Herbal Aromatherapy |

by Melissa Sage

Aromatherapy is extremely exciting, but people often find themselves asking, “How do I USE these oils?” Anyone who’s gone crazy over an essential oil understands that once you find an oil you love, you want to smell it constantly. Such is the power of scent! Smelling beautiful oils from their tiny blue bottles is how most of us end up buying essential oils, but we don’t want to stop there. A unique way to use your oils is to create aromatherapy sprays or misters. This application allows you to work with the healing properties of essential oils without necessitating carrier oils or diffusers. Best of all, they are fun and easy to create.

Many of the commercial room deodorizers found on the market end up making us feel overpowered because they contain synthetic fragrances. While room sprays can be a delightful way to change the feel of a space, the wrong scent can make a room feel oppressive rather than cheerful. Medicinal-quality aromatherapy oils have the opposite effect. Rather than just covering up annoying odors, essential oils actually alter the energy of a room, giving us the healing benefits we’ve all come to love.

Aromatherapy sprays are a combination of pure essential oil and water, and in some instances, witch hazel. For supplies all you’ll need are spray bottles, spring water and essential oils. Because essential oils don’t like to be exposed to too much light, it’s best to pick cobalt blue, amber or some other dark-colored glass bottle for storage. When filling with water, try to use purified water to reduce the possibility of chemical contaminants, which might taint the scent of your spray or diminish the medicinal qualities of the oils. Finally, if you intend to keep your sprays for longer than two months, consider putting a small amount of witch hazel in the mix. Witch hazel is an extract from the North American shrub Hamamelis virginiana, and it is an excellent natural preservative when used with essential oils. Finally, you’re on to the fun part - the essential oils!

With so many aromatic oils to choose from, you can create an endless variety of sprays for your home, office or car. When considering which oils to buy, always seek the highest quality you can find. You will need to use less oil, and the healing benefits of the oil will increase exponentially if you choose a superior oil. Therapeutic-grade oils satisfy our senses in ways inferior oils simply cannot. Excellent oils make the mind feel bright and provide instantaneous changes in the body. This is because the body/mind connection is immediately felt with aromatic oils. That’s why we want to make the most of the oils we have and choose the best we can afford.

Any essential oil can be turned into a spray, but some are even better than others. The citrus oils, like mandarin, grapefruit, lemon, lime and tangerine, make great misters. Citrus oils give your environment an instant facelift, turning a tired room into a bright sanctuary. These pleasing oils can be mixed with sharp-smelling oils like eucalyptus, rosemary verbenone, myrtle or peppermint for a balanced blend. Just remember, citrus oils can cause skin reactions if they are exposed to sun, so keep these blends indoors.

Another popular group of oils for room sprays is the coniferous plants and trees. Juniper berry, balsam fir, spruce, black spruce, cedar and sandalwood are excellent choices for infusing a space with grounding aromas. These essential oils are simultaneously calming and uplifting, and they are especially pleasant during the winter months, when access to the outdoors is limited. Unlike fruit and flower scents, pines and woods imbue our environments with a subtle scent that, like incense, warms the space without overpowering our senses.

Now on to the production. When mixing ingredients, start with water. If you want to use witch hazel, mix the water and witch hazel in a 4 to 1 ratio. Next, place anywhere from 4 to 16 drops of essential oil in one ounce of liquid and shake. The blend will separate and needs to be shaken each time you use it. Any essential oil can be turned into a spray, but some oils are thicker than others (such as myrrh) and need to be thoroughly mixed before spraying.

When blending your own scents, start with a few drops and increase in number to make sure you enjoy the mix. Just remember that strong oils, like peppermint, black pepper or cinnamon, are intense once atomized. Only use a few drops of oil, and you should run no risk of irritating your nose, eyes or throat. Also, it’s usually a good idea to avoid essential oils that have been mixed with carrier oils. These mixtures may clog your spray bottle, as carrier oils do not evaporate the way essential oils do.

Children often love creating sprays. This simple activity can be a fun way of teaching children about natural health while providing exposure to scents they love. When creating spray blends for children, less essential oil is always best. Oils like lavender, Roman chamomile, rose and sandalwood are gentle enough for use with children, as are lemon tea tree and rosalina, oils with qualities similar to tea tree but having less sharp-smelling aromas. Children also respond well to vanilla’s calming scent. Finally, a delightful sleep aid for children and adults alike is 2 drops of lavender and 2 drops of Roman chamomile in one ounce of liquid. Spraying the oil in the corners of a room greatly aids sleep and relaxation. Just remember, NEVER spray a child’s face directly with essential oil products.

Don’t forget that these sprays can also be adapted for use as natural perfume or deodorant. Simply choose oils that are non-irritating to the skin and mix in the same way you would a room spray. A few delectable oils to consider: jasmine, rose, sandalwood, vetiver or neroli all make wonderful personal sprays. Just avoid spraying near the eyes or face. Also, any oil you’re using for therapeutic purposes can be diluted in a water/witch hazel mixture and applied as needed throughout the day. If you want your scents on the go, pocket- and purse-size misters are a great way to freshen up, calm down or revive in the middle of a long day.

Learning about essential oils is a fascinating and rewarding journey. With so many oils to choose from, you are bound to find a dozen oils and blends that work well as sprays, enabling you to change your environment in minutes. Atomizing essential oils in misters does not require much work, and the investment is low. If your blend is not what you’d hoped, you only expended a small amount. With an imagination and a few ingredients, you can begin to change your space immediately. Start your journey with sprays, and aromatherapy will become a part of daily nourishment.

About the Author:
The author has made available reports on specific anti-microbials such as geranium essential oil, and using essential oils.