Oil Blends for ELLEN!

The fabulous Ellen

The fabulous Ellen

 

I’m watching Ellen. She’s talking about multi-tasking while watching TV. So I thought I’d write this article about Ellen, while I’m watching her show. I’m going to create some beautiful oil blends for Ellen and energetically send them through the ether. When you are doing a few things at once maybe these blends could help you too.

She’s dancing now.

“Dance-a-rama”

A sparkly oil blend to garner some energy to dance.

In 3 teaspoons of oil add the following:

Lemongrass          1

Pink Grapefruit      5

Cinnamon             1

Massage into your body, Ellen, to get your dancing vibe going.

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

Now she’s got a guest who is about 10 years old, and he’s not really paying attention to her.

“Back to Me”

A formulation to be the star of your show at all times.

Jasmine in jojoba    a few drops on your wrists, and any other pulse points you fancy. Jasmine is a sexy, gorgeous oil and even if no one else notices, you will be the star of your own show.

be the star of your life

be the star of your life

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

And now Dennis Quaid is on and Ellen’s telling him what to do via his in ear microphones. He’s funny and a great sport. I always feel really bad for the person who gets punked!

“Resistance is Futile”

Here’s an oil blend for Ellen to vapourise in the guests dressing room so they will be entranced and do whatever she says.

In an oil burner with water add

Frankincense     10 drops

Bergamot           8 drops

Black pepper      5 drops

Nutmeg              3 drops

Dennis Quaid

Dennis Quaid

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

And now Ellen is talking with a double lung transplant survivor. They have already danced.

“I’m in the Slipstream of Thankfulness”

This blend is to deeply connect with your spirit, and always be thankful for life, and keep a circle of philanthropy ever-moving. Thanks Ellen, you really are fabulous and very kind to people. And the guest is starting a foundation to help other transplant patients! Awesome.

In a 50ml mist bottle with water add

Cardamom       5 drops

Orange            15 drops

Sandalwood     5 drops

Mist all around to connect with the oneness of the universe.

our little spot in the big universe

our little spot in the big universe

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

Snooki and JWoww. Ok. I know they were in that show Jersey Shore but that’s all I know. Ellen is giving them gifts (as usual) and chatting about their lives. Here is a blend for Ellen to maintain her mental alertness towards the end of her show.

“Focus Focus Focus”

On a tissue, or makeup pad add the following drops and have a huge sniff when you start to vague out.

Rosemary    2 drops

Lemon         2 drops

Basil            2 drops

Snooki & JWoww

Snooki & JWoww

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

So there you have it. Real time recipes for Ellen DeGeneres. Why not try them out?

Thanks Ellen, great show.

 

Really? Perfume for clothes? Yuck!

Scented washing liquid

Scented washing products

In the commercial for this product (a scented fabric softener), the gorgeous woman in her LBD (see my article on the LBD ), has run out of all her glamourous perfumes. She looks everywhere. I think she lives in Paris and wears designer clothes. She’s wearing stockings with a seam at the back and maybe she’s going out for an intimate dinner. Oh no, what is she going to do without her perfume? Here’s a brilliant idea…… take off your dress and wash it with this fragrant product – just like perfume for your clothes. NO!!!!!!

Have you ever smelled these vile, toxic, synthetic, over-scented products? They are so strong and so false, they exude out of the container and assault you when you are walking down the laundry isle in the supermarket. It’s not just this particular brand, but many brands. Clearly I can’t stand them. Any of them. My recommendation is to buy an unperfumed washing soap, and if you really feel you need some fragrance, chuck in a few drops of lemon or eucalyptus essential oil. Or even just the juice of a lemon – and squeeze the rind into the juice too (as this contains the essential oil).

the lovely lemon

the lovely lemon

We have completely gone overboard with synthetic fragrance. It screws with our sense of smell and interferes with healthy living. It prevents us from turning scent into valuable information. It dominates over the beauty of nature and our divine natural connection to the earth. Chemicals are absorbed and stored by our bodies – is it any wonder that western society has sickness and disease? Don’t for one minute think that a little bit of perfume won’t harm you. Extended exposure to toxicity within and without, is bad.

So what could have our glamourous lady from the ad, scented her beautiful skin with? In a couple of minutes our lady –

* could have found some citrus fruit, cut some rind, and squeezed the essential oil on her skin and hair – grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, mandarin.

the amazing vanilla pod

the amazing vanilla pod

* could have used some vanilla extract from the cupboard and dabbed a little on her wrists, behind her ears. Or rubbed a vanilla pod on her wrists.

* could have bought or picked a single scented flower for her hair

Billie Holliday with gardenias in her hair

Billie Holliday with gardenias in her hair

* could have ground up some black pepper, cinnamon or any spice with a little oil, and used that as a perfume. How delicious would a little bit of nutmeg and pepper be?

I’m sure you can think of a few more too. But if she didn’t have the scented fabric softener she probably could have sprayed her highly toxic, scented deodorant all over her – yep that would have worked!

Hey – instead of fabric softener use half a cup of bi-carbonate of soda. It works and you can always add some essential oils to the mix.

Please be mindful, and informed. Choose wisely.

Electrifying Essential Oil Body Blends – for the Ladies

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

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

2. Red Hot Mamma

Ylang Ylang      5 drops

Mandarin        15 drops

Cardamom       2 drops

Patchouli          3 drops

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

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

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

5. Chillax-arama

Marjoram              6 drops

Petitgrain            12 drops

Lavender              7 drops

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

6. Brilliant Idea

Basil                    5 drops

Rosemary           8  drops

Lemon               12 drops

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

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

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

9. Oh Happy Day!

Spearmint           8 drops

Rose geranium   8 drops

Lemongrass       9 drops

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

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

Delicious, Mouth-watering Petitgrain Essential Oil

Citrus aurantium ssp amara or var. amara

Citrus aurantium ssp amara (or var. amara)

I recently mentioned petitgrain essential oil in my new year article I’ve Got a New Attitude but I feel it requires a lot more attention because I LOVE it!

The scent of petitgrain is beautiful and these are some words to describe it:

* citrus with a hint of grass

* green yet floral

* herbaceous and tangy with citrus undertones

* light

* slightly “soapy” in scent

* similar to Neroli (orange blossom from the same tree)

Petitgrain stands out from the other citrus oils because it is actually made from the leaves, twigs and green buds of the tree. See the pic below which captures the branches and leaves being prepared for distillation.

the leaves and twigs ready to be distilled

the leaves and twigs ready to be distilled

Lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, orange and lime essential oils are all pressed or distilled from the rind of the fruit, but our lovely petitgrain oil claims its distinction with ease. It is a scent widely used in perfumery and appeals to men and woman alike because of its fresh, clean nature.

Due to its chemical constituents it has a relaxing and soothing effect, similar to the properties of all the citrus oils. It is high in linalool (in lavender) and linalyl acetate. Other oils high in linlayl acetate are clary sage (a very high content) , lavandin, lavender, and bergamot, as well as neroli, lemon, lime, rosewood, and some mints.

Remember it is interesting to note the similar components of essential oils ,but each oil will have a very complex arrangement of molecules and the oil as a whole has a very individual energy, scent, and effect on the mind and body. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” applies so well to essential oils – and then when you add your intention you potentially create a whole new level of benefits.

petitgrain (citrus aurantium v amara)

petitgrain (citrus aurantium v amara)

Petitgrain can be used :

* as a perfume straight from the bottle mixed with a little carrier oil

* in an oil blend for the body where this oil will work in synergy with the others oil for its scent and as an addition to an anti-inflammatory blend

* in a body oil blend as an astringent or tonic for oily skin

* in a facial as a soothing and repairing treatment for acne and inflamed skin, particularly in teenagers as the oil will help with anxiety too

* to help release tension in the house use the oil in a diffuser or oil burner

* to reduce stress use a few drops in the shower and inhale the steam

* perfect for children and the elderly as it has an appealing scent with relaxing qualities and it will go to work for you in helping you amplify your care

* as a treatment for general sickness use a few drops on a cool washcloth and press all over the skin, then leave the cloth across the forehead

* use in place of lavender if a different scent is needed, but you still require a calming nurturing oil

I like to use Petitgrain when I need to look at things in a new light, or if I just need to chill out. It has so many uses in my practice, and when I am treating someone who is a bit stressed it is an oil that has far-reaching effects and tends to also work as an agent to simplify life.

Remember to add your intention when you make an oil blend which will add a powerful energetic, yet subtle force. Expects miracles using essential oils!

I’ve Got a New Attitude

New!

NEW!

New Year.

New vibe.

New attitude.

Just listen to Patti LaBelle she’ll give you a buzz …….

So how can we create a feeling of newness and inspiration at the beginning of the New Year and the new world age? Use essential oils of course!

The easiest way, is to have a steam with a few drops of essential oil in the shower. You can refer to my previous blog “Meet Me in the Shower”  for some tips on how to treat yourself holistically with essential oils.

Here a few oils to use to entice a feeling of newness, inspiration and rejuvenation:

petitgrain (citrus aurantium v amara)

petitgrain (citrus aurantium v amara)

Petitgrain

This is one of my favourite oils with it’s green slightly spicy, citrus scent. Unlike lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime and mandarin, the essential oil of petitgrain is distilled from the twigs, buds and leaves from the plant. The other citrus oils come from the rind of the fruit. It is a beautiful oil to use to freshen your senses and open your mind to possibilities. Use a few drops of petitgrain in your morning shower to allow the wonder of the universe to enfold you. An oil of the “bigger picture”, it will also help relieve stress and tension.

lemon

lemon (citrus limonum)

Lemon

You can’t deny the loveliness of lemons! Well you can if you want to but it’s difficult because they are so versatile. See my article “The Loveliness of Lemons”  for more info.

Lemons are light, sparkly and colourful. If you like those attributes try a few drops in your shower or make a mist with lemon essential oil to carry with you for an instantaneous burst of sunshine and newness. Lemons are all about cleansing your aura or space with happiness and feeling of clearing the slate and starting again. Give your kitchen benches the once over with some lemon rind if you don’t have any oil. You can always squeeze the rind into a bath to bathe in the fragrance of lemons too!

palmarosa - Cymbopogon martinii

palmarosa – Cymbopogon martinii

Palmarosa

This oil is under-rated and under-used. It does have flora,l rosey undertones but is mostly quite a green scent – even a little peppery and tangy. It is used in perfumery and aromatherapy to boost a rose scent without the expense. As you can see it’s a grass and when I employ palmarosa in my practice with a client, I’m often drawn to it because of its flexible nature. Flexibilty is a great quality to have when you wish to create a new attitude, a new thing, a new job or even a new thought process.

Go ahead and create your new attitude with the scent of nature.

Remember to treat yourself first, and everyone will benefit.

Remember to use your intention when you use your essential oils. This is just holding a thought and energy about what you want to create as you are scenting your space, doing an energetic cleanse or steaming in the shower

Happy New Year!

Christmas Essential Oil Blends

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


Christmas Essential Oil Blends

The North and the South

The North and the South

Christmas may be famous for snowflakes and reindeer, but believe it or not people it’s a HOT Christmas for some. And oh how we love to go to the beach and do summery things at Christmas in Australia. I’ve created a few blends for you according to your place in the world

Here are some great essential oil recipes for scenting your space on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Southern Hemisphere

sneakily borrowed from silver-mg.com

sneakily borrowed from silver-mg.com

 

I’m thinking citrus and a little spice. Maybe even some indigenous trees.

All blends are for a vapouriser or “oil burner”.

Buzz Off – a blend for an outdoor celebration, to keep away the little biters

Lemongrass       10 drops

Lavender            10 drops

Peppermint         5 drops

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

Chill –  a cooling and relaxing blend

Lemon               10 drops

Tea Tree              5 drops

Petitgrain           10 drops

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

Aaahhhhh Summer! – sparkly and fun

Lime                  10 drops

Orange               10 drops

Cinnamon            5 drops

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Northern Hemisphere

All I Want for Christmas .....

All I Want for Christmas …..

 

I’m thinking herbs and spice.

All blends are for a vapouriser or “oil burner”.

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

White Christmas – a classic Christmas scene

Rosemary             5 drops

Orange               12 drops

Nutmeg                5 drops

Myrrh                    3 drops

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

All I want for Christmas is Mariah Carey – a fun, uplifting blend

Cinnamon            10 drops

Peru Balsam        10 drops

Mandarin               5 drops

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

Mulled Wine – warm and lovely

Marjoram           5 drops

Clove                 5 drops

Lavender           5 drops

Bergamot         10 drops

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

Get scenting! I’d love to hear what blends you are making for Christmas. And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, what blends are you creating right now?

Remember to use your intention when you are placing the oils in your vapouriser. What mood do you want to create? How do you want yourself and your guests to feel? See my article about intention.

copryright SR Banks

Aussie Blue Sky – Aussie Blue Cypress

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.

Meet me in the Shower

Hot steamy shower with essential oils

A fast, easy way to brighten up your day is to take something (or someone you love) into the shower with you. Or both. When I say ‘meet me in the shower”, I really mean, take my hints about aromatherapy into the shower with you.

So that could be really disappointing for some, and an absolute relief for others.

Steaming with essentials oil in the shower gives your entire being a blast of positivity.

Mentally

A few drops of essential oil will literally and figuratively open your mind. When the oils mix with the steam and are inhaled by you, the little molecules of scent will connect with receptors in your nasal cavity, the information being transported through different parts of your brain to effect change in hormonal glands, and in turn your feelings.

They will also open up your nose, your facial sinuses, and make you feel alive!

The best oils to wake you up will be peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, lemongrass and tea tree (among many, really).

Spiritually

Essential oils have a bewitching nature that will surround and envelope you with their presence. It’s like a scented meditation and will set the mood of inspiration for the entire day. To be inspired is to be in spirit. To acknowledge your spirit via the fractal nature of essential oils will connect you to the beauty of the universe.

Physically

I did a weekend workshop many years ago with In Essence, an Australian company founded by two sisters. Their recipe for showering with essential oils was to put 6 drops of oils in a 200 ml bottle, shake as you go and pour the water onto your body with the addition of a skin brush. Although I don’t do that everyday, occasionally it can be a real wake-up zinger! I prefer to use a body oil blend after the shower as its softer and more nourishing.

When you do your essential oil steam you will need to cover the shower drain with a plug or a wash cloth, and simply drop some oils into the bottom of the shower recess. Depending on what oils you use, about 6 drops will be plenty.

It’s easy and effective!

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

It’s Easy to Make Your Own Body Scrub

Sneakily borrowed from iodizedsalt.india.com

It IS easy. I recommend using sea salt as a base and adding ingredients to that. Use fine grade as the coarse grade will scratch your skin.

If you are a lover of essential oils then try adding about 5 drops (or a few more) 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.

Essential Oil Suggestions

Lemon – fresh wonderful scent, alpha hydroxyl acids to help get rid of dead skin

Orange – sweet and gorgeous and also has alpha hydroxyl acids to help get rid of dead skin

Lemongrass – invigorating

Lavender – an all purpose oil which helps skin regeneration and is fortify to the spirit

Peru balsam – great for the skin and has an amazing soft honey-like scent, similar benzoin in it’s healing ability

You can use any oil really so go with your intuition and your vibe. You will be giving yourself a skin scrub and an aromatherapy treatment to nurture your emotions and ease toxic thoughts.

The best way to do your body scrub is in a bath. After a 5 minute soak, stand up in the bath and scrub each part of your body with care. You are not trying to scrub oil off a baking pan so take it easy. The salt is the medium that will ease off old skin so don’t press too hard. After you have completed your ritual you can then soak in the treatment until your heart’s content – or until you get all pruney. If you only have a shower like me, wet yourself first, do the scrub, then shower off.

Get Creative

Cinnamon

This is the fun part. There are so many things you probably have in the house that could turn your salt scrub into a tropical delight. Try:

A teaspoon of vanilla extract

A few tablespoons of almond meal will make the scrub a little milky and leave your skin feeling soft

Grated lemon rind – or the rind of any citrus fruit will really make your scrub zesty, natural and alive with energy.

A tablespoon of coffee – some claim it helps get rid of cellulite and while I’m not sure about that, it will stimulate your skin and your senses

Herbal tea – either grind up a loose leaf tea or rip open a teabag and use the contents

Go on give it a whirl at Spa You. You don’t have to travel very far and it wont cost a fortune. Good luck my friends, scrub on.

The Loveliness of Lemons

Hello natural beauties!

I love lemons because they are an adaptable fruit. Seemingly originating from Asia around the start of the common era, they were probably used in some form or another before then. Anyway they’ve been around for ages (literally) and my friend connects them to his medieval past life. Once he came to my house with a gift of oranges and I returned his gift with some organic lemons off Mum’s lemon tree (see pic). He said “oooooo that’s so medieval”.

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

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

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

 

Mum’s lemon tree with the washing hanging on it

 

Lemon juice can be used in all types of cooking; on salads, in baking, jams and marmalades, as a drink and whenever you can think of lemon flavour.

You can use the juice as a bleach to remove stains from clothing, as a cleaner mixed with bi-carb soda, as a disinfectant on kitchen benches and the list goes on.

When Martha Stewart was on Oprah she lamented the one thing she missed in the big house, was lemons, as she drinks black tea with lemon everyday. I’ll never forget that, it stuck in my mind. She would be ingesting some of the juice which is alkalising, and some of the essential oil which can act as a digestive aid as well as adding flavour. Just like Bergamot is used as a flavour agent Earl Grey tea.

Sunny lemons

Obviously lemon essential oil comes from the rind, and is a sparkly, light fantastically scented oil. I call it a happiness oil. How can you not smile when you take a huge whiff of the oil. It can make your mouth water too.

Lemon essential oil can be used for muscle fatigue among many things. I remember when studying, a massage therapist told me she used lemon juice in olive oil for sore muscles. You’d smell like a salad dressing but I love the simplicity of it. Thousands of years ago basic remedies like this were the only things available for sickness.

Lemon essential oil is an uplifting oil with a sweet innocence about it, but don’t be fooled – it has a solid place in modern aromatherapy.

lemon

Some aromatherapists and scientific data claim lemon oil is good for:

  • stimulating the action of white blood cells
  • killing bacteria in the gut
  • soothing and lessening varicose veins
  • tonifying the circulatory system and aiding high blood pressure
  • helping the body shed excess fluids
  • decreasing cellulite
  • improving concentration
  • easing rheumatic pain & gout pain
  • stopping the flow of blood with cuts and abrasions

…… and the list continues.

All hail the lemon as a stalwart of modern living!

Lemon essential oil is like a treat for our crazy world. Enjoy the simple things in life with this gift from nature.