I have been exposed to relaxing scents for a very long time through several massage spas I've been to. The usual scent I instantly smell whenever I enter the spa is usually minty with a hint of eucalyptus. I noticed that the scent immediately uplifts my mood, relaxes me, and keeps me calm to the point of almost dozing off during a massage. I wanted to bring that ambiance at home so I researched and filled my browser's history with articles discussing essential oils and aromatherapy.
It is the use of essential oils as therapy for physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It can be used by inhalation, massage, or by skin application.
ESSENTIAL OILS
These are the basic materials for aromatherapy. They are made from fragrant essences of plants like leaves, flowers, bark, or peel. The plant parts are crushed and the fragrance is released. The oil may be extracted via the natural process of distillation with steam or water or by mechanical pressing. It may be from lemongrass, cedarwood, lavender, chamomile, peppermint, to name a few. Essential oils are very concentrated. To give you an idea, only 1 pound of essential oil can be extracted from 220 lbs of lavender flowers. Diffferent essential oils have different properties and therapeutic effects.
The theory of the mechanism with regards to the therapeutic effect of aromatherapy is the binding of the chemical components to the olfactory bulb receptors, basically the smell receptors in our noses. These receptors will then send chemical messages along the brain's limbic system, the part responsible for mood and emotions.
BENEFITS
Aromatherapy generally improves our quality of life by these benefits: better sleep, relief from anxiety and stress, pain relief, mood booster, and it can even help fight depression.
MY SIMPLE AROMATHERAPY AT HOME
Just last week, Aldrin gave me my own ceramic oil burner and some tealight candles from Scent for Senses. I bought two essential oils namely lemongrass and vanilla, both from GIGA.
How to Use a Ceramic Oil Burner:
All you have to do is fill the oil burner's receptacle with distilled water then add a few drops of essential oil. Light the candle and wait for a few minutes for the scent to kick in. After a while you will notice the scent fill the room. You may add a few more drops if you prefer a stronger fragrance. Just make sure you don't let the water run out since this will burn the oil. Check and adjust the water level every now and then.
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| This is a ceramic oil burner from Scent for Senses for only P150. |
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| This is how its back looks like |
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| I bought the mini tabo candle holder for P50. Also from Scent for Senses |
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| Here's where you add your distilled water and a few drops of essential oils. |
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| Tea light candles, P250 for 30 pieces. Also from Scent for Senses |
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| Lemongrass and Vanilla, very affordable at P120 pesos per 10ml at GIGA |
I have a feeling that I'll be into aromatherapy for a long time. So expect more posts as I go through this new obsession. I personally noticed a big difference at home with aromatherapy. It's undeniably calming. It is also a perfect complement for meditation or when reading a novel. Well you can just use it anytime no matter what you are doing. So if you're feeling a little blue and stressed out, have your own aromatherapy at home and feel your worries drift away.
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