Looking for Aromatherapy Ideas!
August 1, 2018 8:34 PM Subscribe
I want to incorporate aromatherapy into my life more often, so I'm looking for ideas on how to do this. This could be suggestions of rituals, specific product recommendations, or anything else along these lines. I have some ideas listed inside, but could you add to it?
Here are my ideas so far:
1. Waking up to an oil diffuser near my bed with an energizing essential oil
2. Using lovely/strongly scented shower products like shampoo, conditioner, and soap in my morning shower
3. Using those vent clip ons (or something more natural/reusable?) in my car so my commute smells nice
4. Keeping a spray or rollerball or something in my car/purse/desk for when I'm stressed/tired at work
5. Occasional baths with bath bombs/bubbles, etc
6. Burning luxurious candles around my apartment when I get home for the evening
7. Spraying my pillow/sheets with a relaxing linen spray before bedtime
Do you have any other ideas of ways I can incorporate scent into my life, or advice like "too many different scents will make you go crazy" or "I use this tool to remind myself to take an aromatherapy break" or anything else I'm not thinking of? I'd welcome product recommendations of specific items, too, that you know and love. I tend to love a wide variety of scents except really earthy-spicy like patchouli or anything that smells strongly of jasmine (if it's in the background/blended it might be okay). Basically, if you have a strong scent game going in your life, I want to hear your ideas! Thanks!
Here are my ideas so far:
1. Waking up to an oil diffuser near my bed with an energizing essential oil
2. Using lovely/strongly scented shower products like shampoo, conditioner, and soap in my morning shower
3. Using those vent clip ons (or something more natural/reusable?) in my car so my commute smells nice
4. Keeping a spray or rollerball or something in my car/purse/desk for when I'm stressed/tired at work
5. Occasional baths with bath bombs/bubbles, etc
6. Burning luxurious candles around my apartment when I get home for the evening
7. Spraying my pillow/sheets with a relaxing linen spray before bedtime
Do you have any other ideas of ways I can incorporate scent into my life, or advice like "too many different scents will make you go crazy" or "I use this tool to remind myself to take an aromatherapy break" or anything else I'm not thinking of? I'd welcome product recommendations of specific items, too, that you know and love. I tend to love a wide variety of scents except really earthy-spicy like patchouli or anything that smells strongly of jasmine (if it's in the background/blended it might be okay). Basically, if you have a strong scent game going in your life, I want to hear your ideas! Thanks!
I truly apologize for this as it is MLM but I love DoTerra essential oils. They are high quality, smell divine, and last a long time. I order directly from the company rather than deal with a rep which makes it feel slightly less icky. Their Breathe blend is nice when I feel congested. They have some patchouli blends that are also wonderful. And the lavender is just yummy and I HATE lavender anywhere else.
On the less sketchy side, I have recently discovered French Girl products. Their neroli body oil is so gorgeous. It has jasmine in it as well. I massage it on my forearms at night to relax and the smell lingers to bed time. Their cuticle oil also smells great and keeps my nails looking happy.
posted by joan_holloway at 10:01 PM on August 1, 2018
On the less sketchy side, I have recently discovered French Girl products. Their neroli body oil is so gorgeous. It has jasmine in it as well. I massage it on my forearms at night to relax and the smell lingers to bed time. Their cuticle oil also smells great and keeps my nails looking happy.
posted by joan_holloway at 10:01 PM on August 1, 2018
Oh! How could I forget. Aesop resurrection hand soap and lotion are regulars in my bathroom. They smell like more sophisticated versions of Aveda fragrances. I actually use the hand soap as a body wash. The bottle is huge and lasts a longer time than the products they label as bath gels.
posted by joan_holloway at 10:07 PM on August 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by joan_holloway at 10:07 PM on August 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've installed this showerhead which you fill with scented cartridges and I really like it! It's subtle but you can smell it. The showerhead itself is also decent (just as good if not better than the one I replaced). It emits a finer spray but more and stronger if that makes sense? They have both wall mount and hand held showers. Each cartridge lasts about... 3 months daily use I think?
I've heard positive things about the scents for this personalised shampoo. Bit pricey so it's a splurge, but they are beautiful and custom to your preferences. I just went through the custom process and you can select your preferred scent around the third step.
posted by like_neon at 2:05 AM on August 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've heard positive things about the scents for this personalised shampoo. Bit pricey so it's a splurge, but they are beautiful and custom to your preferences. I just went through the custom process and you can select your preferred scent around the third step.
posted by like_neon at 2:05 AM on August 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Pablo santo is really trendy right now but it’s a fun earthy/woody scent you may not have tried.
You can light a little piece and blow it out to quickly scent a room.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:31 AM on August 2, 2018
You can light a little piece and blow it out to quickly scent a room.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:31 AM on August 2, 2018
I'mma expand on this one:
Burning luxurious candles around my apartment when I get home for the evening
This is an opportunity for some DIY; instead of continuing to invest a squillion dollars on those luxury candles, just save some of the containers after you've burned them down, or get some old jars. And then hit up a craft store for candle wax and wicks, and DIY your own custom-blended scented candles. That is dead easy - I make container-candle type candles, so all I have to do is melt the wax in a microwave, let it sit for a few minutes to cool down a tiny bit, stick the wick into the bottom of the jar/whatever, then add the oil to the wax, pour it in the container and let it cool and harden.
Something to be aware of if you do this - different essential oils have different "flash points," or temperatures at which the scent starts to get a little funky (kind of like the smoke point with cooking oils). Some scents have flash points that are little too low to be used in candles all on their own, but they can be combined with other oils that have higher flash points to offset that. This reddit discussion on the topic si a decent one, with some useful links.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:38 AM on August 2, 2018
Burning luxurious candles around my apartment when I get home for the evening
This is an opportunity for some DIY; instead of continuing to invest a squillion dollars on those luxury candles, just save some of the containers after you've burned them down, or get some old jars. And then hit up a craft store for candle wax and wicks, and DIY your own custom-blended scented candles. That is dead easy - I make container-candle type candles, so all I have to do is melt the wax in a microwave, let it sit for a few minutes to cool down a tiny bit, stick the wick into the bottom of the jar/whatever, then add the oil to the wax, pour it in the container and let it cool and harden.
Something to be aware of if you do this - different essential oils have different "flash points," or temperatures at which the scent starts to get a little funky (kind of like the smoke point with cooking oils). Some scents have flash points that are little too low to be used in candles all on their own, but they can be combined with other oils that have higher flash points to offset that. This reddit discussion on the topic si a decent one, with some useful links.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:38 AM on August 2, 2018
I have wax burners pretty much all over my house. I change the scents every few days based on my mood. I don't know if you have a work space (desk) but I have on my desk an oil diffuser that is battery operated that I change the oil in once a week or so. I always get compliments on it from coworkers!
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 8:33 AM on August 2, 2018
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 8:33 AM on August 2, 2018
If you like lavender it is lovely to put a drop of the essential oil on either side of your temples (like beside your eyebrows) and give yourself a little massage or in the middle of your forehead while you're lying down at the end of the day. Obviously don't use pure oil, I buy mine mixed with a carrier and it's fine. My yoga teacher would do this during savasana at the end of class and it was lovely.
To refresh yourself - a couple drops of peppermint, lavender, and frankincense rubbed between the palms and breathed in for 30 seconds is lovely.
You can sprinkly essential oil onto the bathtub before your shower and get some nice vapor going, again I like peppermint to wake up but citrus can be nice too.
If you like sprays, look into hydrosols/floral waters, less likely to cause trouble if you're applying them topically, rose is nice for the face and it can be used as a room/linen spray, I love wildroot on etsy for them.
I love the smell of early grey/bergamot but not the caffeine, I've been putting a couple drops of bergamot oil into herbal tea.
Finally there is essential oil/diffuser jewelery where you can add oil to beads, haven't tried it but people love them.
posted by lafemma at 9:01 AM on August 2, 2018
To refresh yourself - a couple drops of peppermint, lavender, and frankincense rubbed between the palms and breathed in for 30 seconds is lovely.
You can sprinkly essential oil onto the bathtub before your shower and get some nice vapor going, again I like peppermint to wake up but citrus can be nice too.
If you like sprays, look into hydrosols/floral waters, less likely to cause trouble if you're applying them topically, rose is nice for the face and it can be used as a room/linen spray, I love wildroot on etsy for them.
I love the smell of early grey/bergamot but not the caffeine, I've been putting a couple drops of bergamot oil into herbal tea.
Finally there is essential oil/diffuser jewelery where you can add oil to beads, haven't tried it but people love them.
posted by lafemma at 9:01 AM on August 2, 2018
I keep a container of cardamom, the spice, on the counter and open it for a whiff as needed. It is really soothing and happy for me.
posted by theora55 at 9:37 AM on August 2, 2018
posted by theora55 at 9:37 AM on August 2, 2018
You can add essential oils to DIY cleaning supplies, and make scented sachets for your closets and drawers.
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:20 AM on August 2, 2018
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:20 AM on August 2, 2018
Finally there is essential oil/diffuser jewelery where you can add oil to beads, haven't tried it but people love them.
There are also scent lockets where you put a little oil on a tiny sponge inside a locket. Your body heat extra affects the scent.
I wasn't into scents much until I started buying from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab in 2004, and my obsession is still in full swing. A lot of scented products bother my breathing terribly but I can still wear most BPAL. In addition to just wearing it, I use it to anoint candles, fragrance correspondence, and even scent my hair (by swiping a little on my hand and running through hair). When I was coloring my hair with henna, I'd add a BPAL scent (usually Zombi) to the mixture to make it smell better.
You can make a room scent by simmering some water with a few drops of oil in it. I've also had good results putting a few drops of oil on some burning incense charcoaal.
Most fragrance notes have a lot of varieties. If you don't like one kind of patchouli or sandalwood or myrrh, or one doesn't like your chemistry, you may find a variant that works for you.
A lot of things can affect how scented things will go on your skin. Hormonal changes can really affect things, and also if you're sick they may not smell right. Also, different components make fragrances age differently. I like a lot of scents that have resin components, and they become extra lovely when aged (BPAL's most popular scent is Snake Oil, and it is extra amazing and spicy and vanilla-y when aged!).
When something will be coming in contact with your skin, try a little first--for instance, anything with the slightest bit of cinnamon gives me painful red welts. Fine for room scents, but not on me.
It's worth a few minutes to read about the different forms fragrances come in. For instance, precious oils like neroli are usually sold in carrier oils like jojoba, whereas lemon or peppermint will be full strength. A fragrance oil is not the same as an essential oil.
If you find a scent you like but it only comes in one form (like a scent that's just in a bubbler bar), another company may offer a "dupe" that can be made in other forms.
Someone mentioned adding essential oils to tea. I'd avoid ingesting oils in general--even the ones that are supposed to be safe may have come into contact with ones that weren't, and there isn't much US regulation of essential oils.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:54 PM on August 2, 2018
There are also scent lockets where you put a little oil on a tiny sponge inside a locket. Your body heat extra affects the scent.
I wasn't into scents much until I started buying from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab in 2004, and my obsession is still in full swing. A lot of scented products bother my breathing terribly but I can still wear most BPAL. In addition to just wearing it, I use it to anoint candles, fragrance correspondence, and even scent my hair (by swiping a little on my hand and running through hair). When I was coloring my hair with henna, I'd add a BPAL scent (usually Zombi) to the mixture to make it smell better.
You can make a room scent by simmering some water with a few drops of oil in it. I've also had good results putting a few drops of oil on some burning incense charcoaal.
Most fragrance notes have a lot of varieties. If you don't like one kind of patchouli or sandalwood or myrrh, or one doesn't like your chemistry, you may find a variant that works for you.
A lot of things can affect how scented things will go on your skin. Hormonal changes can really affect things, and also if you're sick they may not smell right. Also, different components make fragrances age differently. I like a lot of scents that have resin components, and they become extra lovely when aged (BPAL's most popular scent is Snake Oil, and it is extra amazing and spicy and vanilla-y when aged!).
When something will be coming in contact with your skin, try a little first--for instance, anything with the slightest bit of cinnamon gives me painful red welts. Fine for room scents, but not on me.
It's worth a few minutes to read about the different forms fragrances come in. For instance, precious oils like neroli are usually sold in carrier oils like jojoba, whereas lemon or peppermint will be full strength. A fragrance oil is not the same as an essential oil.
If you find a scent you like but it only comes in one form (like a scent that's just in a bubbler bar), another company may offer a "dupe" that can be made in other forms.
Someone mentioned adding essential oils to tea. I'd avoid ingesting oils in general--even the ones that are supposed to be safe may have come into contact with ones that weren't, and there isn't much US regulation of essential oils.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:54 PM on August 2, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
I also like Florence and Stella by Tocca (available at Sephora).
Happy smelling!!
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:54 PM on August 1, 2018 [1 favorite]