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Tag Archives: aromatherapy
My Guiltiest (and Most Expensive) Pleasure: Rose Essential Oil
The phrase “beer budget, champagne taste” is one that I am very familiar with, and one that could be said to be the canon of my life thus far. Back in my spa-owning days, when I didn’t even earn enough to buy toothpaste regularly, I would still scrimp and save until I could afford a Kate Spade purse. Or an Anthropologie skirt. Or a two-night stay at Calistoga Ranch. Yeah. That financial idiot was me. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that once I got into Aromatherapy and started falling in love with essential oils, the one … Continue reading
Aromatherapy for Balancing Hormones, Part 2
Boy, am I long-winded. I am still trying to address a question from one of my readers, K.L., about how to use aromatherapy to balance hormones. Last time, I talked about all the different ways to apply essential oils – both topically and internally – and today, I want to talk a little bit about what I would suggest for her specific issue of balancing hormones. For the sake of convenience, let me re-paste her question: Do you…have any information on essential oils and hormones? Specifically, I am wanting to know the best way to use them. Topically? Internally? Strictly … Continue reading
Posted in Aromatherapy, Women's Health
Tagged aromatherapy, clary sage essential oil, essential oils, geranium essential oil, hormonal balance, hormonal balancing, hormone balance, marjoram essential oil, origanum majorana, Pelargonium graveolens, salvia sclarea, vitex, vitex essential oil
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Essential Oil Suppositories…Really?
When I first started studying Aromatherapy, I noticed there were a lot of mentions in my aromatherapy texts and in the general aromatherapeutic literature about essential oil suppositories and their use in Europe. I’ll be honest: at first I didn’t even know what a suppository was. I had to look it up on Wikipedia and realized that a suppository is a medicinal delivery mechanism…that you insert into your rectum or your vagina. I must be an especially squeamish person, because the thought of that used to really, really, REALLY gross me out. But one really good thing that all of these … Continue reading
How to Give Yourself a Spa Facial at Home
Originally, I was going to title this post, “How to Give Yourself a Spa-Quality Facial at Home,” but then I thought about it, and really, you can’t. For one thing, at a spa you’re being taken care of by a professional esthetician, who as part of her training regimen, (hopefully) learned how to properly do extractions without harming your skin. For another thing, it’s infinitely better to have someone else massage your face and neck and shoulders than to do it yourself. So, I omitted the word “Quality” from my title because it would just set me up for failure. … Continue reading
Posted in Aromatherapy, Skin/Facial Care
Tagged aromatherapy, at home, cleanse, do it yourself, essential oils, facial, masque, moisturize, serum, skin care, spa, steam, tone
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Natural Beauty Secrets: The Economics of Making Your Own Aromatherapy Toner
A while back, I shared with you how to make your own aromatherapy facial toners at home. While I was away in Anaheim for Expo West 2012, I got a fantastic question/comment from Paige, which read: How long do you think the toner you mentioned at the bottom would last? (the one you use) And also where do you purchase your oils from and what do you think the average price is for you to make that toner? Thank you! But alas! It is almost the end of March 2012, and I have not yet answered her. Shame on me! … Continue reading
Posted in Aromatherapy, Skin/Facial Care
Tagged aromatherapy, essential oil, facial, Geranium, how much, hydrosol, immortelle, make your own, neroli, orange blossom, palmarosa, rose, toner, Yarrow
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Another Do-It-Yourself at Home Beauty & Skin Care Secret: Making Your Own Aromatherapy Facial Masks
Today, I’m going to talk about how to make a clarifying mask (this one pulls impurities from the skin, and as such, is good for oily, acne-prone skin) and a hydrating mask (this one moisturizes, soothes, and nourishes). How to Make a Clarifying, Detoxifying Mask Using Clay There are many kinds of clays suitable for facial masks: white kaolin clay, fuller’s earth, rose clay, yellow clay, and green clay. My favorite is the last one, French green clay, which is the finest and widely available from stores specializing in homemade remedies and cosmetics (like Mountain Rose Herbs). What I do … Continue reading
Do-It-Yourself at Home Beauty & Skin Care Secret: Essential Oil Facial Steams
When I used to own a wellness spa, my favorite thing to do was to get a facial (okay, I loved the body wraps, too, I can’t lie). I used to love climbing up onto those comfortable esthetics beds underneath those warm sheets, and letting my fabulous staff put scrumptious masques on my face. I think my absolute favorite part, though, was the steam that billowed over my skin during the cleansing and exfoliation process. My estheticians always explained to me that the steam opened up my pores and allowed my skin to absorb all those wonderful ingredients they were … Continue reading
Posted in Aromatherapy, Skin/Facial Care
Tagged aromatherapy, beauty, bergamot, blue tansy, Clary Sage, essential oil, eucalyptus, facial steam, Geranium, german chamomile, grapefruit, home spa, immortelle, lavender, lemon, marjoram, neroli, palmarosa, Petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, skin care, spa facial, Spike Lavender, Tea Tree
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Home Remedy for Stinky Diaper Pails
Whoo-eee! If you’re using conventional diapers (i.e., non-cloth), then you know that that diaper pail sure can get stinky. The one in my house is so nasty, it could wake the dead. That is why we put it near the front door, so that it can knock out guests as they walk in, enabling us to ransack their pockets for extra cash. Just kidding. Not really. We use compostable diapers and have a compostable diaper service pick ours up every week, but just because we’re being environmentally friendly doesn’t mean that that pervasive stink doesn’t still waft itself into our … Continue reading
Posted in Baby & Child Care, Housekeeping
Tagged aromatherapy, cinnamon, clove, deodorant, deodorize, diapers, essential oils, eucalyptus, Ginger, home remedies, home remedy, how to, Peppermint, remove odor, rosemary, sage, stinky diaper pail, Tea Tree, thyme
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Beware: Garlic Essential Oil Can Stink Up a Marriage
Remember when I wrote about essential oils for flatulence and how they’ve probably saved my marriage? Well, essential oils can also be bad for a marriage. I started cracking up as I was thinking about this one incident that happened early on in my Aromatherapy studies. It was so funny I just had to share. Consider it another tale of my inherent cluelessness and stupidity. All those years ago, when I first embarked on my Aromatherapy journey, I signed up for an online certification course from ACHS. They sent me a box of 31 essential oils and my first homework … Continue reading
Natural Remedies for Grief
I had never lost anyone close to me until I lost my BFF, Christine. Actually, I take that back – I lost my grandfather in November 2004, but that felt different because a) he had been ill for quite some time; b) he was 90 years old and had lived a long and full life; and c) I had a chance to say goodbye. Yes, I did mourn him, but his death did not throw me into a state of shock and grief the way Christine’s did. Christine was healthy, 38 years old, and left suddenly and unexpectedly. There was … Continue reading
Posted in Aromatherapy, Flower Essences, Herbs, Holistic Home Remedies, Natural Health Disciplines
Tagged aromatherapy, clematis, depression, essential oils, flower essences, grief, home cures for, home remedies for, homeopathy, ignatia, lemon balm, natural cures for, natural remedies for, neroli, rescue remedy, shock, star of bethlehem, sweet chestnut
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