The Image of Aromatherapy 

When people think of aromatherapy, they think of relaxation and stress relief. There’s a good reason for that. Some common aromatic essential oils, the basic aromatherapy ingredient, possess healing properties that promote relaxation and stress relief. Lavender often comes to mind. Marjoram, a common culinary herb, is another less expensive but good alternative. 

Unfortunately, many products claiming to be aromatherapy are not. They use artificial, modified, or processed ingredients that do not have the same medicinal properties as the original plant. Know your product and the seller. 

Make Your Aromatherapy Product Yourself:

Alternatively, make simple aromatherapy products yourself. Just a few ingredients can get you started. Select just a few good-quality essential oils.

Two essential oils to relieve stress: 

1. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
2. Marjoram (Origanum marjorana)

Two essential oils to uplift and brighten your mood:

1. Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
2. Orange (Citrus sinensis)

Easy Recipe For Stress Relief:

Mix your essential oils in whole-fat milk, almond oil, or Epsom salt for a bath. Use six to eight drops of essential to the carrier: 1/2 teaspoon of oil or 1/4-1/2 cup of salt or milk. See my aromatherapy baths blog post for more. 

Five Important Things to Know About Using Aromatherapy

1. Always check for the botanical name. If the seller doesn’t include it, don’t buy it. Not all lavender is the same: there are several species and many cultivars of lavender. You want to buy the Lavandula angustifolia because it has medicinal properties that promote relaxation. This is true for personal care products as well as aromatherapy inputs, i.e., essential oils and carriers. Check my Importance of Botanical Names blog post for more information. 
2. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and potent. For example, as many as 30 roses are used to create just one drop of rose essential oil. This means they are much more potent than the herbal equivalent. 
3. Pay close attention to quality. Not all brands of essential oils are the same. Know your seller. I personally prefer small-scale, owner-operated distributors who deal directly with their suppliers. See my essential oil quality blog. Beware…. of companies claiming that their product is certified or “therapeutic grade.” There is no independent, objective certification board for essential oils. See my blog post on certification.
4. Always dilute essential oils. Dilution is critical to aromatherapy applications. Don’t be fooled. A natural health remedy can be too strong. Always dilute essential oils in a carrier (e.g., natural vegetable oil, cream, or gel) before applying them to your skin or adding them to your bath. Consider how you’re going to use them (e.g., bath, scent diffuser, cream) and the appropriate concentration for that particular use.  Check my dilutions blog post for proper dilutions for different applications.
5. Check for counter-indications. People with certain conditions should not use some essential oils. Many should be avoided if pregnant. And, still, others are not suitable for some applications like a bath because they can be irritating to the skin. 

For More Information On And Assistance With Stress Relief, See My:

• FREE Relax, Ground, and Clear the Mind Guided Meditation
• Breath Techniques For Stress Resilience  virtual or in-person workshop
• Energy healing sessions
• Spiritual life coaching sessions

Or, Contact Me