Pure essential oils help us look after ourselves — relieving stress and soothing mind and body. They have been used for thousands of years for healing, relaxation and calm.
Organic oils are grown without fertilisers or pesticides, which helps ensure a pure product. Oils are used to ease minor colds and flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, breathing troubles and skin complaints, and to help rejuvenate mind and body. They are not a substitute for medicine in serious illness, but woven into a daily routine their soothing effect can be striking.
Choosing a quality oil
A true therapeutic oil must be processed by the right distillation method for that plant — sandalwood, for instance, is steam-distilled. Look for oils free of genetically modified material, with no artificial colours or scents, only their natural colour and aroma. They should be stored in dark bottles, since light damages the oil and its qualities.
Oil burners
A burner is one of the most popular ways to release an oil's scent. Add your oil to water — roughly three-quarters water to about four drops of oil. You need very little: single oils are highly concentrated and potent, so a small amount is enough to ease the mind and body.
Diffusers
Diffusers draw out an oil's benefits and can improve sleep, sharpen alertness, lift the spirits and help create a calm or romantic atmosphere. Many types work without heat — fan, nebulizing, pot and even necklace diffusers — which aromatherapists generally prefer. Heat-based options exist too, including tea-light, lamp-ring and car diffusers, if you like them.