26:
Relaxing Lavender
I went downtown to visit some of the Olympic attractions last night, WOW! I walked around and acted like a tourist in my own city and tried to take it all in. I grew up in Vancouver and never would have dreamed that we would be hosting the Olympics or that the city could get so busy, and be transformed so quickly.
The crowds and lineups were large and after walking for hours, getting home was like an oasis - a little piece of heaven away from the chaos. At home I didn’t know whether to sleep or eat, or work. So, I tried out a new lavender heat pack that I had been given from a lavender farm in the Olympic peninsula in Washington State. I heated it up and put the pink terry, lavender filled pack around my neck.
The intoxicating scent of pure lavender and the heat extracted all the tension from my head and body. Totally dizzy with serenity, I was ready for bed and the craziness of the day was gone. The cliché is true, use lavender oil and your stress will literally ‘melt away’.
I often find it hard to slow down enough to put a diffuser on, take a lavender bath, or spray my sheets with lavender or chamomile. When I do though, I am immediately reminded that instead of reaching for that chocolate, or the remote, it is much better to relieve stress using aromatherapy, and I want to share the benefits of the wonders of essential oils with everyone.
Just try it, go on, reach for nature!
-Jacqui
11:
Aromatherapy for Bronchitis
There is something inherently wrong with seeing the first signs of spring (a la cherry blossom trees) and simultaneously suffering from a terrible bought of bronchitis! The two just don’t seem to go together. I thought the worst of the cold and flu season was over… Not in my house. My husband had it first just after the holidays and I now I’ve been suffering with it for the past two weeks. For those who don’t know, bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchial tubes lining in the lungs. This inflammation can be caused by a number of environmental factors such as bacteria, mold, chemical particles and other equally savoring aggressors. This inflammation can quickly turn into an infection if not taken care of immediately so don’t let your symptoms slide.
Low grade bronchitis, if left untreated can turn into chronic bronchitis, so of course I turned to essential oils to try and curb this inflammation before it gets serious. Eucalyptus and rosemary are at the top of my list as the best home remedy oils for bronchitis and other chest related viruses. The following are the best ways to use essential oils at home to try and naturally fight a nasty cough:
1. Take 2-3 drops each of rosemary and eucalyptus and apply them one after the other on the chest giving each a few minutes to work into skin before layering the next oil. Then apply a hot compress over the chest and cover with blankets, letting the compress cool. This layering technique should allow for hours of restful sleep and open lungs. Rest and sleep are the most important remedy. Your body needs this time to recover and heal itself minus the dry coughing fits, which just further irritate the inflammation.
2. Run any aromatherapy diffuser constantly in your room and throughout the house, adding oils like peppermint, lemon, tea tree and / or lavender to relieve swelling and minimize bacterial infection. Diffusers effectively clean the air of irritating particles that may be the underlying cause of asthma, congestion or allergies.
I always turn to my collection of essential oils to try and remedy common ailments before turning to traditional medicine or antibiotics. The oils mentioned above are an amazing start to any ‘natural medicine cabinet’ and are great to have close at hand. Tap into them as soon as symptoms arise.
Note: This advice is based on traditional uses of essential oils and is for reference purposes only. It is not intended to treat, prescribe or diagnose. The information contained herein is in no way considered a substitute for consultation with a duly license health care professional.
02:
Aromatherapy for Valentine's Day
THREE SIMPLE TIPS SURE TO MAKE YOUR SWEETIE SWOON!
Valentine’s Day can be a complex beast. While I don’t want to feel forced into celebrating my loved one on a pre-determined commercial holiday, I also wouldn’t want to pass up the chance for a little extra romance. Life can be so hectic sometimes that I can easily forget to remind my number one that he is in fact my number one. Let’s face it, the post-holiday blues can hit hard and spring seems miles away. The annual blast of warm fuzzy feelings in mid-February might be just what the doctor ordered!
Aromatherapy can be used very effectively to initiate a mood for intimacy and romance. Essential oils like ylang ylang and patchouli are known to help the libido, while rose and jasmine are commonly worn to warm the heart and release tension and stress. Sometimes, all it takes to set the mood is to light a few candles and dim the lights. Choose wisely as the alluring aromas from the candles are absorbed into the body through our olfactory system and can help to relax the mind and melt tension away effortlessly. Use heady aromas like cedarwood and geranium and avoid energy-inducing citrusy essential oils.
Nothing relaxes the body and releases inhibitions like a steaming hot bubble bath. Try adding a few drops of pure rose essential oil to the mix, or use your favorite blend in an unscented bubble bath base. Even better, what could be more romantic than creating a custom ‘romance blend’ for your partner? Your signature aroma could be used in the bath, in a massage oil base or enjoyed in an aromatherapy diffuser for many months to come. The Escents Aromatherapy Blending Bar is the perfect venue to test different oils and concoct your own special romance blend this Valentine’s Day. The Escents retail staffers are expert-blenders and can help guide you through which oils are best suited for your needs.
And finally, the ultimate aphrodisiac, a sensual aromatherapy massage. Warm the oils gently in the palm of your hands before massaging your partner. The warmth from your touch, paired with the oils helping to increase blood flow and circulation will certainly be the cherry on this romance sundae!
Even though Valentine’s Day elicits a little cynicism from most, myself included, in the end, do we really want to rebel against a great opportunity to show our loved ones a little extra appreciation?
22:
Essential Oils
Sourcing good quality essential oils can be a daunting task. If you don’t know how to decipher between quality oils and diluted imitators, it can be hard to garner the most out of the therapeutic benefits unique to each pure essential oil. Here are a few tips to consider when shopping around for essential oils:
1. Look for pure, undiluted essential oils. Most often, essential oils are sourced for therapeutic use and topical application is common. The oils are diluted by the user right before use in a carrier oil or gel base so it’s not necessary to look for diluted oils. Further, if using the oils in an aromatherapy diffuser, it’s paramount to use pure essential oils. Diluted oils may clog the diffuser and cause it to break down eventually.
2. Make sure the essential oils are therapeutic grade which means they have not been adulterated, changed and are not a cheaper chemical constituent of a pure essential oil. There are no additives or other ingredients other than the essence that comes straight from the distillery by various extraction methods.
3. Do not use the essential oils if you are not familiar with the company. A reputable aromatherapy company takes careful measures to ensure they are sourcing the oils from only the best distilleries and most often, these relationships take years to establish. Further, look for companies that list the botanical name (latin name), the extraction method and the country of origin. There are many varieties of eucalyptus for example and all have varying therapeutic benefits. It’s also important to note the country of origin as the climate and soil properties can also greatly affect the beneficial properties of the essential oil. Companies that are not disclosing this information could be sourcing from lesser quality sources and / or it may indicate that their level of knowledge is not up to par.
4. Choose a vendor that protects the integrity of their essential oils by keeping them at room temperature and protects them from sunlight by storing them in amber bottles rather than plastic or clear glass. These precautions keep the “power” of the essence intact. Given these essential oils are extracted directly from plants, they are delicate just as any botanical is and must be stored appropriately.
Using pure, therapeutic grade essential oils will have the most beneficial impact on our bodies and emotional states and are more effective in helping us achieve our goals of total health. Essential oils are an investment in yourself - Do your homework before you buy! At Escents Aromatherapy, we are always willing and enthusiastically prepared to answer any questions about the efficacy of our essential oils. Please feel free to comment with other tips when buying oils, or e-mail us directly with any questions at sales@escentsaromatherapy.com.
12:
Escents Aromatherapy: Debate on retail packaging discussed
The idea with my weekly blog posts is that I get to share the ‘inside scoop’ with our readers. A behind the scenes peek if you will at how we design our blends, where we source our oils, and the trials and tribulations of running a multi-divisional company. The issue I’m about to delve into is one that has been the source of many a debate at Escents over the years.
At Escents Aromatherapy, we are dedicated to sharing the positive benefits of essential oils with as many people possible through our full range of Bath & Body, Skin Care, Home and Wellness products. We currently have an online store, retail stores and over 300 retailers across Canada and the United States that carry a limited selection of Escents products. The best way to reach as many people possible is to offer our products in other retail environments across North America. As we continue to grow our wholesale division, we are recurrently asked to increase the amount of packaging we use with our products as it presents better on the shelf and is more appealing to the gift market. Although the environment is not mentioned in our mission statement, the very essence of our business (sharing the positive benefits of nature through essential oils) unknowingly shapes our environmental policy. Now you can see our dilemma. Do we succumb to the pressures of growth or try and stay on higher moral ground even though it may cost us some really great opportunities?
I think as with most things in life, the answer lies in compromise. As a company, we are proud to say that we stand behind the following environmental practices:
- Escents sources raw materials locally as much as possible
- Escents uses re-callable containers
- We don’t box our lotions, washes, soaps or candles
- When additional packaging is used, we source only 100% recycled material
- Escents doesn’t use synthetic color in any of our products
We are proud to use minimal packaging for our products. We’ve had to make some concessions including providing boxes for essential oils, aromatherapy blends and selected gifts, and we may have to design boxes for our soy jar candles in the future to be able to offer our products in different markets, but we’ll always keep our core values in mind when making these decisions! I assure you that all small business owners are confronted with these same issues as they experience the growing pains of a business trying to expand. The questions that come up on a daily basis are not always easy to answer and sometimes we have to go back to our original mission and vision statements to decide on the right course. I would love to hear some of your thoughts about the ‘dilemma’ outlined above. Add a comment and get in on the great packaging debate!
05:
Escents Aromatherapy: New Products + Collections Launching in 2010
I think I can speak for most people when I say that I can’t wait to see what 2010 brings! We’ve all been on the edge of our seats to see if this recession will ever come to an end and given the latest reports, it seems that 2010 just might be ‘our year’. I am very hopeful that we will see some brighter days in near future, especially with the Olympics mere weeks away. The excitement in the air seems electrifying!
As the world around us has clearly changed, I also notice that many people have changed right along with it. With a recession brings innovation and an open-minded acceptance of new ideas and ways of thinking. When things can’t seem to get worse, people are far more willing to try something new. I see friends and family making a more concerted effort to support local business and cottage industry, trying to eat more sustainably and locally grown food and backing community and grass roots causes. This new movement doesn’t feel like a passing trend either. I think these hard times we’ve been through have really helped provide perspective and I hope that we take this ‘new enlightenment’ far beyond 2010.
January is one of my favorite months because we get to share some of our new product development plans for the year ahead! I’m so excited about these new Aroma Blends and collections because many were inspired by the collective hopefulness I’ve sensed around me. Here is just a sampling of products that we’ll be launching in the first few months of 2010.
Muse, our latest Aroma Blend is launching at the end of January. Amazingly delicate yet cheeky. My absolute favorite flower aroma is and always has been the tuberose. I master blended tuberose with other rare and precious essential oils to create a delightfully complex Aroma Blend I know you’ll love!
The beginning of February marks the introduction of an entirely new product format for Escents. We have created a Solid Perfume encased in a beautiful silver pocket perfume case so your favorite aroma will be travel-ready. We’re launching this Solid Perfume in Love, one of our most popular signature collections. The blend is added to a base of organic coconut oil and natural beeswax; The fragrance level is much higher than our daily use lotions or butters so when used, this moisturizing Solid Perfume will leave skin silky smooth and subtly scented for hours without any wasted airborne particles as with traditional perfume formats.
Lastly, Lotus is launching as a new Signature Aromatherapy Collection. I love this musky, rich amber aroma. The collection comes complete with a Reed Home Diffuser, a moisturizing, creamy, paraben-free Hand and Body Lotion, a 3-1 Wash and Bubble (hand wash, bubble bath & shower gel) and Moisture-rich Handmade Natural Soap. Lotus is a unisex aroma, also amazing for home scenting. It has been a very popular aroma that many wanted developed in a collection.
Escents is a magical journey into the world of natures aromas. I really want to create products that are made using pure essential oils and that are able to bring nature into our lives through aromas. The goal is to make Aroma Blends part of all aspects of daily life - to be worn, burned in a candle, bathed in and luxuriated in. Aromatherapy isn’t just for alternative therapy settings, it can be enjoyed and benefited from daily by anyone. Stay tuned because the summer promises even more innovative aromatherapy products you’ve come to love and expect from us!
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