12 aromatherapy tips

Aromatherapy is the use of concentrated plant oils as a form of natural health therapy. It is used by some physicians to treat various ailments in a holistic way. This site looks at aromatherapy from the point of view as a science rather than lore.

In 1928, a French chemist burnt his hand severely in a lab accident. He dipped his hand into the nearest cool, inert liquid he could find and that was lavender oil. His hand healed completely without any signs of that injury. That got him into studying the effects of lavender oil and started modern day aromatherapy.

Here's more about aromatherapy and its uses.

aromatherapy Tip #1

Use pure essential oils when you prepare your own aromatherapy blend or when you use aromatherapy to relieve the symptoms of your health problems. You can mix your own aromatherapy cream, lotion or massage oil or even bath products by adding a few drops of pure essential oil to an unscented lotion, cream, carrier oil like sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil or unscented shampoo or unscented conditioner. Here's where you can get unscented base products to create your own aromatherapy range.

aromatherapy Tip #2

Never apply a pure essential oil directly to your skin. You could irritate or even burn your skin. The only exceptions are lavender oil and tea tree oil which may be applied directly to your skin, but even them, some people react badly to tea tree oil when applied undiluted to the skin.

aromatherapy Tip #3

You can fill a room with fragrance by diffusing your chosen essential oil in the air. For that, you could add a few drops of the essential oil to the bag of a vacuum cleaner and vacuum the room. Or you could use a aromatherapy burner or diffuser to diffuse the oil.

aromatherapy Tip #4

Keep a bottle of lavender oil handy for first aid. You can apply it directly on burns. Or you could massage a drop of lavender oil on your temples to ease a headache.

aromatherapy Tip #5

Tea tree oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Use it in a foot bath for athlete's foot. Add 20 drops in a basin of warm water big enough for your feet and soak your feet in it for 20 minutes. Then apply a fungal treatment on your feet. For wounds, you can wash your wounds with water that has several drops of tea tree oil in it or if you are not sensitive to the oil, you could apply a drop directly on the wound.

aromatherapy Tip #6

Bergamot makes skin photosensitive. If you get in the sun within 3 days of using bergamot, you are more likely to burn. Most citrus oils - lemon, sweet orange included, are photosenstive, but bergamot is the worst. If you use bergamot, use a sunblock if you have to go out in the sun.

aromatherapy Tip #7

Eucalyptus oil is excellent for relieving coughs and colds. Put 5 to 10 drops of eucalyptus oil into a bowl of hot water and inhale the vapor for 20 minutes. That would help you clear your sinuses temporarily and bring you some comfort.

aromatherapy Tip #8

Avoid using essential oils if you are pregnant. If you insist on using aromatherapy during your pregnancy, get your doctor's approval first. Certain oils can trigger miscarriage while others can cause premature labor.

aromatherapy Tip #9

If you are suffering from any medical conditions at all, consult with your doctor before trying aromatherapy.

aromatherapy Tip #10

Got a stomache ache from indigestion or wind? Mix 3 drops of pure peppermint essential oil in 1 teaspoon of sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil or an unscented lotion and use that to massage your stomach, clockwise around the belly button. It should help you get rid of flatulence.

aromatherapy Tip #11

Got a migraine in the office? A friend of mine had migraines from her teens, well into adulthood until she discovered bergamot. The scent eased away her migraine. She diffused the oil in the office, but you can wear it or clean your home with it. Just get the scent around you.

aromatherapy Tip #12

Can't sleep? Try geranium with lavender. Geranium essential oil mixed with lavender. Geranium on its own stimulates you and can keep you awake, but when mixed with lavender, the synergy is sedative. Alternatively, you could use chamomile essential oil which is soothing on its own and even more sedative when mixed with lavender.

To use? Mix 3 drops of geranium with 6 drops of lavender in 1 tablespoon of shower gel, or 4 drops chamomile with 5 drops lavender in 1 tablespoon of shower gel and clean yourself with that for a really relaxing bedtime shower.

Then mix 3 drops of geranium with 6 drops of lavender in 1 tablespoon of unscented body lotion or sweet almond oil, or 4 drops chamomile with 5 drops lavender in 1 tablespoon of body lotion or sweet almond oil and use that to moisturize your entire body after patting yourself dry with a towel.

That should help you get some sleep.

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