10 Calming Aromatherapy Scents to Help You Unwind After a Long Day

After a long, stressful day, sometimes all you need is a little help to unwind. That's where aromatherapy comes in. For centuries, people have used essential oils and calming scents to relax their minds, ease anxiety, and prepare for sleep. And science backs this up: scents can directly impact your brain's limbic system, the part that controls your emotions and memory, helping you calm down and let go of the day's stress.

If you're looking for the best aromatherapy for relaxation, or the best essential oils for sleep, we've rounded up the top 10 calming scents that are perfect for your bedtime routine.

The 10 Best Calming Aromatherapy Scents For Unwinding

1. Lavender: The Classic Relaxation Scent

We're starting with the most classic of all calming scents: lavender. Lavender has been used for centuries to help people relax and sleep, and modern research has proven that it can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, reduce anxiety, and help you fall asleep faster. It's perfect for anyone who struggles with racing thoughts at night, or who has a high-stress job.

2. Roman Chamomile: The Sensitive Skin Soother

Roman Chamomile is best known as a tea, but it's also an amazing aromatherapy scent. It's super gentle, and it has a soft, sweet, apple-like scent that helps calm your nervous system. It's perfect for people who have sensitive skin, or who struggle with insomnia and anxiety. It's also great for kids, because it's so gentle.

3. Sandalwood: The Grounding Woody Scent

If you're the type of person who can't turn off your brain at night, sandalwood is perfect for you. It has a warm, grounding, woody scent that helps quiet your mind, and helps you let go of the day's worries. It's often used in meditation, because it helps you stay present and calm. It's also great for dry skin, so it's a perfect addition to your bedtime skincare.

4. Bergamot: The Mood-Boosting Citrus Scent

Most citrus scents are energizing, but bergamot is different. It has a bright, citrusy scent that boosts your mood, but it doesn't leave you feeling wired. It's perfect for people who had a bad day, and need a little help lifting their mood before bed, without the energy boost that keeps you up. Research has shown that bergamot can help reduce stress and anxiety, and even lower blood pressure.

5. Vetiver: The Calming Earthy Scent

Vetiver has a deep, earthy, woody scent that's super calming. It's often used to help people with anxiety and panic attacks, because it helps slow down your nervous system and help you relax. It's perfect for people who have trouble turning off their thoughts, or who struggle with insomnia. It's also great for oily skin, because it helps balance your skin's oil production.

6. Ylang Ylang: The Relaxing Floral Scent

Ylang Ylang has a sweet, tropical floral scent that's super relaxing. It helps lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and it can help reduce stress and anxiety. It's perfect for people who are feeling tense and overwhelmed after a long day. It also has the added benefit of helping your body produce sebum, which keeps your skin moisturized and healthy.

7. Cedarwood: The Woodsy Calming Scent

Cedarwood has a warm, woodsy scent that's similar to sandalwood, but a little brighter. It helps calm your nervous system, and it can help improve your sleep quality by helping you stay asleep longer. It's also great for people who have trouble with congestion, because it helps clear your airways, so you can breathe easier at night.

8. Vanilla: The Comforting Warm Scent

Vanilla is one of the most comforting scents there is. It has a warm, sweet scent that makes you feel safe and relaxed, and it can help reduce anxiety and stress. It's perfect for people who have trouble with restlessness at night, because it has a calming, soothing effect. It's also a great scent for people who don't like strong, herbal scents.

9. Marjoram: The Muscle-Relaxing Scent

If you have a physically demanding job, or you work out a lot, marjoram is perfect for you. It has a warm, herbaceous scent that helps relax your muscles, and ease sore, tired muscles after a long day. It also helps calm your nervous system, so you can relax both your body and your mind.

10. Neroli: The Delicate Floral Scent

Neroli is made from the flowers of the bitter orange tree, and it has a delicate, sweet floral scent that's super calming. It helps reduce stress and anxiety, and it can help improve your mood, without being too strong. It's perfect for people who are sensitive to strong scents, because it's light and gentle, and it won't irritate your nose or your skin.

How To Use These Scents In Your Bedtime Routine

There are lots of ways to use these calming scents in your routine: you can add them to a diffuser, add a few drops to your bath, or even use them in your skincare products.

At our brand, we've spent months blending these exact scents into our bedtime self-care products. Our upcoming foaming body wash, tallow soap, and night body cream all feature a custom blend of these calming aromatherapy scents, so you can get the relaxation benefits of aromatherapy while you care for your skin. No need to buy separate essential oils or diffusers—our products are designed to turn your daily shower and skincare routine into a calming aromatherapy ritual, all in one step.

If you want to learn how to add these scents to your full bedtime routine, check out our complete guide to building a 5-sense bedtime ritual for better sleep.

Ready To Try These Calming Scents For Yourself?

Aromatherapy is a simple, natural way to unwind after a long day, and help you get a better night's sleep. Whether you use them in a diffuser, in your skincare, or in a warm bath, these scents can make a huge difference in how you feel at the end of the day.

If you want to try our custom aromatherapy blend for yourself, sign up for our email list! We're launching our line of natural bedtime self-care products soon, and subscribers will get early access and 10% off their first order.