Essential oils have a long history of use, dating back to the beginnings of civilization. Various research efforts and scientific interest have led to the development of numerous extraction methods for essential oils, which are now an integral part of everyday life. Due to their medicinal properties, essential oils are widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries and are also important ingredients in the perfume and cosmetics industries. In this study, the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oil samples extracted by Clevenger hydrodistillation are investigated. Essential oils were extracted from lemon peel (Citrus limon), laurel (Laurus nobilis), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt – officinalis L.), star anise (Pimpinella anisum) and oregano (Origanum vulgare). The data on the yield of the individual types of essential oils originate from the extraction carried out. The samples were characterised using thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. For each extracted essential oil sample, the most abundant component was identified. The total phenolic content of the analysed samples was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method, followed by the determination of the antioxidant activity using the DPPH and ABTS methods.