Natural aromatic oils are a feast for our senses, and their properties work their magic in a holistic way on the health of our mind, body and spirit. As a preventative medicine, aromatherapy is unsurpassed; it is useful in balancing psychological health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue. The aromatic use of essential oils is also wonderful for overall mood enhancement, stress reduction and even sleep enhancement. And one of the most simple and effective means of using essential oils is in an aromatherapy spray. These easily made ‘mists’ are a wonderful way to introduce the natural healing effects of essential oils to your family, and create a high-vibration atmosphere in your home.
Getting others in your family involved will have two important benefits: First, they’re likely to let you know which scents appeal to them the most. Often in aromatherapy, it is the scents we are most fond of that can have the strongest supporting effects for our health. Second, they’re also more likely to use and enjoy the mists they’ve had a part in making.
Just a few easily found items are required: 1 or 2 ounce dark glass bottles with pump spray tops are great containers. The dark color helps preserve the essential oils, and their small size makes them relatively durable, easily handled, and portable. An eye-dropper makes it easy to dispense the oils drop by drop (as the recipes call for “drops” of each essential oil). Plastic ones are most appropriate if children are involved, as the droppers tend to be somewhat delicate. As for the “carrier” of the essential oils, filtered or spring water is really all you need. If you’d like to store the blends for longer than a couple of months, use 1/5th witch hazel in your formulas. Finally, you can also keep the water and oils from separating by using one to three percent of an emulsifying agent known as “Tween”.
Then there’s the essential oils – there are over a hundred to choose from, though you can start with just one or two of the more common ones and still make wonderful, effective formulas. It is important, however, to find the highest quality oils you can. You’ll find that even with the much-used lavender essential oil, the aromas will vary considerably from one to the next. They may cost a little more, but are generally worth it, especially as you’ll only need a few drops of each oil to get started. The nicer the oil you start with, the nicer the resulting aroma-mist you’ll create. And the nicer mists will get used more often, with bigger smiles on everyone’s faces from the brilliant aromas from finely-crafted oils.
If children will be involved in making or using the mists, you may want to give a little consideration to essential oil safety. Generally, the floral oils will be absolutely fine for everyone to play with. The citrus oils are also very safe, but should not be sprayed repeatedly on bare skin. Oils distilled from evergreen tree needles can also be skin irritants over time. The pungent, spicy oils should be used with caution — cinnamon, clove and the like. These are found in sprays in the very tiniest concentrations just to add a little “zing”, but can burn the skin of sensitive individuals. Finally, while peppermint is a wonderful addition to blends to add an invigorating top note, spearmint is the oil of choice around very young children.
On to making the sprays! Creating aromatherapy sprays is very simple – just fill your bottles up most of the way with water or your Witch Hazel extract and water (1 part Witch Hazel to 4 parts water), then add your essential oils by counting the drops. If you’re using “tween”, use 8 drops per every ounce total spray you’re making. Put the cap on and shake vigorously for several seconds. Without the tween, the oil and water will naturally tend to separate, somewhat like a salad dressing — shaking a lot when first made will help keep the oils and water mixed. For the simplest formulas, you can use 4 to 16 drops total amount of essential oil in each ounce of water.
If you’d like to make something a little more fancy for children and even infants, try two drops each of lavender and roman chamomile in pure water. Both these oils are broadly appealing, and have very soothing effects on children. This recipe might even be used regularly as a sleep aid at night or at nap time.
Looking for an aroma to brighten everyone’s day? Try one or more of the oils cold-pressed from the peels of citrus fruits: Sweet orange, lemon, lime, and bergamot have a perky “sweet-tart” aroma. The oils from tangerine and mandarin are somewhat sweeter, being even more appealing to kids. All these oils will mix well together too; you can pick two or more and create a new fruit flavor! These oils are all considered natural anti-depressants in aromatherapy, and will lighten the atmosphere in any home.
Perhaps the most effective “space clearing” scents are those from the needles and twigs of evergreen trees: Pine, spruce and Siberian fir. Like the citrus oils, these all blend nicely together; you can try a blend of them with equal amounts of each, and/or vary their amounts to suit your preference. Juniper can be added in small amounts for an extra touch. These oils are also naturally uplifting, yet they bring a sense of calm and “earthiness” as well.
Really, any essential oil will work in an aroma-mist. Experiment to your heart’s content; you can easily create a blend for every room, or every time of day. This is a wonderful way to bring the healing effects of nature into your home, and support your family’s health and well-being with essential oils.
For more, visit The Ananda Apothecary and Organic Herb Medicinals.