Ah, the old chestnut about different “schools of aromatherapy”.   Have you ever heard people claim “this is the French way to use essential oils – the British method is outdated!”   This is a common response to anyone who dares to criticise casual ingestion. In fact, the concept of “French” and “British” schools of aromatherapy is often used by MLM brands to justify internal use. Their reps are told that the so-called “British” method is conservative and outdated. They like to promote the idea that essential oils are commonly ingested in France all the time. In reality, essential oi ..read more

Every social media network has its own vibe.   To me, Instagram is purely aesthetic. It’s all about art, beauty and creativity – a perfectly formed picture that tells a thousand words.   My post about Who to Follow on Facebook is focused on pages and groups that share reliable, trustworthy and interesting information about aromatherapy.   But the beauty of Instagram is its simplicity. It’s all about the picture. It’s not a place I’d necessarily go to seek out information in the way I would on Facebook or YouTube.   For that reason, the accounts I’ve chosen here are those I ..read more

We’ve all heard the “Seed to Seal” argument, and it’s used all the time to suggest that Young Living is a superior company.   You may have seen a recent Facebook post from Sarah Goff, a Young Living sales rep, who claimed to call various essential oil companies to demand why she couldn’t tour their farms. If you didn’t see it, you can read the original post on Facebook here. The post has since gone viral, with over 11,000 shares to date.   Sarah drew the conclusion that Young Living is the only trustworthy essential oil company, based on their so-called “Seed to Seal” promise. “Seed ..read more

Many people like to add a few drops of essential oils to their favourite moisturiser, shampoo or body lotion.   It’s seen as an easy way to incorporate the benefits of essential oils into your daily beauty routine.   But is this wise?   Personally, it’s not something that I do myself. To be honest, I always felt slightly uncomfortable about the idea of casually mixing essential oils into a beauty product off the shelf. It goes against my instincts to mix natural essential oils into a synthetic base.   I think it stems from a quote I read about 15 years ago in one of Valeri ..read more

Do you like to buy synergy blends?   I’m talking about those pre-mixed bottled blends of essential oils, usually designed for a specific condition or mood – such as “Romance” or “Relaxation”.   What is a Synergy Blend?   While essential oils are wonderful on their own, they are even more powerful when combined with others – hence the term “synergy”, which means a combination that is MORE than the sum of its parts. Aromatherapy is all about combining essential oils to create the perfect synergistic blend.   Now, some aromatherapists are a little snobby about pre-mixed syner ..read more

Love it or hate it, Facebook is a go-to source of information for millions of people around the world.   So I thought it would be useful to put together a list of Facebook pages that I believe to be good sources of aromatherapy information.   Before I begin, I just want to clarify a few points.   I have only included BRAND-NEUTRAL pages and groups. None of these are affiliated with any particular essential oil brand.   This list is aimed at HOME USERS, so I have not included any professional organisations, industry pages or therapist groups.   My list is specific ..read more

Looking for a super-easy, super-quick last minute homemade gift recipe?   You can’t beat a pretty jar of aromatherapy bath salts! It only takes 5 minutes to whip these up, and costs less than £2 to make each jar – including all the packaging!   What you need   130ml clip-top Korken jar (IKEA – £2.50 for pack of 3) 130g Epsom salts (Westlab – £2.99 for 1kg from TK Maxx/Home Bargains) 1-2 tsp. carrier oil (e.g. sunflower; fractionated coconut oil; grapeseed; sweet almond) 6 drops lavender essential oil Dried lavender buds (optional) Label     What to do   ..read more

Have you ever tried to make bath bombs? They have a reputation for being notoriously tricky! But fear not – here’s a super-easy recipe that won’t let you down!   This recipe was inspired by the beautiful Floranella website, which I have slightly tweaked to my preferences.   What you need   2 cups bicarbonate of soda/baking soda (this weighed approx. 560g) 1 cup citric acid (this weighed approx. 210g) Approx. 5ml witch hazel 4 tbsp carrier oil 18 drops lavender essential oil 18 drops geranium essential oil Dried lavender buds (optional) 2-3 tbsp spirulina powder (optional) &nb ..read more

I’ve previously written about the importance of diluting essential oils.   Before essential oils are used on the skin, they need to be diluted in a “carrier oil” (also known as a base oil, vegetable oil or fatty oil).   Despite the marketing claims of some brands, it’s really not a good idea to apply neat essential oil to your skin – no matter how pure it is.   Carrier oils   As I’ve discussed before in Why Dilute Essential Oils? carrier oils are not merely a neutral tool to dilute your essential oil. They actually offer amazingly therapeutic properties that are especially ..read more

Are you a podcast fan?   I must admit – I’ve only recently started to get into podcasts.   Until now, I struggled to fit them in.   I absolutely LOVE listening to music, so this usually takes priority. Plus, I find it almost impossible to work AND concentrate on listening to a podcast at the same time.   But I’ve found it’s actually easy to fit podcasts into “dead time” – whether that’s doing housework; walking to work; sitting on a train; painting a wall…any time your mind is free to listen!   There are some fabulous free podcasts available. Of course, it’s impossibl ..read more