5 Ways to Use Aromatherapy for Comfort (something for everyone)
5 Kinds of Comfort Aromatherapy Can Offer to Soothe Your Heart
The other day I went to see my friend Lavender essential oil.
(Yup, my friend is an essential oil, haha! And actually, "Lavender" is a sweet nickname. Its "full name"is Lavandula angustifolia. But everybody just calls it Lavender.)
I noticed that Lavender's kitchen was a beautiful aromatic mess. It was not very tidy, but it sure did smell good!
I asked, "Lavender, what are you up to?"
"Andrea, I am glad you asked!" said Lavender. "I am making some comforting Aromatherapy blends for my friends. I just love the way that we can use Aromatherapy for comfort when we want some emotional balance."
"Wow, Lavender," I said, "you are right! I love the way that Aromatherapy can help us feel calm and optimistic. But you're making so many blends!"
Lavender said, "Yup! I have 5 different kinds of blends here, so there is something for everyone. Want me to show you what I am making?"
Of course, I said yes!
Here are 5 ways you can use Aromatherapy for comfort and natural wellness—every day! And a video explaining this!
How to Use Aromatherapy for Comfort #1:
Make a Bath Salt
Nothing spells comfort more than a warm, soothing bath. The feeling of warm water cascading over your tired muscles, washing away your worries, is pure bliss. And with the magic of aromatherapy, you can amplify this relaxing experience. Adding essential oils to your bath can create not only enchanting aromas, but also foster emotional balance, relaxation, and immune support.
Here's the basic Aromatherapy bath recipe I like to use.
2 oz (56 g) Pink Himalayan salt (or whatever kind of salt you like!)
1 tbsp Castile soap
5 drops total of essential oil (Try 5 drops of Lavender!)
This is enough for one whole bath! I just dump the entire jar into the tub.
The castile soap helps the essential oils distribute more evenly through the salt and the water, so we reduce concerns about the oils coming into direct contact (undiluted) with skin.
Note: Sometimes using Castile soap with salts can harden the salt. If you want to leave the soap out of the bath salt, you can use a carrier oil like jojoba instead. It works great!
How to Use Aromatherapy for Comfort #2:
Use Aromatherapy Inhalers
I love Aromatherapy inhalers! They are so convenient to use.
Since an inhaler is about the size and shape of a lip balm tube, you can take it with you in a bag or your pocket. You can use it as needed throughout the day, and nobody will smell the essential oils but you.
Inhalers are simple to make, too.
Just put the piece of cotton into the plastic "sleeve" and drop the essential oils right onto the cotton. Then snap the bottom of the inhaler into place (this holds the cotton in), and that's it.
If I'm making a blend, I typically like to use about 15 drops of essential oil in total for one inhaler.
An inhaler will last about 2 months after you make it.
There are plastic disposable inhalers that you can use, or you can get a reusable one. Those have glass vials to hold the cotton instead of a plastic sleeve.
Try making an inhaler with Lavender essential oil!
How to Use Aromatherapy for Comfort #3:
Diffuse Essential Oils
Do you have an essential oil diffuser? I have more than one! I love the way that a diffuser can infuse a room with the comforting aromas of essential oils.
I love diffusing oils when I want to relax, get ready for sleep, focus on a project, feel more energized, create a fun and welcoming atmosphere for a dinner party, clean the air of airborne germs, and support my immunity... you get the idea!
Try diffusing 8 or 9 drops of Lavender essential oil, and see how the aroma fills your room and turns it into a comforting retreat you can relax in.
How to Use Aromatherapy for Comfort #4
Make a Jojoba Blend
Diluting essential oils into a carrier is important if you're going to apply them to your skin.
Jojoba is a favorite carrier for a lot of people.
You'll often see it called "jojoba oil," but jojoba is actually a liquid wax. It is deeply moisturizing and nourishing for the skin, and it doesn't have much of an aroma of its own. It lets essential oils take the spotlight.
Here's a basic recipe that I often use when I'm making a jojoba blend:
1 oz (30 ml) jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)
12 drops of essential oil (try Lavender essential oil!)
You can use this as a moisturizing oil, a hand oil (such a comfort to have, especially after washing your hands in a public restroom), massage oil, headache oil, or even as a natural perfume.
It all depends on which essential oils you add and what kinds of therapeutic effects you would like to create!
How to Use Aromatherapy for Comfort #5
Make Lip Balm!
Three cheers for natural homemade lip balm!
It's a comfort to know that what I am putting on my lips is 100% natural, made with essential oils that are safe and health-supporting.
Making lip balm is a little more complicated than the other methods that Lavender shared with me.
It takes knowing which ingredients to use and how much of each one to include, so you can create a texture and consistency that you love—one that doesn't melt in your pocket, doesn't crumble and spreads easily over your lips.
One of our most popular classes at Aromahead Institute is all about this kind of blending. It's called . . .
In Body Butters and Lip Balms, you'll learn how to make butters and balms with different textures and therapeutic properties.
Some are wonderful for nourishing skin daily, and others are specifically formulated for purposes like relieving pain or helping to diminish scars.
You'll work with a HUGE variety of natural carrier oils and butters, from familiar friends like coconut oil and beeswax to more "exotic" carriers like baobab oil and kombo butter.
You'll even learn a natural deodorant recipe (yes, it really WORKS!) and how to use one of my favorite carriers for joint pain.
Sign up for Body Butters and Lip Balms!
(and never go back to store-bought body products again, haha!)
