Using Essential Oils & Fragrance Oils In Magick

When it comes to magic & spirituality, there are many tools that we have at our disposal for enhancing rituals. Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils, have the potential to enhance your rituals and bring about success in your spells.  In fact, the power of scent has been well known in magical circles since the very beginning of recorded ceremony. From the use of Incense, to cleansing bath rituals, fragrance has been used to lighten one’s own spirit, invoke spirits and expel negative spirits.

Essential oils are volatile oils containing a mixture of chemical compounds extracted from flowers, herbs, and other natural sources. In essence, they are the life force of the plant. They capture the essence and aroma of the botanicals they

are produced from. On the other hand, Fragrance oils are synthetic, often petroleum based aromatic liquids.

These aromatic substances not only delight the senses but also possess unique properties that can amplify the energy of your magical workings. In this blog post, we'll delve into the art of using fragrance & essential oils in your magical practice and how they can elevate your spiritual journey.

Each fragrance oil carries its own energy and vibrational signature, making it a versatile tool for magic practitioners to connect with their practice. They are also very beneficial in cases where you cannot burn incense or resin (such as in apartments or workplaces or where an individual has respiratory issues) but need the particular scent for your ritual. It should be noted, however that if smoke is a large part of the ritual, essential oils/fragrance oils will not be a suitable substitute.

Choosing the Right Fragrance Oils

Selecting the appropriate fragrance oils is crucial for aligning with your intentions and desired outcomes.

If you are concerned with all things natural, essential oils may be the way to go, however let it be known that many of the products such as candles that you purchase are not fragranced with essential oils. Certain essential oils, depending on their flash points (the point at which the volatile part of essential oils evaporates) are not easily incorporated into candles, for instance, citrus oils have a low flash point and adding them to hot wax may cause them to react and you are left with very little scent after all of your hard work. This is why some companies use fragrance oils, instead of essential oils. It is also why some of the expensive candles that you buy leave you feeling disappointed. If all you are trying to replicate is the scent for the purpose of magic- where you are anointing a candle or using an oil burner, fragrance oils are a suitable substitute to essential oils. You can also get fragrances such as Dragon’s blood which is impossible to get as an essential oil or oils that are very expensive. Oils such as rose and jasmine, are extremely expensive to purchase as 1:1 essential oils and are often sold as 3% oil in jojoba or as fragrance oils.

How Do Fragrance Oils Work In Magic?

Different oils resonate with specific energies and correspondences, allowing you to tailor your choices to suit your magical goals. For example, lavender oil is often associated with relaxation, purification, and tranquillity, while cinnamon oil is linked to passion, vitality, and prosperity. Generally speaking, the essential oils mirror the properties of the herbs and flowers that you would normally use in your magic. When it comes to fragrance oils, it is the actual scent, combined with your set intentions that induces the benefits, which is why they can be substituted for essential oils.

Some people claim that you should never use synthetic oils, only the true essential oils for magic. I quietly disagree. There are certain instances when

you should definitely look at using the essential oil instead of the fragrance oil, however sometimes due to reasons outside our control, we cannot and occasionally should not use the real thing. In magic, your intention is one of the main driving forces behind rituals, the oils etc are sometimes only secondary, and in this case if all you need is the scent to transform your magickal intent, I say fragrance oils can be fine.

So, with this in mind, when should you use essential oils over fragrance oils?

There are some instances when you might want to use Essential Oils over using Fragrance Oils. These are:

1. Offerings- If you cannot use the actual plant, you may wish to use the essential oil instead. The essential oil contains the “essence” of the plant it has been derived from, making it a suitable replacement for the actual herb.
2. Healing- If you are looking to perform a healing ritual or something that requires the actual herb, I would always choose an essential oil as it incorporates the plant’s own magic.

When should you use fragrance oils over essential oils?

There are certain instances where you are actually better off using fragrance oils, rather than essential oils in your magic. These include:

1. Animal Cruelty- When you need to use an oil such as musk or ambergris, fragrance oils are the go-to. Many people do not know this, but musk is actually obtained from the Musk Deer and Ambergris, a fixative in many perfumes, is derived from the Sperm Whale. The fact that these are highly sought after fragrances and can be used in many preparations, means that these animals have been hunted for their valuable scents. In this instance I would encourage people to find a synthetic version and use that instead.
2. Endangered Species- Certain plants, although they have been used widely for a long period of time, have become a commercial crop, and have as a result, been facing extinction. For example, the Australian Sandalwood is actually listed on the “IUCN Red List Of Threatened Species”  as vulnerable to extinction. In this instance, unless you specifically require the real thing for medicinal purposes, It may be better for the planet in the long run if you try a synthetic sandalwood fragrance for your magic.
3. Cost- Certain Essential oils are actually incredibly expensive! If you have ever looked at purchasing pure Rose Damascena Oil  (Rose Otto) you will understand what I mean. This oil is produced by steam distillation and it requires 4000kg of flowers to produce 1kg of Rose oil. Rose is not the only oil that is incredibly expensive. Jasmine oil is also an incredibly expensive oil, and both of which are used a lot in potions/rituals that are to do with love, so if you still want to practice love magic, maybe switch to a synthetic oil, or a 3% in Jojoba oil.
4. If You Are Sensitive To A Certain Oil- this one is something that only you can decide. If you are sensitive to a certain plant, you may or may not be able to use the synthetic version instead. Always test this carefully and take precautions- otherwise look for something to substitute it completely.

Here are some common fragrance oils and their correspondences:

1. Lavender: Calming, purification, clarity.
2. Rose: Love, beauty, compassion.
3. Sandalwood: Spirituality, protection, grounding.
4. Frankincense: Meditation, spiritual growth, purification, cleansing.
5. Patchouli: Prosperity, fertility, grounding.
6. Peppermint: Energy, mental clarity, purification.
7. Jasmine: Sensuality, divination, attracting positive energy.
8. Lemon: Physical energy, healing, longevity, purification, spiritual awareness
9. White Sage: Cleansing, Purification
10. Sandalwood: Spirituality, meditation, sex, healing

Of course, this is just a small selection, and there are countless other fragrance oils to explore based on your preferences and intentions. For a more comprehensive list, check out this blog post

Incorporating Fragrance Oils into Your Practice

Once you've chosen your oils, whether they are essential oils or fragrance oils there are several ways to incorporate them into your magical rituals:

1. Anointing: Apply a small amount of fragrance oil to your skin, candles, or
   
   ritual tools to imbue them with specific energies. This can enhance the potency of your spells and rituals, creating a deeper connection to your intentions. Perfume oils are ideal for this application.
2. Diffusion: Use a diffuser to disperse the aroma of fragrance oils throughout your sacred space. This not only creates a pleasant atmosphere but also clears the energy and sets the mood for your magical work.
3. Bath Rituals: Add a few drops of fragrance oil to your bathwater to create a magical bathing experience. As you soak, visualize your intentions manifesting and allow the fragrance to envelop you, cleansing and empowering your energy field.
4. Candle Magic: Infuse your candle spells with fragrance oils by anointing the candles with your chosen oil before lighting them. As the candle burns, it releases the scent into the air, carrying your intentions out into the universe.
5. Meditation and Visualization: Incorporate fragrance oils into your meditation practice by anointing your pulse points or diffusing the oils in your meditation space. Allow the aroma to guide you into a deeper state of relaxation and receptivity, enhancing your spiritual connection.
6. Connect with Deities: Certain scents have been associated with different deities throughout history, For example, Frankincense has often been burned as an offering to Ra & Baal. If you wish to use fragrances and essential oils in this way, you can add them to a diffuser when you are unable to burn incense or resin.

Essential oils & fragrance oils offer a powerful and versatile tool for magic practitioners seeking to amplify their intentions and connect with the energies of the natural world, especially when you do not have access to herbs and/or have limited space.

By choosing the right oils and incorporating them into your rituals and spells, you can deepen your spiritual practice and manifest your desires with greater clarity and potency. Whether you're seeking relaxation, love, prosperity, or protection, essential oils can serve as valuable allies on your magical journey.

What do you think? Do you use fragrance oils, or only essential oils? Let us know in the comments section.

If you are looking for Perfume Oils, check out our range here.

If you are looking for Essential Oils, check them out here.

If you are looking for Fragrance Oils, check them out here.