Aromatherapy is the art of using aromatic plant extracts and essential oils for healing purposes. It does not need to be complicated and we can all benefit from using aromatherapy in the home. Aromatherapy can help improve sleep, cure headaches, relieve anxiety, stimulate your brain, relieve pain, improve digestion and a by product is it can make your home small great too! Here are ten ways that you can use aromatherapy in your home from using Essential Oil Diffusers to having an aromatherapy massage.
Ten Ways That You Can Use Aromatherapy in The Home
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Bathe in Essential Oils
Sprinkle a few drops of your favourite essential oil into a tablespoon of carrier oil (such as almond, rose hip or olive) and add to your bath.
My personal favourites are:
- Rose- firstly because it’s my most loved scent. Secondly, rose is calming but also uplifting, it can ease anxiety and restores all skin types. Add rose petals for a luxurious bath.
- Lavender- helps me relax, add to Epsom salts during a bedtime bath to soothe aching muscles at the end of a long day. Lavender can help you to get a good nights sleep.
- Ylang Ylang- is also relaxing and calming and can help ease depression. It’s also renowned for boosting energy and is an aphrodisiac.
Experiment to find your own favourite oils and potions. With a bit of research you will soon find the oils to soothe your ailments.
2. Burn Essential Oils
Burning essential oils can scent your home beautifully. The heat from the tealight candle makes the fragrant oil evaporate and spread around each room. By choosing your oil carefully you can experience other benefits too. I like to use different essential oils in different rooms of the home. For example:
- In the kitchen- I would use lemon as it smells great and it’s purifying. It deodorises your home and helps eliminate cooking smells naturally.
- In the living room – I’d suggest rosemary to stimulate creativity or rose to be calm and uplifting. Fir needle oil is recommended if you’d like to switch off after a busy day and be connected with nature.
- In the bedroom- lavender to help you sleep. Blow out the candle before you go to bed- the particles will continue to fill the room full of scent.
3. Steam Inhalation
Whenever I have a cold and my sinuses are blocked I add a few drops of Eucalyptus or Olbas oil (which is a blend of Cajuput, Clove, Eucalyptus, Juniper berry, Menthol, Peppermint and Wintergreen oils) to a bowl of hot water (it should be warm enough to create vapour but not so hot that it burns your skin). Sit with your face over the bowl and a towel over your head trapping the steam. When your nose is blocked this can offer immediate relief and it’s amazing to be able to breathe clearly again. Eventually, your sinuses will ease too.
Oregano, peppermint, tea tree, lavender, rosemary, cinnamon and thyme essential oils can also relieve sinus congestion.
Perhaps you’re suffering from blocked ears rather than a blocked nose. Blocked ears and can be painful and cause hearing loss. I suggest Ear Wax Removal at Auris Ear Care. It’s such a relief to be out of pain and to be able to hear again.
4. Reed Diffuser
A reed diffuser is such a simple way to scent a home and also to enjoy aromatherapy benefits. Add essential oils to a diffuser then add the reeds. The diffuser reeds soak up the fragrance oil and disperse the scent around the room. Once set up you can leave the reed diffuser to continue scenting a home for months at a time. Occasionally flip the reeds to increase the scent. Replace the oil as needed.
5. Wooden Diffuser
Wood Diffusers are the modern way of scenting our home and claiming aromatherapy benefits if we wish. To get started with aromatherapy all you need is a wooden diffuser and set of essential oils of your choice. Wood diffusers look natural and stylish and are a convenient way of diffusing beneficial essential oils around your home. A wooden diffuser is ideally situated in the living room, dining room and bedroom. They are perfect for people who prefer not to use candles in the home.
6. Massage Oil
Add a few drops of your chosen essential oil to a carrier oil for a massage with added aromatherapy benefits. Aromatherapy massage can reduce anxiety, ease depression, soothe aching muscles, speed up the healing process, reduce headaches, increase energy, improve digestion, increase circulation and induce sleep. Choose essential oils that will benefit you the most. For aromatherapy and reflexology on the go pop your massage oil into a travel bottle and into your handbag. When you feel anxious take five minutes to give yourself an aromatherapy hand massage- you’ll have soft hands too!
7. Hot/Cold Compress
Compresses are useful to allow essential oils to penetrate in a particular area of the body. They are best for localised areas of pain. To make a compress add six drops of essential oil and one teaspoon salt to an empty bowl. Add either hot or cold water. Soak a piece of fabric (muslin cloths are great), wring it out and use to cover the affected area. Repeat this process as needed. Remember cold therapy reduces swelling and inflammation, hot therapy relaxes and soothes sore muscles.
8. Beauty
There are so many ways that essentials oils can be used in your beauty regime. You can add essential oils to a natural moisturiser or make a facial oil to use each day. A natural aromatherapy moisturiser can be made from a carrier oil (such as almond or coconut), a butter (cocoa or shea are good) and a few drops of the essential oils that are needed for your skin. To make a facial oil just use carrier oil and the same combination of essential oils. Even if you don’t use a facial oil daily take time out now and again to use as a massage oil during a relaxing facial.
9. Insect Repellent
I don’t normally use insect repellent but this year the warm weather has encouraged all the hungry bugs and flies out. Thankfully it’s easy to make a natural aromatherapy insect repellent. Start with a base (such as witch hazel) then add a few drops of the desired essential oils (citronella, lemongrass, peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus are all natural repellents). Once mixed add to a travel spray bottle and pop into your handbag. Spray over your skin when needed (especially before those woodland walks).
10. Home Cleaning
You can clean your home naturally with aromatherapy. Many essential oils are deodorising and/or antiseptic such as lemon, tea tree, rosemary, orange, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, lemongrass and thyme. This means you can clean and fragrance your home at the same time. Start off making an aromatherapy surface spray and you will soon be making all your home cleaning products. The added benefits are no nasty chemicals in the home and this will reduce your use of plastic so is doubly better for the environment.
So there you have it. Ten ways to use aromatherapy in your home. You can pick and choose which method works best for you but the easiest way is to start with a diffuser and essential oil. Enjoy choosing the best fragrance for you- you will soon have a small collection and can create your own unique blends.
How do you use aromatherapy in the home?
Great ideas, thank you. It’s great to have so many different diffusers available now, it makes enjoying essential oils so easy.
Author
Yes. There’s definitely one to suit everyone xxx
So many benefits to using essential oils
Author
There sure are! x
Great ideas – havent tried as an insect repellent – will be doing soon
Author
Yes, give it a try! xxx