Aromatherapy Advice

The scent of lavender has been proven to lift people’s spirits by fighting depression, can relax the mind after a grueling day, and can even help soothe body aches and pains. When used in our homes, lavender can enhance our moods and make life more enjoyable. There are many ways to use the power of lavender and incorporate that power into our daily lives. These gorgeous purple flowers can be dried and used either in stalk form or through the dried buds of its flowers. You can also purchase lavender essential oil for a highly concentrated source that will give a tremendous amount of aromatherapy with using only a few drops of the oil.

Dried lavender on the stalks can be used to create gorgeous wreaths or a dried flower arrangement. Wreaths with solid lavender all around make a dramatic purple accent to any room while adding a fragrant scent that lasts for months. If the stalks need refreshing, a little spray from an atomizer filled with lavender essential oil is the perfect solution. If you either want to tone down the lavender scent in your wreath or don’t have a lot of purple in your décor, you can always use a few sprigs here and there to add a touch of purple and a hint of fragrance to your setting.

A dried flower arrangement is the perfect place to add lavender. Again, you can intensify the impact of the color and scent of this flower by filling a vase or basket with just lavender. A few stalks here and there can be used to add pizzazz to an existing arrangement. The bathroom and bedroom are great areas for dried lavender because, respectively, it hides odors and brings relaxation. This is why when you go to the spa or to a massage therapist they always use lavender to enhance the ambiance for their clients.

Essential oils are simply the scented components of the lavender flower that have been added to a liquid for easy application; this is usually oil, but can also be in an alcohol-based liquid such as cologne. Oils are wonderful because they hold the scent for a longer time when applied to the skin or to sachet or fabric. Dating back to ancient times, lavender has been used in soaps and laundry to soften skin and give fragrance to clothing. You can purchase essential oils from a perfumery shop, natural foods store, or online.

Here are some tips for adding the scent of dried lavender to anywhere in your home:

Moisten a cotton ball with a few drops of lavender oil and add it to your vacuum cleaner canister or bag. It will fill your entire home with its wonderful scent! Spray or drop some essential oil onto a washcloth and throw it in with your laundry in the dryer. Place a shallow dish filled with lavender buds next to your bed to help induce sleepiness at night. Add a dried flower arrangement or wreath anywhere in your home where you want to enjoy the light, continuous fragrance of lavender.

Essential oils are the amazing natural extracts of plants, trees and grasses from all over the world. When the leaves and plant materials are steam distilled then the resulting liquids have many powerful uses. These highly aromatic oils can be used in aromatherapy, for alternative medicinal purposes and for use in many areas of your home for some very positive results.

Here are my top ten tips for using these luxurious oils:

1. Chamomile is a wonderful aroma therapeutic oil. The soothing effects of lavender become apparent when used to quiet a nervous personality, including those of pets and horses. A larger dose also induces a deeper, more restful sleep for everyone.

2. Tea Tree Oil is from Australia and it has many uses. It can be used to rid the body of a fungus or rash. It soothes burns including sunburn and also relieves bee stings.

3. Lavender is rivalled only by Tea Tree Oil for its usefulness. Due to its aromatic and therapeutic nature, a good use for lavender essential oil is in the bath. Lavender is inherently antiseptic, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory, which is why it is an excellent treatment for minor burns, cuts and scrapes. The oil also helps prevent scarring caused by minor burns, but do not pour the oil into open wounds.

4. Peppermint Oil is one aromatic herb that can be identified by most people. It has been a favoured morning sickness remedy for centuries because not many products relieve nausea as well. Try it also when someone is experiencing motion sickness.

5. Eucalyptus is a popular remedy for tension headaches. Everyone gets a bit tense occasionally, and a dab of oil rubbed on the temples will quickly relieve the stress causing the pain, or the vial of oil may be held under the nose so it can be inhaled. It is also antibiotic and an antiseptic oil, and perfect for use in the vaporizer during cold and flu season.

6. Citronella is the best known insect repellent. Make a hair rinse of the oil and water to repel head lice, and a diluted spray of water and oil will repel fleas from pets and carpet. : A tiny dab of lavender essential oil, used undiluted on an insect bite relieves the itch quickly, and a dab behind each ear not only smells nice but acts as another natural insect repellent.

7. Rose oil is delightful, all-around fragrance oil for the home. Put a single drop of oil in the washer while it is filling with water and add a couple drops to a dishcloth and toss it in the dryer. Doing this will lend a pleasant, light aroma to the clothing.

8. Rosemary is an anti-inflammatory essential oil and also stimulates physical and mental clarity. Rosemary is good to use in muscle rubs and it also soothes arthritis.

9. Cinnamon is a formidable fungicide. Fungal infections like athletes foot and ringworm are no match for lavender’s powerful action. It is also a powerful antiviral. Be sure to buy cinnamon oil and not cassia.

10. Neroli oil has a reputation for inducing relaxation and deep, recuperative sleep.

The pure oil should never be ingested, and should not be used neat (pure and undiluted) on your skin. However, use them safely and essential oils have many exciting uses around your home for very little cost.