How To Choose Essential Oils To Match Your Personality And Emotions
You may have encountered personality profiling in the perfume industry, but if you’ve been reading about essential oils and speaking to passionate users or aromatherapists, you might have noticed that people often talk about essential oils as if they were people too.
Phrases like:
“If you feel like you need the support of a close friend then Geranium is always there to offer a shoulder and an ear”
“When life is pushing you too hard, mandarin reminds you of your inner child, young and carefree”
Every essential oil could be said to have its own individual personality with different character traits and, in a similar way to people, these personalities can be grouped together in broader categories.
In the book “The Fragrant Mind” by Valerie Ann Worwood, she takes a deep dive into aromatherapy for personality, mind, mood and emotions, so we highly recommend this book if you want to learn more about this topic.
This page will give you an overview of the different essential oil personality groups, followed by a list of essential oils and a summary of what people consider their individual personality to be.
As you look through the essential oil personality groups and profiles, you might identify strongly with some aspects of a profile but feel that a few traits don’t apply to you. This is perfectly natural as people’s personalities don’t fit perfectly into a box.
You might also identify a ‘main’ oil personality that you strongly identify with, as well as several other sub-personalities that are also fairly close.
If you use essential oils on others, you might notice their personality traits in oils too as well as your close family and friends. Get them involved!
Essential oils are well known for their therapeutic and broad emotional properties and most people choose oils and blends based on this. Looking more closely at the personalities of essential oils and choosing oils and blends this way, is simply another way for you to approach aromatherapy.
So use this page as a reference point and give it a try!
Experiment with different oils and blends based on your personality and you might uncover new experiences in this wonderful and exciting world of aromatherapy.
Many leaders (Hay, Kent) in the wellbeing field, say that our emotional states can lead to physical imbalance, meaning this – in turn – might also help balance your physical wellbeing too.
Main Chapters
- Where to begin
- How to approach
- The different personality groups
- List of individual essential oils and their personality profile
Where To Begin: Understanding the Aromatherapy Personality Concept
Remembering Our Innate Potential
We have infinite potential; we just forgot this.
Essential oils can be used to help us remind ourselves of our own emotional wellbeing, bringing us back into alignment of the realisation of our own wholeness. At times, we will dip in and out of this remembering, but we can use groups of essential oils with similar ‘personalities’ to bring ourselves back into alignment.
How do we do this?
Work with Where You Are At NOW
All we really need to do to begin is some self-analysis, identifying honestly with our current state of mind and select an oil that represents this personality state.
The distinction here is that you might have identified throughout your whole life with a particular ‘type’ of ‘personality’ already – for example, you might think yourself to be an ‘anxious worrier,’ but you need to consider where you are at in the moment right now.
How we see our personality fluctuates, moment to moment, because life, through the mind and thoughts, is ever-evolving.
You were born innately whole, and you were not born an ‘anxious worrier;’ this state can change and you might notice this fluctuates moment-to-moment.
You might be tempted to choose an essential oil personality group that matches what you desire to be in the future. Again, this isn’t helpful because we need to work with where you are at in this moment.
Stay in the present: establish where you are at right now… so if you do still feel like an ‘anxious worrier’ right now then go with that!
Journal, connect to you inner truth, perhaps ask friends or family if you get stuck, meditate (whatever works for you) and honestly reflect on how you feel, as an individual, in this moment.
What sort of personality traits do you feel you can identify with in this moment?
How To Approach The Personality Groups: Resonate with Loving Intuition
There are ‘trait’ themes in essential oil groups that make up individual personality groups, so if you resonate with the theme, you simply just choose an oil from that group and add it to your blend.
But how do you choose?
Well, it’s all about what you align with.
Read about the essential oil’s personality, its group’s personality theme, and then select a few oils that you connect with the description of.
But, in selecting the final ones, follow your intuitive resonance. Choose one that you love. Choose one that makes your heart feel happier. Choose one that makes your soul jump for joy. Choose one that you just know from all these signs, your intuition connects with.
It is that simple! It’s all from within.
Work Naturally Across Personality Groups
Another thing to consider is that you might fit across multiple groups.
Actually, in our fully-balanced state, we may well sit across many of the different positive aspects of each personality type because there is no imbalance to treat!
This is absolutely ok though, because you can always blend groups together!
This is part of the exciting world of aromatherapy. Blending can sometimes seem complex depending on your objective, but the beauty of choosing essential oils by their personalities, is the fact that it helps you narrow down to which oils you need in a particular moment.
If you’re newer to aromatherapy and you want to start blending this way, you can take a bottle for each personality group and put three drops of each essential oil that you have that fits into that group, adding to the blends as you buy more whilst building your collection.
A more intuitive method of identifying what you need in any particular moment is based on the theory that the scents you are drawn to are the ones you most likely need (because our bodies instinctively know what they need). To do this, you simply smell each of your bottles that you made in the previous step and see which you are drawn to.
Trust That Some Oils Fit in Several Groups
A quick point to make is that some oils also cross groups and can be in two: Lavender, for example. This is because these are multi-dimensional oils which can aid the balancing of many personality traits. Just trust the process.
Defining The Different Personality Groups
You’re probably wondering what the different groups are now, aren’t you? Well, Worwood defines 9 particular personality groups (in a similar way to the perfumery personality groups) as follows:
These all differ in their individual personalities, having particular mental-emotional needs, positive healthy traits, general traits and challenging, imbalanced traits. All you have to do, is identify with them to see which oils can help you to re-balance.
1. The ‘Floral’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Floral personalities need to stand out as individuals, to be respected, and enjoy achievement
Healthy Positives: The positive, healthy personality traits include that they are authentic, innovative, creative, likeable, friendly, entrepreneurial, enthusiastic, energising, romantic, passionate, sensual, confident, kind, caring, sensitive, loving, vulnerable, change-lovers, who seek self-development, and are idealistic, dreamers, successful, perfectionist and ambitious.
Imbalanced Challenges: In their imbalanced state, florals can worry about their outward image, showing insensitivity, inability to be loving, having shallow values, being unrealistic, manipulative and vindictive, competitive, pretentious, conceited, self-promotional, self-important, devious and envious, lying, sabotaging and having shallow values, as well as being self-pitying and arrogant.
Character Essence: In their happy, healthy state, florals are successful and confident high-achievers who exude sensuous passion for life! Tactile and fun, they are very popular, and can be kind-hearted and sensitive in their balanced state, though also image conscious and very driven, following their self-assured path. They are creative, artistic thinkers and long for admiration, love and financial success. In their imbalanced state, though, the floral personality can become exploitative, insensitive and even power-crazed and jealous. They can have relationship issues, and compare themselves to others, being self-pitying.
Oils With A Floral Personality: Carnation, Chamomile, Helichrysum, Hyacinth, Jasmine, Lavender, Linden Blossom, Narcissus, Neroli, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang
2. The ‘Fruit’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Fruit personalities need to feel peaceful, longing for respect and safety.
Healthy Positives: The healthy traits of a fruit personality include that they are truthful, loving, loyal, honest, reliable, dependable and committed, and they want to please others and get approval. They are lovable, sensuous and passionate, happy, cheerful, generally balanced and independent, nice, kind and empathetic, as well as self-aware, though they can be submissive. They are responsible, but not ambitious, though will see projects through to the end. Generally, they are compliant and dutiful, preferring structure, organisation and support.
Imbalanced Challenges: The imbalanced side of a fruit personality can show as indecisiveness, over-caution and fear, insecurity, anxiety and feeling inferior. They can be self-sacrificing, hesitant and contradict themselves, yet they can also be impatient, become stagnant and end up becoming unreasonable, lacking logic, becoming spiteful and aggressive. This can also make them resort to rebelling against authority.
Character Essence: The fruit personality is one of a happily dedicated, hard-working, supportive and steady soul, who is generally quite self-developed and secure. They have solid friendships and family life, and are confident in their healthy state, when they feel they fit in. However, if they become out-of-balance, usually by broken trust, they swing to the opposite and become anxious or depressed, jaded, clingy, self-critical and mentally exhausted. They might even become a little bit reclusive in order to not be hurt again!
Oils With A Fruit Personality: Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon, Mandarin, Orange
3. The ‘Herb’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: A herb type is all about unconditional love and being appreciated.
Healthy Positives: In a healthy, positive state, the herb personality is truly loving and sensitive towards others, with good intentions. They like to help the world, with a focus on humanitarian issues and are really ‘salt of the earth’ types of people. Charitable and helpful, they are kind-hearted and caring. They will help anyone and always give of themselves, being very dependable and welcoming. Friendly, sympathetic, well-meaning, emotional and family-orientated.
Imbalanced Challenges: In an imbalanced state, the herb personality can become over-stretched and resentful, feeling like a martyr. They can become complacent, smothering, nosey, and domineering – even acting for others to serve themselves, attempting to keep people near them. In this state, they might become demanding, exploiting people, becoming manipulative, seeking sympathy and being a hypochondriac.
Character Essence: The herb personality is the type of person who will help you no end, always being dependable. They are generous and thoughtful, and live for other people to be happy, especially loving being at home! When they become over-worked, however, or subject to change, they can become imbalanced, tending to create unnecessary dramas, and become resentful of everything they do for others. They can point out what they do for others as a way of preventing people from leaving them and to maintain control. They begin to want a lot of appreciation and can get possessive, jealous and complain to instil a sense of guilt in others.
Oils With A Herb Personality: Basil, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Geranium, Lavender, Marjoram, Melissa, Peppermint, Rosemary, Thyme
4. The ‘Leaf’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Leaf personalities are all about the environment and nature, seeking wisdom about the world.
Healthy Positives: The leaf personality is very wise, intuitive and knowledgeable. They are creative, innovative, perceptive, curious and have lots of insight to share about their vision. You would describe them as inspirational, revolutionary leaders by example, and they are very thoughtful and logical, which also means they are quite introspective, passive and independent.
Imbalanced Challenges: In an imbalanced ‘leaf’ state, you would see obsessive, compulsive feelings and behaviour, as well as paranoia, hypersensitivity and feelings of being defeated. They are easily intimidated, cynical, critical, and can be hostile, nasty and this can lead to confusion of the mind.
Character Essence: Leafs, in essence, are visionary leaders who are always alert to what is happening in the world. They are very logical and govern themselves with knowledge. They are philosophers, wanting to understand the world on a deeper level, making them very creative, original intellectuals. They hate aggression, and like to pacify situations. However, they are often so in their heads that they forget to experience life through connection. Eccentric, at times, they can become so stuck in their thinking that they can lose touch with reality a little, which imbalances them, making them feel vulnerable and forcing them to take retreat in solitude. They refuse that they are wrong, and can become compulsive, rigid and scornful, defeatist, secretive and isolated from the world. They become sensitive to delusional states, weakened memory and confusion.
Oils With A Leaf Personality: Cinnamon, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Pine
5. The ‘Resin’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Resins aim is to have spiritual purpose and respect.
Healthy Positives: A healthy resin state is that of a charitable, wise, balanced moral and ethical, fair personality, who cares about principles. Reasonable and realistic, they are objective and truthful, often also being sympathetic, kind and caring. They care greatly about the difference between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and command respect because of it. Efficient perfectionists, who are strong-willed, self-controlled, persistent and able to persuade people, they are often seen campaigning or working to achieve justice.
Imbalanced Challenges: The resin state can become imbalanced due to overwork and trying to convince the world not to do wrong. They are altruistic and this can lead them to become critical, indignant, arrogant, proud, and obstinate. They can become unbalanced and judgemental, which can make them feel angry and depressed. This can lead to disappointment, and even shame and guilt if they do not succeed in their goals of achieving justice.
Character Essence: Overall, this character in its healthy state is a great campaigner, with a focus on ethical and moral situations and a very spiritual essence. They mean well and feel a responsibility to look after the world, and long for meaningful connection. With high ideals, they can burn out trying to fix the world’s problems, and become withdrawn. If they make a mistake, they cannot forgive themselves, and disappointment, discouragement and self-reproach lead to depression.
Oils With A Resin Personality: Frankincense
6. The ‘Root’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Root personalities are the makers of peace and union.
Healthy Positives: Accepting of life, root personalities are peaceful, open, full of hope, supportive and loyal. They are tranquil, giving, thoughtful and humble. Solid, reliable, dependable, and generally happy, these personalities are self-assured and supportive of achieving balance. They are unaffected by life, and are very trusting. They are good listeners, grounded, and prefer to be stable.
Imbalanced Challenges: The challenges in the imbalanced root state is that they can be passive, trying to please others and putting others before themselves, which can lead to them feeling like they go unnoticed and can come across as dull because they are not as outgoing as other personality types. They fear change, and prefer tradition. If they are too submissive, they can take on too much, and burn out, which means they then go into a neglectful state, feeling very suppressed, yet being more obstinate, easily upset, uncaring, sad, low-spirited, apathetic and depressed, retreating into themselves and feeling lost.
Character Essence: The root personality is truly lovely in its healthy state; a gentle, loving and kind soul, who can be great healers. They are the sort to easily build good relationships with others, and might find themselves the ‘advisor’ of their group of friends due to their calm nature. However, their passive nature can mean they easily get imbalanced when they do too much for others. They can become so exhausted in a crisis that they collapse, and become obstinate and easily upset. Depression can set in.
Oils With A Root Personality: Ginger, Vetiver
7. The ‘Seed’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Seed personalities want to creatively inspire beauty and understanding.
Healthy Positives: In a healthy state, a seed can be creative, innovative, intuitive, energetic, joyful, full of vitality, and emotionally balanced. Longing for harmony, they are mindful, honest and genuine. They are highly sensitive and considerate and believe in integrity, with a deep spiritual essence. Very self-aware, they strive to help others become so. They love new experiences, and are very romantic, with a strong imagination, though can see new things in the same experience, too, and they are very observant and easily inspired. They tend to reinvent themselves a lot, moving from one life experience to another. Artistic and self-assured, they are happy alone and can also be introverted and deep-feeling.
Imbalanced Challenges: The challenges where seeds become imbalanced can be in the fact that they are such delicate souls, which makes them feel fragile and open to being easily hurt. Being so sensitive to everyone’s emotions, they can hate crowds, and are often used by friends or partners because they can feel like they give too much of themselves. This can make them feel misunderstood, uncertain, and lead to self-pity, disillusionment, hopelessness and self-destruction. Their dreamy loss of reality can lead to emotional burn-out and low mood, and they can feel worthless, overwhelmed and nervous, feeling isolated. They can become an observer of life, rather than a participant, and feel very dissatisfied with life.
Character Essence: The beautiful seed personality is an individual, hyper-sensitive little being, so in-tune with spirituality and emotion that they are a genuine joy to be around. When healthy, they are inspirational and very in-tune with what is right for them, creatively dreaming up new experiences which makes them feel alive and rich in abundance. They have a romantic creativity in their heads. However, in an imbalanced state, often caused by a lack of grounding, they can withdraw, becoming reclusive and shy. They are so sensitive that they are easily hurt, and often give too much of themselves, which leads them to become exhausted on all levels. This can lead to depression, and overwhelm, as well as insecurity, and disillusionment, and their beautiful creativity disappears!
Oils With A Seed Personality: Coriander, Fennel
8. The ‘Spice’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Spice personalities tend to want a hedonistic lifestyle!
Healthy Positives: Spice personalities are bundles of joyful energy, looking for spontaneous exhilaration. They are vivacious, thoroughly charming, sparkly, warm, self-assured and dynamic people, but can also be gracious, loving, and appreciative. They like to lift people’s spirits, and can be jovial, extrovert, attention-seekers, but are often multi-talented, productive and practical achievers. They are entrepreneurial perfectionists who like to be in control.
Imbalanced Challenges: When imbalanced, spice personalities can become superficial, insensitive, impolite and bad-mannered, as well as impulsive and demanding. They can get hysterical, over the top and suffer from panic and compulsion. If really imbalanced, they can become nasty and rude, jealous and resentful.
Character Essence: The spice personality has an appreciation for life so much so that they have to live it to the full. A larger-than-life character, they lift others’ spirits by entertaining them, and can be very seductive. They are intelligent, and often have glittering careers. They are excitable extroverts, and love to talk. They often live for money, and are quite materialistic, to ensure they can acquire all the beautiful things of life. Socialites, they can be a little self-obsessed, but are fun to be around. However, frustrated dreams and lack of achievement can lead them to imbalance, when they can become resentful, destructive and mean. They can be abusive and rude. This can also manifest as arrogance, making them use and abuse people and they can develop fears of being bored, hysteria, panic attacks and depression.
Oils With A Spice Personality: Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Coriander, Ginger
9. The ‘Wood’ Essential Oil Personality
Needs: Wood personalities need control and want to impact the world.
Healthy Positives: The in-balance wood personality is one which is courageous, inspiring, supportive and grounded. Strength and independence, whilst being bold, honest and honourable. These personalities are warm-hearted, ambitious, powerful leaders, who are educated, wise and dynamic. They defend their honour, ethics and principles, and are decisive, confident and expansive. If they believe in something, they will fight for it, being loyal to the end. They are also intuitive and have innate confidence and persistence.
Imbalanced Challenges: Wood personalities are forceful and can seem daunting. They like power and, in their imbalanced state, such as when they lose their power or influential ability, they can become dictatorial, ruthless and moody; even seeming threatening. They can become argumentative, egotistical, domineering and hostile.
Character Essence: The thing about wood personalities is that they are passionate about their cause and strive to go and get it. When balanced, they are action people, loving nature and working ambitiously to help the environment, and doing anything they can to help the cause they believe in. Hard workers, they are always trustworthy, and they are popular because they will never chastise anyone along their mission and hate injustice. However, when they retire, for example, they can become imbalanced and domineering, dictatorial and argumentative, suppressing their aggression.
Oils With A Wood Personality: Cedarwood, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Petitgrain, Pine, Sandalwood
List Of Essential Oil Personalities: Which Ones Do You Identify With?
You might have identified a particular theme that suits you, but now we delve deeper into each individual oil. You don’t have to fit the oil exactly, but you might notice a few that you connect with the character of: these are your oils! Enjoy!
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BASIL – Ocimum bascilicum
HERB
Uplifting – Spiritual – Logical – Stimulating
Basil is an eccentric and ambitious entrepreneur, who can see opportunities clearly with a spiritual wisdom. They are direct and blunt, and like to have power and respect, but they are harmless as they mean well and try to get where they aim to be honestly, without harming people. Optimistic, they are adventurous, though also intellectual. They believe in the mind-body-spirit connection and this extends into their sex life, where they are very passionate and spiritual. Fascinated by mystery, they continuously explore the unknown and try to apply logic to it, though when imbalanced can become indecisive and confused, going crazy with passion.
Useful For: indecision, mental and intellectual fatigue, negativity, lack of direction, burn-out, confusion, addiction, clarity, strength and purpose
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BERGAMOT – Citrus bergamia
FRUIT
Joyful – Uplifting – Reassuring – Refreshing
A bright, happy and cheerful person, Bergamot is kind and caring. Young at heart, they try to see positivity in anything. Often in caring professions, they are charismatic, and long for adventure. Inwardly, though, they can suffer depression and anxiety, but they would never show this. They are good listeners and often a tonic to others, but take on others’ worries. Lovers of nature, they are creative and imaginative, and can see both sides of any argument, which helps them balance people’s feelings.
Useful For: stress, anxiety and depression, helpless feelings, emotional burn-out, grief, sadness, loneliness, balance, joy
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BLACK PEPPER – Piper nigrum
FRUIT/SPICE
Secure – Responsible – Directional - Comforting
Black Pepper’s personality is that of old-soul energy. Reprimanding, they can be self-righteous and like to dictate. They are quite strict and foreboding but, at the same time, they offer security and comfort and are very responsible – especially in a financial respect; they like to put out a good appearance. They are competitive, and care about their reputation. Wishing they could be a little less reserved, they are looking for love but often let it go for avoidance of deep connection. Loyal friends, they do show a lack of empathy, but like to give advice. Good lawyers, accountants or military workers, they are never happy unless in charge, and they take it out on the family. Imbalanced Black Peppers can blame people, and be irritable and emotionally abusive.
Use For: Releasing emotional blocks and coldness, disorientation, anger, frustration, mental exhaustion, comfort, motivation and endurance
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CARDAMOM – Elettaria cardamomum
FRUIT/SPICE
Clarifying – Encouraging – Stamina - Upbeat
A strong personality, Cardamon is very simple and energising with lots of stamina. They are motivational for themselves and others, inspiring energy and being good leaders who will push people but for a purpose that people want to be involved in. They are fair, and will usually take control of situations. They are careful with their money. Whilst they aren’t your obvious romantic, they do love passionate romance, but their yin and yang energy is quite balanced. Respectful, they make good partners, but they can be strict parents with high moral standards. In their imbalance, they suffer stress, rigidity and become bewildered – this often happens if they don’t share work out and keep hold of it themselves.
Use For: Stress, indifference, change, burn-out, sluggishness, clarity, concentration, motivation, courage and purpose.
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CARNATION – Dianthus caryophyllus
FLORAL
Creative – Empathetic – Hopeful - Dreamy
Carnation personalities are full of creative imagination, and love to be surrounded by beauty. Having a child-like innocence and trust, they are kind and gentle dreamers. They like to comfort, but this leads them to take on others’ problems, which can cause depression. They connect well with others. Fascinated by history and art, they like to be creative for pleasure, but are not confident enough to share this with others and so are often in jobs where they can hide from the spotlight. They are trustworthy and faithful in relationships, and they need love because they do not like being alone. They are delicate, yet independent in that they will be there to listen to others’ troubles, but will deal with their own emotions alone. If they suffer grief they can really cut themselves off from life, feeling very depressed. They are beautifully kind, caring and loving souls, but lack courage.
Use For: Detached feelings, doubt, loneliness, domination or solitude, self-criticism, secretiveness, self-worth, communication, nurture and releasing.
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CEDARWOOD – Cedrus atlantica
WOOD
Secure – Grounded – Powerful - Dignified
Cedarwood appear to be very imposing, but are actually just very strong, being in total balance with nature. They fill people with confidence and provide great security, which often leads them to be seen as the ‘go to’ person in a crisis – especially with something formal, like finances. Being logical, they are interested in the science of life and love projects. They are very knowledgeable and enjoy helping people. They dislike change and can be sure they are right, even when they may be wrong – and can become dictatorial. Cedarwoods have a masculine energy and can become ‘batchelor’ like because love seems like hassle; they are not particularly passionate. They can become demanding, dogmatic and arrogant when imbalanced.
Use For: Fixed thinking, anxiety, obsessions, mental strain, irritability, worry, fear, analysis-paralysis, selfishness, concentration, strength, confidence and stability.
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CHAMOMILE GERMAN – Matricaria recutita
HERB/FLORAL
Healing – Calm – Serene - Strong
Chamomile German is an emotionally strong personality with a great depth of emotion. Very altruistic, they love to comfort people and always help others, yet sacrifice themselves and disguise how they feel. Grounded, they are quite solid, but can be drawn to dramatic jobs. They make great teachers, being steady and organised. Imbalanced, they can be prone to depression as they are such deep thinkers. They can become irritable, tense and fed up, completely contrasting to their usual character, so they are easily changeable. They can become indifferent and hold past resentments close, and will then suddenly explode with emotion; however, if it is you that is in an emotional explosion, they will be a solid support for you.
Use For: Angry tempers, frustration, drama, nervous agitation, sensitivity, resentment, indifference, relaxation, to soothe situations, patience and serenity
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CHAMOMILE ROMAN – Anthemis nobilis
HERB/FLORAL
Balancing – Calm – Empathetic – Spiritual
Chamomile Roman’s personality is one of absolutely joyful harmony. Peaceful and kind, they are very calming to be around. They are very humble, and are quite angelic, with a more feminine feel than the Chamomile German personality – very in touch with their spiritual side. However, the inner peace they present often causes them issues because they are very aware of the difference between life on earth as a human and the spiritual realm. They can be changeable, moody and emotional, and when imbalanced this can present as stress, where they will cut people out so they can get back into balance – as a kind of preservation. They are so open and empathetic that they need some space to recover, otherwise they can become depressed, verbalising their upset at injustice in detail.
Use For: Depression, emotional exhaustion, anger, hysteria, worry, grief, broken heart, over-sensitivity, and to inspire a sense of calm, balance, spiritual awareness, stability and peace.
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CINNAMON – Cinnamomum zeylanicum
LEAF/SPICE
Energetic – Controlled – Outgoing - Material
A super-strong personality, the Cinnamon person are very outgoing and can be aggressive. They like to follow their own path, and can be very defensive of people. They prefer comfort and stability, though enjoy a bit of excitement at times, as long as it is on their terms. Always in control, they are strong, and also desire a comfortable, materialistic life. They please themselves first, and like everything in its place. They are fair and moral, though can have strong opinions – which they rarely give in on, and can sulk for a long time. Sometimes accident prone, possibly because they can be quite sporty, they like physical jobs, but aren’t particularly entrepreneurial or creative; they don’t like the risk. When they become imbalanced, they can become superficial and shallow, and a bit of bully and they can lean towards infidelity because they are insecure.
Use For: instability, fear, superficiality, spitefulness, debility and to invigorate, give strength and energy!
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CLARY SAGE – Salvia sclarea
HERB
Thoughtful – Euphoric – Intuitive - Creative
Clary sage is a gentle, playful soul, who is very thoughtful and worried about what their impact is on the world. They are aware of psychological harmony and are also very intuitive and intelligent. Clary sage are comforting and dependable when needed, in times of grief, as they can bring out emotions in people that they had forgotten. They can be wise in one minute, but playful in another, and in this way they are changeable. They make sure they complete their work before playing, though, and are committed to the job in hand. They prefer to be in a creative line of work, such as writing, journalism or something artistic. Being creative, they are also romantic and sensual people, who fall in love completely, with their whole being. Very full of dreams, and idealistic, sometimes, they can be secretive. When imbalanced, they can feel pressured, and begin to find fault with things, especially their relationships, feeling bored, and isolated. They seek euphoric perfection and can become obsessive, suffering addiction, and fears.
Use For: Changeability, nervousness, stress, anxiety, worry, and panic, hyperactivity, obsession, burn-out, weepiness, guilt, and to soothe and calm situations which need balancing.
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CORIANDER – Coriandrum sativum
SEED/SPICE
Fun – Captivating – Deep - Motivating
Coriander’s personality is a fun, energetic sweet one, but with an underlying deep and meaningful side which they are very passionate about. They are warm, creative and hopeful, and always help people out. Very expressive, they like to communicate and have a great memory for details. Totally individual, they are captivating and may surprise you with individuality, and they are non-judgemental in their opinions of others. Out of balance, they can become questioning and vulnerable to criticism, lacking confidence and esteem. This leads to them feeling nervous anxiety and panic.
Use For: Nervousness, stress, debility, anxious panic, self-doubt and fear of failure, un-cooperative, feelings of vulnerability, and to support creativity, confidence, motivation, communication and optimism.
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CYPRESS – Cupressus sempervirens
LEAF/WOOD
Strong – Wise – Centred - Proud
The Cypress personality is one of inner strength and pride. Outspoken, firm and authoritative, they are often very centred and wise, but they are also warm and can be quite sympathetic. They are authentic and want respect, reliability and honesty from people, as this is what they show others; often offering advice, though they may show disapproval at times. They are clever, but not materialistic. They seek to be in charge, but also offer a lot of love and a little playfulness with that where it is needed, especially with children. In an imbalanced state, they can become fixed in their ideas.
Use For: Sorrow, inability to speak up, feelings of distraction, fixed ideas, fear of change, isolation, frustration, timidity, emotional tiredness, and to strengthen, comfort, support change, provide wisdom, give direction and create balance.
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EUCALYPTUS – Eucalyptus radiata | globulus
LEAF/WOOD
Solid – Rational – Active – Grounded
Eucalyptus radiata’s personality is solid, calm and rational, but with an energetic side! They try to blend in, being quite shy, and are very stable, well balanced and content, but they can also have an adventurous side. They stay away from drama and keep themselves to themselves, being grounded. They are action people, though won’t talk about what they are planning – they just get on with it! Whilst they are laid back, they can be energising for others, acting as a launch pad with more creative ideas. Interested in science-based things, they aren’t terribly creative, but they are happy with logic. They work this way throughout life, selecting relationships based on logic, and they are quite predictable and can be cool, emotionally. They can be funny too though. In an imbalanced state, they can become resentful, and hold it in until they eventually have an outburst, for which they will later apologize. This pent-up emotion can lead to exhaustion, temper tantrums and emotional burn-out.
Use For: Exhaustion, unreleased emotion, explosive temper, mood changes, concentration and to balance, aid concentration, logical thought and grounding.
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EUCALYPTUS CITRIODORA (LEMON) – Eucalyptus citriodora
LEAF/WOOD
Vivacious – Free – Creative - Harmonious
In contrast, Eucalyptus citriodora is vivacious, full of fun and life! Loving freedom, it has a youthful playfulness which is full of creativity and lots of laughter. This oil personality lives life to the full, ensuring life is filled with new adventures, ideas and innovations. Really innovative, they are always into anything new and exciting and may well find new discoveries. Because of this, they hate being restricted. They thrive on freedom, in expression, in movement, in being their authentic selves, and it can feel like their relationships are up and down in this way. They are dynamic and yet also value trust and always try to keep the balance. They are honest and can be strong and encouraging for others when needed. If they are imbalanced, though – usually when they have taken on too much – they can become overwhelmed and fear missing out, which may make them fearful and more sluggish, and make them feel lonely.
Use For: Emotional crisis, disillusionment, restlessness, fear, loneliness, inability to let go, sluggishness, concentration, supporting concentration, creativity, optimism, freedom and uplifting.
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FENNEL, SWEET – Foeniculum vulgare dulce
SEED
Active – Stimulating – Motivated - Resolute
An active, sporty type, Fennel’s personality is always on the go, in a hurry. They are competitive and assertive. They take on lots of projects and get bored easily, but are very kind. They are emotional, moving again from one emotion to another, very quickly; they can cry and the laugh within a few minutes. They can seem superficial, in that they move from one subject to another, and avoid relationships due to always being on the move, but, they do feel emotional pain – they just fear commitment. Intelligent, they want relationships with equals, who are also stimulating. They take to fast-paced careers, such as stockbrokers, and love the money and the risk, which also makes them good innovators. In their imbalanced state, they revert to the opposite and become lazy and lacking motivation. This can lead to much guilt, and lost potential.
Use For: boredom, fear of failure, inability to change, mental and emotional blockages, overwhelm, and to support clarity, courage, action and motivation.
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FRANKINCENSE – Boswellia carterii
RESIN
Spiritual – Meditative – Wise - Grounding
Seeming mysterious and sometimes eccentric, Frankincense personalities are deeply spiritual geniuses, often having a strong connection to the understanding of nature of the universe. Maturely confident, they are also kind, compassionate, and generous, making great companions and instilling security. They are independent and intuitive, relying on themselves, rather than others. They are very sensitive to the spiritual realm, and to others’ emotions. Despite having their head well connected to the clouds, they are also grounded and are often respected in communities. They are deeply wise. In an imbalanced state, Frankincense personalities can become negative and skeptical, full of guilt, insecurity and uncertainty.
Use For: Burn-out, exhaustion, anxiety, disconnection, grief, repression, resistance, and to aid spirituality and enlightenment, meditation, introspection, healing, comfort and acceptance.
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GERANIUM – Pelargonium graveolens
HERB
Balanced – Healing – Comforting - Supportive
Geranium personalities are the caring, generous ‘Mother’ type of essential oils. They always take care of people, allowing freedom and not interfering, but just supporting. They are secure and stable, and make everything ‘alright’, they are healing, but never look for anything in return for their efforts. They tend to attract many friends, who are all very interesting, and this is because they are so genuine and warm. They can become imbalanced by looking after everyone else first as they end up doing everything for everyone and can be taken for granted. In this state, they become a bit tempted to try and make others feel guilty and may become a bit of a hypochondriac, which drives people away.
Use For: anxiety, depression, worry, abuse, fear, loss of inner child, rigidity, lack of esteem and confidence, over-sensitivity, hurt feelings, discontent, and to balance the mood, elevating humour, and restoring tranquillity.
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GINGER – Zingiber officinale
ROOT/SPICE
Warm – Loyal – Strong - Stimulating
The warm, gentle, yet strong, personality of Ginger essential oil is very stimulating and lively. They have a great sense of humour, but aren’t very conversational – though they do like listening. They are caring, and often end up in professions like counselling, or caring for animals. They like their privacy, but are always welcoming and dedicate themselves to close relationships. They allow their partners freedom though and are very committed, respectful and loyal, which they want in return. They are very sexual, and use this as a form of expressing their feelings. In an imbalanced state, where loyalty has been damaged, they will become angry, and resentful, wanting revenge, and withdrawn, sulking in silence. They can lose their sense of purpose and become lonely and sad.
Use For: Loss of purpose, focus, burn-out, resignation, loneliness, sadness, sexual anxiety, and to improve confidence, warmth, and empathy.
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GRAPEFRUIT – Citrus paradisi
FRUIT
Cheerful – Liberating – Radiant - Humanitarian
Energetic, lively personalities, Grapefruit are always happy and cheerful. They are optimistic, having an interest in humanity, though no interest in money whatsoever – only contentment. They thrive on helping people achieve their potential, and love people, so they are good motivators. They like to sing and joke, and are confident, with little fear. They think deeply, though, and their enthusiasm is infectious, balancing people out. Spiritual, too, they feel they are here to spread love and light, and often get involved in working with environmental causes. They are caring about their relationships and loving, but may spend more concern over healing the world than their own family relationships, which can imbalance them when they become overwhelmed with their responsibilities or the injustice of the world. This can make them tired and sad.
Use For: Despondency, sadness, mental tiredness, apathy, self-doubt and criticism, depression, frustration, and to aid a more joyful, clear and balanced outlook.
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HELICHRYSUM (IMMORTELLE OR EVERLASTING) – Helichrysum angustifolium / italicum/ orientale
FLORAL
Reserved – Harmonising – Spiritual – Sensitive
Helichrysum is a very quiet, reserved and innocent personality, being very sensitive and naïve. They are loving, compassionate, and flexible, and do not hold grudges, but can walk away from situations they feel are wrong for them. They have a deeply evolved spiritual understanding, and love exploring new perspectives. They value their relationships and are good friends, because they are fun and have great appreciation for humour. A bit angelic-like, they appear very youthful, and always see other people’s points of view, and they have a huge inner strength, though they feel emotion deeply. They may have suffered abuse in the past, and are very sensitive, especially to rejection, carrying emotion with them for a long time. They can refuse to accept help, and hide away, becoming confused.
Use For: abuse, depression, stress, emotional crisis, exhaustion, fatigue, disorientation, loneliness, insecurity, hypersensitivity, and to restore calm, flexibility, energy, and inner-strength.
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HYACINTH – Hyacinthus orientalis
FLORAL
Trusting – Forgiving – Calming - Gentle
Hyacinth personalities are gentle, being very trusting and forgiving. They have an acute attention for detail in beautiful things – especially loving plants and nature! Always a believer in positivity, they are often easily let down and taken advantage of, though are very observant of others’ feelings and emotions. They love talking, and want to know everything about people, and can be tempted into gossip. They also love to talk about their own issues, too. Good all-rounders, they can turn their hand to most tasks, but love working with animals and plants. In an imbalanced state, they can over-exaggerate their delicate nature and end up manifesting stress and anxiety.
Use For: instability, apathy, lovesickness, distress, powerlessness, anxiety and stress, regret, dependency and naivety, and to restore self-esteem, calm, trust and forgiveness.
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JASMINE – Jasminum officinale
FLORAL
Joyful – Feminine – Enchanting – Soothing
A Jasmine personality is the epitome of the divine feminine! A passionate, romantic, seductive character, Jasmines are truly beautiful. They are joyfully enchanting and happy. They love their material things, especially anything that is beautifully feminine - perfume, champagne, and flowers - but they also love anything ‘Mother Earth,’ too. They stand up for feminine rights, but have the time to listen and give attention to others. They are independent and assertive, as well as intelligent. They’re fun, too – creative and living for the moment. They can be male personalities too but these types will be in touch with and at ease with their feminine side. In their imbalanced state, Jasmines can become depressed about society, and end up self-destructing. They can be jealous and obsessive and this can lead to paranoia and misery.
Use For: jealousy, low self-esteem, guilt, emotional violence, depression, disheartened feelings, tension, repression, bitterness, paranoia, and to cultivate joy, confidence, optimism, openness and inspiration.
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JUNIPER – Juniperus communis
FRUIT
Independent – Cleansing – Sacred - Leader
Juniper personalities are easy going and free spirited, but also have little regard for other’s opinions of them, choosing to follow their own path. They are particularly spiritual and drawn to spiritual places, though they would never call themselves religious, or talk about their views. They love new things, new experiences and being around new people, but even old things can become new to them in that they see everything in different ways each time, viewing the world through a ‘cleansing’ lens. They appreciate being ‘in the moment.’ They want to be able to express themselves and have freedom to be themselves and so dislike authority. They are independent and prefer to work alone, but are often leaders. Likewise, due to their desire for solitude, they can struggle in relationships unless they find someone who understands. However, in an imbalanced state, they can feel vulnerable and become uneasy, depressed and exhausted.
Use For: dissatisfaction, emptiness, conflict, defensiveness, depression, emotional and nervous exhaustion, anxiety, low self-worth, and to improve inner vision, spirituality, conviction, wisdom, and meditation.
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LAVENDER – Lavandula angustifolia
FLORAL/HERB
Healing – Natural – Loving - Protective
The Lavender personality is what Jasmine is to the Mother, but to the Grandmother! A very versatile personality, it is one of true balance! Mothering, in its protective yet loving kindness, and very natural and connected to Mother Earth, it is a strong personality which is also humble and authentic. The Lavender personalities are very giving and generous, caring for others almost to self-sacrifice. They have a lot of energy and are always willing to help. They love nature, and spirituality, and have high morals, often fighting for justice for local causes. They are also often into self-development and in work, whilst they can turn their hand to anything, they prefer to work with disadvantaged people who they can help. If they are imbalanced, they will become over-anxious and over-sensitive to others, becoming over-worked and always ‘switched on’ and unable to rest.
Use For: anxiety, nervousness, panic, stress, worry, exhaustion, hysteria, shock, fears, nightmares, trauma, conflict, emotional trauma, agitation, restlessness, over-excitability, burn-out and to restore security, compassion, harmony, relaxation, clarity and rest.
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LEMON – Citrus limonum
FRUIT
Refreshing – Positive – Motivational – Confident
Lemon’s personality is a very sweet and positive, yet energetic character, which is really refreshing to be around. They are calm, but energised, and have great confidence in themselves, always believing anything to be possible! This helps motivate others, and their confidence is catching. Sometimes Lemons can be sharp and critical of others for not being so positively perfect, where sometimes they can be entirely sweet. They have to enjoy what they do and often do better working for themselves – though they can get lost in work if they really enjoy it. Thoughtful and positive, they form good relationships, and are generally quite healthy. They love sport and competition, and are generally the leaders of the team. In an imbalanced, perhaps overworked state, they can become sarcastic and sharp, developing a grudge and becoming a bit of a bully, experiencing mood swings.
Use For: resentment, indecision, bad attitude, mental blocks and concentration, mental fatigue, bitterness, lethargy, loss of humour and to restore joy, clarity, direction, enlivenment and memory.
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LINDEN BLOSSOM – Tilia vulgaris
FLORAL
Supportive – Secure – Serene - Connection
Sweet and calm, this feminine personality again is an all-rounder. The Linden Blossom personality is content and confident with themselves, and this makes them open with others. They are happy to support their partners, in particular so that they do well in work and then they can stay at home because they are home-birds who often lack ambition. They like stability and having a large family to look after. They are very practical and good at running the home, and family come first. If they work, they choose temporary jobs, though once in a routine, they like to stay there as they are adverse to change. They like routine. They like to relate to people and are flirty, but in a harmless way as they are extremely loyal. Very romantic, they try to make sure their partner is always happy. In an imbalanced state, they can look back on the past with regret and resentment. They can become possessive and anxious, always forecasting the future. They long for control, and become fearful, clinging to the past, including hoarding things.
Use For: anxiety, nervous tension, stress, hysteria, insecurity, possessiveness, jealousy, anger, guilt, over-sensitivity, indecision and to restore calm, serenity, relaxation, confidence and stability.
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MANDARIN – Citrus reticulata
FRUIT
Caring – Sentimental – Revitalising - Sympathetic
Mandarins are sweet and soft, gentle people. Kind and loving, they care about everything and everyone – even sentimental inanimate objects! They are protective and also long for protection and love, wanting to be cared for. Appearing childlike in some ways, they love to be looked after, whether that be carrying the shopping or being ‘mothered’. The Mandarin personality is one which is very uplifting and this shows their strength. If not by nature, sometimes the ‘meek and mild’ Mandarin personality state could have been adopted as a result of childhood trauma which has left them stuck in this stage of life, and eventually they will move on from this, at times, almost suppressing personality type. Having a love of children, they long to protect them, but can smother them. An imbalanced Mandarin can become hysterical and fearful, living in grief all over again, but once they work through this, they come out the other side revitalised, releasing their true personality to the world.
Use For: anxiety, abuse, grief, dejection, mildness, emotional trauma, dwelling on the past, depression, and to help revitalise, uplift, inspire, soothe and refresh.
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MARJORAM, SWEET – Origanum majorana
HERB
Stable – Comforting – Strengthening - Soothing
Marjoram is a warm, friendly, comforting personality. Stead and strong, they prefer to be in the background, being independent and rarely showing their emotions - though they can speak out when really needed. Whilst they can seem a bit dull, they are actually very caring and enjoy life in this way. They like to care for animals, feeling very happy in the presence of a pet, and often work with them. Any money they earn goes on family or friends, out of sheer love – they aren’t materialistic at all because they aren’t bothered about such things and prefer to be comfortable. Often, though, their relationships are one sided and they get forgotten. They are not interested in sexual relationships, and much prefer to enjoy their own time in the peace and quiet than be romantic – though they enjoy relationships to care for people. Whilst they help people from kindness, they can feel imbalanced when they quite often don’t receive a ‘thank you’, and this can result in depression and them isolating themselves.
Use For: depression, hostility, isolation, feeling withdrawn, mental strain, weak drive, and to restore balance, self-assurance, calm, integrity and focus.
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MELISSA – Melissa officinalis
HERB
Uplifting – Open – Connection - Inquisitive
Melissa personalities are very personable, energetic, fun, and inquisitive, with a huge variety of interests, attending every event going and living a busy and popular lifestyle going out as well as holding down a job and supporting a family. They are super organised, but have a zest for life that drives them to not want to waste any time. These personalities are inquisitive and spritely, refreshing whoever they come into contact with, which makes them popular! Connection is really important to them, and they only do anything that is meaningful; when they stop feeling connected to things, they will move on. They are health conscious and interested in self-development. Enthusiastic, they can come across as superficial and over-exuberant but they are just positive and naturally good at judging things. They are quite spiritual, because they are so open, and live in the moment. However, their relationships can imbalance them easily because they can’t carry other’s issues. In an imbalanced state, Melissa personalities will become anxious and retreat and their partners might actually find comfort in this. They often find that people feed off their open and excitable nature and try to tame them.
Use For: negativity, grief, depression, sadness, emotional crisis, nervous tension, anxiety, restlessness, and over-excitement, and to balance spiritual growth, relaxation, positivity, strength and rejuvenation.
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NARCISSUS – Narcissus poeticus
FLORAL
Deep – Hypnotic – Searching - Creative
Many people assume that the Narcissus personality is ‘narcissistic’ – and this isn’t true! This personality is actually more of an ‘old soul’ who is on a journey, which means they are always evolving. They change all the time, though not out of superficiality, as they are always in deep thought about things; in particular they are looking out for danger, which can make them seem hypnotic. They trust their own judgement, but can seem negative, and often people don’t trust them. Having a dry sense of humour, they make good friends when you can get close enough to them. They love the finer things in life, but that is because they appreciate the craftsmanship - they feel every detail of it. Confident, they often work in creative, inspirational, intuitive jobs, such as writing, composing or something scientific. They are very accepting because they love change. They are passionate, and look for a spiritual and physical bond in relationships, but if they become imbalanced they can tend to isolate themselves, and may reject others.
Use For: withdrawal, loneliness, delusions, hopelessness, trauma, obsession, grief, nervousness, and to help inspire creativity, vision, and aid discovery.
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NEROLI (ORANGE BLOSSOM) – Citrus aurantium / bigaradia / vulgaris
FLORAL
Spiritual – Youthful – Loving – Light
Neroli’s personality is deeply spiritual. A wise soul, they look and work through life in a youthful and angelic way. They are happy, loving and kind and like to give everyone a chance, though they hate any negative actions as they have high morals. Because of their ability to see the nice side of anyone, they often get taken advantage of, but they still hold no grudge. They are deeply emotional and often feel misunderstood, and they have a strong sense of justice, so this can imbalance them. In times where they feel this, they can get angry, withdrawn and timid, staying in the spiritual realm and not being grounded. They are angelic, and prefer to stay within this realm, communicating with higher spirits. Usually they do well in simple careers where they can include their spiritual fascination, such as spiritual counselling, or something light they that enjoy, such as playing with children or doing creative work.
Use For: anger, abuse, sadness, depression, fear, loss of hope, withdrawn, isolation, shock, emotional crisis, panic, and to encourage peace, spiritual connection, joy, lightness, and general raising of spirits.
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ORANGE – Citrus sinensis
FRUIT
Happy – Warm – Energising - Open
Orange is the epitome of happy! A jolly and positive personality, they truly represent the sunny type of essential oil that this is. These people embrace everything openly, being very adaptable, and love the human element of connection; particularly experiencing life through touch. This makes them great family people. They have a great humour and are very warm and sweet, balancing out any negativity but in a soft and gentle way. They are quite flamboyant and so fit well in show-biz careers, though they also enjoy being managers as they like to organise and are good with people. However, if they are imbalanced, such as in a job which conflicts with their happy state, they can become disheartened and may be open to abuse. In this state, they can become obsessive and unhappy, though they might not realise this because they are so positive on the exterior.
Use For: sadness, depression, apathy, resignation, abuse, violence, worry, obsession, addiction, burn-out, withdrawal, and to restore joy, cheer, lightness, creativity, positivity and balance.
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ORMENIS FLOWER (CHAMOMILE MAROC) – Ormenis multicaulis
HERB/FLORAL
Slow – Structured – Meditative - Secret
Often mistaken for Chamomile, the personality of Ormenis is interesting in this respect because it is quite a secretive personality. Liking to keep their truth hidden (which is funny when it tries to hide behind Chamomile!) this state is one of held-back emotion, but it also means they are good secret-keepers for their family and friends, making them loyal. However, they will have an answer for everything you tell them and will advise what to do. Slow, with no pace, they deliberately calculate why they do things, and like to be in control. They often don’t finish projects, though they like to be in charge, perhaps as the ideas person. They are always warm though, and able to stay calm, and have great storytelling skills with many different experiences to share. They appear in control most of the time, so if they are feeling imbalanced, it is difficult to see, but they can become more controlling, demanding and patronising, seeming cold.
Use For: dread, abuse, negativity, over-control, emotional blockages, fear, tension, stress, anxiety, and to meditatively calm and ground, allowing peace and letting go.
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PATCHOULI – Pogostemon cablin
LEAFIE
Grounding – Reassuring – Steady - Spacious
In perfect balance between being grounded and being spiritually in-tune, Patchouli personalities can come across as slow, in the way that they feel steady. However, they are actually quite adventurous and enjoy random exploration – especially of the mind. It is their independence, emotional and intellectual maturity and determination which can make them seem more grounded, but they can also be lucky with opportunities and enjoy the lighter things of life. They are great with helping people develop, and also like communication so often become psychologists, or journalists, and they constantly strive to develop in their field. They can be passionate protesters for society, but they do desire to be alone and like their own space. They can burn themselves out and when they get in an imbalanced state, this personality can be unable to think, and become negative and paradoxical. This is evident in their relationships, where they need their own space, and yet cling on to people.
Use For: anxiety, indecision, burn-out, negativity, changeability, confidence, depression, sluggishness, and to help invigorate, stimulate and restore balance.
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PEPPERMINT – Mentha piperita
HERB
Stimulating – Alive – Stamina – Conflicting
Vivid, alert and fearless Peppermint: this personality often creates the conflict between love and hate! Peppermint don’t do things by halves; they are really ‘out there’, so they can never be called boring. Fast-paced, gregarious and highly intelligent, they are so stimulated that they can never switch off, but they have the stamina to match. They are fun, with a good, quick-witted sense of humour, and very sociable. Physically and mentally demanding careers appeal to the Peppermint. They are friendly and loyal - and they are empathetic too - so are nice to be in relationships with but they can be confusing as they are constantly on the move. They like to impress people, and enjoy performing. However, whilst they enjoy many highs, they can also dip into low times too, having mood swings. This can leave them feeling frustrated and they can become lethargic, tending to comfort eat, which leaves them depressed.
Use For: overwork, shock, sluggishness, mental fatigue, lethargy, low mood, and to uplift, revive, aid concentration and stop cravings.
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PETITGRAIN – Citrus aurantium / bigaradia
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By www.zoqy.net [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
LEAF/WOOD
Stable – Balancing – Energetic - Positive
The Petitgrain personality is a nice balance between the outgoing Orange and the spiritual Neroli, having lots of energy and being in-tune with life. They are responsible, dedicated and steady but are equally interesting and fun. They are polite and like traditions, and they always try to see a balanced point of view, leaning towards the optimism side of the spectrum, but always bringing harmony. They are suited, therefore, to steady jobs, working in things that have some meaning, rather than ones to make money; they are not ambitious. They can find it difficult to express themselves in relationships but will have very deep emotions, and implicit trust. They are warm and kind, but not passionate, and they prefer stability. If their trust is damaged, they can become very disheartened about the lack of support for humanity, and this can imbalance them. They can appear cold, detached, and fixed, and their energy might dip. At this point, they might cut themselves off and lead an eccentric life.
Use For: depression, disappointment, rigidity, betrayal, anger, irrationality, introversion, pessimism, fatigue, and to harmonise and balance confidence, positivity, expression and joy.
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PINE – Pinus sylvestris
WOOD/LEAF
Loving – Honourable – Dedicated - Enduring
Pine personalities are very kind, soft and gentle, always thinking they have made a mistake. They are honourable, and self-critical, always blaming themselves for every mistake. They take the world on their shoulders and are never satisfied with themselves in any angle of their life. This leads them to over-work and they often forget to cultivate their inner-child. They are serious, and hate change. They are extremely loving though, which makes them protective of their partner or family. To cope with all of this over-responsibility, they have got a lot of energy, and they take on others’ problems. They need to learn to accept this love back for themselves. In an imbalanced state, they can become hugely over-whelmed and burn-out, still blaming themselves.
Use For: Self-blame, self-harm, regret, self-criticism, over-responsibility, worry, suppression, lack of worth, exhaustion, shame, rejection, and to restore humility, assurance, forgiveness, dedication, acceptance of love and help and confidence.
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ROSE MAROC – Rose centifolia
FLORAL
Passion – Balance – Exuberant - Spiritual
Rose Maroc is a passionate floral personality. This state is one of deep, hypnotic, exuberance, and they love dramatic excitement, though if it is their own drama life is to short. With great passion, Rose Maroc love to appreciate all that life has to offer, in a purposeful way. There is an underlying spirituality which also shows the deeper emotional side to this personality as they attempt to impact others with their artistry – poets, writers, musicians, dancers; they love careers which allow them to express themselves. They are unconditionally loving, but if they become imbalanced, they lean towards being overbearing and struggle to have power, becoming vengeful, impatient and self-destructive.
Use For: grief, bitterness, deceit, fear of letting go, jealousy, vengefulness, self-destruction, and to restore motivation, confidence, passion, freedom and sensuality.
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ROSEMARY – Rosmarinus officinalis
HERB
Refreshing – Clarifying – Energising - Youthful
The Rosemary personality is the fountain of youth, with refreshing energy and pace. They are able to organise many tasks and keep their concentration, and they have high standards, which can make them seem arrogant without meaning to be. They like security, as this allows them to express themselves, but they also like to juggle everything – and as they have a lot of energy they take on a lot of different projects. They are fast paced and love a challenge, preferring logic to emotion, and are very enthusiastic and hands-on. In relationships, they like aesthetic people, and can be flirty, but they are not very sexual people. They are imaginative and sensitive, gentle souls, being very loving and they are ecologically aware. They suit jobs where they can lobby for good causes, and if they are not in suitable jobs they can become imbalanced. In an imbalanced state, they can lack sincerity and become withdrawn and temperamental, and they may not be loyal until they find a true companion.
Use For: indecision, weak memory, disorientation, learning challenges, concentration, fatigue, anger, nervous exhaustion, overwork, and to restore energy, confidence, clarity, stability and awareness.
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ROSE OTTO – Rosa damascena
FLORAL
Soft – Sensual – Perfect - Balancing
Rose Otto personalities epitomise the true feminine – gentle and soft, this state is one of seeming perfection in the way of unconditional love, and being extremely spiritual. Roses are lovely, impeccably mannered, caring and sensitive. They have no ego and take responsibility, but also accept their failings. They are peaceful and generous and also enjoy playing. Confident, they use sensuality to find a lover, but they are free-spirited and don’t like to be tied down although they will be loyal. They love family and will make good parents. They have strong boundaries in all they do because they are balanced and allow themselves self-indulgent time. Roses tend to work in finer jobs which require perfectionism and appreciation of beauty – arts, crafts and performance. When they are imbalanced, they become moody, fear abandonment and get depressed, blaming others. They lose their spark and feel hopeless, shutting themselves off. They suffer grief badly and can be broken-hearted.
Use For: depression, grief, sadness, fear, abandonment, heartbreak, anger, anxiety, emptiness, guilt, emotional crisis, hopelessness, resignation, emotional blocks, hurt, and to restore comfort, happiness, spirituality, wisdom and acceptance.
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SANDALWOOD – Santalum album
WOOD
Soothing – Sensual – Grounded - Healing
Sandalwood personalities show total inner calm. They are the ones who seem refined, ‘sorted’ and in charge of themselves. They are philosophical listeners, very intelligent and analytical. Sandalwood tend to be instinctive forward thinkers who have a great awareness of life and search for the truth and meaning of life. They are serious, but can laugh at themselves, too. A true, solid supporter to others, they can forget to solve their own issues. They are quite sensual and would study Tantra, and in relationships they see sex as something to be enjoyed. They can also be gently tactile – they expect equal relationships and mutual support. They are good healers, and very grounding and calming to be around, often leaning into professions as counselors or healers. Openness is important to them and they enjoy communication. When they are imbalanced they can become manipulative, bossy, controlling, possessive and unforgiving.
Use For: nervous tension, acceptance, insecurity, nightmares, distress, haste, aggression, possession, anxiety, manipulation, and to restore comfort, solidarity, sensuality, calm, trust and harmony.
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THYME – Thymus vulgaris
HERB
Strong – Empowering – Invigorating - Supportive
Thyme personalities are truthful and straightforward, though they have innovative, fresh, new ideas all the time from their innate masterminds. Initially, they can be quite reserved, being strong and silent, but they are actually quite outgoing and exciting when they get to know you. They are supportive and show great inner-strength, encouraging and protecting, which means their friends and family can rely on them. In relationships, they easily fall in love and have strong morals, though they do like to spend time alone to be self-reflective. They are revolutionary but can go unnoticed at times and they believe the world to be a nice place. They may be found in spiritual leadership careers. In imbalance, Thyme can be angry, nervous and can suffer breakdown.
Use For: exhaustion, weakness, nervous debility, lack of direction, anger, and to balance courage, support, decision-making and concentration.
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TUBEROSE – Polianthes tuberosa
FLORAL
Transformative – Hypnotic – Spontaneous – Outgoing
The Tuberose state is one which is quite hypnotising because it is a little bit daring, downright charismatic and lots of fun! The sort of person that likes a good gossip, you might not want to trust them with your secrets as they love danger, risk and excitement and they will seduce people to get where they need to be. Slightly manipulative, they make themselves look immaculate because they want to be desirable, and they use their relationships to gain what they want. They love power and can be obsessive-compulsive and seek a challenge in their partners. This personality is ruthless and enjoys being ‘on the edge.’ They can be warm and hypnotic when they are secure, but they are superficial and don’t really know how to love fully and vulnerably – even themselves. In their imbalanced state, they can be fussy and cruel.
Use For: insincerity, conflict, jealousy, bitterness, maliciousness, hostility, disorientation, resentment, selfishness, falsity, stress and to balance motivation, sensuality, spontaneity, and expression
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VETIVER – Vetiveria zizanioides
ROOT
Grounding – Wise – Balanced - Spiritual
Vetiver personalities are strong and grounded in the truth. They have an earthiness about them which is very balancing, and they are very down to earth – able to laugh and joke and are never shy. They are intelligent and are interested in the spiritual, esoteric side of life, and ‘green’ issues about the environment, but they are not ‘away with the fairies’ – they are very much here on the earth – and this means that they get the balance right between their heads and hearts. This also means they can be very grounding for others; their feminine and masculine sides, yin and yang, are all in balance. Often, they end up as teachers. They like to travel, but prefer to root when they want to settle – though they are happy to do this anywhere. Friends and family go to Vetivers for advice, which is given very straight-forwardly and honestly. In relationships, they see sex as pure vitality and energy, and they have a deep and mysterious side. In an imbalanced state, they can be disconnected, and disillusioned with the world.
Use For: disillusionment, disconnection, obsession, overwork, intellectual fatigue, scattered feelings, burn-out, instability, loss of purpose, fantasising, and to balance spiritual calmness, growth, the mind-body connection and grounding.
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YLANG YLANG – Cananga odorata
FLORAL
Sensual – Euphoric – Passionate - Dreamy
Extremely feminine, the Ylang Ylang persona is a mix of passion and serenity. The most sensual of all personalities, this is the state that is intensely sexual. Ylang Ylangs need company and hate to be alone. They need to be propped up with fantasy and support, but don’t mistake this as them being shy; they are charismatic, fiery, outgoing and fun, and very entertaining, though they like to be in the side-lines, perhaps being in a relationship with a more powerful person. They are often in a dream-like state of unlikely fantasy and can end up in the wrong relationships because of this, being used when they are actually just looking for true love and passion. This is because they are deeply insecure underneath appearances. They like money, and suit careers where everything is about aesthetics, romance or anything physical – such as beauty therapy, weddings or racing. Always surrounded by drama, they love to get their own way and live for the moment, trying anything new. When imbalanced, often by failed relationships, they become neglectful of themselves, losing interest in everything and lacking self-confidence – and they can also be jealous and angry.
Use For: self-confidence, resentment, jealousy, anger, selfishness, impatient, irrationality, shyness, anxiety, depression, guilt and to balance with calm, joy, sensuality, and soothing warmth.
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References:
Hay, L., 2009. You Can Heal Your Life. London: Hay House.
Kent, J., 1900. Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy. Chicago: Matchmaker Publishing.
Worwood, V., 1997. The Fragrant Mind. London: Bantam Books.
Various perfumery personality profiles
Various personal opinions and experiences