This beginner’s guide to aromatherapy can give you a crash course on the benefits of aromatherapy, should you choose to use it. Aromatherapy was developed in the west after a French perfumier burned his arm and plunged it into the nearest vat of liquid, which happened to be lavender oil. His arm miraculously healed with no scarring, and it became popular here thereafter.
Avoid essential oils for pregnant/nursing or allergies/illness. Avoid near pets (air rooms before allowing them back in). Do not use essential oils, if pets sleep on your bed. Avoid shea butter for latex allergies. Do not use essential oils or allergy oils on babies.
Used for medical and beauty use, don’t take aromatherapy oils internally or if you have epilepsy, asthma or other medical conditions, unless under guidance of a fully qualified aromatherapist (they should also not be used during pregnancy or nursing, or near young children.
Essential oils are very strong, made by distilling rose petals to rosemary leaves. You can use the odd neat drop of tea tree oil to zap a spot or swish a few drops in a full bath, but usually they are blended with a carrier oil, and used for massage. They have a very interesting history and are very powerful: in ancient Egyptian times, bodies were massaged with myrrh to preserve them as mummies. And in Tasmania, there is an island where a man bitten by a deadly spider managed to save his own life by using the local tea tree plant – amazingly, both the plant and the spider only live in that area of earth – could nature be telling us something?
Some essential oils are photo-toxic, which means they could cause reactions if you go out in the sun. So if using on a sunny day, wait for a few hours before you venture out under the beams of sunlight.
Herbowski Portable Aromatherapy Blends were developed by a qualified herbalist and chemist, and is packed in a zero waste metal tin.
All the ingredients are organic and ethically sourced. These are designed to be inhaled via aroma. They then get to work on your nervous system, entering the bloodstream, via 3 blends (all made with 5 aromatic herbs and 7 essential oils, in a glass jar with aluminium lids:)
- Clear Airways to help ease nasal & chest congestions, sinus, hay fever, headaches & dizziness
- Motion Ease can help nausea, vomiting, dizziness or travel sickness
- Calm State is good to soothe and calm emotions, and balance mood
To use, just open the jar and bring to the nose, and take a long breath. Use when necessary. Close the lid to keep the jar fresh, and it will last 1 to 3 months, depending on use.
Books on Aromatherapy
- The Family Guide to Aromatherapy will show you how to mix the right oils to help everything from acne and anxiety, to indigestion and insomnia. Learn about the honest limitations and potential risks, along with aromatherapy for every life stage, and each chapter includes safety watch-outs. Includes a glossary of 30 common essential oils.
- Just the Essentials is a well-written book by natural beauty expert Adina Grigore. She was sceptical of the benefits, until she began to research them, and now offer a full history and tips to use them for acne & tooth infections (tea tree oil), circulation, pain & headaches (cinnamon oil), and digestion and cleaning (peppermint oil). If you have heartburn, peppermint can actually make it worse by forcing food back up again as it relaxes your digestion system, but for other stomach problems, it sometimes helps.
- Essential Oils for Soothing Anxiety includes profiles on the 10 best essential oils for calming including bergamot, cedarwood and lavender, along with soothing rituals for massage, meditation and breathing techniques.
- The Ultimate Guide to Aromatherapy is a lovely introduction to this popular form of health and beauty. Aromatherapy involves steaming the oils from natural flowers, to produce oils that when blended with carrier oils, are often used for massage. You can also swish a few drops in a full bath. Includes recipes for a Hand & Body Wash for Flu Recovery, Tummy Massage Oil for indigestion and Self-Love Botanical Perfume.