The Persian Garden – Cruising on the Celebrity Solstice with Eucalyptus Oil – Video

Video

Hello friends! I missed a post last week all caught up in summer in Sydney, parties with visiting DJ’s and singers, and the beach. This week I share a moment in time on the cruise ship the Celebrity Solstice, where I was excited to discover a eucalyptus infused steam room and sauna, sailing home from New Caledonia.

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

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

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

The theme of this little video is “aromatherapy is easy” …

And just to prove it here is a pic of my good friend DJ Wayne G (DJ WAYNE G) from San Francisco, playing tunes on New Years Day:

Me and Wayne at the start of a party

And me with other incredibly talented friends, singer and recording artist Peyton (Peyton Music) and travel writer and blogger Amanda (Adventures All Round). It was dark so I had to do a few little adjustments including some stars and fireworks too …

Friends

Thanks for your time! Have you been to a spa on a cruise? I’d love to hear about it.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

copryright SR Banks 2015

10 Recipes with Frankincense Essential Oil- Boswellia carterii

Posted on June 11, 2014 by suzannerbanks

Frankincense resin in its organic form is then distilled into an essential oil

Ah frankincense it’s a good oil! It’s an oil that helps you breathe deeply, relax and connect with your spirit. It’s an oil that can help skin looking and feeling younger. It’s an oil that’s been around for thousands of years. It’s an oil of truth.

Frankincense has a fine scent and I have written more about it previously with my article ‘Frankincense is the Scent of Truth’. It is from the family Burseraceae and the genus Boswellia.

Many years ago a friend of mine (he’s not around any longer, hi Peter!) was having a really bad asthma attack and was getting very anxious. He called me and I went to him immediately with a vapouriser and some Frankincense oil. I sat him down next to the stream of vapour and within 5 minutes he was better and after 20 minutes he could breathe normally. He also felt much more relaxed and I left the set up with him for a few weeks so he could access the treatment whenever he needed it.

Frankincense has many applications so let’s get into some recipes –

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

1. Face Mask

Usually add 1 or 2 drops of oil to some clay and add water, floral water or hydrosol. Keep the mask on for 5 minutes then rinse off with cool water. Mist with a hydrosol or floral water and moisturise.

I would use 2 drops of frankincense in pink clay to rejuvenate your skin, help tone oilier skin and to treat acne.

——————————————————————————————————————

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

2. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Do this with frankincense to help you relax and gather your energy. It will give you a chance to stop and catch you breath too.

——————————————————————————————————————

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

3. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Peace and Quiet”

Frankincense 2 drops

Lavender 1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“I’m Ready for the Day”

Take a deep breath and go!

Frankincense 1 drop

Neroli 3% 3 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

“Sweet”

Life IS sweet –

Frankincense 2 drops

Peru balsam 1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Now is the Best Time”

Do it now!

Frankincense 1 drop

Lemongrass 1 drop

Rose Geranium 1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Check this out - an oil burner made from a can - pic via www.instructables.com

Check this out – an oil burner made from a can – pic via http://www.instructables.com

4. Scent Your Space

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

“Sunday Night Settle Down”

You’ve got school in the morning!

Frankincense 10 drops

Orange 9 drops

Marjoram 6 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“Fresh Vibe”

A great blend for when you’ve finished cleaning the house –

Frankincense 10 drops

Lime 6 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 5 drops

May Chang 4 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

Rub oil into your body – it’s good!

Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. It’s always best to patch test first, before you apply all over.

***** 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.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Renew”

A blend to feel hydrated with a new outlook –

Frankincense 3 drops

Palmarosa 3 drops

Lavender 2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“It’s All About Me Tonight”

Shower off the day and oil yourself –

Frankincense 2 drops

Ylang Ylang 2 drops

Mandarin 3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

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.

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

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

**********

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.

Frankincense is the Scent of Truth

Posted on March 11, 2013 by suzannerbanks

frankincense tree and resin

Frankincense.

As I finished a treatment last week and I was writing the ingredients of the formula on a label, I said to myself “frankincense’, “frank – incense”. Frank, incense. The scent of truth. I had an immediate understanding of the entire universe all at once.

Frankincense (Boswellia carteri), has been used for centuries in spiritual rituals and is still used today in Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. It makes an appearance in the bible as a precious gift brought to Jesus and is found in the Middle East and Africa. According to Wikipedia

“Frankincense has been traded on the Arabian Peninsula and in North Africa for more than 5000 years.^[6] A mural depicting sacks of frankincense traded from the Land of Punt adorns the walls of the temple of ancient Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who died in circa 1458 BC.”

It’s also know as oilbanum referring to the process of “milking” the tree for the resin. There are many romantic stories of old about this resin and oil, and it is also linked to to the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem where it was used as a temple offering and incense.

It’s an unusual looking tree, and it is tapped for the resin, which is then steam distilled into an essential oil. The resin droplets that emerge from the tree are called “tears”. The myrrh tree actually looks quite similar.

frankincense resin

You can buy the resin to burn on charcoal too, and it emits a scented smoke that is entrancing to say the least.

frankincense resin burning on charcoal

Frankincense is the oil of breathing deeply and slowly. When you click into a rhythm of deep breathing it not only relaxes you, but also invokes a state of peacefulness and calm – just like when you meditate. Is it any wonder that churches use this resin? It is employed in the church to entrance the congregation into a type of meditation or trance, to access God and higher energies. When we connect with our spirit, we are seeing the truth in all things. We are connecting with the everything else in the universe at the same time – the oneness of all things. This is the truth. This is honesty. When we are being honest with ourselves we are being “frank” and open.

Frankincense has also been used to heal wounds by promoting cell growth and this also makes its a great facial oil. Most aromatherapy book will say that Frankincense is wonderful for wrinkled mature skin to help reduce signs of aging so I often use this in a face mask or add it to rosehip oil for a daily face moisturiser.

Here are some recipes for Frankincense:

For an oil burner or diffuser to help you relax into a divine stateessential:

“Sweet Silence”

Frankincense 15 drops

Orange 8 drops

Cinnamon 2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

For an oil blend for your body to help you relax – especially great around the lungs and chest. Into 3 teaspoons add

“OM”

Frankincense 5 drops

Lavender 3 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

For a steam inhalation for congested lungs, or if you find it hard to catch your breath:

In a bowl put 3 drops of Frankincense then fill with boiling water and inhale through your mouth (cover yourself and the bowl with a towel).

steam inhalation

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

For a face mask:

In a couple of teaspoons of clay (any colour of your choice) add 3 drops of Frankincense and a little floral water (or just plain water) to form a smooth paste to apply all over you face and neck. Rest for 15 minutes then rinse off. Beautiful! You look 10 years younger already!

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Seekers of the truth – this oil is for you!

Remember to treat yourself first then everyone will benefit.

Fir and Pine – Fresh and Clean

Posted on December 26, 2012 by suzannerbanks

Pine

PINE

Pine is most associated with this time of year, if you celebrate Christmas. There are many types of Pine but the one most used for the essential oil is Pinus sylvestrus – often referred to as Scots Pine. From what I can gather, yes it is actually found in Scotland and is native to parts of Europe and Asia.

I do love this oil but rarely use it in a body oil blend for a treatment. It can be a bit harsh to use all over the body and is more effective used an inhalation to help with breathing and upper respiratory tract infections. The scent is bushy and fresh and is fantastic used for scenting a space and doing an energetic cleanse. You can have an aromatherapy treatment, clean and disinfect your house, and create a clean slate for new beginnings, all with a few drops of pine oil.

When you are doing a ritual or energetic cleanse of a space, your intention is as important as the oils you use. Always go with your positive intention and emotions rather than trying to clear negativity (even though this may be your goal). So instead of thinking/chanting/saying something like this;

“I’m purging all the toxic energy of my past relationship…”

try saying

“I love living in my beautiful, happy and creative space”.

As you clean, just have this thought in your mind. You can do this with any essential oil but Pine is one that lends itself to clarification. The oil comes from a steam distillation of the twigs, buds and needles and has a spicy green scent, perfect for inviting the energy of nature into your home

FIR

a fir forest in Finland borrowed from cartinafinland.fi

I’ve got a beautiful Siberian Fir essential oil – Abies sibirica. It is a part of the Pinacae family, but firs differ to pines in that their leaves are flat. “Flat, friendly fir” I remember a Park Ranger telling me in Arizona somewhere. Pine needles are cylindrical.

Anyway, the scent of the fir essential oil is much softer than that of pine but I really don’t use this essential oil all over the body either. This family of trees can be slightly sensitising to skin and tends to be more powerful used as a tonic for the emotions and energy. It’s main constituents on a typical breakdown are bornyl acetate, alpha and beta pinene and camphene and the oil can be seen as warming as is often claimed to be a great analgesic to rheumatism.

I would choose fir over pine for the scent. With pine, it can tend to be a bit more medicinal smelling. Fir is warmer and softer and a little bit more special and lovely to use in a perfume. Fir can be used in the same way as pine for cleaning and cleansing so why not give it a go?

Remember to use your intention when employing essential oils for health and well being and treat yourself first, so everyone can benefit.

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Tag Archives: essential oils to breathe easy

The Persian Garden – Cruising on the Celebrity Solstice with Eucalyptus Oil – Video

Video

10 Recipes with Frankincense Essential Oil- Boswellia carterii

Essential Oils and Babies – Do They Go Together?

Frankincense is the Scent of Truth

Fir and Pine – Fresh and Clean

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: