aroma-pothecaryRelax 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.

It does not need to be a long time – in fact little and often can be a lot more helpful that one long period of relaxation and then a large space till the next.  A little time spent with your favourite essential oils can really be a massive tonic to the mind, body and soul.

When using essential oils in the bath – use between 4-6 drops – maybe start with 4 and see how that feels, you can always add one or two more.  You can use a little carrier oil (such as sunflower or sweet almond) to dilute them in before putting them in the water or on your skin.  Alternatively you can use a little milk or alcohol if you prefer.  This is to ensure that the essential oil disperses through the water and does not sit in a concentrated pool.  Always ‘swish’ and ‘swirl’ the water by hand before entering the bath to ensure further dispersal.  If you are using carrier oil as a dispersant, be very careful when entering and exiting the bath – take special care – to ensure you do not slip.  If this is something that concerns you, use the other dispersants instead

A warm bath can increase the amount of essential oils that penetrate the skin by as much as 100%, so you can see the reason for only using a small amount, (4-6 drops).  You will of course also be inhaling the oils as you relax in the water.

You can use a single oil such as sweet orange, rose geranium, or lavender, but I always like to blend a few to suit my particular needs at any given time.  I like to blend roman chamomile (1 drop), lavender (4 drops) and vetivert (1 drop) – very relaxing and grounding blend.  Rose geranium (2 drops),  mandarin (2) and frankincense (2) – is a lovely de-stressing, balancing blend.  A luxury blend would be rose otto (1 drop), frankincense (2), sandalwood (2) – complete bliss in my opinion – nurture, clearing of the mind, serene.

We have some ready made essential oil blends, that you may like to use, orange & frankincense, meditation, love, sweet orange heaven or rose heaven.  Also our own aromatherapy bath & body oils are completely pre-blended with carrier oils and essential oils ready for use in the bath and on the body.

When you are at your busiest it is the most valuable time to step back just for a while and relax and recharge with aromatherapy oils.  You may well find (as many of my clients do) that you can achieve more.

If you have a complex medical history/medications, or are using essential oils for specific conditions, always check with your GP or consult with a qualified aromatherapist before using.