Diffuser Blends

(Not Sad) Cypress (Wellness Wednesday)

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When I turned seven, a couple of family friends gave me Nancy Drew mysteries for my birthday. I gobbled them up and was soon devouring the whole collection from our little public library in Brooklyn. By the time I was twelve, I was devouring Agatha Christie mysteries. Since the essential oil I’m sharing about today is Cypress, that made me think of the Christie mystery, Sad Cypress.

Actually, Cypress isn’t sad at all–it has quite the opposite effect. It is gentle and uplifting to the emotions. Happy Wellness Wednesday, friends! It’s time for another edition of “What Should I Do With My Oils?”.

Latin name: Cupressus sempervirens L.; Family: Cupressaceae; Part of plant used: Leaves, twigs, cones.

Therapeutic Actions: Antispasmodic, Antiseptic, Decongestant, Restorative to the Nervous System.

How to use: Helpful for varicose veins, edema, preventative for sore throats, relieve lymph congestion, respiratory infections in the early phase, influenza, asthma, sore throats, dry spasmodic coughs, bronchitis, rosacea, wound healing, calming, helpful for transitions or times of grief, soothes anxiety.

Soothing Cypress Diffuser Blend for Anxiety, Immune Support, Allergy Relief

6 drops Cypress

3 drops Lemon

3 drops Black Spruce

Allergy Diffuser Blend

5 drops Cypress

3 drops Naiouli

4 drops Scots Pines

Nightime Leg Blend for Varicose Veins, Swollen Legs and Feet

2 oz. fragrance free lotion

16 drops Cypress

12 drops Lavender

8 drops Red Mandarin

Versatile Sweet Orange (Wellness Wednesday)

KimLeave a comment

Each Tuesday I go Live on Facebook at 12pm ET and Instagram at 12:15pm ET with a series called “What Should I Do With My Oils”. I focus on one essential oil each week, sharing benefits, ways to use it, blends and recipes, as well as any safety concerns. And on Wednesday I share the info here on the blog. This week I’m focusing on Sweet Orange. S

Latin name: Citrus sinensis; Family: Rutaceae; Part of plant used: Peel/zest of fruit. Aroma: fresh, fruity, citrusy.

Safety info: Store Sweet Orange in a cold, dark place. The fridge is a good place! Shelf life is 1-3 years. If the oil is stored improperly (been exposed to heat and sunlight), or is old, it can oxidize and cause dermal irritation. 

Like Lemon, check to see if your supplier distills or cold-presses their Orange oil. Cold-pressed Orange is not phototoxic, but distilled is. This just means you shouldn’t slather on a product with a high dilution of Orange in it and then go out in the sun. If you do use a product with lots of Orange, Lemon, or other Citrus oils and are unsure about how it was processed, just avoid exposing your skin to the sun for 12 hours. Example: no tanning beds or lying poolside.

OK on to the good stuff:

Sweet Orange is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, sedative, nervine, digestion aid, diuretic.

It’s a great oil for digestion: can help to relieve indigestion, nervous or upset stomach, gas and bloating

It is a friend to the nervous system/emotions: calms anxiety, agitation/irritability and restlessness, can relieve insomnia and depression.

Three Aromatherapy Blends with Sweet Orange:

Anytime Soothing Diffuser Blend

5 drops Sweet Orange

4 drops Lavender

3 drops White or Black Spruce

Study Buddy (Mental Clarity) Inhaler

4 drops Black Spruce

6 drops Sweet Orange

2 drop Peppermint

Happy Belly Lotion

(In 2 oz bottle with fragrance free lotion or use a carrier oil like Jojoba or Sweet Almond Oil)

10 drops Sweet Orange

5 drops Cardamom

3 drops Bergamot

In my Live videos, I recommended the free Introduction to Aromatherapy course from New York Institute of Aromatic Studies. You can find it at www.aromaticstudies.com.

OK, that’s all for now! Happy Wellness Wednesday and let me know if you try the blends.

Needing Niaouli (Wellness Wednesday)

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Every Tuesday, I go Live on Facebook and Instagram with my series “What Should I Do With My Oils?” and talk about one essential oil, its uses and benefits, and share a few recipes/blends as well. This week I shared about Niaouli, an EO that is super beneficial this time of year.

Niaouli: Latin binomial: Melaleuca quinquenervia ct 1,8 cineole; Family: Myrtaceae; Parts used: Leaves; Aroma: Camphoraceous, fruity, warm, earthy, 

Safety concerns: Don’t put near the nose or face of infants and children under 5 years old; can cause breathing problems in infants and young children.

Therapeutic Applications: weak immune system, allergies, bronchitis, respiratory infections, chest infections, fungal infections, mental fatigue.

Three blends/recipes:

Sore throat recipe: 1 drop Frankincense, 1 drop Niaouli, 1/2 teaspoon Jojoba oil. Rub on front of throat and back of neck.

Breathe Clear Blend: 6 drops Niaouli, 3 drops Cypress, 3 drops Spike Lavender. Diffuse for 1-2 hours at a time.

Allergy Lotion Blend: 15 drops Niaouli, 9 drops Lavender, 5 drops Eucalyptus Radiata, 8 drops Lemon, 8 drops Scots Pine in a 1 oz bottle of lotion. Apply lotion to neck, chest, and upper back.

I also wanted to recommend an aromatherapy book that I refer to often that you might want to consider for your home library. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit contains plenty of history and lore connected with plants, as well as information on essential oils to use for emotional and mental well-being.