Well hello there again oily men of the world. I hope you are all doing well today. Over the past few weeks I have been doing quite a bit of research and testing of essential oils for men, and that for a number of purposes including to keep me awake, pet safety and who can forget the famous man-bath post of 2019? During much of this research, I have come across a list of hot oils. All of these oils came with warnings and recommendations in regards to the use of hot essential oils.
We tend to eat a bit of ‘hot’ food here in the Man versus Oils household, so this intrigued me. Until now I had simply avoided or incorporated them for whatever use I was carrying on about at the time with applicable warnings where appropriate. But now I have had some time to go back, have a good look and report back on some hot essential oil uses for men.
What are hot essential oils?
In essential oils speak, a ‘hot’ oil is one that has the potential to cause a hot or burning sensation when in direct contact with the skin. Well known hot essential oils include:
- Cassia
- Cinnamon Bark
- Clove
- Hyssop
- Oregano
- Lemongrass
- Thyme
- Ocotea
How do we use hot essential oils?
Firstly, I actually don’t own a number of these oils so my research has had to include finding out what they are actually used for. Basically however, the golden rule with hot oils is that they should always be accompanied by a good carrier oil to dilute its potency on the skin. If you are using it in a diffuser, although why anybody would use Clove oil in a diffuser is beyond me, then ensure that you are only using a few drops.
Throughout my readings in this subject, I often found a list of other oils referred to as ‘warm’. This is supposedly a list of oils that are not ‘hot’ but still need care when being used. This list is actually so long that it really just goes back to what I have said in quite a number of my posts.
Always do your research before placing any essential oil on your skin without a carrier. Good examples of ‘warm’ oils are Peppermint, Wintergreen, Eucalyptus and most Citrus oils. That said, Lavender is not considered warm or hot (don’t tell it I said that) and we do use it directly on our skin here. I have a friend however that comes out in a rash if she uses it without a carrier oil.
Precaution to take with hot essential oils
So, at the end of the day, if your skin is sensitive, hot oils are probably best avoided. Otherwise, as with all oils, take care when applying to your man-dermus at all times! Be very careful with them in the man-bath (there are a few that do seem to work there) and do not ingest them. As always, some say to do it, I do not! And obviously they should never be used on children or babies.
Oh, and finally, if you or a pet gets a tick, put a single drop of any of the hot oils listed here on the end of its tail. Apparently it burns them and they take off quite quickly. I haven’t tried this but I have it on good authority that it is the stuff!!
Manly uses for hot essential oils
So, with great care and armed with a bottle/jar/tube of our favorite carrier oil, here are some manly uses for each oils considered ‘hot’!
Cassia essential oil
What is it?
Cassia is a spice derived from the bark of the Chinese or Indonesian cassia tree. It is often called “Cinnamon Cassia”and the argument (at least as far as I could read before I moved onto something more interesting) is that it is just cinnamon. However it is technically a cousin cinnamon. It is from the same family, and if it walks like cinnamon and talks like cinnamon… It also has strong roots in Chinese herbal medicine.
What can it do?
Cassia essential oil is known for its antimicrobial properties (within limited researched backing) including as an anti-fungal and antibiotic. It also contain astringent compounds making it good for the skin and hair, with a carrier oil of course.
Manly uses:
- Man-cold. Got a particularly nasty bout of the man-flu? Try adding 5 drops of Cassia and Lemon to a bowl of boiling water. Stick your face over it and cover it all with a towel. This is also supposedly good as a means of boosting your immunity levels.
- Diarrhea. Got the runs? Mix 3 drops with some Jojoba or Grapeseed oil and rub onto the ole tum tum, soles of the feet and behind the ears. Haven’t tried it myself but it apparently works. And when you have the runs I guess you are willing to try anything right?
- Muscle and Joint relief. I use my world-famous Peppermint and Panaway mixture for this. However if they are not around, mix 5 drops of Cassia with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Then, rub into your joints and muscles as you need.
| Looking for Cassia essential oil? |
Cinnamon Bark essential oil
What is it?
Often called ‘true cinnamon”, which I think is basically just so it can pick a fight with Cassia, Cinnamon is a spice from the bark of cinnamon trees.
What can it do?
Look, just re-read what I wrote about Cassia above. It is pretty much the same stuff. I have also found some different uses for it below, which, you could probably add to the Cassia list above. I should have really just merged the two but I have come this far now so lets just keep with it…
- Acne. The strong astringent and anti-fungal properties make cinnamon a good chemical free acne treatment alternative. Try it obviously mixed with a good carrier oil such as Jojoba.
- Diffuser blends. Cinnamon has that Christmassy, warm winter’s night aroma to it… Try these diffuser recipes (which now knowing what I know may also help with the indigestion from too much partaking in the season’s festivities):
Gingerbread house
- 4 drops Ginger
- 2 drops Clove
- 1 drop Cinnamon Bark
Spiced Cider
- 5 drops Ginger
- 4 drops Orange
- 1 drop Cinnamon Bark
Pumpkin Pie
- 4 drops Cardamom
- 2 drops Cinnamon Bark
- 2 drops Clove
- 1 drop Nutmeg
Clove essential oil
What is it?
Clove essential oil is extracted from the dried clove bud. It smells horrendous and I believe that it should not be allowed to exist at all, let alone as an oil. Oops, sorry, I am not a fan of clove and I let my personal feelings get in the way… won’t happen again…
What can it do?
As with Cinnamon, and I am guessing most of the hot oils, it is high in antioxidants with strong anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It just smells like …. (sorry)
Manly uses:
- Acne. As with Cinnamon, mix 5 drops with 2 tablespoons of Jojoba or Grapeseed oil.
- Shaving rash. There are a number of other oils you could try for this such as Lavender or Peppermint but Clove is also supposedly very good for this purpose.
- Diffuser. Add to the diffuser to assist with nausea, digestion issues and stress. Yep, apparently the stench of clove is a good de-stressor. Probably because it is all you can think about when it is in the air. Fine, just add some lemon to cut the scent down a bit!
- Workers hands. Use your acne blend’s anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties to treat cuts, cracks and other results of some hard work on the man-mits.
| Looking for a good Clove essential oil? |  |
Hyssop essential oil
What is it?
This is another oil that I do not have. And to be honest, had not really heard of until recently… And anyway Hyssop is a small plant that forms part of the mint family. That is where its ‘heat’ would come from I am guessing.
What can it do?
Hyssop has history as an aid in meditation and in medicinal use. It also is commonly known as a medicinal plant. As an essential oil, its benefits include antiseptic and expectorant.
Manly uses:
- Man-cold/cough. Its expectorant qualities make it an effective natural remedy for colds and cough relief. Put 5 – 10 drops in a bowl of boiling water and grab a towel. You know what to do!
- Diffuser. Add to the diffuser to allow its antiseptic properties to assist with ongoing coughs and allergies.
- Man-Bath. I have also read on quite a number of pages during my research that Hyssop is extremely effective in a bath as a muscle relaxant, toxin remover and skin toner. I did see this a lot when I was doing my bath mansperiments, which is where I first heard of Hyssop. But as I did not own it and it was considered a hot oil, I didn’t include it in that post. Lemongrass is another hot oil good in the bath. This one might just be worth a go, as long as you start with only a few drops and work your way up to an acceptable level. It means one that does not burn the crown jewels.
Oregano essential oil
What is it?
As the name suggests, it is distilled from Oregano leaves. Like Rosemary however, its aroma is a little ‘off’ what you would expect. Also, its almost metallic scent reminds me of a gymnasium which I guess might put it right up there on the manliness scale! I might look into that some more some day…
What can it do?
Oregano oil, as with all the other hot ones, contains the usual suspects when it comes to its properties. It is a natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Oregano has also been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years.
Manly uses:
This one is a little difficult as a lot of the benefits and uses of this oil involve ingestion. As I am still not really prepared to write about it, here are some of the non-swallowing uses:
- Cuts and scrapes. Add 5 drops per tablespoon of good carrier oil and apply to minor cuts or scrapes as a good anti-bacterial healing agent.
- Joint rub. Take advantage of its anti-inflammatory (there is some research to this) qualities by adding 10 drops to 2 tablespoons of carrier oil and rubbing into sore joints and muscles.
- Man-Bath. As with Hyssop, this is another one that is commonly discussed as being good in a bath… I am not sure the aroma is there but hey, it does have the qualities to make it worthwhile. I did do some playing around with this one and it may go well with some Bergamot. Just be very careful again with the number of drops you put in, because you don’t want to burn anything.
Lemongrass essential oil
What is it?
This is an interesting one for me as we use this one a LOT, albeit always diluted somehow. As the name suggests, Lemongrass is a grass type plant with a base that looks almost similar to shallots or spring onions. Although I don’t think it is from the same family. Its name comes from its lemony citrus scent and is used predominantly in Asian food and drinks. It is also however used extensively in Indian herbal medicine. Oh also, it is not a member of the citrus family of oils.
What can it do?
You know the drill, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and astringent properties making it good for the skin and hair.
Manly uses:
I have mentioned Lemongrass in a number of posts on this site, so I am going to take the easy option here and just copy and paste from them. Bear with me for a second whilst I find them…
- Insect repellent. Add 5 drops to the diffuser to keep flies away. I use this and it works, as long as the diffuser is on.
- Hair/beard rejuvenation. Mix with a good carrier oil and massage, into the hair and beard, in order to keep the follicles clean and promote growth. You can also try the following blend:
- 12 drops Rosemary
- 10 drops Lavender
- 8 drops Lemongrass
- 20ml Jojoba oil for rub or 20ml natural shampoo to wash
- Man-Bath. Another ‘hot’ oil that is good for the bath. I have mansperimented with this one in the bath and it really felt good on the skin. Must be those astringent properties. However I highly recommend this one noting that I almost halved the amount of drops I would normally use with other oils.
Thyme essential oil
What is it?
Thyme is a delicious and amazingly aromatic herb used in cooking. Surprisingly, it is actually part of the mint family. As with many other herbs of this type, it has ancient uses as an assistant in the embalming processes of Egypt and in Greek bath houses. This oil sadly does not share the pure joy of scent of its natural being, but it is not too bad. I find the aroma pretty strong. One more good reason to dilute it with a carrier oil.
What can it do?
Honestly, just see what I wrote for Oregano and there you have it.
Manly uses:
As with Oregano, there are many apparent benefits from the ingestion of Thyme essential oil. Therefore, I am going to stick with the non-ingestion benefits here. I will have to address this eventually I know, but not in this post…
- Insect repellent. Thyme is known to be a good insect repellent. Add it to the diffuser with some citronella for a manly bug free aroma.
- Toenail fungus. Thyme essential oil is a very potent antifungus. It is recommended for the treatment of fingernail and toenail fungus problems. As Thymol is the main antifungal compound, it makes Thyme Thymol essential oil (or Thymol oil) an even better remedy.
- Acne and skin care. Thyme has extremely high anti-oxidant and antiseptic properties making it a very good natural acne treatment and skin cleanser. Be very careful to mix with a good carrier oil.
- Bites, minor burns, cuts and scrapes. Thyme oil has some scientifically backed evidence for its anti-bacterial properties of the skin. Mix with some jojoba oils and dab onto insect bites and minor skin issues as a natural healing agent.
- In the diffuser. If there is a bit of hay fever, or else, in the house, add this to the diffuser. You can also add some lavender, to assist with minor respiratory issues brought on by such issues as pollen, smoke or chemicals. You can as well try this energizing blend:
- 1 drop Thyme
- 2 drops Eucalyptus
- 3 drops Lime
| Read more: 17 Benefits and Uses of Thyme Essential Oil |
Ocotea essential oil
What is it?
And finally we come to Ocotea. Another essential oil that I do not own and know nothing about. But of course I have done my research and Ocotea is a flowering tree found mainly in the West Indies.
What can it do?
I couldn’t find much, if anything to do with scientific research into this oil, but it’s offered benefits on other posts mirror most of the hot oils listed in this post such as being a good anti-inflammatory. However, one interesting one here was its common reference as a calming oil. During my research, calming was not a common properties in hot oils, with the possible exception of Lemongrass and Thyme.
Manly uses:
- Stress relief. Add 5 drops to the diffuser to calm the mind and body. You can also add some lavender if you really want to unwind. If your stress is accompanied by a headache, try dabbing a few drops with a carrier oil behind the ears and on the temples.
- Bites, minor burns, cuts and scrapes. As with many others here, mix with some jojoba oils and dab onto insect bites and minor skin issues as a natural healing agent.
- In the bath. As with Lemongrass and Oregano it is supposedly good for the bath due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant properties. Again, be very careful with your dilutions. These properties usually make for a good manly hair growth elixir as well, so if you don’t have any lemongrass around, maybe try this one…
Conclusion
So there it is, hot oil-a-palooza. From what I can see, and my uses of some of them, it appears that they may just be a very effective natural alternative to some of the off-the-shelf remedies we may use in the bath, on our skin or around the house. The only real thing here is that you need to be careful as they are called ‘hot’ for a reason. As I have said a number of times, always use a carrier oil with them (or only a few drops in a bath) and test of a small area first. And if irritation is experienced discontinue use immediately and consult a doctor if necessary.
On that note, I am off so as usual,
Have fun!
Paul
| Best way to travel with essential oils: |
Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it. These commissions do not increase your sale price.
| Join the Young Living Community: Are you interested in becoming a Young Living Partner or simply want to enjoy some fantastic discounts? Well, follow the link and join the Young Living Community! Registration is super quick, easy, and it's also completely worth it. You'll get access to all the amazing products that Young Living has to offer. |
My name is Paul and I live on the east coast of Australia with my wife and six year old son. I also have 19 and 23 year old daughters. I am an ex government and bank worker who took a bit of a sea change and opened my own business by the beach with my amazing wife. If you can do it, try it. You will never look back. You want to know more about me, read my About Me page
