by Jacqui Christie | May 23, 2018 | Aromapothecary
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With the changes in the weather from freezing cold to roasting hot – some of us have been caught out with the sun. So I thought it would be helpful to suggest some aromatherapy essential oil blends to soothe skin that has been in the sun or to replenish moisture after sun exposure.
It is, of course, preferable to always use sun cream with a good spf before going into the sun and limit your time in the sun. These blends can be used as replenishment for skin, this is ideal. Sometimes however we need to soothe the skin as well. So here are some suggestions for you:-
Essential oils that can be helpful – tea tree, lavender, roman or german chamomile, carrot seed, frankincense, peppermint.
Sun exposure
Carrier oils to use: calendula macerate, jojoba, sesame and aloe vera gel. If no further sun exposure is to be had, ie overnight – St Johns Wort macerate can be soothing.
One suggested blend would be 10ml calendula macerate, 5ml jojoba, 5ml sesame, 10ml aloe vera gel with 8 drops lavender, 2 drops roman chamomile, 2 drops tea tree, 1 drop german chamomile, 1 drop peppermint.
Another possible blend would be 10ml calendula macerate and 20ml aloe vera gel. 9 drops lavender, 3 drops carrot seed, 3 drops frankincense, 2 drops roman chamomile, 1 drop peppermint.
Lavender and Lavender essential oil
To mix the blends use a spoon or a stirring stick to stir to blend the oils and gel completely before use on the skin. You can of course experiment with the suggested oils, but keep to the quantities suggested for safe usage.
I hope these aromatherapy oil blends to soothe skin after sun exposure are helpful to re – mositurise, calm and protect skin.
If your skin is red and tight, then it may be preferable to use a couple of drops of pure lavender on the area first, as that is an emergency treatment for minor burns, then use one of the blends thereafter. You may need someone to help you if the sunburn is on your back.
For severely damaged or burnt skin always seek medical advice. For complex medical conditions always contact a qualified aromatherapist or your medical professional.
by Jacqui Christie | Apr 11, 2018 | Aromapothecary
I have this year been working a lot with grief and loss, both with many of my clients – and in my own life too -after losing my lovely dog Bruno, in late January. Essential oils and blends are incredibly gentle, while being amazingly powerful to help manage these difficult experiences. I’m working with someone right now who is caring for someone with a terminal condition, the essential oils are a excellent tool to support, calm and uplift.
If I was asked to use a single oil for use for grief and loss I would choose from this list: neroli, rose otto, roman chamomile, petitgrain, cypress, frankincense, clary sage, lavender.
Having mentioned all the individual oils I would reach for, it would be much more normal for me to use a blend. I am deliberately using low levels of essential oils, when faced with these emotional circumstances it is definitely a case of ‘less is more’ with essential oils. The first choice of essential oil blend would probably be 1 drop rose otto, 2 drops frankincense, 1 drop cypress. Use in a diffuser, or oil burner. Alternatively the way I prefer to use a pure essential oil blend is on a tissue by my pillow overnight.
If you prefer a blend for use on the body, mix these essential oils with a carrier such as sweet almond or sunflower (10ml) for using on the body. I recommend to clients to use a blend with carrier oil on the upper chest area, gently rubbed into this area of the body before sleep, then again if you wish to use it during the day, especially when you are feeling very affected with grief, some people also like to use a blend on the pulse points on the wrists.
Another helpful blend would be 1 drop neroli, 2 drops lavender, 1 drop roman chamomile. Or 1 drop rose otto, 2 drops petitgrain, 1 drop clary sage. Use these blends in the same way as suggested above.
My recommendation would be to use a blend that you like the smell of very much,and the gentle, comforting fragrance will soothe you when you need it most. For an ‘off the shelf’ ready made blend, you could find our Aromatherapy Bath & Body Oil Restful Evening which contains lavender, rose geranium and roman chamomile, very helpful indeed.
Everyone reacts differently and copes with grief and loss in a different way, there is no textbook way to manage it. The joy of essential oils is there are so many different oils to choose to suit our differing needs and when you blend them together they give a more powerful synergy – and create a completely new fragrance. You can tweak the amounts of each essential oil in the blends to, which will create yet another fragrance. Find an oil or blend that really resonates with you right now. Be aware also as you journey forward through processing these emotions, you may be drawn to different oils or blends, and I would recommend that you listen to your own inner guidance on this.
In this article I have spoken solely about a self-help aromatherapy approach to grief and loss. Some of my clients first came to see me for aromatherapy massage because they were looking for help and support with their emotions. Again, you may find yourself attracted to different therapies, find the one which is most aligned to your own individual needs, but you could find therapy and/or counselling extremely helpful. Talking about your grief and loss to sympathetic friends/family members or a trained professional can be greatly comforting.
Be gentle with yourself, and take time to take care of yourself at all times. This is true for everyone, but especially for those who care for others, as they often do not see themselves as a priority, but ideally to care for others, we firstly need to be ok ourselves.
If you have a complex medical history/medications always check with your GP before using essential oils, or ask a qualified aromatherapist
by Jacqui Christie | Nov 22, 2017 | Aromapothecary
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Create a Relaxing and Therapeutic Bath Using Organic Aromatherapy Essential Oils
When things get busy at this time of year, it is a good time for taking just a little time out at the end of your day. Using aromatherapy essential oils in your bath, may help you power through the next few weeks. Use them every night if possible or 2 or three times a week, if every night is not possible.
When you are using essential oils safely in the bath it is best to use 4-6 drops and dilute them in a little carrier oil such as sweet almond, olive or sunflower. Alternatively you can use a little milk or alcohol. All these mediums help the essential oils to disperse in the water.
Place the oils with the dispersant of choice in your bath and swirl the water around to further disperse throughout the bath. A warm bath will increase the amount of essential oils that penetrate the skin by as much as 100%, so no more than 6 drops are required.
You can use a single oil such as sweet orange or lavender, but I always like to blend a few to suit my particular needs at any given time. The different blends that you can create with oils are endless, but I love the blend of roman chamomile (1 drop), lavender (4 drops) and vetivert (1 drop) — soothing,
Range of essential oils for therapeutic baths
de-stressing and gentle on skin. For clearing the mind and calming emotions with cypress (2 drops), frankincense (2 drops) & sandalwood (2 drops).
Another gentle blend which gives a relaxing, but can provide a gentle uplift of mood is sweet orange (2 drops), frankincense (2 drops), petitgrain (1 drop). It is good to keep the oils changing from time to time, to ensure optimum efficacy i.e. don’t use the same blend for weeks.
If you feel too time pressured to be blending essential oils for yourself – try our Aromatherapy Bath & Body Oils which are already safely blended to create your therapeutic bath using aromatherapy. Use 1-2 capfuls in the bath and swirl the water to help disperse. You can also use the Bath & Body Oils on the body as a moisturiser after a shower. Choose from Restful Evening with Lavender, Rose Geranium and Roman Chamomile, Nervous Exhaustion with Rose Geranium, Lavender, & Basil, or Aching Limbs with Lavender, Rosemary & Basil.
If you have a complex medical history/medications always check with your GP before using essential oils, or ask a qualified aromatherapist
by Jacqui Christie | Aug 24, 2017 | Aromapothecary
Are Insects and/or insect Bites a problem? Here are some aromatherapy solution
Its that time of the year when all insects and bugs are aplenty and we are spending more time out of doors than we probably normally do, so are more at risk from insect bites.
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by Jacqui Christie | Mar 15, 2017 | Aromapothecary
Using aromatherapy for the elderly can be incredibly rewarding for both the giver and the recipient. As part of my degree in complementary therapy with a focus on aromatherapy, I did part of the clinical training in a Care Home for the elderly. It was one of the best experiences of my training. It was amazing how little aromatherapy treatment gave incredibly pleasing results for people.
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by Jacqui Christie | Nov 23, 2016 | Aromapothecary
Relax in an aromatherapy bath and feel the stress of the run up to Christmas fade away as you enjoy the calming essential oils. Taking a little time out to take care of yourself this year, can make things so much more manageable at this busy time of year. I have never heard a client saying that they regret taking time for themselves to recharge, but I often hear them saying that they come the bottom of the list when it comes to taking ‘me’ time and then they start to struggle as they are tired.
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