Barre with Justine

If you have ever smelled a freshly baked cookie or leaned into a dewy rose in the garden, I probably don’t need to convince you that aromatherapy can improve your life. But just for fun, I’ll highlight some benefits you may not have considered in this short post.

1. Brings a touch of nature to your day.

As the temperatures cool and we spend more time indoors, using essential oils is an easy way to bring the beautiful chemicals of nature into our lives. When we walk in nature, especially in the woods, we are exposed to volatile compounds (VOCs*) in the air such as terpenes like limonene and pinene that contribute to that wonderful feeling of being outdoors. These compounds are also found in essential oils, such as black spruce and pine. Similarly, we may not be able to smell a fresh rose or geranium in the winter months, but we can use the essential oils to bring those sweet scents into our homes. Read more about the science behind “forest bathing” here!

2. Enhance your skin.

We often gravitate towards unscented products for beauty or skin care, with good reason. Many of the fragrances and perfumes used in products can irritate skin and cause sensitivities. Essential oils may also be irritants in high concentrations and it’s important to use them mindfully, BUT certain oils can have beautiful effects on the skin and on our mood (which can impact skin health too!). Oils such as rose otto, neroli, helichrysum, chamomile, and geranium, at concentrations of 0.5% – 1% can soothe, regenerate, and boost skin health.

3. Boost your immunity

Essential oils like lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus and bergamot (which smells so floral and beautiful!) have antibacterial and antiviral properties that can be harnessed by using these oils to clean with and to diffuse. When using these oils, be mindful to use proper dilutions and test surfaces before cleaning. When diffusing, diffuse for short periods of time and be very cautious around pets and children.

4. Ground yourself for yoga and meditation

Scents are connected with our limbic system, that ancient part of our brains that control emotion and memory. As such, using an essential oil to set the tone for a mindful practice can be a wonderful way to find that feeling of calm throughout the day or whenever you need it. As an example, an oil like frankincense (known for its grounding properties) might be used at the beginning of yoga practice to bring a feeling of calmness to your mind. Then, at other times of the day you might choose a blend with frankincense to remind you of that quiet time of reflection.

5. Create memories for your family.

I love creating blends to use at home, from bathtime blends for my kids to perfume blends for myself. I like the idea that these blends can “fix” memories in place for my children and that one day, they will smell a rose and think of happy times or associate bergamot with the way our house smelled when I cleaned. There’s something so lovely about creating a sense of comfort and cosyness through aromas!

I hope that this post inspired you to add some essential oils into your life! Please let me know in the comments if you have a favourite oil, or any questions about using essential oils.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

*you may have heard of VOCs in the context of inside air pollution – in this instance they are natural compounds released by plants that may have beneficial effects on our mood and physical health.