Add some joy to your life by including aromatherapy. It's an easy way to put and keep a smile on your face, because not only will you feel good, you'll smell good as well.
Before you start though, there are a few things you're going to need:
- Basic set of oils
- Carrier oils
- Recipe book
Essential Oils to Get Started
It's great if you have a wide variety of oils to choose from, but often, at the beginning, you have to be satisfied with just one or two, then gradually add to them over time.
Lavender and Sandalwood are probably the two most versatile oils to get you started. They are both gentle, but effective for a wide range of conditions. Almost everyone enjoys using them, and they mix well together. They'll relax you, treat your infections and make you smell divine. You can use them on most of the body, and they are both kind to skin.
Essential oils are generally diluted 1:40; that is 1 drop of essential oil to 2mls carrier oil.
Some of the more expensive oils like Jasmine, Roman Chamomile and Rose come as 3% solutions, so are already diluted in a carrier oil. But they still need further dilution, and are added as drops to the blend.
Carrier Oils for Massage
Because essential oils are the concentrated essence of plants, they can be up to 70 times stronger than the plant itself. For this reason they're used in tiny quantities. To spread them evenly over the body when doing massage, and to stop them irritating the skin, they need diluting in a carrier oil. Almost any vegetable oil can be used, providing it gives good "slip" that allows your hands to slide easily over the skin. Some choices are:
- Sweet almond
- Apricot kernel
- Macadamia
- Grapeseed
- Sunflower
- Olive
Macadamia and apricot are rich, nourishing oils, so are kept for the face or special occasions. Otherwise, use the oil you like best. Olive oil is fine, but it can leave you smelling a bit like salad dressing. The richer the oil, the more sticky it will feel on your skin.
To customize your mix, you can mix carrier oils together, as well as the essential oils. Once opened, carrier oils can go rancid after a couple of months, so buy small quantities at a time.
Aromatherapy Recipe Book
To get the most from essential oils, it helps to know just a little about them. Then you can choose appropriate oils for each occasion. If you don't have access to a good book on aromatherapy, many of the distributors and manufacturers of essential oils provide good information on their websites. When buying a book, ensure it has specific information about what method to use with individual oils, how to combine oils and when not to use them.
Make your own recipe book too. Keep note of what blends you use, what the results are, how you like the smells, and which carrier oil you used.
Collect ideas for other uses for your oils, such as how to use them around the house, for personal care, and to make gifts.
Aromatherapy is a simple pleasure that will impact every aspect of your life and environment. When you add essential oils to your daily life, joy and harmony are not far away.
Keen for an aromatherapy treatment? Find an aromatherapist in your area.
Originally published on Sep 12, 2011
