I got into aromatherapy in my early twenties when I experienced how amazing essential oils made me feel. I couldn’t believe that these tiny blue bottles of oil that smelled so amazing, could also completely change the way I felt. A couple of drops of clary sage, for example, could wipe away the angst of PMS, and a sniff of peppermint essential oil would help my impossibly active mind to focus on what it needed to. Aromatherapy has so many uses, but I wanted to share my top 3 life changing uses for essential oils.
- Scent/Perfume/odor-destroyer: I used to douse myself in designer perfumes in my twenties and early thirties. I bottle of Chanel No.5, Coco Chanel, Shalimar and many others bring back a plethora of memories whenever I get a whiff. But when I turned about 35, I started to develop a bit of a sensitivity to these perfumes – and even worse the strong synthetic perfumes sprayed around stores, and malls. I remember being in a elevator with a women who had clearly emptied half a bottle of Dior’s Poison over her head, and I started to feel dizzy and nauseous. I’ve now found out that 80% of people become sensitive to synthetic chemicals as we get older. I think it’s because our body can no longer handle the toxic assault (of all the chemicals we are subjected to). So, I turned to essential oils, and with the help of some wonderful aromatherapists, learned how to blend my own simple perfumes. Nowadays, there are a number of wonderful natural/non-toxic perfumes, and perfume oil blends, that you don’t need to have an expert knowledge of blending (see my favorites below). However, if you do wish to make your own, I recommend starting by making a solid perfume. This is a safe, easy and fun way to get into using essential oils as perfumes.
- Mood Altering: Yes, if you are up for a bit all all-natural mood altering, you definitely need to start a collection of good essential oils. My favorites: geranium/rose (uplifting and getting you out of a funk), bergamot/grapefruit/geranium (energizing), clary sage/lavender/ylang ylang (PMS and depression).
- Cleaning: Almost every essential oil has some kind of anti-bacterial property – some more than others. This is why I use them to clean my home. I am never without a bottle of tea tree, lavender, lemon, peppermint, and lemongrass for cleaning and disinfecting my home. Given that most “anti bacterial” cleaning products are toxic cleaning bombs, you are way better off using essential oils, which will clean and scent your home naturally and safely. I use lemon to clean wood, lavender and tea tree in my homemade sprays, and tea tree oil for disinfecting everything!
Perfumes and perfume oil blends that I love:
Pour La Monde (the first and only perfume with an actual natural certification).
Tata Harper Be Well Aromatic Mood Collection (trust me on this one – you will NOT regret buying this set. The oils will last for years, and they are beyond.
Mountain Rose Herbs Aroma Blends: These are simply beautiful – I especially love the “heart” blend.
