Intention – It’s Gotta Be Good!

Posted on July 30, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Use your intention to create something new (via www.tribalharmonix.org)

Use your intention to create something new (via http://www.tribalharmonix.org)

Often when we are magnetically drawn to essential oils it’s because we may need a little bit of help. We may need some inspiration and happiness, less stress, les muscle ache, clarity, cleansing, new beginnings and whatever else you can think of. So when we reach for the little bottle of oil we may not be feeling 100%, and that’s ok.

There is a fine line between treating ourselves when we are down, and using good intention for the result. For example:

You’ve been feeling a bit weird lately – unfulfilled, no energy, no inspiration to go on. You finally get the energy to open a bottle of essential oil and you intuitively take orange and geranium. These little powerhouse oils will help you see the lighter side of life, perhaps even be a generator of happiness and allow you some space to reevaluate. So when you make your oil blend, whether it be for your body, or a mist to spritz all over your energetic field, it’s important to bring in your GOOD intention for the blend.

This doesn’t have to take a long time nor does it have to be complicated. You could simply say to yourself “fulfillment”. When you have your word or phrase for the oil formula, allow it to amplify for a few seconds and gather some energy of it’s own. Breathe. Bring in the POSITIVE vibes, and now CREATE.

This could take 10 seconds. It could take a minute. You may even decide to mediate with the bottle of oils in your hands. Any way you choose to do it, the most important thing is to DO IT!

The classic alchemist “The Magician” from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck

Why?

Because you are more powerful than you realize. You are the alchemist of your own life and you can start to reveal this amazing talent a little bit everyday. By placing your intention (energy) into your oils and your formula, you are communicating with the universe and stating what you desire. The alternative would be to take the bottle of oil, dwell in your negativity, create your oil blend, and hope for the best. The oils will still be beautiful, enchanting and active, but you will have better results when you add your awareness and mindfulness.

DON”T try and put a spell on someone else in a negative way

Always treat yourself rather than trying to make a “spell” for someone else. If you are faced with the negative energy of someone in your environment it is critical that you make your intention positive.

For example; you have a really unhappy person at work who sits next to you. Yesterday all they did was whinge and complain and you don’t really want to hear anymore today.

Choose your oils – this could be fennel, ylang ylang and bergamot. Add your intention “today will fly by at work in a peaceful and happy way”. Get that vibe going, breathe a few times then add one drop of each onto your wrists as your personal perfume for the day.

DON’T make your intention “keep that negative, whiney bitch away from me today I’m sick of her”.

Do you see the difference? Each time you feel yourself being pulled into the negativity of your colleague, take a whiff of your personal perfume on your wrists, breathe and walk away, or pick up the phone, or leave the building.

Go ahead! Start blending with your intention!

Remember to treat yourself first, and then everyone will benefit.

Remember to add your intention to create a meaningful formula.

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics

Posted on July 28, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Hello natural beauties and scent lovers everywhere! I’ve written this article just to remind you about general ratios when blending essential oil. Always err on the side of caution and use your intuition 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

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I love glass measuring equipment but you don’t need anything like this to make a blend

I have written about this before but I think we need a reminder of the correct ratios to employ when making aromatherapy skin care, baths, face masks, hair masks and anything else you can think of. I’ll also include the amounts to use in vapourisers and oil burners.

It is important to be exact and err on the side of caution when using essential oils on your skin.

It is not important to be exact when you are using essential oils in a vapouriser to scent a space.

Officially it is not recommended you use essential oils on your skin directly from the bottle!

Body oils make lovely legs

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil (approx 15 mls) in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. This is a standard ratio of 2.5% essential oils to carrier oil.

20 mls 10 drops

25 mls 12 drops

30 mls 15 drops

35 mls 17 drops

40 mls 20 drops

45 mls 22 drops

50 mls 25 drops

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

(Also see my article “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3” for more info)

Any mist bottle will do – although the heavier the plastic in the pump the longer it will last

2. Mist – For a Room or as a Personal Aura Mist

The same quantities as above. You can add more if you like but remember not to spray near your eyes.

50 mls 25 drops

100 mls 50 drops

150 mls 75 drops

200 mls 100 drops

Almost fill the bottle with water then add your oils. Shake before you mist. I don’t use emulsifying agents as I like to keep it simple. You can even just buy a mist bottle from a supermarket but once a plastic atomiser top and bottle have been used for essential oils you can’t re-use them (depending on the packaging you have, you may need to use a little alcohol -like vodka- at the bottom of your bottle first, so the oils disperse into smaller drops to prevent clogging the atomiser top. I’ve found sometimes it works just with water, and sometimes it doesn’t – very annoying!)

Don’t fill up the bottle with water and mist your plants as the residue may kill them.

Any carrier oil will be a good base for an oil mask

3. An Oil Blend (or mask) for Your Face, Children and In Pregnancy

Use half the above ratio – 1.25% ratio of essential oils to carrier oil.

20 mls 5 drops

25 mls 6 drops

30 mls 7 drops

35 mls 8 drops

40 mls 10 drops

45 mls 11 drops

50 mls 12 drops

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

Pregnancy – Some oils are not recommended in pregnancy so it’s best to do some research if you are treating yourself, or ask the advice of an Aromatherapist. I have treated many women through multiple pregnancies and have had great results. The truth is that there are probably many more toxic chemicals in their home environments than essential oils but always use caution!

Children – Same for kids. They respond really well to essential oils but only use oils they like the smell of otherwise you may create a negative experience. You will have more positive results if you create a room/personal mist and gently mist around your child so they treatment is more fun and likely to work quickly. See my articles for more info on babies and kids – Essential Oils and Babies – Do They Go Together? and Essential Oils and Children – Do They Go Together?

Be careful when adding essential oils to your bath

4. In Baths

I would only use up to 6 drops of oil in a bath. I have tried many natural emulsification agents but none work 100%. I like to put the oils into mediums, then add them to the bath. Try adding your oils into –

Dead Sea Salt

Celtic Sea Salt

Coconut milk

Magnesium Salt (Epsom salts)

Bi-Carb Soda

A Natural Bodywash/liquid soap like Castille Soap

** I don’t recommend using essential oils in the bath with kids as it can sting their legs. The oils combined with the heat of the water can be too strong for their beautiful skin. (See me article “Aunty, something is biting my legs” – 10 things NOT to do when using Essential Oils” for more info).

Enjoy the process!

Essential Oils and Children – Do They Go Together?

Posted on June 9, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Last week I wrote an article on babies and essential oils “Essential Oils and Babies – Do They Go Together?” and similar rules apply to kids 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

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“Babies – only use essential oils in their environment – not on them!

Can you use essential oils on babies?

Short answer = YES – but not on them directly.

Long Answer = YES but you must use caution and follow these rules.”

suzannerbanks

So when it comes to kids, 3 years to about 12 years old, I would stick with similar recommendations. The ratio of essential oils for kids and in pregnancy, and on the face,lav is half than that of an adult. See my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3” for standard adult ratios.

It is better to use essential oils in the environment of children as they respond really well to the scent as it goes to work through their brain. As children get older you can use more variety of essential oils compared to babies, but in general I’d always stick with lavender and a few others.

Kids respond really well to essential oils used in their environment

I would apply these same rules to kids as I would to babies, paying particular attention to keeping them out of reach –

* do not use essential oils, diluted or neat, on your child unless you seek medical advice.

* do not put essential oils into the bath, diluted or neat.

* always wash you hands before you touch your child if you’ve been using essential oils

* keep bottles of essential oils away from reach, as even a couple of drops may hurt them

Essential oils can be poisonous if ingested so make sure kids cannot get to the bottles.

ouch!

Cuts and Scrapes

I have always used this method with all my nieces and nephews – clean the wound with saline or warm water (or whatever you usually use), then put 1 drop of lavender onto the gauze/absorbent part of the band aid. You don’t have to worry about the oils going directly into the skin and stinging as it just provides a tiny source of anti-inflammatory action and some minor pain relief.

Kids Crying and Whingeing – Stress and Sleep Blends

I would put a drop of vetiver oil on myself and then cuddle my child, as it is a very powerful stress reliever and a grounding agent.

You could also make an aura cleansing mist, and mist around your child (avoid eye contact), or in the car before you put them in. This also works as as energetic space cleansing mist for their room and your house too.

Any mist bottle will do – although the heavier the plastic in the pump the longer it will last

Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 12 drops of oil (usually 25 drops of oil for an adult)

(depending on the packaging you have, you may need to use a little alcohol -like vodka- at the bottom of your bottle first, so the oils disperse into smaller drops to prevent clogging the atomiser top. I’ve found sometimes it works just with water, and sometimes it doesn’t – very annoying!)

“Anytime Chill Out”

Lavender 4 drops

Orange 4 drops

Petitgrain 3 drops

Vetiver 1 drop

“Close Your Eyes”

To help induce relaxation and sleep – try misting a little on the sheets –

Lavender 4 drops

Mandarin 4 drops

Marjoram 4 drops

Fun times – pic ia ksoo.com

Some oils suitable for children are the premium oils already presented in a 3% jojoba blend. For more info on these blends see my article on 3% blends in jojoba. You may use a little of these oils on them but also use your intuition.

Depending the age of your child I would probably use a few drops and then add the same amount, or more, of carrier oil to get to a softer ratio.

You can –

* use on the temples, back of the neck and wrists to help your child feel better and cool the body in a fever

* use few drops of your blend on your own hands, then stroke the forehead, chest and whatever you think you need to do to calm them down

* apply a few drops of your blend to you hands an gently stroke the stomach chest and lower back for stomach pain and sorrow

Rose – cool the body, nurture their spirit

Neroli – to help relieve stress and anxiety

Roman Chamomile – great for stomach cramps this oil has a beautiful scent and may even help with sleep and for generally relaxing

Puzhen diffuser from the 5 senses series – puzhen.com

Other oils for the diffuser or vapouriser could include –

bergamot – relieve tension, inspire happiness

orange, mandarin – kids love the smell of these oils, so they are already working on their attitude through their brains – but once again don’t use these oils on their bodies!

frankincense – great for asthmatics as it inspires deeper breathing and total relaxation

peppermint – to relieve nausea in the sick room and to freshen the energy

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I have used essential oils on all the kids in my family in some form or another for the past 20 years. Always use caution. Always use your intuition and always seek out more information if you are not sure.

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

Essential Oils and Babies – Do They Go Together?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Do essential oils and babies go together? Thats a good question natural beauties. Read on to find out the best way to use essential oils around babies.

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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

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

Precious little person

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Babies – only use essential oils in their environment – not on them!

*********

Can you use essential oils on babies?

Short answer = YES – but not on them directly.

Long Answer = YES but you must use caution and follow these rules.

Any child up to 3 years I will consider a baby for this article and topic. Babies have extremely new and sensitive skin so

* do not use essential oils, diluted or neat, on your baby unless you seek medical advice.

* do not put essential oils into the bath, diluted or neat.

* always wash you hands before you touch your baby if you’ve been using essential oils

* keep bottles of essential oils away from reach, as even a couple of drops may hurt them

There’s so many easy ways to diffuse essential oils now

You can use essential oils with your baby in the environment around them and the best way to do this is to use a diffuser and vapourise the essential oils in their room. You can buy humidifier from your pharmacy specifically made for children so they can breathe easier, and you may also use calming essential oils so they sleep better too. An ordinary motorised diffuser will be fine for this as well, but as a precaution don’t use a burner with a candle. Refer to the model of your diffuser for amounts of oil and if there is no info I would only use 6 drops.

Babies love baths

If you really want to add something to your baby’s bath you could use some organic herbal tea (a couple of teaspoons) wrapped in some muslin and make a weak infusion. Chamomile and lavender would be the only herbs I would use. In the same vein you could use organic oats which makes a soft, skin soothing bath which is safe for babies and will help soothe nappy rash and hot skin. A dash of hydrosol would be fine too.

A lovely selection of rosewater

A great alternative to essential oils that works well with babies and kids are hydrosols and floral waters. They have a mild scent and are safe you to be misted all around your baby to help induce a sense of calm and also for cooling them down in summer. The best hydrosols will be rose, lavender, roman chamomile and neroli (or orange blossom). See my article Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff? for more information.

You will find rosewater and orange blossom water in some food stores and to be on the safe side I would water these down, otherwise buy a good quality (organic if possible) hydrosol from a natural beauty/aromatherapy store.

Essential Oils for Baby’s Sleep

lavender

Roman chamomile

bergamot

marjoram

Essential Oils for Baby’s Better Breathing

frankincense

eucalyptus (sparingly ie 1 or 2 drops in a humidifier only and do not continue the treatment for more than a night or two) *

lavender

* a reader of my blog has asked a question regarding eucalyptus and babies –

“I enjoyed your article. However, why do you recommend eucalyptus? I have read it is not safe for young children. Wouldn’t fir needle, a pine, or spruce be a better option?”

My answer –

I have referenced 3 text books and only one leans towards avoiding eucalyptus with young babies. It has an active ingredient called 1-8 cineole that can be toxic in lethal doses but nothing like a couple of drops you would use in a humidifier. It may be best for me to update this article to be very specific about using eucalyptus with babies. It is still one of the best mucolytic oils. Fir, pine and/or spruce could be used as a substitute for sure, but they won’t be as effective.

Also some oils/formulas that are specific for kids & babies, that are sold with humidifiers, contain many questionable ingredients and could even be potentially more dangerous than a drop or two of eucalyptus.

Sleeping babies are happy babies

Essential Oils For Baby’s Crying

Try putting a couple of drops of oil on your clothes and when your hold your baby, they will just get a small scent of oil, mixed in with your scent, and this may work really well to settle them down. Just be careful not to let the babies face touch against you where the oil is.

vetiver (sparingly as its very strong – just a drop will do. You could also add a drop to the sleep oils too

lavender

Roman chamomile

You can see a pattern here – pretty much just stick with lavender and a few other oils until your baby is older.

Please your you motherly or fatherly intuition with your baby and remember if you use a diffuser the whole family will benefit from the aromatherapy treatment too.

Exfoliating Your Face and Body

Posted on March 24, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Salt scrub – pic via themethuselahcenter.com

Our skin is one of the largest systems in the body called the Integumentary System. It is our protector against the environment and something that holds us all together. We absorb nutrients through the skin and this is why I love to use nourishing essential oil blends on a daily basis. We eliminate toxins through our skin too.

Our skin is just as important as our other organs like the liver, pancreas, thyroid and everything else we are made of. It forms part of our personality by giving us a certain look and comes in a variety of colours. Our skin can easily be ignored but we really need to give it a helping hand. Moisturising is a must which will definitely keep skin looking younger and feeling more supple. Exfoliating is also a great benefit to skin to keep it healthy so it can do all the jobs we need it to do. It can help with general feelings of lethargy and will definitely wake you up too.

We exfoliate automatically as new skin cells are made and old cells dying make their way back into the universe, however, sometimes our skin needs a helping hand and we need to manually exfoliate for health and vanity reasons. Skin varies in texture and colour in different parts of the body so what is good for scrubbing your body, may not work very well for your face. We could use a few methods for exfoliation of the body:

Exfoliating Gloves - pic via www.aliexpress.com

Exfoliating Gloves – pic via http://www.aliexpress.com

1. Exfoliation Gloves

* environmentally friendly because they last a long time

* inexpensive

* use a little soap in the bath or the shower and don’t rub too hard it will hurt!

* once or twice per month is enough

dry skin brushing – pic via slenderresults.com

2. Dry Skin Brushing

* lightly done on dry skin

* benefits are said to be varied from minimising cellulite to stimulating new cells growth and getting rid of old cells, improving the elimination of toxins

* once or twice a week is enough and shower afterwards

Body-Scrub – pic via blog.freepeople.com –

3. Scrub with a Product

* use a product that you love or make your own body scrub or face scrub

Face and body scrubs can be made easily at your place with lots of different ingredients that you may find in your cupboard.

almond meal – pic via urbanposer.blogspot.com

Face Scrub

I often use almond meal but if I need more oomph I use LSA (a blend of linseeds, almonds, and sunflowers). Just mix a little water or coconut water with it and gently rub on your face. It’s not very user-friendly so do it over the bathroom sink so the little bits can fall off in that rather than on the floor. I rarely use essential oils with this one because it’s divine on its own.

When you add liquid to the almond meal it becomes milky and soft straight away. This almond milk is lovely and combines with the natural oil n the almonds will make your face so soft. It’s easy and it’s a winner. Try it! After rinsing off you wont even need to moisturise.

Sea salt – pic via cooks.ndtv.com

Body Scrub

I recommend using sea salt as a base and adding ingredients to that. I think I may have to write an article on the benefits of sea salt its an amazing treatment! You could choose Celtic or Dead Sea salt or a locally produced sea salt. Use fine grade as the coarse grade will scratch your skin. This is best done in a bath so you can soak in the salt afterwards. If you only have a shower then wet your body, step out of the stream or turn off the water, scrub then rinse.

If you are a lover of essential oils then try adding about 5 – 8 drops of the oils you choose, into 2 cups of salt and slosh in some oil to make a gooey, grainy paste. It can be olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, sesame oil or anything you have in the cupboard. You could even try coconut milk or coconut cream to take you away on an island holiday in your mind.

Then get creative by adding spices and extract from your cupboard like, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla extract. For a more comprehensive list of suggestions see my article It’s Easy to Make Your Own Body Scrub.

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention

Cleanse Your Space with Essential Oils – Prepare for a New Year

Posted on December 30, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Orange And Lemon Peels - pic via www.mindbodygreen.com

Orange and lemon peels help cleanse and clean your space – pic via http://www.mindbodygreen.com

As we are coming to the end of another year on earth it is a wonderful ritual to do some cleaning and get organised, so new energy and abundance can flow into your life in the new year. Even if it’s just cleaning out the kitchen cupboards it can have positive flow-on effects. I’ll be cleaning and tidying my bedroom in detail, and doing a good tidy-up all around.

And what better little helpers to employ but essential oils? Once your tidying is done the most fun part starts – the cleaning (ugh)! I add essential oils to warm soapy water to do all the surfaces and objects, and do the same with the water for mopping. It’s like having an aromatherapy treatment while you clean. Most essential oils will work well but there are a few that are standouts when it comes to cleaning. These oils will have an energetic cleansing effect as well as a great scent, and will help dissolve dirt and collect dust.

To a bowl of soapy water just add some essential oils – pic via mossymossy.com

Eucalyptus – a good oil remover, dissolves sticky stuff, helps you breathe deeply and works against stuffy sinuses. It breaks down unwanted, thick energy and has a clarifying and stimulating scent.

Tea tree - pic via www.eranurseries.com.au

Tea tree – pic via http://www.eranurseries.com.au

Tea Tree – wonderful for an anti-bacterial wash on surfaces. This fabulous Australian native as an enlightening cleansing effect on the soul, and has been used by some Aboriginals in smoking ceremonies, which purge the bad spirits.

Juniper – a light, spicy oil to clear teary emotions and any type of sadness hanging around. I love using this oil for surfaces in the bedrooms because of it’s enchanting and clear scent.

Lemon – can be used from kitchen benches to the bathroom to give you a bright, happy feeling to your home. It is such a simple oil but has so many great qualities for cleaning, including a lightness and sweetness that appeals to everyone. Or you could just use the lemon rind or whole lemon with some bi-carb soda or salt for benches and bathrooms.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass – another lemony scented oil to wash away the old. It’s a lot stronger than lemon but when you mop and clean with this oil you’ll be keeping away the insects too!

Grapefruit – pink or white grapefruit will work but the scent is very subtle. It’s hard to vapourise this scent well too, as it is so light it will fly away. Remember the energy is still there and grapefruit is the classic cleanser oil. I use grapefruit mostly in body oil blends for this purpose – when someone needs a gentle cleanse.

Pine – fresh, clean and a little herbaceous too this oil is a great cleaner, and makes room for more inspiration to come flooding in. To be creative in your new life next year you’ll need to allow inspiration to come to you, and when you have a clean home you have a clean mind too!

Thyme

Thyme – when you need the big guns of anti-bacterial oils thyme is your friend. Along with oregano these oils are a great disinfectants but beware USE WITH CAUTION because the scent is so strong. Mix a little thyme with some lavender and orange and you are in business baby! In fact I’m going to use that combo this arvo (Australian slang for afternoon. “This arvo”, or even “s’arvo” mean “this afternoon”).

Lavender – use it liberally as it will work as a cleaner and will also bring a sense of solidarity and calm to your space. In the wars of the past some hospitals in France used lavender and thyme to clean everything. And of course they worked amazingly!

Don’t worry too much about quantities of oils to soapy water I just chuck them in. You really only need to be careful when you are using them on your body and for those ratios see my latest article here.

I was speaking with a cleaner at a wedding last month and we got talking about essential oils and cleaning. She wanted some advice about how to use them in her work with the specific intention of her clients being able to smell the essential oils when they arrived home from work. She was particularly interested in orange oil because she had seen it in supermarket brand cleaners. I explained to her that they may disappear before the client comes home – just because they are natural doesn’t mean they will be long-lasting – in fact it’s the opposite. The citrus oils will tend to disappear first as they have simple molecular structures so it’s good to mix them with a heavier oil like lemongrass or even cedarwood. Don’t be afraid to use lavender either that will work well with the citrus oils.

Happy New Year my friends and thanks so much for connecting!

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are cleansing your space. See my article about intention.

The Perfect Aromatherapy Skincare Regime

Posted on November 4, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Beautiful skin is easy with natural products – pic via nuimage.ca

I know its sounds corny but people always comment on how good my skin looks. When asked how I do it, I usually say there’s no quick answer but essential oils help. I’ve been using essential oils in my own handmade products on my skin for almost 20 years and would never use anything else. Apart from the natural simplicity of oils, it’s the scent of most skincare products detest. Even if I couldn’t access essential oils, I’d still use plain cold pressed oils on my face and body, and for sensitive skins this could be the best thing to use. I like to mix it up a bit and not use essential oils everyday.

Here’s an outline of my easy, natural aromatherapy regime:

Daily

Morning

1. Shower

* No soap or other foaming agents on my face just water, with a face cloth if I want a deeper cleanse

* No soap or other foaming agents on most of my body – maybe some natural soap on the underarms and nether regions

2. Moisturise

Moisturising with oil on your face can have fantastic benefits

* Face – spritz first with a rose or neroli hydrosol or floral water to really boost hydration (see my article “Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff?”) then use rosehip oil with rose essential oil

or plain rosehip oil

or a cream I have made myself containing essential oils

If you are buying a small bottle of rosehip oil you could add the drops of rose oil into the bottle or just add the rose on a daily basis. For quantities to add to your bottle please check the 3% article below or the article above about the basics.

For example, for small squirt of rosehip oil onto your fingers, add a drop or two or rose oil 3% (see my article “Essential Oils 3% in Jojoba – What are they, and Why?”) and spread liberally all over your face. The only downside is that it’s a bit fiddly. Practice makes perfect though.

nourish your skin with oil blends

* Body – a nourishing body oil containing essential oils all over my body (see my article “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics”)

or a rich cream I’ve made myself containing essential oils

or just a plain cold pressed oil like almond, grapeseed, sunflower, olive, coconut

Remove makeup with the best makeup remover in the world – oil!

Evening

* Remove makeup (if applicable) with a damp cotton pad, with oil on it. This is the best makeup remover n the world! You can use sunflower, almond, olive etc and any cold pressed oil really

* Wipe with a warm, damp face cloth and only moisturise if you feel you need it. Often there is enough oil remaining on your skin to leave it feeling hydrated and soft

or shower and repeat the morning’s step

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifyng mask. pic vis chiclooking.com

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifying mask. pic via chiclooking.com

Occasionally

And occasionally I’ll give myself a body scrub, face scrub and face mask to remove old skin and tone and refine the top layer.

Face Scrub

Try some almond meal mixed with a little water. Stand over the basin so falling almonds can be caught and gently scrub. It’s wonderful how your skin feels with the oils of the almond infused into your skin. Then either apply a face mask or add a little extra moisture if needed.

↓

Face Mask

Mix a little clay (any colour – for more info see my article “The Wonderful World of Clay”) with water or a hydrosol. You can add a few drops of essential oil if you like just stay with lavender, geranium, chamomile, neroli and the softer oils. Apply. Rest for 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water. Moisturise.

↓

A salt scrub is easy to make! pic via cambridgenaturals.com

Body Scrub

The easiest body scrub is a salt scrub. Use fine sea salt, add some water and a little oil and mix to a slurry. Scrub all over your body standing in the shower or bath. If you are in a bath, then take the opportunity to soak for another 15 minutes.

Add 5 – 10 drops of essential oil to your liking to create an aromatherapy treatment at the same time. Or get creative and add things from your cupboard or fridge like fresh lemon rind and juice, cinnamon or fresh herbs. For more info see my article “It’s Easy to Make Your Own Body Scrub”.

Moisturise with an oil blend or cream.

↓

Body Mask

Same for face mask but you’ll need about a cup and a half of clay. Add water slowly and mix well. Add 20 drops of essential oil if you like, and then wrap yourself in towels and a blanket as the clay will make you COLD! Rest. Shower off and moisturise with an oil blend.

What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

Posted on October 21, 2013 by suzannerbanks

A drop of oil can be essential to wellbeing

When we talk about essential oils, it’s often an umbrella term for many different kinds of aromatic liquids.

Essential oils

These are usually water/steam distilled, and this is the most common way to date that oils are extracted. All the oils you would commonly buy today would be steam and water distilled and this process is simple, traditional and dates back through the past century.

Absolutes

These are usually made flowers or very delicate plants where a chemical extraction process is used (see my article Absolutes? Not Absolutely) but they resemble essential oils in viscosity and are used in the same way as essential oils. They tend to be more concentrated then essential oils.

Oleoresins and Resinoids

These are highly concentrated liquid extracts that are a combination of resins and aromatic oils. The plants they come from have a high resin content so they fall into their own category. Once again they can be used in the same way as essential oils.

CO2 Extracts

CO2 Extraction is also called Super-critical CO2 extraction and it produces a couple of plant products – extracts or selects, and totals.

A relative newcomer in the world of extraction, the name makes it sound bad but it’s not! There are lots of good things about this process and I’ll try to sum it up briefly and succinctly.

The extraction process uses carbon dioxide heated to a degree where it has both liquid and gaseous properties- this part is the super-critical part. It’s less hot them steam and water distillation so this is a bonus as it doesn’t change the plant materials as much.

It’s this liquid form that extracts the volatile plant material. Aromatic oils, resins and other cellular materials like pigments are extracted by the liquid CO2 which evaporates easily, leaving a substance that more closely resembles the plant.

CO2 extracts more closely aromatically resemble the whole plant, whereas essential oils are specifically the volatile oil component of the plant.

CO2 extracts may be better scent wise, or less attractive. It depends on the plant.

nutmeg – there are quite a few spice CO2 extracts

CO2 extracts that are now available are –

ambrette, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, clove, nutmeg, caraway, fennel, ginger

sea buckthorn

amaranth

cocoa, coffee, vanilla

pomegranate

evening primrose, rosehip

chamomile, champaka, ginger lily, jasmine, juniper, linden blossom, patchouli

arnica, calendula, lavender, hops, St Johns wort,

angelica root, orris root, kava

agarwood, frankincense, galbanum, myrrh, spikenard

the amazing vanilla pod

I don’t use CO2 extracts extensively in my practice yet, as many of the extracts are semi-solid and aren’t easy to work with. It seems some of the extracts are better suited to using in creams and lotions. I move more into the area of natural perfumery I know I’ll use some of the extractsmore often. I haven’t actually spent the time looking at the analysis of each oil, which will indicate the therapeutic property of the “oil”.

According to Nature’s Gift, “totals” are a secondary product of the CO2 process:

“are usually thick and pasty due to the beneficial fats, resins and waxes they contain that come from the plant material itself. These totals are soluble in essential oils and vegetable oils.

….These potent extracts are wonderful for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The Calendulas extract, for example, in a dosage of 2 grams extract to 1000 grams ointment is effective for it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity.”

None of my suppliers in Sydney provide these “totals” and I don’t have first hand knowledge of how they work – but it sounds interesting!

Good luck with the CO2 extracts!

Can Essential Oils be used Undiluted on Your Skin?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by suzannerbanks

A drop of oil can be essential

This question is one of the most commonly asked questions in regards to essential oils and essential oil safety.

I studied in Australia and although I don’t know exactly what other education institutions teach, I’m positive there is a general feeling about this subject.

Short Answer: NO

Do not use essential oils directly on your skin as a general rule.

Why?:

Essential oils are concentrated volatile substances extracted from plants. A couple of important actions in some essential oils are classed as:

Photosensitisation:

If you apply one of these oils to your skin and go outside, the oil can cause a skin reaction when the suns hits you. It can be really bad, or mild, or you may not get a reaction at all. Oils to watch out for are bergamot and all the citrus oils.

Sensitising:

Many oils can be classed as sensitising, meaning if you use to much, or in a strong dilution it may cause a skin reaction. Oils to watch out for are black pepper, cinnamon, clove, wintergreen, maybe oregano and thyme, and other oils which you wouldn’t be able to buy retail.

Irritation:

According to Essential Therapeutics “irritation” may occur with many different oils in very strong dilutions. However, most essential oils contain different molecules that could potentially cause irritations on the skin, but are not classified as toxic. It really depends on each person and how sensitive you are generally.

The most important thing is not to drink essential oils – this will cause poisoning and potentially harmful long term effects.

Use your common sense and dilute essential oils in the ratios listed in my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”.

skin reaction to Peru Balsam pic via www.cdc.gov

skin reaction to Peru Balsam pic via http://www.cdc.gov

If you are a very sensitive person then always patch test before using essential oils all over your skin – even if it is in the correct dilution.

I’m not going to say I don’t use essential oils directly on my skin, but I’m not going to say I do. I have 20 years of experience using essential oils with clients and various scenting projects so I feel confident about what I can do on my skin.

Anoint yourself with pure essential oils diluted with a carrier oil

What about anointing with essential oils?

Once again the general rule is not to use essential oils directly on your skin. I recommend diluting with a carrier oil and then anointing.

What about perfume straight from the bottle?

Same as above. if you want a stronger effect, try putting a couple of drops of oil on a makeup pad in your bra or even your handbag.

PATCH TEST FIRST – especially if you are a person who is very sensitive! Just because essential oils are natural does not mean they are always safe.

Don’t use essential oils in strong dilutions, or neat on kids either. if a reaction does occur the only way to get the oils off the skin is with a carrier oil like olive or almond. Smooth it all over the area, wipe off and seek medical advice if necessary. See my article ‘“Aunty, something is biting my legs” – 10 things NOT to do when using Essential Oils” for more info on the general rules of using essential oils.

You are the expert on you

You are the expert on you, so use common sense, the information that is available to you and patch test first.

Enjoy the beautiful scents of nature and allow miracles through scent!

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics

Posted on August 12, 2013 by suzannerbanks

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

Amazon USA Booktopia AU Amazon UK

and many other stores worldwide as a Kindle and Paperback

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics

create your own natural skincare with the right ratios

It is important to be exact and err on the side of caution when using essential oils on your skin.

It is not important to be exact when you are using essential oils in a vapouriser to scent a space.

Officially it is not recommended you use essential oils on your skin directly from the bottle!

nourish your skin with oil blends

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil (approx 15 mls) in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. This is a standard ratio of 2.5% essential oils to carrier oil.

20 mls 10 drops

25 mls 12 drops

30 mls 15 drops

35 mls 17 drops

40 mls 20 drops

45 mls 22 drops

50 mls 25 drops

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

(Also see my article “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3” for more info)

Cleanse your aura and energetic body with a mist (via shininglite.com)

2. Mist – For a Room or as a Personal Aura Mist

The same quantities as above. You can add more if you like but remember not to spray near your eyes.

50 mls 25 drops

100 mls 50 drops

150 mls 75 drops

200 mls 100 drops

Children love the scent of some oils – not all of them

3. An Oil Blend (or mask) for Your Face, Children and In Pregnancy

Use half the above ratio – 1.25% ratio of essential oils to carrier oil.

20 mls 5 drops

25 mls 6 drops

30 mls 7 drops

35 mls 8 drops

40 mls 10 drops

45 mls 11 drops

50 mls 12 drops

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

a petal bath – looks great but the cleaning -UGH!

4. In Baths

Dead Sea Salt

Celtic Sea Salt

Coconut milk

Magnesium Salt (Epsom salts)

Bi-Carb Soda

A Natural Bodywash/liquid soap like Castille Soap

Enjoy the process!

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Category Archives: Aromatherapy basics & how-to’s

Intention – It’s Gotta Be Good!

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics

Essential Oils and Children – Do They Go Together?

Essential Oils and Babies – Do They Go Together?

Exfoliating Your Face and Body

Cleanse Your Space with Essential Oils – Prepare for a New Year

The Perfect Aromatherapy Skincare Regime

What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

Can Essential Oils be used Undiluted on Your Skin?

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics

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