Can essential oils help boost your creativity?

I'm saying yes.

Bauerngarten, 1907 by Gustav Klimt

Last summer while on vacation in Sauble Beach, I popped into the cutest cafe/boutique called The Wellness Refinery (try the smoothie bowl), where I proceeded to pick up a “crystal infused aromatherapy oil” from Canadian brand Thought Sanctuary. I’m the kind of writer who has crystals on her desk with hopes they’ll help to extract writing brillance from my brain, so throwing in an essential oil felt like a natural addition to my new age-y writing routine.

Thought Sanctuary’s uplifting Epiphany oil.

The oil I decided to try is called Epiphany, which on the website says it has “an awakening blend of plant essences that help inspire feelings of clarity, creativity and focus.” The notes include: eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, tulsi, geranium, ginger and vetiver.

I only recently became more interested in the power of plants and herbs, despite having a botanist for a father who’s been chirping in my ears since I was a little girl all of the Latin names of flowers and trees when we’d go on nature walks around the cottage we used to own.

I decided to do something hands-on by signing up for an herb workshop called Herbal Pathways earlier this month. Led by herbalists Melanie Hill and Carley McConkey, I went up to Clarksburg on a sunny May afternoon (a couple hours north of Toronto), where we took an herb walk along the waterfront to learn how to identify some common medicinal and edible plants, learned about ethical harvesting and blended my own tea. The few hours only really skimmed the surface, emphasizing to me how much healing lies within the natural world, often right in front of us — take the common dandelion that’s rich in vitamins, antioxidants and contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, and is mostly thought of as an annoying weed.

I left with a newfound appreciation for the plants in my backyard and also more curiosity and questions.

During my research, I couldn’t find any scientific articles that directly associate the use of essential oils (EO) with creativity, however there are numerous scientific articles which found connections between EO and reduced stress, reduced anxiety and improved cognition — to name just a few.

I decided to break down some of the main components of the oil and found some impressive results.

• Lavender is one plant that’s been extensively studied and has a long history of medicinal use and dozens of proven benefits including calming, which no doubt is an essential element for generating creative ideas.

• A 2021 systematic review (which is an extraction and interpretation of multiple studies) on inhaling peppermint, found the EO is beneficial for reducing stress, improving mood, and promoting relaxation, among other things.

• Rosemary has dozen of therapeutic effects when its oil is inhaled, including benefits on mood, learning, memory, pain and anxiety.

• Tulsi (also known as holy basil), is dubbed the “elixir of life” because of its spiritual healing properties in Ayurvedic medicine. One published paper on the herb noted its extensive medicine properties, with one human study showing its ability to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

So, back to the essential oil — has it helped me write? I’d like to think so. At the very least it’s probably helped me to chill out, which in turn hopefully allows my “monkey mind” (what Buddhists say when they’re referring to that part of your brain that won’t shut up) to quiet down. Useful when you’re trying to get words down on the page. As I start my next book, I’m going to be more consistent with my writing routine and be sure to report back.

Personally, it’s hard enough to carve out time to write, so I’m doing everything in my power to improve my chances of success.

Note: I am not a medical expert. Please use my advice/content with discretion. Do not ingest essential oils. Contact your medical provider if you have questions regarding your health.