Aromatherapy

Archive for October, 2007

There are many great uses for aromatherapy including massage, bathing or just filling a room with a scent. For this reason, a lot of people want to know how to make aromatherapy oils for themselves instead of purchasing them. The following are the several steps that you will need to take in order to make aromatherapy oils.

Step 1: How To Make Aromatherapy Oils Carriers

Essential oils are very strong and thus they must be diluted in a different oil, which is known as a carrier oil, before it can be used for anything else. Some of the options for carriers include sweet almond oil, Aloe Vera, avocado oil, coconut oil, grape seed or some extra virgin olive oil.

Step 2: How To Make Aromatherapy Oils: Choosing Essential Oils

You can find a lot of essential oils at your local health food store. There are also a lot of places online where you can purchase these essential oils as well. When you are learning how to make aromatherapy oils, you should look for ones in dark brown or blue bottles because these colors protect the oils better than clear glass does. Regardless as to where you purchase your essential oils you should also purchase some small brown or blue bottles.

Here are some suggestions to get you started. If you want something relaxing, then lavender, ylang-ylang, vanilla, sandalwood and chamomile are the best choices. On the other hand, the best choices for energizing you include peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus and lemon grass. You should know that you can use 1 or more of these essential oils together.

You should remember that less is more when it comes to making a strong, effective scent from essential oils.

Step 3: How To Make Aromatherapy Oils: Mixing and Using

Now that you have everything together for learning how to make aromatherapy oils, you should add 10 to 12 drops of essential oil for each ounce of carrier oil. You can place up to 15 drops in each bottle. If you are using a couple of different you should divide the 15 drops evenly between the scents that you are using. Allow this mixture to sit for a day before you decide to add any more essential oil to the mixture.

Once your bottles are prepared you should store them in a cool, dark place. Make sure that you check them frequently to ensure that they are still in good condition.

Many people enjoy the health and psychological benefits of aromatherapy, the science of using various aromas to relax and heal. However, everything in the world carries a cost, and the cost of a total aromatherapy treatment can be several hundred dollars a year, more than many people would like to spend anything short of a vacation or new car. However, by learning how to make aromatherapy candles, you can save a hundred dollars or more a year. You may even decide to sell them to your friends, and they always make great gifts. Here’s a short guide to make your very own candles.

Ingredients

All of the materials for how to make aromatherapy candles can be purchased at grocery, craft, and bath stores. Candle wicks, .5 lb beeswax, 1.5 lb paraffin, putty, and pack of crayons can be purchased at any craft store. Paper drinking cups (which serve as the molding for the candle), a double boiler, and a cooking thermometer can be bought at the grocery store. Lastly, essential oils are located at bath stores.

Making the Candle

Half the fun of how to make aromatherapy candles is the creation of the candles themselves. Heat the beeswax and paraffin in a double boiler, keeping the wax at 180o F or below. Prepare the candle wick by punching a small hole in the bottom of the cup, placing the wick through the hole, and sealing the mold up with some putty. To perfect the mixture, add some coloring by adding a few scrapings of crayons, and add the scent by sprinkling in a tiny amount of the essential oils. Too much will make the scent overbearing. With the mixture properly blended, you can pour it into the molds, making sure to hold the candle wick up so it does not get covered with wax. Cut the wicks to a few centimeters, and the candle should cool down in a matter of minutes. You’ve just successfully learned how to make aromatherapy candles!

With this knowledge in mind, you can always make these wonderful candles as gifts for friends during the holidays. The candles’ health and psychological benefits are numerous, and your friends are sure to thank you heartily for these gifts. This guide can save you $100 or more a year, depending on how much you use candles. Especially with these candles, you’ve have a great peace of mind as these soothing aromas make you forget about every stressful moment of the day, and you can relax all day with these. Also, with advanced refining processes, essential oils make natural ingredients allergy friendly again, and sensitive noses won’t be irritated. We hope you use how to make aromatherapy candles to your fullest advantage to relax and heal.

The History Behind: How Does Aromatherapy Work?

Aromatherapy is 5,000-years-old. It is the therapeutic use of essential oils that Egyptians invented as a remedy for many ailments and illnesses. Ever since then, people have claimed that aromatherapy has worked for them even though there is no scientific proof of this. It works because the essential oils are concentrated oils that have been extracted from the bark, flower or stem of aromatic plants. This is done via a steaming process.

How Does Aromatherapy Work?

Now you may be wondering how does aromatherapy work. Basically it works because the fragrances and scents trigger feelings within a person. This can be done in the privacy of your own home via candles or incense. Therefore, you do not have to be an aromatherapist in order to understand how does aromatherapy work.

The Expense Of Aromatherapy

Going to see an aromatherapist is costly and it is not covered by most health care insurances. This expense is because of how much essential oil is needed and, of course, you also have to pay for the aromatherapist’s time. However, if you choose to use only a small amount of aromatherapy at home, it really is not all that expensive.

Getting Started Once You Know How Does Aromatherapy Work

Before you start an aromatherapy program you should talk to your doctor. If you cannot find an aromatherapist in your area, then you should consult the International Journal of Aromatherapy web site. This site lists licensed aromatherapists in various areas.

As with anything else, there are some people who should not use aromatherapy. If you are pregnant the vapors from the essential oils may cause you to vomit or hyperventilate. If you have a serious heart condition, fever or swollen ankles from a heart or kidney condition you need to avoid essential oils because they can cause heart palpations or increase one’s blood pressure. If you have epilepsy, you cannot use essential peppermint oil because its vapors can trigger seizures. If one has varicose veins, recent scar tissue, inflamed areas of skin, or skin infections you cannot massage essential oils over these areas because they may become infected.

For those who can use aromatherapy, you will need to start slowly. It is helpful to do a patch test on a small area of skin so that you are sure that you are not allergic to the essential oil.

If you are lucky enough to have a hot tub for soaking, relaxation and massage, you should know that you can truly enhance your hot tub experience by purchasing hot tub aromatherapy items. Once you try this, you will more than likely wonder why you have never tried this before. This is because hot tub aromatherapy items will truly make your hot tub’s relaxation go a step further. If you have not tried these in the past because you were worried that it would clog your filter or harm your hot tub’s finish, you should know that this will not happen.

The Great Variety Of Hot Tub Aromatherapy Items Available On The Market Today

There are literally a ton of different hot tub aromatherapy items available on the market today. Each of these items has its very own way of enhancing your experience within your hot tub.

Crystals that are filled with emollients will help to soothe and relax your tired muscles. Since they also have minerals and body softeners inside of them, you will get out of your hot tub with your skin feeling renewed as well.

There are also some fun packs available too. In these packs you will usually get a ducky, votive candle, a fun massager and a bottle of fragrances. These packs may also include lotion, body mist, fragrance, a sponge and a jar of pearls. Of course, you will get to choose the fragrance that you want. Plus all of this usually comes in some type of a bag. With these packages, not only can you relax in your hot tub but you can have some fun, smell good when you get out and conveniently store all of these items.

The Various Scents Available For Hot Tub Aromatherapy Use

Just as there are a great variety of essential oils on the market today, there are also a lot of choices available for you when it comes to hot tub aromatherapy. Basically, you will need to decide what you are trying to achieve via hot tub aromatherapy. For instance, if you want to use your hot tub for reflection or balancing yourself, then you will want to use lavender. If you are looking for release from stress and tension, then get some chamomile or clary sage. For revitalization you will want some green tea, ginger or lime. When you want to be enlightened, use some lemon, cypress and juniper berry. You can also use eucalyptus and peppermint whenever you want to feel renewed. Of course, there are numerous other scents available for use in hot tub aromatherapy.