Aromatherapy and essential oils

Aromatherapy has been increasingly popular as the interest in natural and holistic therapies is on the rise. It uses essential oils derived from plants and flowers for the unique massage, relaxation and beauty experience. Each of those essential oils has specific properties for our body and also mind. Aromas can either energise or calm us down. I remember one phrase from some aromatherapy book noting “healing intelligence of essential oils”. Just loved it and slowly but surely started using essential oils in my home beauty treatments.

Just wanted to share some of my uses of essential oils in my daily beauty treatments. My regular one is lemon essential oil as I have a soft spot for lemons. I use it every day in the face massage blend just by mixing some jojoba oil with few drops of lemon essential oil. I smooth it on my hair after wash for an extra shine and lightening properties to my honey blonde hair. Lavender essential oil is another must have for clay face masks, the oil cleanser or soothing warm baths. Every time I make a body scrub I am adding either some citrusy ones like grapefruit essential oil ( great for cellulite ) or warming like black pepper, sandalwood or ginger. I usually mix 2 or 3 of them and go wild! You can make your own unique blend, just see what you like and what goes well together. My latest discovery is manuka essential oil with strong pungent smell, use it sparingly for spots and all blemishes. Works wonders!

I also like warm, feminine and sensual ones like rose, vanilla, ylang ylang, jasmine. I learnt to like geranium essential oil as it was always too strong for me, but it is very beneficial for women, balancing and uplifting at the same time. I have even started growing my own geranium flowers in the pots. I love smelling them now. Also, worth mentioning is clove essential oil, warming and soothing, helps relieve toothache.

 

Still, so much to learn about essential oils and their fascinating properties. I want to remember all their latin names, it must be a hidden botanic geek in me. 

Next time then do not forget to stop and smell the roses.   

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Lemon and sugar body scrub

I love smell of lemons. It reminds me of summer and sun. This citrusy scrub is a favourite one in my home beauty treatments. Regular scrubbing not only removes all dead cells, but also boost the circulation and improve the appearance of the skin, our largest organ. This scrub will leave your skin smooth and glowing, will boost your mood as well as citrusy notes are always refreshing and uplifting.

Key ingredients are sugar, lemon juice and a carrier oil. I use unrefined cane sugar and any oil I have at home at the moment. I like to enrich this simple scrub with with few drops of essential oils and I go for citrus ones as they blend well with lemon, so could be grapefruit, lime, orange. They also help fight off cellulite.

You will need:

1 cup of sugar (best sugar with small granules)

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup of carrier oil

few drops of essential oil e.g. grapefruit, lime, orange

Start by mixing sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Pouring slowly add carrier oil of your choice, could be olive oil, almond oil, macadamia oil, whatever you fancy. You want not too thin and not too thick consistency. Then sprinkle over few drops of essential oils and stir in. As I said earlier, any citrus essential oils will suit this scrub, but you can also use peppermint or black pepper or ginger essential oil. Whatever you like really; you can skip essential oils all together as scrub will smell lemony anyway.

Sometimes, I use a bit of carrot seed oil for its beautiful, orangish, warm colour. It is good to experiment with carrier oils and essential oils to find your perfect formula, but keep it simple, so you can make it on a regular basis. I make a new batch every week, keep it in my green scrub box (reused box after some body cream) and use it twice a week. I tend to keep all the nice boxes and bottles from my shop bought cosmetics and reuse them later for my DIY beauty projects.

I hope you will find this recipe useful and try making your own body scrub.

Happy scrubbing everyone!