The 8 Best Crystals for Protection Against Negative Energy, According to Crystal Experts

The world can feel pretty harsh to handle sometimes. Whether you’re navigating a difficult relationship, work stress, or even just the maelstrom that is social media, it’s only natural if you occasionally feel the desire to hide behind an invisible wall and close yourself off in the name of self-preservation. In this scenario, there are certainly a variety of self-care strategies you can adopt—but if you’re looking for a spiritual boost, you might also consider a more metaphysical route to security: using crystals for protection.

To be absolutely clear, crystals for protection are not a shortcut for solving mental-health woes, nor do they exempt you from taking care of yourself the good ol’ fashioned way (you know, moving your body, seeing people you love, eating intuitively, and so forth). Instead, you can think of crystals for protection as a spiritual supplement to your mental well-being routine, serving as a tangible reminder of your own inner strength.

Below, crystal experts break down the best stones for protection and strength that you can whip out when you’re feeling depleted or vulnerable to negative energy, plus how to use and charge these healing crystals.

Best crystals for protection, at a glance:

• Best for enforcing boundaries: Fluorite
• Best for managing insecurity: Kyanite
• Best for dismantling negative energy: Black tourmaline
• Best for protecting against scarcity: Pyrite
• Best for personal strength: Citrine
• Best for evading anxiety: Carnelian
• Best for grounding and security: Malachite
• Best for protecting your peace: Amethyst

How are crystals used for protection and inner strength?

Certain crystals have protective properties, and when put to use, can help you fortify your strength and power of will. To understand how, though, it’s helpful to consider what “protection” really means.

According to crystal exert Sadie Kadlec, intuitive healer at Maha Rose Center for Healing, the common notion of protection as a metaphysical barrier between you and external forces (like other people or negative energy) is flawed. “Instead, protection is really about finding strength, stability, and support within yourself in order to be vulnerable and trusting of the world around you,” she says. “It’s not about putting up a protective shield.” And as a result, it’s important to note that energy shield crystals or negative energy repellents aren’t exactly serving as a protective armor to keep all of life’s woes from potentially harming you.

“Protection is really about finding strength, stability, and support within yourself in order to be vulnerable and trusting of the world around you.” —Sadie Kadlec, crystal expert and intuitive healer

By contrast, using different types of crystals for protection is about tapping their powers to elevate the strength you intrinsically possess. That means learning to practice self-trust and self-compassion and build confidence first, and then using crystals to spiritually enhance the good vibes. According to Kadlec, the best ways to use crystals for protection are to meditate with them and to carry them with you (you could even wear protective crystal jewelry) as a reminder of your intention and personal power.

As for which healing crystals for protection are best to use? That depends, because everyone responds to the energy of different crystals in different ways. It’s worth considering whether you’re naturally drawn to a certain crystal(s) or, if you’re shopping in-person, holding a few in your hand to sense which ones seem to resonate.

From there, you could just choose one or, to take things a step further, a few different protective gemstones that you can use together with the practice of crystal gridding, says Breana Fernandez, crystal expert at Los Angeles-based metaphysical retailer House of Intuition. This involves “placing chosen crystals into a formation that focuses the intention—such as energetic protection, in this case,” she says.

Can protective crystals shield me from negative energy at work?

Yes, protective crystals can help you manage the effects of negative energy at your workplace or during your work hours at home. You might try place amethyst, in particular, anywhere you tend to experience stress or that you think could benefit from a more calming energy—your office or home office, included.

Because amethyst is one of the best crystals for protection and anxiety, it can make an overwhelming space feel much more peaceful. Pro tip: If you’re trying to decide which crystal shape to get, Askinosie says a cube is a great pick for placing in a corner of a room.

As noted above, you can also carry amethyst (or any of the best stones for protection and strength) in your pocket or purse, bringing it with you to work to better harness its protective powers. (You’ll also find many popular crystals in protective necklaces, allowing you to wear the spiritual stones wherever you are.)

What are the best crystals for personal protection?

Best for enforcing boundaries: Fluorite

Fluorite Natural Crystal Quartz Bulk 1" — $12.00

Protective gemstones aren’t exactly negative energy repellents or energy shield crystals; according to Kadlec, protection from crystals has more to do with what’s happening on the inside. “[Protection] is about opening the heart and finding strength of self through that process,” she says. That’s why she loves fluorite: It has the ability to create clarity and openness by helping to reinforce positive boundary-setting.

Known as the “psychic vacuum,” fluorite can also help you remove unwanted mind clutter and regain focus as a result, says Fernandez.

How to use it: To use fluorite, place it on your third eye (where, in particular, it can help clear confusion and break down thought patterns of self-doubt), or wear it as protective crystal jewelry. Fernandez says it’s a popular crystal for protection necklaces, helping you stay grounded wherever you are—especially during Mercury retrograde periods.

Best for managing insecurity: Kyanite

Blue Kyanite Healing Crystal — $6.00

Compassionate communication fosters security and safety in your relationships—both of which are paramount to protection. Because kyanite is associated with the throat chakra, it can offer support for just that kind of communication and self-expression, says Kadlec: “Kyanite allows our inner truth to surface and be heard, and also puts us in a place to receive and hear from other people.”

Separately, there’s also a strong balancing energy to this stone, says Fernandez, which can help you make decisions with confidence and assuredness.

How to use it: The next time you want to put yourself out there, need to have a difficult conversation, or have a big decision ahead of you, reach for a piece of kyanite. Carrying it around in your pocket or purse—or wearing it in a piece of jewelry—can keep you feeling safe, comfortable, and confident.

Best for dismantling negative energy: Black tourmaline

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Known for its grounding energy, black tourmaline is another protective gemstone power-player. In particular, this stone is associated with the solar plexus chakra, which is often unbalanced or out-of-whack whenever you feel unsafe or insecure. “Black tourmaline can absorb threatening energy and transmute it into something non-threatening,” says Kadlec, adding that it can help you separate a difficult situation from negative patterns within yourself or others, and figure out how to respond more compassionately.

How to use it: Black tourmaline can act like a spiritual sponge for negative energies, helping soak them up and neutralize them. So one of the best black tourmaline uses is simply placing it anywhere you need that energy absorbed. This makes it a great protection crystal for your home. Place it near entrances, in your home office, in your bedroom—anywhere you wish. You’ll also find it used in protective crystal jewelry, allowing you to reap the benefits while you’re out and about. Just note: Because of how it absorbs negative energies, Fernandez says it’s wise to clean it on a weekly basis.

Best for protecting against scarcity: Pyrite

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While not traditionally associated with protection, pyrite is adept at helping us reconnect to our purpose. In particular, Fernandez notes the powers of pyrite in terms of manifestation and intention-setting practices: You can use this crystal to help channel more abundance, along with more gratitude for the abundance you already have in your life. Fitting for a stone that looks kinda like gold, right?

How to use it: Pyrite can help remind you of how much good there is in your life; keep it on hand whenever you know you’ll have to tackle an especially difficult task or make it through a hard conversation.

Best for personal strength: Citrine

2" Citrine Raw Crystals Bulk — $10.00

Like pyrite, citrine is also not traditionally connected to protection, but also similar to pyrite, it can help us find clarity in terms of our purpose and goals. “It’s about the clarity of our intention—who we are, where we want to go, and how we can make that happen for ourselves,” says Kadlec.

How to use it: The energy of citrine can help support you in situations where you’re aiming to forge your own path—rather than follow the trail that other people in your life have blazed before. “Keeping citrine crystals near or in your creative space can supply you with the additional boost of confidence you may need to work toward your goals,” says Fernandez.

Best for evading anxiety: Carnelian

Pachamama Essentials Carnelian Natural Gemstone 1/2-Pound Bulk — $10.00

Known as the “stone of confidence,” says Kadlec, carnelian is one of the best crystals for protection and anxiety. “Carnelian connects us to our courage,” she says, “helping to guide us toward doing what’s right for ourselves so we don’t silently accept what doesn’t work for us.” Living courageously gives us confidence and drive to make decisions that serve us instead of reeling back in fear of those dreaded “what ifs.”

In a similar realm, this crystal can inspire creativity when it comes to confronting or handling adversity, says Fernandez. “If a particular problem is leaving you feeling stagnant or stuck, the passionate energies of carnelian will deliver a boost of self-assurance so that you can find an optimistic side of the situation,” she says. And being able to do just that is an essential part of feeling both strong and protected.

How to use it: There are many different ways you can use this spiritual protection stone in your everyday life. Since it’s one of the best crystals for protection and anxiety, have it on hand anytime you feel like you could use a boost. Because carnelian also inspires creativity, keep it in your office or workspace.

Best for grounding and security: Malachite

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Heart-chakra stones like malachite can help open your heart and target fear, helping you feel more secure in whatever choices you make. “Malachite can guide you toward your higher self and toward your purpose in this lifetime,” says Fernandez.

Specifically, there’s a certain kind of fated, “right-time-right-place” energy to malachite that can provide clarity in otherwise unclear times—like eclipse season, for instance, says Fernandez. In other words? When things feel off-kilter, malachite can help you better understand why you are where you are and the journey that may lie ahead.

As a result, Fernandez adds, this crystal can make you more aware of the power of diving timing and the comfort that can come with surrendering some of your control to the universal forces at work.

How to use it: The next time you’re going through something big, carry this healing crystal for protection with you throughout the day. “Malachite offers protection, deep healing, and cleansing on both physical and energetic levels,” Mariah de La Mer, author of Crystal Healing for Women, previously told Well+Good. “This stone helps to release old traumas, wounds, and patterns stored within the cellular structure of the body, and it’s a beautiful stone to work with in times of transition, heartbreak, and loss.”

Best for protecting your peace: Amethyst

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There are numerous ways to use amethyst for protection. First, it’s one of the best crystals for protection and anxiety. “Amethyst fuses with the crown and third eye chakras to send peaceful vibes straight to where you need them,” Heather Askinosie, author of Crystal Muse, previously told Well+Good. She says this not only relaxes the mind, but also helps you get some clarity on what may be causing you stress.

Amethyst is also a great protection crystal for travel. According to Bell, it can help you avoid not-so-fun travel delays and counteract jet lag. (Aka the crystal for protection and good luck is nothing short of a carry-on essential.)

How to use it: Amethyst is a popular crystal for protection necklaces, providing you the comfort of wearing it throughout your daily activities or as you jet off to your next big adventure. You can also use it as a protection crystal for your home, placing it anywhere that could use some calming energy—be it your office, bedroom, or living room.

How should I cleanse and charge my protective crystals?

If you want to amplify the energy of your protective crystals, it’s best to learn how to cleanse and charge them. Because they can absorb negative energy, cleansing them—and refilling them with high vibrational energy—is important, Amy Leigh Mercree, medical intuitive and author of Aura Alchemy, previously told Well+Good. (Pendulums and throat chakra stones are often just cleansed, though, so as not to cloud their intrinsic effectiveness and purpose with alternate energy.)

One of the most simple ways to cleanse and charge crystals is to lay them out in the sun or under the light of the moon at night (especially during a full moon) for a few hours. You can also cleanse certain crystals under running water or charge them in a bowl of salted water; you’ll just want to avoid this with any crystals that contain iron, which includes pyrite above. For detailed instructions, read our full guide to how to charge your crystals.