Rose oil is one of the most popular essential oils. It has a rich floral fragrance conjuring up images of romance, luxury and pampering. More importantly its properties are said to be:

* Antidepressant
* Calming, Soothing, Relaxing, Restful
* Sensuous, Aphrodisiac
* Uplifting
* Balancing
* Improves confidence
* Reduces fatigue, stress and exhaustion

Rose oil is made from rose petals. As you can imagine it takes a lot of petals to produce a very small amount of oil. Estimates suggest that it may take a ton of petals to produce 300 grams of Rose Oil.

Unfortunately the real McCoy is very expensive, however you can buy the more affordable Rose Geranium (also known as Rose-French oil) which seems to work almost as well at one-tenth of the price. It contains many of the same ingredients as Rose – geraniol, linalool and citronellol – and it has similar properties and scent.  Read more...

Because of the rapid growth of aromatherapy practices since the internet has arrived, the use of undiluted essentials oils has increased dramatically – especially amongst holistic therapists and lay people who use oils without any safety training. Uninformed people at trade shows, fairs, and hundreds of entrepreneurial single trader businesses on the internet sell concoctions of essential oils without a thought about any possible risks.

Natural perfumers (‘botanical formulators’) , untrained therapists, even consumers are using undiluted oils on the skin without knowing they could be setting up setting up the conditions for sensitization to occur. Sensitization is becoming the principle problem of this profession, and the aromatherapy profession is largely in denial over it.

Aromatherapists are reported as applying undiluted essential oils to the skin in certain ‘minor emergency’ situations – tea tree oil for small skin traumas, lavender oil for very minor burn areas, cajuput or niaouli oils for insect bites, stings etc. etc.  Read more...

Ok ladies, listen up. If there is *anything* that most women have in common, it is the following:

1) we want to look the best we can – for ourselves, for our mates, just because
2) we’re suckers for a slick marketing/advertising campaign
3) we’re too busy caring for and worrying about everyone else to pamper ourselves properly

Now….I don’t know about the rest of ya’ll but I can neither AFFORD all the crap that is advertised nowdays as the next ‘miraculous’ beauty treatment nor do I have the time to apply/use them all.

So, where is the common sense approach in all of this? And just so everyone know, every single thing I suggest here I’m going to DO for the next 30 days and report back. I’m as bad as the next working/busy mom – I do and do and do and fall into bed remembering all I didn’t get done – and doing for myself rarely makes the ‘done’ list.

Let’s take it step by step….  Read more...

In his book The Holistic Herbal, David Hoffmann states: “It is in the complexities of our inner control systems that mind meets body most closely. If consciousness is seen as a faculty of the brain, then the partnership of nervous system and endocrine glands acts as a bridge linking consciousness and body.”

The glandular system includes the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, pancreas, pineal, thymus and gonads (ovaries or testes). Endocrine glands secrete and release hormones directly into the bloodstream.

Receptor sites for different hormones in each cell trigger changes or reactions in the cell’s metabolism. Fatigue is probably the biggest complaint of North Americans and often results from overworked adrenals. Jobs, family, noise pollution and the stresses of today’s busy lifestyles all contribute. Drinking coffee and other caffeine beverages puts an extra burden on already overworked adrenal glands.

Pine and spruce help revive adrenals. A massage or bath with the blend given below supports adrenal function-but don’t forget to schedule time to relax!

Adrenal Support  Read more...

[Excerpted from Herbal First Aid by Michael Castleman, Mother Earth News February/March 2005]

Soothe minor cuts, scrapes, burns and bruises — safely and naturally.

An estimated 80 percent of minor injuries occur at home. While some cuts, burns and blisters require immediate medical attention (see Red Flags), others can be effectively treated with simple first aid.

When stocking a first-aid kit to deal with these inevitable accidents, don’t overlook the many natural products that can speed healing and reduce the risk of infection. These include items you may already have on hand, such as vitamin C, aloe and honey.

When the Skin is Broken

To treat minor wounds, it’s helpful to understand how the body responds to injuries. The skin, which is the body’s largest organ, has two layers — the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the thin layer (about five cells deep) that’s in direct contact with the environment; it is also host to millions of bacteria and other microorganisms. Ordinarily, these residents cause no problems, but that can change quickly when you suffer a minor wound that breaks the skin.  Read more...

Why is smell so strongly linked to memory and emotion?

It is not fully understood, but this is no surprise as the complexities of brain activity are still far from being unravelled and understood. The brain holds far more secrets than we have discovered. What is known is that the sense of smell is registered in a part of the brain which was already developed in our earliest ancestors.

The limbic area of the brain was well developed before man had the power of speech or was able to make tools. The limbic area is concerned with all those activities vital to survival in a sometimes hostile world: sleep, hunger, thirst, memory, sexual response and, or course, smell are all affected by the limbic system.

As modern man developed the ‘higher’ senses and the brain became larger to accommodate development of speech, intellect and creativity, the ancient knowledge became blunted or buried deep in the unconscious and the limbic area of the brain lost some of its importance. But that ancient knowledge is still there and needs only to be re-awakened.  Read more...

Flower essences and aromatherapy are both potent forms of vibrational medicine. Flower essences employ the innate power of blossoms, sunlight, and pure spring water. Aromatherapy is derived from flowers as well as from roots, leaves, seeds, fruit, and wood resin. Flower essences generally contain a brandy base to keep them chemically pure and also to “anchor” the blossoms’ vibrations in the water; aromatherapy needs no preservatives. Flower essences carry no contra-indications and cannot be overdosed; aromatherapy may carry specific warnings.

Natural, herbal, non-toxic and non-invasive, flower essences stimulate positive qualities within us. They may be used both sublingually and topically. They have no taste other than the brandy in which they are preserved, nor are they scented. Similar to aromatherapy, they are highly concentrated. A little goes a long way.

Whereas it is important for the scent of the aromatherapy oils to enter the brain — either by way of the olfactory nerves or absorption through the skin — flower essences only need to enter the body sublingually, topically, or around the body, the energy field or the aura, in order to be effective. Since their action is not biochemical in nature, essences do not need to pass through the bloodstream.  Read more...