Tag Archives: geranium essential oil

Help Your Hangover with Essential Oils

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Oh no natural beauties, I hope you don’t have a hangover! The best cure for a hangover is time. Drink water, eat good food and rest too. Using essential oils can help speed up the process by acting as anti-inflammatory agents, tonics for the nervous system and antidotes for nausea. Here are some great oils for a hangover.

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Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here: suzannerbanks.com.au

Digital downloads of my book Revelation! Reveal your Destiny with Essentials Oils:

Barnes & Noble      Booktopia AU      Amazon UK

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A cup of peppermint tea could do the trick as well

 

Peppermint oil is THE best! It’s great for nausea and a headache too. It’s cooling and clearing.

How to use peppermint oil for a hangover:

Place a few drops in the bottom of the shower and cover the drain. This works as a peppermint steam and will make you feel better immediately!

Put a drop on your temples and the back of your skull for headaches.

Place a few drops in a teaspoon of oil and rub onto your stomach and lower back to lessen nausea.

 

Lavender is the most versatile essential oil we have and it can be used all through the year

 

Lavender oil is an all-rounder. It’s versatility makes it perfect to treat any type of discomfort in the body.

How to use lavender oil for a hangover:

Put 10 drops of lavender into an oil burner with 10 drops of peppermint. Chill on the couch or go back to bed.

You can use lavender like peppermint oil for a headache but the deep scent could have an opposite effect if you feel sick too. Stick to peppermint if you have an upset stomach.

 

Sunny lemons

 

Lemon is a refreshing, light, happy oil and is great for a hangover because it isn’t too heavy. It is an oil used for so many things, and I would use this for a hangover because it will lighten you up, and help your mind clear.

How to use lemon oil for a hangover:

Follow the same two methods for both lavender and peppermint AND,

in 3 teaspoons of oil add 8 drops of lemon and smooth all over your body.

This is a very nourishing moisturiser for your skin and entire body, and will help your nerves settle a little bit and give you a more clarity. It will refresh your energy too.

Wh!at a gorgeous flower

 

** It will be best to stay away from floral oils like geranium, ylang ylang and jasmine as they could make you feel a bit sicker than you already are.

However, rose oil could do the trick quite nicely and may help you go back to sleep – which will help you even more!

** Don’t use vetiver or patchouli as they are too deeply scented and are base notes – this could bring you down even further.

Stay with citrus oils – light, sparkly and fresh!

Time is the best thing for a hangover but these simple, beautiful essential oils will speed up the recovery process.

 

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

My Top 5 Oils for Brides

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aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!

aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!

 

Essential oils are great for anybody to use but there are some stand-out oils for brides. Why? The wedding planning can be stressful and it can also take up a lot of time. Of course it’s different for everyone and whether you have a casual beach wedding or a party in a 5 star resort, you do have to think about a lot of fine details. You are also entering into a contract with your husband, and quite possibly changing your life forever. You are entering a new phase of your life too, with lots of new family members you are required to be nice to. There are lots of issues surrounding your wedding and marriage and essential oils can be your scented support system on the journey.

Essential oils not only smell beautiful, they can help minimise stress, and help you focus on the things that really matter – like your health and happiness rather than the seating plan. Essential oils work in an holistic way with your own energy, emotions and thoughts to provide a connection to the divine spirit within you.

orange blossom = neroli

orange blossom = neroli

1. Neroli

Neroli is a traditional oil for brides as it’s best qualities are those of relieving anxiety and tension – the flowers being strewn over the marital bed to ease tension. The word Neroli comes from the name of an Italian princess who brought the oil into popular culture a few hundred years ago. It is therefore quite a new oil to the filed of Aromatherapy, as many oils and tinctures of plants have been around for thousands of years.

It is a wonderful oil to use as a perfume straight from the bottle from the moment your wedding fever kicks in. Use it when you are stressed about something not going the way you want it, or simply as a scent to help you cope with any mild anxiety. it is a beautiful scent to wear on your wedding day to give you a stunning, floral perfume and support your emotions and the butterflies in your stomach. This oil is an expensive oil and usually comes already diluted in jojoba to lower costs. The label will say “Neroli oil in 3% Jojoba.

Men tend to love this oil to as it has a bitterness about it – it’s not too flowery or sweet. Great for men for the same reasons as women – relieve stress! A drop on his solar plexus chakra wouldn’t go astray on the big day.

 

 

the beautiful rose

the beautiful rose

2. Rose

Rose oil is the oil of Cleopatra – the oil of queens. It is sometimes referred to as the Queen of Oils too! Rose is the oil of loving yourself, and others. Whatever you think a Queen embodies – then so does this oil. Not only wonderful for skin, and as a regulator for heat, rose oil will bring a sense of calm and inner strength. This really is a woman’s oil. It is the essence of femininity and strength, of subtlety and fortitude.

As for Neroli, rose will often already be diluted in 3% jojoba. Use it a perfume straight from the bottle, use it in your skincare regime in some rosehip oil and even give some the other women in your life who support you. Nurture yourself with rose oil.

 

lavender is spectacular

lavender is spectacular

3. Lavender

Lavender is the oil of calming, soothing and grounding. It brings all your scattered energy together. Lavender can be used to help induce sleep, to use in a bath when you a feeling overwhelmed, and to vapourise around you when you need to make difficult decisions. if you could only have one oil in your life it would be lavender as it has so many uses. It is the perfect first aid all because it helps cuts and wounds heal, helps burns lose their sting and is perfect for shock. Take some lavender with you to the wedding and have a huge sniff straight from the bottle to give you a blast of solidarity. Share it amongst the bridesmaids and if anyone has a headache a drop on the temples will aid the pain.

 

Geranium in my street

Geranium in my street

4. Geranium

This oil is made from the flower and it very definitely a strong floral oil! Geranium is another good oil for skincare -face and body. It is an oil of happiness and playfulness and is bright and full. I use geranium oil when I feel I need a boost, and when I need a bit of stability in my emotions. It’s great for brides who are quite emotional and teary and will help you on the lead-up to your wedding when you need help looking for the fun and joy in the process. It’s easy to get bogged down in the “doing” of the wedding but it’s just as important to enjoy and be present in this process too.

 

frankincense resin - the oil is steam distilled from this

frankincense resin – the oil is steam distilled from this

5. Frankincense

Frankincense is the oil of breathing deeply. By taking deep, slow breaths you will automatically relax. Vapourise frankincense oil in your home for relaxation and as an oil to help you connect more deeply with your spirit. Traditionally used in the Catholic church to inspire the congregation reach a meditative and spiritual state, it is also used as a symbol of faithfulness to God, a ritual in worship. This oil is also good in skincare and is particularly indicated for more mature or dry skins. Once again add some of this stunning oil into your rosehip oil and use a a facial moisturiser. I use rosehip everyday on my face and I couldnt recommend anything better and more simple. When you add some essential oils to it, it becomes a powerful softening and nourishing treatment.

Stay tuned for My Top 5 OIls for Brides – Part 2 for recipes and a more detailed description of how to use them.

Remember to treat yourself first , then everyone will benefit.

What Do I Mean when I Say “Use Your Intention”?

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Hello natural scent lovers far and wide!

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, less 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.

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Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here: suzannerbanks.com.au

Digital downloads of my book Revelation! Reveal your Destiny with Essentials Oils:

Barnes & Noble      Booktopia AU      Amazon UK

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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.

Body oils make lovely legs

 

This doesn’t have to take a long time nor does it have to be complicated.   You could simply say to yourself “fulfilment”. 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 realise. 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.

look within – not without

 

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”.

may all your vortexes be charged with positive energy

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 rush to the toilet.

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.

 

Electrifying Essential Oil Body Blends – for the Ladies

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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 a Kindle and Paperback

 

Electrifying Essential Oil Body Blends – for the Ladies

The classic bottle for aromatherapy "Boston Round Amber"

The classic bottle for aromatherapy “Boston Round Amber”

Get Ready!

What you will need:

1. Oils! Hehehehe.

You will need some carrier oils which could be any of the following – almond, grapeseed, sunflower, jojoba, apricot, avocado (this is a bit thick and dark so it’s good to mix with another lighter oil), coconut, camelia, olive and maybe some macadamia (good to mix this with another oil too).

All your essential oils.

2. Bottles (see pic above) or a glass dish to mix enough for one moisturising treatment.

3. A good intention – this will play an important part in how the oil blend will come together in the end. It could mean the difference between an absolutely beautiful formula or an ordinary one.

4. A clear space around you – simplify your area,  and make sure it’s clean.

Let’s go!

I will give you quantities for a 50ml oil blend which is 25 drops of essential oil in 50mls of carrier oil.

For a quick coat of your body you can use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil and 8 drops of essential oil.

one drop of oil at a time

one drop of oil at a time

***** 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.

1. Look Out Here I Come

Black pepper    5 drops

Orange           15 drops

Geranium         5 drops

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2. Red Hot Mamma

Ylang Ylang      5 drops

Mandarin        15 drops

Cardamom       2 drops

Patchouli          3 drops

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3. Sugar and Spice

Cinnamon          8 drops

Rose Geranium  8 drops

Rosewood         9 drops

Wonder Woman IS Cool

Wonder Woman IS Cool

4. Wonder Woman is COOL

Cedarwood Atlas  5 drops

Bergamot            12 drops

Fennel                   2 drops

Lime                      6 drops

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5. Chillax-arama

Marjoram              6 drops

Petitgrain            12 drops

Lavender              7 drops

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6. Brilliant Idea

Basil                    5 drops

Rosemary           8  drops

Lemon               12 drops

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7. Pink Bubble of Love

Peru balsam       8 drops

Orange             10 drops

Frankincense      6 drops

aaahhhh the beautiful rose

aaahhhh the beautiful rose

8. Rosey Posey

Rose in jojoba     30 drops (this is an oil that usually comes diluted in jojoba because of the cost)

Rosewood           5 drops

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9. Oh Happy Day!

Spearmint           8 drops

Rose geranium   8 drops

Lemongrass       9 drops

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10. I’m Willing to Be Flexible on That

Palmarosa          8  drops

Grapefruit          17 drops

I hope this gives you some ideas for blending and moisturising. Have fun, and ask me a question if you aren’t sure. You an also refer to my previous articles for further information “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

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

copryright SR Banks

3 Simple Oily Beauty Tips

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sneakily borrowed from botani.com

oilve & oil – sneakily borrowed from botani.com

1. The Best Makeup Remover in the World

Oil. Olive oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil, camelia oil, safflower oil, macadamia oil. You get the picture. Any medium or heavy oil will do the job perfectly. Nothing takes off waterproof mascara like good ol’ cold pressed oil. My system is to wet a makeup remover pad with some water, add a squirt of oil, remove makeup. Clean face with warm, wet washcloth. The end.

sneakily borrowed from wellnesswa.com.au

rosehips – sneakily borrowed from wellnesswa.com.au

2. The Best Face Moisturiser in the World

Rosehip oil. You can also try borage oil and apricot oil but I find rosehip is the best. It is dark and slightly scented, but once you start using it it’s hard to give up. I rarely even make creams for my face anymore because rosehip oil is so good. I put makeup on straight away after moisturising with rosehip and don’t encounter any problems. Rosehips are high in Vitamin C and also have anti-inflammatory properties. Rosehip extracts are now being used in herbal medicine for both the above properties – in joint formulas as well as immune stimulating formulas. It works best if you smooth the oil on a damp face, this also helps trap some extra moisture in too. I use a floral water in a mist bottle to make the process even more stunning.

You can definitely add essential oils to your rosehip and the best for the face are:

Geranium

Lavender

Rose

Neroli

Frankincense

Refer to my blog for the correct quantities to use –  Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 123

This lists essential oil ratios for making a body oil – for the face use half the quantity. For example if you use 1 teaspoon of oil for your body add 3 drops of essential oil. For the face use 1 drop of essential oil.

jojoba - it look a lot like an olive doesn't it?

jojoba – it looks a lot like an olive doesn’t it?

3. The Best Body Moisturiser in the World

Oil. Jojoba oil, almond oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, macadamia oil, olive oil, camelia oil, sunflower oil ……….

Add a few drops of essential oil and you have a natural, preservatice free, paraben free, beautifully scented, quick aromatherapy treatment.

Use any essential oils for the body but it’s best to stay away from the following in large quantities

All the spice oils – use them but be conservative

Thyme

Peppermint

and any other strongly scented oil you can think of. Refer to my article Aromatherapy It’s Easy As 1 2 3 for the correct quantities to use.

Go for it. Using cold pressed oils is a start to simplifying your life by cutting out chemicals and toxic ingredients in personal care products. It does take a bit longer but if you valuse yourself and the world around you, it’s easy to make the effort.

Look after yourself first. Treat yourself first and everyone will benefit.

Aussie Blue Sky – Aussie Blue Cypress

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Sydney summer sky

Sydney summer sky

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the blue pic above, was just a picture of blue. I took this, this afternoon lying on Maroubra beach – it’s a picture of a clear blue Sydney summer sky! I felt so fortunate today. I’d just finished doing the last of the Chopra Centre 21 Day Meditation Challenge about abundance and as I opened my eyes this is what I saw.

The feeling of freedom was overwhelming.

Then I thought “cypress”.

Then I thought “Australian blue cypress”. Callitris intratropica.

This oil is not very well-known but its absolutely stunning. It comes from the trees that grow in the Northern Territory, the wood and bark being resistant to insects. It is native to the area of the mainland and also the Tiwi Islands. The Tiwis’s are Melville and Bathurst Islands and they have a magic and special energy. It is claimed that the islanders have been living here for at least 20,000 years or more. Just like our other indigenous peoples, these civilisations have actually been around for much, much longer.

The trees grown in sustainable plantations and have various uses, one being the essential oil that is distilled from the wood.

Australian Blue Cypress sneakily borrowed from griffith.edu.au

Australian Blue Cypress sneakily borrowed from griffith.edu.au

The blue colour comes from the active ingredient “Guaiazulene” which is similar to “chamazulene” in German Chamomile. This is the anti-inflammatory component of the oil, and one of the most obvious. It is dark blue, almost inky and has a spicy, woody fragrance. It’s is quite thick and heavy too.  I remember being at a conference years ago and someone presented this oil as wonderful for lung infections. Any kind of disorder that requires cooling and soothing could be used with Blue Cypress. It still isn’t really classified as an essential oil as the regulating body in Australia hasn’t recognised it’s therapeutic qualities yet.

Australian Blue Cypress is a more expensive oil as the yield is quite low, and it takes a long time to distill.

I sometimes use it as a grounding, centering treatment when a client is overwhelmed or heated up with stress. It is powerful. I always say all oils go with all oils, but this cypress lends itself to lighter sweeter oils like lemon, orange, geranium, rose geranium, rose and anything you can think of really.

If you ever see it, it is worth a try. What about 1 drop on your wrists as a connection to the mysterious, wondrous time of the last world age.

Geranium rules my ‘hood!

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Geranium in the back lane

I love geranium essential oil. I love rose-geranium essential oil too. It’s flowery, it’s a little bit girly and it has a vibration of happiness and cheeriness. I just walked around the block and took a few pics of the lovely, brightly coloured flower. It loves the sun and so do I.

Geranium essential oil is great for skincare and I often use it in my face creams.

Geranium around the corner

These pictures of geranium may not necessarily reflect the exact geranium plants that the oils are distilled from but there is definitely an aroma when you squish up a leaf and smell it (after you’ve asked the plant’s permission of course!).

Geranium bourbon, originally from the Reunion Islands is considered the best geranium for skincare in Aromatherapy, but I’m not even sure if it is produced here anymore. The first plantings for production came from the island which was originally called “Bourbon”. It is the pelargonium graveolens plant that produces this oil. Rose geranium is produced from a cross of two different geranium plants – pelargonium cv rose.

I often use Rose geranium for scenting a space and in personal mists, and geranium bourbon for skincare creams and old blends for the body.

Geranium in my street

Some aromatherapy teachings claim geranium is a great balancing oil for the emotions as it’s main active ingredients geraniol and citronellol, work on the frontal and adrenal cortex of the brain. So basically, it’s a happy oil. You don’t need to be a genius to know that. Just take a huge whiff straight from the bottle and smile!

Try these combo’s:

Oil Blend to nourish your body:

“Oh Lady!”

3 teaspoons carrier oil like almond, grapeseed, jojoba

Geranium bourbon   3 drops

Orange                    3 drops

Patchouli                 1 drop

In an oil vapouriser to scent your space:

“Life is Grand”

Rose geranium         8 drops

Spearmint               8 drops

Mandarin              10 drops

 

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Smiley Face Essential Oils

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sneakily borrowed from cartoonlogodesigns.com

Smiley faces and emoticons have come a long way. There are lots of versions but in essence, they are simple, cute and can make you feel good.

When Deepak Chopra was in Australia last year he talked about the power of emoticons. In his inimitable style, he is collaborating with Gallup, the company that conducts market research – The Gallup Polls. They have been collecting data on the positive ramifications and ripples stemming from emoticons and the smiley face. Basically you can spread happiness, joy and positivity by simply sending someone an emoticon via text message. You don’t even need to say anything, or write anything else. They speak for themselves. It’s like sending good vibes.

Essential oils are similar in the way they can inspire happiness, joy and a feeling of simplicity in your life. Wouldn’t it be great if we could send scent through our computers and phones? It will happen one day and I’m envious in advance! Until then here’s a few recipe for smiles:

*** It’s important to hold your intention when making your blend, so your energy can align with your thoughts, and transfer to your oils. Infuse your intention in the positive form eg “it’s another day, I’m so happy to be alive” rather than “I hate that guy at work he better stay away from me today”.

MIST

In a 100ml mist bottle with water add

Geranium  10 drops

Orange      20 drops

Spearmint  15 drops

Shake and mist. Breathe and release any tension. Fantastic to mist around kids.

STEAM

For a Smiley Face shower, cover the drain and add a few drops of Mandarin to the cascading water. Inhale. Smile.

DROP

To anoint yourself with a beautiful balm of happiness, try a drop or two Melissa (the oil) on your wrists. Gently inhale during the day for a sense of calm and softness.

SNIFF

Take a huge whiff of lime oil straight from the bottle, when you need to adjust your attitude.

sneakily borrowed from clkr.com

BODY OIL
A body oil blend recipe could look something like this;

3 teaspoons of almond oil

Grapefruit    5 drops

Bergamot    1 drop

CLEANING

If you are cleaning the house, add some lemongrass to water to mop floors or clean surfaces in any room of the house. Cleaning with essential oils is another great way to have an aromatherapy treatment while you are going about your day.

Remember, treat yourself first, and everyone will benefit.