My Top 5 Oils for Brides – Part 2

Posted on May 15, 2013 by suzannerbanks

a beautiful bride

In my article My Top 5 Oils for Brides, I talk about what oils are best for the pending nuptials. Here’s a recap –

Neroli

Rose

Lavender

Geranium

Frankincense

But how do you use the oils?

We all know every wedding is different and each bride and groom are unique, but the one thing they all have in common is that they all want a memorable experience for them and their guests. Whether it be a simple beach wedding or a lavish affair at a glamourous venue with hundreds of guests, the bride will have some organising to do.

Unfortunately the oils won’t do everything but they will support you on your journey from fiancé to wife.

a happy beach wedding

Essential oils will give emotional support and a scented burst of clarity and calm during the process. You could either use lots of different kinds of oils or pick a couple and make a combination that becomes your signature scent. So let’s look at the best 2 ways to use your oils.

1. Nourishing Body Oil

I recommend making a bottle of your chosen oil blend to use daily as a moisturiser, and more importantly as a connection to your spirit and a tonic to your mind. You will start your day off by paying attention to yourself, centering your mind and preparing for what is to come. And – your skin will look and feel totally amazing! I use oil on my skin every day and it works – my skin feels wonderful and looks good too! When your bottle is finished you can make another combo or stay with the same blend.

For ratios and quantities see my article Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3. Here is an example of a blend in a 50 ml bottle –

“Heart”

To keep the flow of energy in your heart chakra while planning your wedding –

Rosewood 10 drops

Lavender 5 drops

Neroli 3% 30 drops *

Alternatively you could make a blend every day but this often takes up time and is the first thing to be put on hold when you are juggling work, your private life and creating your perfect wedding. If you do want to do this 3 teaspoons of oil should be enough and to that you can add 7 or 8 drops of oil.

“Cool, Calm and Collected”

To breathe deeply and keep anxiety at bay –

Frankincense 3 drops

Cardamom 1 drop

Neroli 3% 9 drops *

* 3% oils need to be used in different ratios as they are already split into a blend with jojoba oil that can be used straight away. See Essential Oils 3% What Are They and Why? for more info on how to use them when making a blend.

a more formal church wedding

2. Mist

This is a great portable way to keep an aromatherapy treatment with you. It is simply essential oils in an atomiser bottle filled with water. There is no need to use any emulsification agents,just shake before you mist. It can be used to refresh your face, cleanse and protect your aura, give your brain a boost and will make you smell like a natural goddess.

50ml mist bottle from essenceofwellbeing.com.au

In a 50ml atomizer bottle add 25 drops of essential oil – use the same ratios of essential oils to water as you would a body oil blend.

“Mother Earth Energy”

To keep a sense of worldliness and compassion on those crazy days –

Rose 3% 50 – 75 drops *

* 3% oils tend not to work so well in a mist as the jojoba may shorten the lifespan of the mist due to oxidisation. I’d still give it a go if you want to use rose, neroli or jasmine; and then use the mist quickly.

It seems like a lot of drops, but once again this is an oil that you will probably buy in a 3% blend (you can buy it pure but it’s quite expensive) and I recommend you use 3 times the amount that you would a pure essential oil.

“I’ve Got the Power”

When you need strength and fortitude, with a smile –

Geranium 10 drops

Mandarin 10 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 5 drops

Remember to treat your self first then everyone will benefit.

Stay tuned for how to make beautiful handmade aromatherapy gifts for your wedding guests.

Ginger – an Oil of Warmth and Movement

Posted on April 22, 2013 by suzannerbanks

ginger – a fantastic food and oil

I used ginger oil in 2 treatments last week, and loved every minute of them.

Treatment 1

Rosemary, Ginger and Geranium

My intention for this blend was to create warmth in the muscles, and release muscle tension so there was more room for fluidity and movement.

The blend was stunning and the geranium was the little sweet treat the ginger and rosemary needed to be more appealing to the nose, and to add a little happiness and joy.

Treatment 2

Ginger, Rose Geranium and Orange

This blend was created to treat stomach upset and IBS. It was important to make ginger the star here, so I just added some rose geranium (because my client likes the scent, it’s a delightful flower oil that inspires joy, and I must have had it on my mind from the previous blend) and some orange for sweetness. Having bad digestion can indicate someone may not be enjoying and “digesting” life.

It must have been the ginger-geranium week and these two oils work really well together. So do ginger and orange!

Geranium in my street

So what is Ginger good for?

The ginger root is used for

– treating upset stomach and sea sickness

– making a hot drink with lemon and honey to reduce the symptoms of a cold

– warming the extremities by drinking ginger tea or taking a straight shot of ginger juice

The essential oil can be used for the same things physically, and in a meta-physical sense I use ginger oil to

– negate the colder/harder parts of my mind and thinking

– enhance my ability to communicate in a softer way

– help to focus on dharma and purpose in life

Here are some recipes to try:

Scent Your Space

In a classic oil burner or diffuser add these oils

“Joan of Arc”

To inspire your inner fire and find the purpose of your life;

Ginger 10 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Peru Balsam 6 drops

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“Qi”

To allow room for movement and change in your body (particularly heart chakra) and mind;

Ginger 10 drops

Rosewood 8 drops

Petitgrain 6 drops

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

Shower Steam

Open a bottle of ginger and pour 10 drops into the bottom of the shower (cover the drain with a cloth or your foot). Breathe in deeply. This will soften your emotions and help you feel compassion for others.

Good for before work, if you have any challenging stuff going on at the office.

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

Pure Pulse Point Perfume

Anoint your beautiful self with a few drops of oil. It’s a secret treatment for YOU, and YOU only.

Mix these oils together and dab on your wrists, heart, anywhere you are called to do so. If you are not sure ask the angels for guidance – they will silently place the answer in your mind.

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!

“Give Me Strength”

Garner a little extra energy for the day ahead;

Ginger 2 drops

Lavender 1 drop

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

“Kindness, Compassion and Baby Animals”

When YOU feel you need to show more compassion to another person;

Ginger 1 drop

Rose in 3% jojoba 2 drops

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

Make ginger oil your friend and rejoice in the amazing results!

Remember to treat your self first, then everyone will benefit.

Essential Oils for a Seasonal Change – Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Posted on April 8, 2013 by suzannerbanks

hemispheres & seasons

We are well into our new seasons now but that means different things for everyone, depending on where you are on our planet. As usual, most popular culture tends to favour the northern hemisphere, but believe me people, we are alive and well in southern hemisphere.

Yay for us in the southern hemisphere

There are people going into spring where it is still cold and snowing, and others who are already warming up. There are some having a mild autumn, and those who are already feeling the chill.

What essential oil will you be using this season? I’ve narrowed it down to 4 oils I love – with a few body oil recipes – so you can coat your body with a gorgeous scent while helping to get in tune with nature.

Southern Hemisphere

the fennel plant

Fennel

For a cooler autumn fennel is always my choice. It is an oil of nurturing and loving yourself. It has a soft, rounded liquorice scent and blends well with so many other oils. It helps with digestion and generally feels quite warming. Eat the fennel bulb roasted with garlic for an inside-out treatment.

For a body oil blend add these drops to 3 teaspoons of oil (see my article Aromatherapy – It’s as easy as 1 2 3 for further information on quantities and ratios)

“So Soft and Sweet”

Fennel 2 drops

Orange 4 drops

Geranium 2 drops

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

the lovely mandarin

Mandarin

For an autumn that’s still warm and lovely try Mandarin. The fruit starts to appear now, full of Vitamin C to prepare us for the colder winter months. Mandarin is an oil of happiness, and it helps us remember the hot days of late summer.

“Red. Warm”

Mandarin 5 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 2 drops

Cinnamon 1 drop

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

Northern Hemisphere

absolutely stunning lavender fields via reddit.com

Lavender

A cooler spring, even with snow, brings promise. The days are getting longer and everything seems a bit lighter. Lavender is a great oil to use in these cooler spring climates as it is an oil that can be used for almost anything. It is an oil of solidarity and its purple energy can help in bringing lost energy to the fore, so you can embrace the new season with gusto.

“I’m Getting Ready for….. Something”

Lavender 4 drops

Lemon 4 drops

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the fragrant jasmine blossom

Jasmine

Jasmine is the perfect warm spring oil. It blooms early spring and I know when I see jasmine getting ready to flower around the inner city streets of Sydney, I get very excited. It is a sexy, gorgeous oil enticing sensuality to reveal itself. Jasmine can bring us out of our winter shell and propel us into the fun of summer.

“Anticipation”

Jasmine (3% in jojoba) 8 drops

Juniper 2 drops

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North or south of the equator, we can’t stop the planet turning and giving us light and shade in our lives. Embrace the new season, it could hold some magical secrets.

Remember to use your intention when you make your oil blends – you are the alchemist of your life! (also see my article What Do I Mean when I Say “Use Your Intention”)

Essential Oil Recipes To Get Yourself from “I’m a Loser” to “Things are Looking Better”

Posted on April 3, 2013 by suzannerbanks

positive attitude via chasingmiracle.com

Sometimes we are just not positive all the time. That’s life, that’s hormones, that’s being human. Granted some people – like Wayne Dyer for instance – is positive most of the time, but I’m sure he has a moment or two when things aren’t completely rosy. It’s times like this we need to be our own champions of happiness and acceptance. Positive self talk is an important part of survival and a skill that needs to be practised. It’s great when you have someone to talk to about not feeling good about yourself, but that is not always the case. If you can muster up the energy to get some oils out and formulate a gorgeous scent for yourself, you are on the road to altering your perception of reality.

And what is reality anyway?

What is reality? via fusionanomoly.net

Our realities are a projection of our inner world.

So when you need to change your reality here are some great oil blends to help you on the path of least resistance.

Body Oils

In 3 teaspoons of carrier oil add the following drops. If you want to make a bottle follow my article here for the correct ratios Aromatherapy – It’s as Easy as 1 2 3.

To improve thoughts like “I’m a fat, ugly, loser” try

“I AM Alive, Yay”

Ylang Ylang 3 drops (help release anger and frustration, get sexy)

Mandarin 4 drops (innocence of life, happiness)

Fennel 1 drop (love yourself, be kind to yourself)

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

To improve thoughts like “I never get it right, she is so successful, look what they have”

“Free Spirit”

Cinnamon 2 drops (inspires loving what you do for work)

Cedarwood Virginian 2 drops (connect to your spirit)

Lemongrass 4 drops (stimulates energy in the etheric body and physical body)

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To improve thoughts like “I feel alone, I’m lonely, I want a partner” try

“OOO So HOT Right Now”

Sandalwood 1 drop (spirituality, sacred sexuality, tap into kundalini energy)

Rosewood 3 drops (flow of love and giving and receiving in the heart chakra)

Pink Grapefruit 4 drops (sparkle, cleanse old unwanted feelings)

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Pure Pulse Point Perfumes

Anoint your chakras, or pulse points with the pure essential oil. Use the energy of the oil and the scent to transform your funk. Place a few drops into a container, dilute with a few drops of carrier oil, mix with your finger and anoint. Always place a tiny residue under your nose for the scent to go to work on your mind.

To improve feelings of deep regret and unhappiness try

“One Moment in Time”

Nutmeg 1 drop (mysticism, open your mind)

Lime 1 drop (happiness, my uniqueness is my forte)

Lemon 1 drop (refresh, reload new feelings)

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

To improve feelings of sadness, grief in any form and emotional pain try

“Breathe In, Breathe Out”

Marjoram 1 drop (relief, calming)

Rose Geranium 1 drop (happiness, joy, fun)

Juniper 1 drop (release watery emotions)

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

To improve feelings of loss, not fitting in and not understanding life try

“I Share My Cells with an Elephant”

Spikenard 1 drop (spiritual knowledge of where you are in the universe)

Neroli in 3% jojoba 3 drops (immortality, fountain of youth, stress relief)

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The most powerful ingredient when blending your oils is the subtle power of intention. When you place your intention, into your oil formula, you will create a masterpiece of healing through scent. For more information on intention see my article ( What Do I Mean when I Say “Use Your Intention”?

Remember to treat yourself first and then everyone will benefit.

Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff?

Posted on January 21, 2013 by suzannerbanks

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

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Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff?

A lovely selection of rosewater

Recently one of my wholesale suppliers sent an email lamenting about the short shelf life of hydrosols and how difficult it is to maintain great standards for their customers.

I would have to agree. I absolutely love hydrosols but their scent doesn’t last long and it’s always disappointing when you open up a bulk container to find it has “turned”. The scent goes a bit dull and brownish and it simply isn’t right. So what’s the difference between hydrosols and floral waters?

Hydrosols

Hydrosols are the water left over from the steam and water distillation of a plant or flower. They contain many water-soluble constituents from the plant and therefore have a different make-up to the essential oil they come from. Hydrosols also have the beautiful scent of the plant, but at a more softer, rounder level. They contain minerals, cellulose and aromatic compounds. According to Wikipedia they “contain essential oil compounds as well as organic acids..…. and will include many of the water-soluble plant pigments and flavonoids.”

Hydrosols will be harder to find in a retail environment, mostly everything will be a floral water- either the essential oil infused into the water, or the plant boiled or infused in water. If you can buy a true hydrosol its definitely worth a try.

Hydrosols can be used in skin care and as a therapuetic treatment. I remember taking a weekend class with an Indian Ayurvedic doctor and rosewater was used for an eye bath to soothe the infection and used when any kind of heat or inflammation was present. Rose water has been used in Ayurveda as a treatment for centuries and is also used by woman in their skin care regimes.

If it’s a real hydrosol it can be amazing when its fresh. If it’s not a real hydrosol it could be a floral water.

Floral Waters

The most well-known would be rose-water, orange blossom (neroli) water and pine (kewra) water. Check out this article for some fabulous Oregon scented alcohols.

Pine water (essence)

A simple hand made rose water sneakily holistichealthherbalist.com

A simple hand made rose water – pic sneakily holistichealthherbalist.com

Hydrosols could be called floral waters (because they are), but this usually refers to a water that has been scented with essential oils. The best floral waters use a process that breaks essential oils into tiny droplets and forces them into de-ionised water. In this process no extra chemicals are used and the scent is true to the essential oil. The scent will also last longer and floral waters can still be used for everything that a hydrosol is used for.

If you go into a middle eastern or Indian shop and find a bottle of rose-water, for example, it probably wont be a hydrosol. It will be a floral water made in another way. That’s not to say they aren’t fabulous but always check the label to find if there are any chemical preservatives or nasty ingredients.

You can use your stunning floral water in these ways:

Misting your face before moisturising to soften and hydrate
Misting your body after the sun
Use in place of a facial toner for a more gentle clarifying and cooling treatment
particularly lovely for misting kids to help cool them down
add to a cocktail for a delicious scented drink
add a splash to a glass of water
use in cooking with sweets and salad dressings

I’m sure you can think of many more so don’t hesitate to use hydrosols and floral waters in your daily regime.

Macadamia Oil – the scent of CAKE!

Posted on January 7, 2013 by suzannerbanks

Macadamia integrifolia

I’ve just been on holidays in the Northern Rivers district of NSW, which claims hundreds of kilometres of beautiful beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, divine weather, great food, tea plantations, a huge tea tree plantation used to produce fantastic Australian Tea Tree oil and lots of Macadamia farms. MMMMMMMMM….. macadamias. The Macadamia trees are native to Australian rainforests and were “discovered” by white botanists in the mid 1800’s. They come from the Proteacae family, the genus name “macadamia” being coined by a German botanist after his colleague John Macadam. According to Wikipedia this tree may also go by the common names “macadamia, macadamia nut, Queensland nut, bush nut, maroochi nut, queen of nuts and bauple nut; Indigenous Australian names include gyndl, jindilli, and boombera”. I’ve just read an article also claiming local Aborigines from this area call the tree “kindal kindal”.

They are a gorgeous little round nut with wonderful health properties which include:

* 83% (typical value) of monounsaturated fats – the healthier fats that may help in lowering blood cholesterol. It also has the most balanced ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids of any oil.

* significant levels of protein and all the essential amino acids

* many antioxidants including Vitamin E as tocopherols and tocotrienol, epicatechin (which is the principal antioxidant in tea), the amino acids methionine and cysteine and the mineral selenium.

* Macadamias also contain phytosterols (plant sterols) believed to lower total serum cholesterol and the undesirable low density cholesterol. I’ve just read an article where the author claims “Research from Australia’s Newcastle University has shown that a balanced diet supplemented daily with macadamias can help lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Right so they are good for you ok?

But what about using macadamia oil for health and beauty externally? The reason this is on my mind is not only the fact that I I’ve seen loads of little macadamia farms, but also that I’ve been visiting my “aunty” from childhood, Wendy. Wendy is at home in palliative care being looked after by her son and daughter, their families and the district nurses and doctors. To my absolute surprise, one of the doctors actually prescribed grapefruit essential oil in macadamia oil to smooth on her legs to help prevent oedema. I was so happy when I heard this and even though I would probably use cypress and juniper oils over grapefruit (and even fennel oil), I was very happy.

So why did the doctor choose macadamia oil rather than almond oil, or sunflower oil? It’s probably because he is lives in an environment where it is a native. Great work doc!

I must say I don’t use a lot of macadamia oil for body oil blends because it is very viscous (thick) and has a distinct scent. Whenever you mix an essential oil into it, it smells like cake. Now I know that can’t be bad, but it never quite works for me. I would be inclined to use it as a hair tonic, rather than a body oil but I encourage you to have a go. I have also used the oil in cream products where it forms part of a formula but it’s not overwhelming.

Most cold pressed carrier oils have anti-oxidants and other nutrients so they are quite comparable therapeutically. I tend to use the carrier oils that have a more neutral scent and that are a little thinner in consistency. So if you have some why not try making a blend with it, and if you don’t like it you can use the oil in cooking.

sneakily borrowed from informedfarmers.com

Long live the macadamia!

10 Great Reasons to use Essential Oils

Posted on November 28, 2012 by suzannerbanks

There’s a 10 in there somewhere

1. They are from a natural source and have a distinctive scent

Essential oils come from a natural source and you can detect a deepness in their scent that can never be replicated.

2. Essential Oils can set a Mood

When you use essential oil in your home or space, their chemical structures positively effect your emotions and those who enter you’re scented zone. This doesn’t happen with GLADE or other chemical, synthetic fragrances.

3. Oils can support your life journey

Your spirit will be uplifted when you use essential oils to conjure change in your life. This is not about the emotions, it’s about acknowledging your soul with heavenly scents from nature.

4. Essential oils are great for First Aid

Essential oils are great for first aid. Lavender is #1 and Tea Tree is #2. When in doubt use lavender as it has anti-inflammatory and cell regenerating properties. Tea Tree is more

sneakily borrowed from jigzone.com

anti-bacterial.

5. Use them in your cleaning/cleansing regime

Add essential oils to your cleaning products to leave your home beautifully, naturally scented while removing bacteria and inviting new beginnings.

6. Use oils for a great sleep

Induce and enhance sleep with chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and even orange. The best way to do this is to vapourise the oils in the bedroom. This is great for calming kids down in the evening.

7. They can nurture your skin

Add a drop or two to your moisturiser to stimulate cell growth and leave a wonderful, natural calm energy.

8. Essential oil will make you the envy of your friends

Everyone will notice when you wear essential oils as a perfume or body oil. They have far reaching effects, they are quite magical and a little goes a long way.

9. Essential oils have a medicinal history

When you use an essential oil you are connecting to the history of the plant through the ages. Most oils and the plants they come from, are the original medicines. Using these plants as medicines, early man was connected to Earth as a life giver.

sneakily borrowed from scientificillustration.tumblr.com

10. Essential oils can help you create

Essential oils will help you tap into your creative force by working through your brain and affecting how you see the world. They use their subtle power to weave your subconscious mind into your everyday life. The results can be amazing!

Lemongrass! An oil for all seasons

Posted on November 27, 2012 by suzannerbanks

sneakily borrowed from candlemaking.com.au

Just look at the pic above. Lemongrass appears to be a substantial, almost “meaty” root. The essential oil of lemongrass definitely has a substantial scent, and I would dare say is one of the more popular oils. In general, men like the deep gutsy scent, women adore the verve and vitality and kids and pets resonate with it’s fresh yet syrupy energy.

Lemongrass is a great oil for energising and creating energy where there is lack. In cooking lemongrass gives a zingy, lemony bite to a dish. I often use the oil with clients when they are lacklustre. It’s like the giddy-up oil. The get-going oil.

Lemongrass is great for summer to ward off insects – just put some drops straight onto your skin to keep away the mosquitoes.

Lemongrass is great for winter as it helps to start you up on a cold morning.

Lemongrass is fantastic for spring to clear away the cobwebs of winter.

Lemongrass is wonderful for autumn as a mood enhancer when you realise summer is coming to an end.

The main active ingredient in lemongrass is citral. Then there’s lots of other little helpers including geraniol, limonene and nerol. Can you guess what other oils these belong too? If you said geranium, lemon and neroli you are right. These molecular structures are found in other oils too. Each essential oil has its own character that is created by different chemical consituents but it’s hard to pinpoint the magic. It’s all about the old adage “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. This refers to the energetic presence an entity has. You can break down a plant into scientific measurements, but its the synergistic combination of all the little molecules that makes it unique. With essential oils, their uniqueness is their scent.

The scent of lemongrass can been described as lemony, herbaceous & strong. A little goes a long way. It’s a very tropical scent and is grown in hot areas in Asia and Africa. Perfect for bringing the warmth of the tropics into your life.

Try a few drops in the shower for an awakening steam treatment.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Coconut – The Truth About the Scent

Posted on November 19, 2012 by suzannerbanks

sneakily borrowed from africanhairblog.com HINT: the oil is good for hair

So do you love your coconut soap? Your coconut body moisturiser? Do you love your coconut sunscreen? How about your coconut lip balm?

There’s no doubt about it, coconut is a magic fruit. Is it a fruit? No, apparently it’s a drupe! Find out more about the drupe.

Anyway, it’s amazing. The world of nutrition and natural therapies is quickly spreading the word about coconut. The western world is a bit behind the times as Harry Belafonte, in the sixties, sang;

‘Coco got a lot of iron

make you strong like a lion”

sneakily borrowed from last.fm where you can listen to the smooth sound of Harry

“Coconut Woman” was written in 1957 by Harry Belafonte and Irving Burgle. Some say it’s not about coconut, but about cocoa (chocolate). I’m not sure about that because the song talks about “coconut water” with “rum”. I digress. Let’s get back to coconut.

Coconut water and coconut oil are the two buzz products of the drupe. I eat coconut oil by the teaspoon and it’s oily and delicious. Even though it’s classified as a saturated fat it has so many health benefits which can include;

– Helping to lower cholesterol

– Converting easily and quickly to energy so it’s not stored as fat

– Helping to boost metabolism and immunity

– Softening hair and skin when used as a moisturiser

– Helping to lower resistance to insulin – great for type 2 diabetes

– Good for cooking as it has a high flash point so it maintains its goodness in the cooking process for longer than other oils

And now the scent! Pure coconut oil is fantastic for nurturing your hair and skin, and it has a soft, natural scent that we automatically connect to tropical islands with coconut palms waving in the wind. Unfortunately a lot of coconut scented products use an artificial fragrance to intensify the scent. Even if your product has coconut oil in it, it could also have “fragrance”. For those on the natural path, beware. I remember using Reef Oil in the 80’s as a sun tan lotion. It has a long list of ingredients, the last being fragrance, artificial of course. And this is what a lot of people think that real coconut smells like in a personal care product.

NEWSFLASH

It doesn’t.

If you are serious about simplifying your life and using as many natural items as possible then always check your “coconut” soap, or lip balm, or moisturiser to see what is listed. Chances are if it says “fragrance” it’s synthetic.

If you don’t care whether your product is natural or not then it doesn’t really matter. “Fragrance” away until your heart’s content.

Long live the coconut!

Meet me in the Shower

Posted on November 14, 2012 by suzannerbanks

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.

suzannerbanks

scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils

Tag Archives: natural health

My Top 5 Oils for Brides – Part 2

Ginger – an Oil of Warmth and Movement

Essential Oils for a Seasonal Change – Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Essential Oil Recipes To Get Yourself from “I’m a Loser” to “Things are Looking Better”

Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff?

Macadamia Oil – the scent of CAKE!

10 Great Reasons to use Essential Oils

Lemongrass! An oil for all seasons

Coconut – The Truth About the Scent

Meet me in the Shower

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