Andre Orchison – Everyday Aroma Hero

Posted on March 23, 2016 by suzannerbanks

Meet Andre, an Everyday Aroma Hero. He’s from Pretoria, South Africa and loves using essential oils! By day he is an RMA Clerk, however this has varied over the years. He has been a sound engineer, an antique clock parts salesman and a bus driver. On the side, and with the goal of going full-time, he is the founder of TGM Products, aka The Garage Man. Focused on quality, hand-made natural men’s grooming products.

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Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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Andre rocking the motorbike in South Africa

Andre lives with his wife and young son outside Pretoria South Africa on some farmland.
He loves living here and says “it’s a bit of the country side right next to the big old city.”

Andre loves using essential oils in shaving products, especially in an aftershave, even if he haven’t shaved. He likes blending them into other products too, like shaving soap.
He is going wild experimenting with essential oils but isn’t quite ready to share any blends yet ………

Andre’s market stall

Success!

Andre was selling aftershaves at his market stall, and a “bloke” came up and asked if his product would really help his razor burn, and almost raw skin after shaving. Andre explained to him what the blend of oils would do and he bought some. Success! The gentleman is no longer complaining of the irritated, red, painful skin he used to have after shaving.

The night market in Equestria, Pretoria

Failure?

Andre made an aftershave blend that was just a tad on the overly strong spicy side….

The beautiful Vall River where ANdre and his family have camped with fabulous memories

The beautiful Vaal River where Andre and his family have camped creating fabulous memories

“If I could tell someone how wonderful essential oils are: They are like food for your skin and body. As you use commercial and synthetic products your skin responds to them but it is not natural. Your body does not recognise the ingredients, It is just like “Oh, okay thanks”. Once you use an essential oil your skin and body are like: “Hello! I like is stuff. I know how to use this. This is good stuff, I need this. I am using all of this. Gimme me more!”
And before you know it, it expels the synthetic stuff and craves the natural stuff and you just end up feeling so great.”

Thanks Andre I couldn’t have said it better myself!

You can find Andre here:

Blog: garagemen
Facebook: TGMProducts

Be an Everyday Aroma Hero – find out more here.

Ode to Lavender

Posted on March 16, 2016 by suzannerbanks

I can’t help myself when I see lavender – I MUST take a pic! I MUST behold it’s beauty and power! I MUST stand in its presence, if only for a few seconds. There is something wonderful, almost magical about this flower named by the Romans after the word ‘lavare“, meaning “to wash”. This beautiful herb has a long history with humans – cleansing, fortifying and healing us.

All hail lavender!

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Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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Caught on camera somewhere in Sydney

Forgiveness is the smell that lavender gives out when you tread on it

Mark Twain

it always seems to me as if the lavender was a little woman in a green dress, with a lavender bonnet and a white kerchief. She’s one of those strong, sweet, wholesome people, who always rest you, and her sweetness lingers long after she goes away.

Myrtle Reed

The Pobble who has no toes
Had once as many as we;
When they said, ‘Some day you may lose them all;’–
He replied, — ‘Fish fiddle de-dee!’
And his Aunt Jobiska made him drink,
Lavender water tinged with pink,
For she said, ‘The World in general knows
There’s nothing so good for a Pobble’s toes!’

Edward Lear

Lavender at my local market

The Legend of Four Thieves Vinegar

One version goes that in the 1630’s, when the plague was raging in France, the town of Toulouse was beset with looters. Four looters were apprehended, but rather than punish them, the judge offered them a deal. Amazed at their continued health after wandering though homes and businesses abandoned by their terrified (or dead) owners, the judge offered to let the thieves go if they gave him the secret of their resistance to the plague.

What was their famous secret? It was a vinegar made from thyme, rosemary, sage, and lavender. This infusion was termed thieves vinegar. Although garlic was added to the mixture later, this basic infusion became famous and was used for hundreds of years across Europe, both internally and externally, to provide protection from the dreaded plague.

http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com.au

To make a perfume, take some rose water and wash your hands in it, then take a lavender flower and rub it with your palms, and you will achieve the desired effect

Leonardo da Vinci

lovely lavender

But you, you foolish girl, you have gone home to a leaky castle across the sea to lie awake in linen smelling of lavender, and hear the nightingale, and long for me.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

“London life was very full and exciting […] But in London there would be no greenhouse with a glossy tank, and no apple-room, and no potting-shed, earthy and warm, with bunches of poppy heads hanging from the ceiling, and sunflower seeds in a wooden box, and bulbs in thick paper bags, and hanks of tarred string, and lavender drying on a tea-tray.”

Sylvia Townsend Warner

Lavender’s blue, dilly, dilly, lavender’s green

When I am king, dilly, dilly, You shall be queen

Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?

‘Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so

Old English folk song and poem

Lavender in Sydney

Lavender is the little black dress of the wardrobe

Suzanne R Banks

Do you love lavender?

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

10 Recipes for Your Essential Oil Diffuser

Posted on March 9, 2016 by suzannerbanks

Hello authentic humans! I’ve just turned on my vapouriser and somehow I’m still surprised after 20 years that it makes such a glorious difference in the home, or office – any space really. Here’s a few recipes to embrace the new season and expand your consciousness too, with a few drops of essential oil ….

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Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

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A diffuser or vapouriser is a motorized machine to disperse essential oils throughout your space. There are so many wonderful designs now that it can be fun to have a few to choose from – hey some vapourisers may you suit your mood better than others, and even the recipe you’ve decided to use too. Some are colourful and have LED light displays, some are wood or bamboo and add a more natural vibe.

Diffusing essential oils is a great way to relieve stress, calm children and pets, and beautify your home.

Bamboo and lamp diffuser from – http://aromatherapydirect.com.au/products/glass-bamboo-dome-diffuser

To Scent Your Space, my ratio has always been:

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil.

However many diffusers say to only use a few drops, so use your intuition and see how you go with your own diffuser, how long it lasts, and whether you want to use more or less next time. If you are using a traditional vapaouriser with candle (often referred to as a “burner”), then 25 drops is a good ratio as it takes a lot longer for the oils to disperse.

There’s A Light

having a bad day? – This too shall pass

Orange 8 drops

Rose Geranium 8 drops

Lavender 5 drops

Patchouli 4 drops

Pre-Party Party

Mandarin 8 drops

Lemongrass 7 drops

Rosemary 5 drops

Ylang Ylang 5 drops

Sexy black diffuser from http://puzhen.com

Date Night

Bergamot 12 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 8 drops

Jasmine 5 drops (don’t use 3% in jojoba as it will clog your machine. Only use pure essential oil as the jojoba could mess with the mechanics of the machine))

My House Smells Weird I Need Essential Oils

Lemon Myrtle 10 drops

Geranium 6 drops

Palmarosa 6 drops

Cedarwood Virginiana 3 drops

A natural solution from http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Ultrasonic-Bamboo-Diffuser/dp/B0157FZN8G

Super Nature Girl

Lemon 10 drops

Peru Balsam 8 drops

Cypress 4 drops

Australian Sandalwood 3 drops

Body Warmer

Black Pepper 8 drops

Lavandin 8 drops

Lime 6 drops

Clove 3 drops

A cute little diffuser ball from https://www.dusk.com.au/home-fragrance/product-type/ultrasonic-aroma-diffuser

Settle Down You Ratbag Kids

Petitgrain 8 drops

Marjoram 6 drops

Frankincense 5 drops

Cinnamon 5 drops

Vetiver 2 drops

The Sick Room

Peppermint 6 drops

Lavender 9 drops

Orange 10 drops

Aladdin’s Lamp style diffuser from http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Woodgrain-Ultrasonic-Humidifier-Aroma-Air-Mist-Aromatherapy-Diffuser-Purifier-AU-/291402216822?hash=item43d8ecf576:g:xWcAAOSwBahU~WXI

Brainiac

When you need to study or even wake up!

Rosemary 10 drops

Basil 5 drops

Tea Tree 5 drops

Siberian Fir 5 drops

Lovely

Indian Rosewood 8 drops

Roman Chamomile 6 drops (don’t use 3% in jojoba as it will clog your machine. Only use pure essential oil as the jojoba could mess with the mechanics of the machine)

Vanilla CO2 6 drops

Mandarin 5 drops

The diffusers shown above are just some examples of all the different types of machines available on the market today. There are some Australian links, but it will be easy to find great vapourisers nearer to where you are, just by looking on the Internet with your search engine.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Check out my YouTube channel too, thanks.

A Week In Pics – From Lavender to Street Art

Posted on March 2, 2016 by suzannerbanks

Hello natural beauties, I missed a post last week (which rarely happens), as the days merged into a flow of hot busi-ness, warm nights and a party. I started the week off with some pictures of local flowers and street art, shopping for spices, worked with my friend who has a gluten free catering business and finished with a party. No time for beach going. I managed to make some oil blends, body washes and mists too…

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Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Barnes & Noble Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as an ebook and paperback

**************************************************************************************************************