Posts Tagged ‘aromatherapy’

Posted on March 3, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

3 Easy Tips to Try Aromatherapy At Home

We’ve touched on what aromatherapy can do for your body.  So let’s look at what amazing aromatherapy can do for your home.

Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils to enhance our physical and mental well-being. Essential oils are highly concentrated distilled essences of plants that smell truly delightful. They are diluted either by water or with a ‘carrier oil,’ depending on the intended use of the essential oil.

Organic lavender essential oil – our personal fave – has the ability to evoke and increase the release of serotonin, thus producing a calming effect.¹

Try these simple at-home tips and bring the soothing power of aromatherapy to your abode!

1. Create a Simmering Scent

To freshen air inside your home, drip some of our favorite scent into a pot of water and simmer mixture on the stove top for several hours.

2. Try Tug-Worthy Toilet Paper

To ensure there’s always a fresh scent in the bathroom, add a few drops of essential oil onto the cardboard roll that holds the toilet paper. The fragrance will release with each pull. Remember to repeat with each new roll you hang.

3. Reinvent the Room Deodorizer

Conventional so-called room deodorizers are just chemical-filled band-aids used to mask odors. Make your own with ease: add 25 drops of your favorite essential oil to 16 ounces of water, put in a spray bottle, and voila – fresh, pure, natural smelling indoor air!

And don’t forget about hydrosol - it’s less concentrated than essential oil, but equally aromatherapeutic!

Our sense of smell impacts our daily perceptions and our reactions to what’s going on around us – physically, emotionally and mentally. Infusing your home with healing scents is a great way to boost your mood and keep you centered.  Now take one big beautiful breath, and enjoy!

1Perscription for or Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

Posted on March 1, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

A Sea of Bodily Love: Sponges & Loofahs

We hope by now you’re treating yourself to at least one relaxing, aromatherapeutic bath a week that’s:

• Good for the earth: the non-toxic ingredients in organic bath and beauty products don’t wind up in our water streams.
• Great for your body: by making smart choices about the products you put on your skin, you’re investing your health.

Now it’s time to think about transporting all the nutrient-rich soaps, sea salts, scrubs and more available from Napa Valley Bath in the most eco-conscious way…

Sea and Be Seen

Opt for sea sponges versus synthetic sponges, which are typically made from petrochemicals.

For thousands of years, people have been cleansing themselves with multi-celled sea sponges. Sea sponges live in almost every aquatic environment, filtering nutrients from the water through their pores.

Real sea sponges:

• Are a non-endangered species, so they are greener alternative to synthetic sponges
• Regenerate, so there’s no worries about over-harvesting
• Hold a greater amount of water
• Biodegrade, so there’s no waste

So ditch that pink, plasticized pouf hanging in your shower – your green bath is truly sea sponge-worthy!

Love Your Loofah

Did you know that a loofah is a dried plant related to the squash family?  Loofah sponges can be used every day to:

• Give a boost to your circulatory system
• Cleanse and exfoliate your skin
• Help prevent cellulite build-up

Make sure that any loofah you buy is organically-grown and unbleached. In a DIY mood? Harvest your own!

Posted on November 6, 2009 - by Leslie Billera

Let’s Hear It For The Soy!

I’m a candle junkie. When I go away with my husband, I always pack a couple of soy votives to ‘set the mood,’ in addition to a nice bottle of organic wine.

Any candle not made from soy, beewax or another specially-marked blend of wax is most likely paraffin-based. And the bad news about these popular candles is that paraffin fumes include toxic substances like:

• Toluene (recognized by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen)
• Benzene  (recognized by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen)
• Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)
• Naphthalene

These contaminants are found in paint, lacquer and varnish removers are in stark contrast to the emotions that scented candles promise to evoke!

The American Lung Association backs it all up, advising that we “refrain from burning scented or slow burning candles that have additives.”

Soy to the Rescue: Healthier and Longer-Lasting

Soy candles burn naturally and emit little to no residue into the air.

On the practical side, soy candles last 30 to 50 percent longer then traditional candles. Plus, they clean up with soap and water – no more ruined table clothes or table runners.

Napa Valley Bath takes all the green goodness of the soy candle and transforms it into a sexy treat that does double duty – half candle, half all-natural massage oil.  Now that’s a two-for-one you can’t pass up!

Posted on October 29, 2009 - by Leslie Billera

Learn to Love Lavender Hydrosol

It’s time to infuse your life with organic lavender hydrosol.

You’ve probably heard a lot about essential oils, while hydrosols have tended to take a back seat. No longer. We love lavender hydrosol for its balancing and healing qualities.

Hydrosol is the pure, water-based solutions created when essential oils are steam distilled. They are less concentrated than essential oils – in fact, there’s less than 5% actual oil in hydrosol. This means a more mild and subtle aroma, with no dilution necessary.

Not only does lavender hydrosol smell light and lovely, it’s a reliable work horse. Spray some on to…

• Soothe sunburn
• Cool heat rash
• Heal irritation
• Cleanse cuts and scrapes
• Tone skin: spray on skin after daily cleansing, it balances dryness/oiliness
• Counter itching from insect bites
• Reduce inflammation before and after hair removal
• Prevent ingrown hairs before shaving
• Create extra calm in the bath
• Freshen sheets naturally (say goodbye to chemical-laden fabric sprays)
• Relieve stress when used in a compress for shoulders, neck and forehead…or when simply inhaled from your pillow
• Cure insomnia

And for Baby…

With their super sensitive skin, lavender hydrosol is a wonder for the wee ones. Use Lavender Hydrosol to…

• Calm in bathwater
• Scent homemade baby wipes
• Soothe diaper rash

Rose, peppermint, cucumber, sage…there’s a whole world of hydrosols out there waiting for you to discover. If you want to learn more about hydrosols, Suzanne Catty’s Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy is considered the best go-to guide on the subject.

Posted on January 29, 2009 - by Leslie Billera

Aromatherapy 101: What the Nose Knows

It’s time to delve deeper into aromatherapy.

We already introduced you to chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, the father of modern day aromatherapy. But what can aromatherapy do for you?

For starters, here’s a definition we  like:

Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of

utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants

to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.

-The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy

Scents and Sensibility

Pure essential oils – the building blocks of aromatherapy – are taken from flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind, or roots. Aromatherapy, or as it is sometimes called, essential oil therapy, is applied either:

1. Topically: applied to the skin either via massage or baths
2. Directly Inhaled: breathed in deeply
3. Aerial Diffusion: oils evaporate into the air for pleasantly scented air or for disinfection

Scent immediately goes to the brain and elicits a response. A signal is sent to your brain’s limbic system, which controls emotions and retrieves learned memories. This then causes chemicals to be released which makes you feel relaxed, calm or even stimulated.

Popular essential oils and their related aromatherapeutic benefits include:

• Basil - Sharpens concentration; alleviate some depression symptoms; headache and migraine reliever.
• Bergamot - Useful for urinary tract and digestive tract; good for the skin when combined with eucalyptus oil.
• Black pepper – Stimulates circulation; aids muscular aches, pains and bruises.
• Eucalyptus – Relieves cold or flue by opening airways; commonly combined with peppermint.
• Jasmin – Offers aphrodisiac qualities.
• Lavender – Heals minor cuts and burns as an antiseptic; relaxer; relieves headache and migraine symptoms; sleep enhancer
• Lemon – Lifts  moods, relieves stress and depression.
• Tea tree – Provides antimicrobial, antiseptic, and disinfectant qualities. Commonly used in mouth rinses.
• Thyme – Helps with fatigue, nervousness and stress.

There are about 150 essential oils to choose from. Whichever one you choose for aromatherapy, make sure it’s made from natural, pure, raw and ideally organic materials. Synthetic oils are never an acceptable substitute.