Essential oil while traveling: a calmer journey

Transport is a strange place for well-being: confined space, neighbors packed in tight, journeys that drag on, sometimes a touch of apprehension before takeoff or that slight queasiness on a winding road. Many people use an essential oil to get through these moments more calmly. The question is how to do it in a shared space, discreetly, without imposing your scent on the whole carriage. Here is how to use an essential oil while traveling, simply and tactfully.

Why traveling lends itself well to olfaction

On a train or in a car, you are not looking for a treatment: you are looking for an occasional boost. Relaxing before a flight, keeping a clear head on a long journey, dealing with a feeling of motion sickness, or just creating a soothing bubble amid the hubbub. Olfaction is perfect for this, because it works quickly: breathing in a scent is enough to trigger the desired effect, without swallowing or applying anything.

So the challenge on the move is not so much "which oil" as "how to breathe it in" without diffusing it throughout the space.

Which essential oil for which journey

As a rough guide, and always with well-being in mind, never as a treatment:

Ginger and peppermint are traditionally appreciated for comfort during motion sickness. For apprehension before a flight, people turn to gentle scents such as true lavender or sweet orange. On a long journey where you start to nod off, the fresh notes of peppermint or lemon help you stay alert.

Precaution: peppermint and eucalyptus are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, young children and people with epilepsy. In the car, avoid overly sedative scents if you are driving. Always check the contraindications of the oil you use and ask a healthcare professional for advice if in doubt.

How to use it without disturbing your neighbors

A means of transport is a shared space, and smells travel fast there. The right approach is therefore personal olfaction: a scent that stays close to you, that only you breathe in. This rules out pouring drops on a seat or scenting the cabin, and points you toward individual, discreet supports. We have gathered all the on-the-go methods in our guide using essential oils without a diffuser, and the simplest one in dry inhalation.

Discretion above all: olfactotherapy jewelry

Of all the options, olfactotherapy jewelry is probably the best suited to traveling. You place a few drops of essential oil in the olfactotherapy® pendant using a dropper, and the scent stays at your level, for you alone, for several days. Nothing to take out, nothing to set up, no bottle that might leak in your bag: just bring the piece of jewelry to your nose and breathe, whether you are on the metro, in the car or on a plane.

Each pendant is flameworked, by hand, in a workshop in the Hautes-Pyrénées: a one-of-a-kind piece, as much a piece of jewelry as a well-being object, that goes everywhere with you. To set off with everything you need, the olfactotherapy® gift box brings together the piece of jewelry, an essential oil of your choice, a dropper and a booklet. Discover the olfactotherapy pendants →

Frequently asked questions

Can you use essential oils on a plane?

Yes, provided you favor personal olfaction (handkerchief, stick, diffuser jewelry) rather than diffusion, which would bother the other passengers. As for luggage, respect the volumes of liquids allowed in the cabin for your bottles.

Which essential oil for motion sickness?

Ginger and peppermint are traditionally mentioned for comfort during motion sickness. Keep the precautions for use in mind, especially for peppermint.

How can you avoid disturbing other travelers?

By sticking to a close-range scent: a piece of jewelry or a stick that you breathe in from a few centimeters away, without diffusing into the space. The scent stays at your level.

Can diffuser jewelry leak?

No, if it is filled according to the instructions, with 2 to 3 drops. And since it is worn around the neck, it does not have to travel at the bottom of a bag.

This article is intended as well-being information and does not constitute medical advice. Essential oils must be used with care; if in doubt, consult a healthcare professional.