The essential oils I can't do without and my favourite way to use them as part of my holistic wellness toolkit.
Essential oils have been part of my life for such a long time. Since I was young and experienced difficulty sleeping, oils have appeared sporadically through out the years as a crutch, anchor, comforter and trusted ally.
Essential oils are the secret and much trusted, respected weapon in my wellness toolkit. That's why I've created a range of Intentional Blends.
I love and use a whole host of precious essential oils but here are the top five oils that I cannot do without.
FRANKINCENSE
Rich, woody and sweet, this resinous oil has a multitude of uses. It's the ultimate oil for meditation and more contemplative or meditative practices as it helps you align yourself with compassion, peace and wellbeing.
Frankincense is a wonderful oil to have on your desk or work station as it can assist in clearing your mind of chatter and distraction, helping you to find focus and clarity. It can also useful if you're experiencing low-lying anxiety as it promotes feelings of ease and grounding.
Frankincense has many benefits for the physical layer of the body too. It facilitates a deeper, fuller breath and is useful for respiratory issues as it opens the breathing passages in the lungs. It strengthens the immune system and has been found to be beneficial for offering some relief from arthritis.
You will always find a bottle of frankincense in my bathroom as it is such a wonderful oil to use in skin care, especially for mature or sun damaged skin. Toning and invigorating for the complexion, it is both antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating.
How I use Frankincense:
Dabbed on pulse points, centre of chest and between the brow before a restorative/meditation practice to promote inner peace, calmness and clarity
1 or 2 drops diluted in rosehip oil and massaged into face, neck and decollate as a luxurious and nourishing treat for the face
Popped in a spray with some purified water for a refreshing facial spray (keep in the fridge for an extra refreshing treat)
Used in my Clarity Blend alongside spearmint and lavender. It sits by my desk and is great when you require focus for a task at hand. It also works beautifully when applied mindfully on the temples if you have a tension headache
NEROLI
Aaah neroli, sweet beautiful neroli…. Taken from the flowers of the Bitter Orange or Seville Orange, neroli was named after an Italian Princess who used it as her favourite perfume. And this is true for me too.
I will quite often simply dab a drop of this fragrant oil behind my ears, on the centre of my chest and along the backs of my wrists when I want to smell and feel beautiful. Without fail, people always comment on its aroma and ask where my perfume is from!
Neroli has a warm, calming and a delicately uplifting fragrance. Its ability to balance and revive makes this oil invaluable for varying states of anxiety and depression. It can be beneficial when applied or inhaled before a stressful event such as a public presentation, a difficult conversation, or an interview.
Its gentle sedative qualities also assist with states of shock and insomnia.
Neroli, like frankincense, is also particularly valuable when it comes to skincare. It stimulates the growth of healthy new skin cells thereby offering a rejuvenating effect on the skin, and making it the ideal addition to facial oils, bath elixirs or body creams and/or oils.
How I use Neroli:
Dabbed behind the ears, centre of chest and back of wrists
In a diffuser when I'm feeling a little anxious or overwhelmed
Placed in a tablespoon of carrier oil (eg. sweet almond/jojoba) along with essential oils of rose and immortelle and added to a bath for a luxurious bathing experience
Neroli, frankincense, rose otto & immortelle are the four precious oils I blend with purified water for my Radiance Facial Spritz. It's a treat for the skin and an utter joy for the senses!
VETIVER
A tall perennial grass native to India, vetiver roots produce a thick, resinous oil which has a profoundly grounding effect on those who are distressed, panicky or anxious.
Musky, warm, earthy and and malty are the words that are conjured up in my mind when I think about vetiver . Almost like a reassuring hug in a bottle or a blanket to wrap around you on those days when you feel untethered, ungrounded, or adrift.
Vetiver works mainly on the emotional level although it also features mild antiseptic and astringent properties.
Its Indian name 'Oil of Tranquility' expresses its qualities beautifully as it is a deeply relaxing oil and works wonders in blends for promoting relaxation and sleep. It's one of the oils blended in my is Rest Well Sleep Deep range.
How I use Vetiver:
Diluted in sesame seed oil and massaged into the soles of the feet, it offers grounding when you need to find steadiness and a sense of earth beneath you. This also work well before bed if you are having trouble switching off and are feeling anxious or flighty
Added to the bath in a carrier oil, it can transport you to a place of deep stillness and ease
Vetiver works really well as a ‘base’ note to many other oils working particularly well with patchouli, sandalwood, jasmine and lavender. I enjoy using it to add depth and warmth to many of the blends I create
Vetiver plays a big role in my Rest Well Sleep Deep blend - both the Rollerball and Pillow Mist. It's deeply relaxing, calming effect works wonders at helping the troubles of the day ease away as you slip into a deep sound sleep.
GERANIUM
I would never be without geranium. I have little bottles featuring this essential oil dotted all around my home - in my bathroom, my practice space and even in my makeup bag!
Balancing, floral and cooling, geranium oil is both calming and uplifting and makes for a natural anti-depressant, reducing restlessness and anxiety in both children and adults.
Its balancing properties also make it an ideal oil for female hormonal and menstrual health. Try massaging it onto the abdominal area in a carrier oil or added to a warm deep bath to aid relaxation and a feeling of overall wellbeing.
How I use Geranium
My go-to diffuser blend is orange, lavender and geranium. Quietly energising and uplifting it suits most moods and fills a room beautifully
Blended with a carrier oil, ( I like sunflower oil) sea salt and granulated sugar, this makes for a wonderfully indulgent but super easy skin scrub for the shower. Add a couple drops of grapefruit and lavender for a real energising boost
Because of its wonderful ability to promote balance, geranium features in a couple of my rollerball blends. Uplift & Harmonise (in image) is a zesty, energising blended geranium, grapefruit, orange and frankincense and is my go-to post shower in the morning or anytime I need a little positive boost. I love rolling it onto my pulse points and soles of the feet!
Balance Me is a quieter oil and perfect for those days when perhaps you are feeling hormonal levels fluctuate. A blend of chamomile, Lavender, frankincense and geranium, this is in my bag and makeup bag so it is never far from reach.
LAVENDER
Perhaps the most well-known and popular of all the essential oils, and with good reason. Affectionately refereed to as the ‘Grandmother of Oils’ and a 'Universal Oil', this versatile oil travels to the place in the body where it is most needed. It has a spread of properties ranging from analgesic, antidepressant, decongestant, and sedative .
Its most well-known properties are soothing, calming and above all balancing. Lavender promotes feelings of wellbeing as well as restful sleep.
This oil is safe to use on babies and children as well as adults and has so many uses it could have its own entire blog post.
It is perhaps most widely used in skincare due to its soothing, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory actions and alongside neroli and tea-tree is one of the most powerful oils to stimulate the healthy new growth of cells.
On the psychological level, because it is primarily a balancing oil, it is wonderful for easing anxiety, mild depression, insomnia and clearing a foggy mind. It gently uplifts and brings calm, steadiness and clarity to body, mind and heart.
How I use Lavender
I keep a bottle of this in my first aid kit and have applied it to mild burns, insect bites and spots
Placed undiluted onto cotton-wool balls, lavender acts as a great moth deterrent in your wardrobe and cupboards and smells 100x better than any nasty chemical deterrent
Lavender features in a couple of my blends including:
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