts, and stem of the Mediterranean cypress tree
Constituents: alpha-pinene, limonene, and delta-3 carene
Aroma: Energetic and bright
Perfect for: Adding to shampoo for a burst of evergreen freshness

Blue Cypress Essential Oil:

Latin name: Callitris intratropica
Origin: the wood of the blue cypress tree that is native to Australia
Constituents: guaiol, alpha-eudesmol, beta-eudesmol, and gamma-eudesmol
Aroma: Woodsy with a touch of lemony sweetness
Perfect for: Boosting the moisturizing effect of your favorite hand lotion

How they’re similar Essential Oil:

When you’re pining for a forest-fresh scent, you can’t go wrong with either EO. Both Blue Cypress and Cypress smell like a stroll in the woods and add an invigorating aroma to massage, especially after a workout.

Here’s how to use them Essential Oil:

Mix with face wash for an energizing, wake-you-up scent.
Take your senses on a tour with our National forests diffuser blends.
Make a DIY surface cleaner with ½ cup vinegar, 1 cup water, and 15–20 drops of essential oil.

Idaho Blue Spruce vs. Spruce: How they’re different?

For a pleasing, peace-promoting scent, Idaho Blue Spruce is the way to go. But with an aroma as bright as the aurora borealis, Spruce nearly steals the show.

Idaho Blue Spruce Essential Oil:

Latin name: Picea pungens
Origin: St. Marie’s Lavender Farm and Distillery in Idaho, USA
Constituents: alpha-pinene and limonene
Perfect for: adding to aftershave
Also found in: other essential oil blend

Spruce Essential Oil:

Latin name: Picea mariana
Origin: Northern Lights Fort Nelson in British Columbia, Canada
Constituents: alpha-pinene, camphene, and beta-pinene
Perfect for: rubbing into the bottoms of your feet
Also found in: other essential oil blends.

How are they Similar?

Both come from farm grown and farmer owned farms, so you can be confident that they’re good-quality, pure essential oils. The trees they are distilled from are also closely related cousins.

Here’s how to use these Essential Oils:

Add to massage oil and rub into shoulders, feet, and back.
Diffuse with Cedarwood and Lime for a chilly coastal blend.
Combine them with other woodsy oils for a warm, fresh scent.
Add a drop to hair oil and smooth over hair to tame fly-aways.
woodsy essential oils arranged on circles of wood and marble
Frankincense vs. Sacred Frankincense: How they’re different

No single oil is perfect for every task, but Frankincense sure comes close! As one of the most popular essential oils, it’s used for everything from yoga to skin care, whereas Frankincense is more commonly used for meditation and prayer.

Frankincense Essential Oil:

Latin name: Boswellia carterii
Origin: Somalia
Aroma: earthy and deep with a hint of woodiness
Perfect for: trying resin burning, a different way to experience the wonder of Frankincense
Add to: an uplifting foot bath

How they’re similar:

Because Frankincense and Sacred Frankincense have the same constituents, alpha-pinene, limonene, and sabinene, you can use them in many of the same ways. Diffuse either one to increase your sense of spiritual awareness, grounding, and purpose.

Here’s how to use them Essential Oil:

Diffuse during meditation or spiritual study.

Wear a drop on your wrist or chest before beginning your yoga practice.
Mix with moisturizer to reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone.
Add 8–10 drops to 1 cup of Epsom salt for a tranquil bath.