“Joy” in January has been a 3 day event hosted by The Natural Perfumers Guild, an association of perfumers, suppliers and associates dedicated to the use of 100% natural aromatics.

In the past 3 days we have received over 2 feet of snow!  I haven’t seen the sunshine in the past 3 days!  However,  I take a moment and see the amazing details Nature has left amidst the white show.  The intricate icicles that have formed over a rushing stream take my breath away!

I hope you have enjoyed the blog posts from the past 3 days and have found ways to help combat SAD through Nature’s aroma’s.  I know I have!

The comments and participation of bloggers and readers has been awesome.  Winners were chosen by an old-fashioned hat drawing!  The winners are:

Day 1: Warum
Prize:  5 ml of SAD uplifting diffuser blend

Day 2: Happy Girl
Prize: 1 ounce Energize Blend for SAD in Jojoba Oil.

Day 3: Cheesegan
Prize:  Evening Bath blend in 4 ounces Himalayan Pink Salt.

To claim your gift, email me with your shipping information at: karen@aromaticsinternational.com

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects 6-14% of our population.  While light therapy is the most common treatment for SAD, a holistic approach incorporating essential oils is recommended for best results.  Having lived in a northern climate for several years, I have experienced SAD indirectly on several occasions through the experience of friends.  Along with increased exposure to light, regular exercise, and good nutrition, an aromatic bath before bedtime can greatly enhance sleep and provide a psychologically rejuvenating experience. As light is very important in combating SAD, you may wish to use candles for atmosphere while leaving the lights on. Finish the preparation of your bath with essential oils and Himalayan salts.

Combine the Evening Bath Blend below with 1/2 cup of small-grain Himalayan Pink Salts and add the mixture to your bath.  Swish the salts around until dissolved and step into a bath blissfully reminiscent of a tub full of rose petals and jasmine flowers.

• 2 drops Rose Absolute (Rose damascena) Emotionally uplifting and an effective tonic for the nervous system, rose absolute has a beautiful floral aroma.  Rose is known to be a sedative, easing shock, grief, and depression.  As the fragrant healing aroma of rose surrounds us, our emotions are soothed and anger melts away: a beautiful oil to ease grief and depression.

• 1 drop Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) Jasmine is prized for its exotic floral fragrance! An antidepressant that stimulates and strengthens the spirit, jasmine helps to relieve depression and diminish fears. This remarkable oil also increases self-confidence resulting in feelings of optimism.

• 2 drops Mandarin – Green (Citrus reticulata) Mandarin has a rich orange aroma that is very energizing and helps to relieve anxiety and depression.  Mandarin, also a sedative, helps to release and circulate stagnant energy.  This oil has additional positive effects for sore muscles, colds, and sinus congestion.

• 1 drop Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides) Vetiver has a smoky, earthy aroma that boosts your immune system as you wear it!  Vetiver oil is cooling and calming. It helps to reduce insomnia while supporting and strengthening the nervous system. As a tonic, Vetiver strengthens and restores vitality and is very grounding.

Thank you for following the “Joy in January” bloggers for this 3-day event.  Hopefully you have gleaned many strategies for dispelling the winter blues!

We are giving away a 4 ounce jar of Himalayan Pink Salts with our Evening Bath Blend. To enter this drawing, post a comment!

Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you for shipping information. The winner will be announced January 19, 2012.

Other “Joy in January” blogs :

We have learned that essential oils can make a transformative difference in improving quality of life during the cold winter months. The appropriate use of essential oils can relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that often causes varying degrees of depression, a general loss of energy, and insomnia or restlessness at night.

When we feel lethargic, it’s difficult to motivate ourselves to exercise. This is a significant issue as exercise is a very important strategy in combating SAD. Since SAD is caused by decreased exposure to sunlight which affects our serotonin levels, I recommend walking outside every day, even if merely for 15 minutes at a time. When walking among the conifers and other forest plants and trees, we benefit from the amazing energetic properties of the trees. This meditative experience can help restore balance in our emotional system. According to Mojay, pine is psychologically fortifying. He further states that pine oil opens the chest, instills positivity and helps to restore self-confidence…disperses melancholy and counteracts pessimism, working to reawaken our instinctive connection to life.

The wood or trunk of a tree conducts water and nutrients from the roots to its leaves, stems, and flowers. Oils that are extracted from wood can help conduct energy, provide balance, and give us a better sense of core support. These oils can help us connect to our center in a deeper way. The aroma of most conifers is invigorating and uplifting.  These refreshing properties help to build stamina and encourage motivation.

Pine needles allow the tree to breathe. They also protect the tree from water loss and support photosynthesis. Interestingly enough, pine oils can help us breathe easier just as needles help the trees! We can use pine oils to support respiration, deeper breathing, and the breath of life. These oils can also protect us, both emotionally and physically, from infection and disturbing energy. Leaf and needle oils support mental expansion and creativity.  We gather valuable energy from these amazing oils.

Energize Blend for SAD

Here is a lovely and effective blend in Jojoba oil that smells amazing and gives us that extra energy boost, combating fatigue.

8 drops Norway Pine (Pinus resinosa)
4 drops Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana)
4 drops Silver Fir (Abies alba)
2 drops Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
6 drops Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

Place the drops in 1 ounce of Jojoba Oil (or another carrier of choice) and apply throughout the day for a rejuvenating energy boost.  Apply to the back of your neck, the insides of your wrists, and on your temples.  Keep beside your bed and take deep breaths in the morning when you don’t feel like getting out of bed.

• Norway Pine is an immune tonic that has proven to be an excellent support to the body’s health. This oil has also been used as an adrenal gland tonic, and helps us stay healthy during times of stress, excessive work and transition. It is a great benefit in enhancing circulation in the legs and helping to alleviate leg fatigue.

• Cedarwoodhas deep woody notes that boost emotional strength and stability. Cedarwood increases strength and endurance during difficult times and is very grounding.

• Silver Fir has a beautifully vibrant aroma that conjures the memory of walking in a pine forest. While its soothing benefits for the respiratory system are well known, Silver Fir is fantastic for overall immune support. This wonderful oil is emotionally restorative, and its aroma helps to inspire positive energy and promote a strong self-image.

• Peppermint has lovely cooling properties and awakens the mind. It supports creativity and combats fatigue by uplifting and stimulating the mind.

• Lime is a delightfully refreshing oil. It brings relief from fatigue, anxiety, and the general sense of discomfort related to illness. Lime brings sunshine and light to fight feelings of depression: a wonderfully uplifting boost for our emotions!

We are giving away a 1 ounce bottle of the above blend in Jojoba oil.  To enter this drawing, post a comment! Be sure and leave your email address so we can contact you for shipping information.

Winner will be announced January 19, 2012.

Other “Joy in January“ blogs :

References:

1) Battaglia S. The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. 2nd edition, The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy, Australia, 2003
2) Mojay G. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Henry Holt and Company Inc., England, 1996

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) seems to appear with the coming of Fall and eases off as Spring appears, especially in the Northern climates affecting more women than men.   Studies show SAD can be caused by a decrease in sunlight affecting levels of the hormone, Seratonin, responsible in helping us maintain a feeling of well being.  While there are other possible causes, we feel less energetic, depressed and catching more colds and flu as our immune system is depressed.  In turn, weight creeps up and we long for a good nights sleep.  In essence, SAD can affect every area of our life.

During this period of time, we naturally gravitate to uplifting aromas.  Fragrance deeply affects our brains ability to think and feel, to energize us or take us into a more quiet, restful place. Much has been written on this topic and it seems that light, exercise, eating well and surrounding ourselves with uplifting aromas such as essential oils can dramatically help ease the symptoms of SAD.

Elizabeth Jones in her book, Awaken to Healing Fragrance, quotes  a study by T. Komori et al, “Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states”. The study shows the antidepressant benefits of the citrus oils plus their boost to the emotional immune system. Elizabeth further states the results support the concept that human depression is based on homeostatic dysregulation and citrus oils improve the homeostatic balance more than antidepressant drugs.  It was concluded that citrus oils were of psychoneuroimmunological benefit for the treatment of emotions and the immune system.

I like to utilize a diffuser as the oils uplift our emotional spirit and clean the air.  If a diffuser isn’t available, put a pan of water on a woodstove or stovetop on low heat and add 10-15 drops of essential oils.

SAD uplifting diffuser blend:

35 drops Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
30 drops Orange (Citrus sinensis)
10 drops Neroli (Citrus aurantium var amara)
15 drops Cardamom CO2 (Elettaria cardamomum)
10 drops Patchouli (Pogostemom cablin)

Blend together in a 5 ml bottle and use as your stock blend.  Add 10-15 drops to a diffuser. Use in your home or office during the day.

• Bergamot is a valuable oil when dealing with emotional issues and has been used successfully to address depression, anxiety, and tension.  Possessing a bright aroma, Bergamot is a beautiful addition to blends.  Bergamot also helps with insomnia and is restorative and calming.
• Orange is a bright uplifting oil and is useful to add to any blend when you want a fresh, happy note! Excellent in a diffuser to brighten the room and to disinfect.  Noted as an antidepressant.
• Neroli is used in blends for people who need strong emotional support. The gentle floral, citrus aroma can be very soothing and calming to the nervous system, especially when used in really small amounts and blended with other calming oils.  Neroli relaxes the nerves and calms and soothes the heart.
• Cardamom is a wonderful oil for aiding mental concentration (cephalic). Cardamom has a warm, sweet, spicy aroma and is refreshing and invigorating
• Patchouli helps reduce stress and anxiety and can help to prevent and alleviate depression.

We are offering a free 5 ml bottle of the above blend.  To enter this drawing, post a comment!  Be sure and leave your email address so we can contact you for shipping information.

Winner will be announced January 19, 2012.

Other notable blogs on “Joy In January”:

References:

Jones, Elizabeth Anne. Awaken to Healing Fragrance, North Atlantic Books, USA, 2010
Battaglia S. The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. 2nd edition, The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy, Australia, 2003
Mojay G. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Henry Holt and Company Inc., England, 1996

Exotic Jojoba-infused carrier oils are a perfect choice for the winter season!

1)  Coffee Flower Infused Jojoba Oil - What a divine aroma! While not smelling like coffee, this oil is blissfully aromatic and features deep floral notes. According to a former resident, this oil smells just like the blooming coffee flowers in Hawaii. The infusion is vibrant!  The aroma is sweet, soft, and floral and has all the wonderful benefits of Jojoba oil.

2) Neroli Blossom infused Jojoba Oil - This oil perfectly conjures the smell of Neroli blossoms.  As Neroli is a precious oil, this infusion provides a way to enjoy the benefits and aroma of amazing Neroli!

Neroli blossoms come from Egypt and a special absorbance process is used by our South African distiller with very low heat to infuse the Jojoba oil.  It has a beautiful Neroli aroma.

The gentle floral, citrus aroma can be very soothing and calming to the nervous system and is considered an antidepressant:  very helpful in reducing anxiety.

3)  Vanilla Infused Jojoba Oil - We are so excited to offer this luscious jojoba oil that we have infused with Vanilla oleoresin. Its aroma is warm, rich, and full of vanilla!  I have been using jojoba as a moisturizer for as long as I can remember. The vanilla aroma is a wonderful addition!

You can make Vanilla infused Jojoba yourself.  So easy!  This thick syrupy Vanilla Oleoresin will not dilute itself in jojoba as it is not fat soluble.

•   A great approach is to put a large blob of vanilla oleoresin in 16 oz. of jojoba and let it infuse for a week.

•   The jojoba will absorb the aroma of the vanilla but it will not blend with the vanilla, so the vanilla stays on the bottom of the bottle.

•   Once you have used all the jojoba you can re-use the vanilla by adding another 16 oz. of jojoba to the bottle – no need to add more vanilla! I have re-used my one blob of vanilla in 16 oz. of jojoba 4 times already and the aroma of the jojoba is still strong!

Ways to use these beautiful infused Jojoba Oils:

•   They are ideal as carrier oils for making any essential oil blend

•   They are perfect to add when making body butters, lip balm, and lip stick bases

•   They can also be useful as massage oils or moisturizers.

•   Perfumes – A very special friend used the Coffee Flower infused jojoba Oil, added beeswax and some conifer essential oils to make an amazing solid perfume.

Try these carriers for an exotic experience!

Coffee Flower picture is compliments of Wikimedia Commons taken in November-2004 by Fernando Rebêlo.

Silver Fir offers strong immune support and provides an expectorant, ant-infectious, antibacterial and antiviral effect. It has a beautiful vibrant aroma that reminds us of being in a pine forest.

Silver Fir has an affinity for the respiratory system and we use it in blends for allergies and sinus or lung congestion.  Great for this time of year for overall immune support.

Utilize your diffusers in your home or office.  Perfect for dorm rooms and school rooms as the aroma is soft and woodsy.  Silver Fir is emotionally vitalizing and increases positive energy.  Just what we need to help us enjoy the holiday seasons even more!

Try the diffuser blends below and increase your positive energy while decreasing the viruses!

Recipes

Protective Room Diffuser Blend

5 drops Silver Fir (Abies alba)
5 drops Juniper (Juniperus communis)
5 drops Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
5 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Directions:  Add 5-10 drops in your diffuser.

Spicy Holiday Diffuser Blend

5 drops Silver Fir (Abies alba)
5 drops Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
5 drops Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
2 drops Clove (Eugenia Caryophyllata)
2 drops Tamala (Cinnamomum Tamala)

Directions:  Add 5-10 drops in your diffuser.

We are so excited to announce a new newsletter coming your way. Join our mailing list! We plan to share all kinds of information. Please email us if you have any subjects you would like us to cover and forward this newsletter to your friends as we are building our email list and appreciate your help! Thanks so much for all your support. We are continuing to work closely with our distillers and importing great oils. We are having so much fun importing, talking with distillers, pouring oils, and looking forward to a winter ahead of stocked shelves and sharing with you….

New Products

• Rose Damascena and Rose Centifolia hydrosols have arrived!  Both are aromatically beautiful & distilled in the South of France.  The Centifolia rose has a sweet, delicate aroma, while the Damascena rose has a deep, powerful aroma. Both offer the same qualities and is a matter of preference.
• Therapeutic Blends in Jojoba oil for easy application. Have several on your shelf foreasy access.
• Neroli Blossom infused Jojoba Oil. The Neroli blossoms come from Egypt and a special absorbance process is used by our South African distiller with very low heat to infuse the Jojoba oil.  It has a beautiful Neroli aroma.

The gentle floral, citrus aroma can be very soothing and calming to the nervous system and is considered an antidepressant, very helpful in reducing anxiety.

Recipes

With a change of weather as we transition from Summer into Fall and then into Winter we experience more colds and flu’s.  One of the best ways to ward off the flu is by a simple steam and an inhaler.

Cold & Flu Prevention Steam Blend

5 drops Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus globulus)

5 drops Ravintsara (Cinnamomun  camphora)

5 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Directions: Make a stock blend of the essential oils and use as needed.  Take the following blend and add 1 drop to a steaming bowl of water, cover your head with a towel for 10-15 minutes and breath deeply.  Make sure the steam isn’t too hot!

Sinus Support Inhaler Blend

4 drops Peppermint

5 drops Honey Myrtle

4 drops Eucalyptus Radiata

4 drops Mandarin

Directions: Place the oils in a small bowl and add the cottom insert of a blank inhaler. Roll making sure all the oil is absorbed.  Place in the inhaler tube and cap.  Be sure and label your product with the name, oils and date.  Inhale deeply with each nostril as needed.

Watch Aromahead instructor Andrea Butje in this video – How to make an Inhaler“.  So easy!

We are excited to announce our beautiful new website!!  We have kept all the search functions of our previous website and added many new features.

• Some oils might have 2 batches to choose from.  You can look at the GC/MS and the country of origin to see what appeals to you.
• Watch for older batches at a reduced price – great to use for cleaning!
• Gift Certificates are available.  Soon you will be able to add a message when ordering a Gift Certificate.
• Customers have requested the ability to save items in their cart. We have created this feature for you! Plus, we can now securely save your credit card for fast and easy check out!.
• Have a heavy order?  You can choose priority mail (2-3 days) or parcel post (4-5 days) for reduced shipping costs.

As with all new websites we have a few kinks we are sorting out. Thank you for your patience and excitement as we continue to grow Aromatics International. Please stay in touch and let us know if we can do anything to make your experience with Aromatics International even better.

Spearmint Hydrosol – Spearmint is one of our favorites! Cool, refreshing and energizing!  Put 1-2 tsp. in your water bottle and sip all day for a pleasant surprise every time you take a drink.  Works well with the digestive system.

Elderflower Hydrosol – Elder Flower is noted for its effectiveness on the nervous system, reducing physical and mental strain & promoting a sense of calm.

Organic Mandarin (Green) Citrus reticulata essential oil – Batch 105 from Brazil is amazing!  So vibrant with a  vital, rich orange aroma that is bursting with energy.

Annie and Karen

July found Larry and I headed to one of our favorite spots 1 hour north of Spokane, Washington in the wild country overlooking Lake Roosevelt.  This adventure was a time for learning and “hands on” experience making hydrosols.

Filling the Copper Still with Spearmint

Annie at Morning Myst Botonicals was our teacher and hostess.  Located on 280 acres of certified organic forest, grasslands and gardens, we had ample material to distill.  We had 10 other students join us from all over the country including Hawaii!  We loved everyone and it was so great to make new friends!

We divided up into 3 groups and once the morning lectures were finished, we headed out to wildcraft our plant material, break for a fabulous lunch and start our distillations.

St Johns Wort and Yarrow

Distillations were accomplished in Copper Alembic stills.  Copper makes the Distillate sweet immediately and doesn’t have to “cure” to achieve an amazing hydrosol. Copper also naturally reduces bacterial contamination.  Annie showed us the value of record keeping and using sterile techniques at all times during and after the distillation. Watching the hydrosol start to drip from the spout was an epic moment for all of us!

Smelling and tasting the hydrosol periodically is key to a beautiful, strong hydrosol.

Hydrosol facts:

• Hydrosol and essential oil many times have different properties from each other.
• Hydrosols are mild but potent.
• 1 tsp of hydrosol in a bottle of water and sipped all day is therapeutic and a joy!
• Annie states, “The term hydrosol was coined by Jeanne Rose about 1990 for the waters of distillation – from hydro for water and sol for solution, this is the first part of the distillate waters from the steam distillation of the plants.”
  

  Classroom

• Other terms for hydrosol can include hydrolats & floral water, depending on what part of the world you are from.
• A hydrosol is not water and essential oils mixed together, but a process of steam distillation or hydro-distillation.
• Some plants that produce hydrosols do not produce essential oils, such as Cornflower.
• Many hydrosols are made from Aromatics plants such as Lavender and do produce essential oil.
• The water used to distill needs to be from a pure source (water is a whole topic on its own) Pure mountain water or “living” water is the best.
• Herbal books are great references as to the benefits of each hydrosol.
• Many hydrosols available at Aromatics International.

What I learned from the class, “From Harvest to Hydrosol Workshop”, is that the hydrosols are amazing! I saw the work involved in producing a high quality artisan crafted distillate (hydrosol) and the sweet rewards of this hard work.  There’s nothing like handling the plant material, getting to know the plants and watching the process happen. Yes, hydrosols are amazing, therapeutic and fun to use.  Distilling hydrosols is an art and a love of the plants “blossomed”.

Babies are a precious gift to us and bring such joy.  Along with the joy comes a lack of sleep and sometimes issues with breastfeeding.  My niece Misty and I worked together to bring about natural healing for her issues with Mastitis and Thrush.  Here is her story and hopefully it will be of help with someone you might know.

Misty is the mother of two beautiful children.  She has a 22 month old and now a 4 month old.  As she was in the middle of packing, moving and nurturing  her 2 children, she developed painful mastitis when her baby was only a month old.  She developed an acute high fever and her Doctor wisely put her on antibiotics.  This took the swelling down and reduced her fever.  However, her nursing baby developed Thrush from the antibiotics.  Treatment (Nystatin) was tried without success.  Misty’s baby also had an intolerance for the Nystatin that caused her to feel sick and vomit.

Two months later, as Misty became worn out from packing and moving, her painful Mastitis returned.  She also had a sore throat, fever and was stressed.  Because of her babies’ thrush, she was unable to take antibiotics.  Not wanting her mastitis to develop into something more serious she started using a few natural methods.

Coconut oil proved to be an invaluable tool with the thrush and mastitis issues.  Her baby had white patches on the inside of both cheeks and on her lips.  Misty put cold-pressed & unrefined coconut oil on her babies lips and the insides on her cheeks.  She also applied on and around her nipple area every 2-4 hrs. before nursing. Misty states, “By the next morning, the babies cheeks were clear as were her lips.  It was so sweet to smell the coconut smell on her little lips.  I am astounded by how fast this worked.  The breasts were immediately relieved of the mastitis.”

Misty also sprayed her breasts with organic hydrosols, cleaning them off before breast feeding.

• Lavender hydrosol -  Soothing, Anti-inflammatory with analgesic properties

• Bay Laurel Hydrosol - The Bay Laurel is a broad-acting antiseptic and Antibacterial along with an immune booster.

Having the thrush and mastitis under control so quickly, we were able to deal with her respiratory “cold” and her low immune system.

We made 2 inhalers below:

1)  Respiratory:

• Balsam Fir – Abies balsamea
• Orange – Citrus sinensis
• Ravintsara – Cinnamomun camphora

2) Immune Support

• Cedarwood Virginiana J. – Juniperus virginiana
• Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia
• Orange – Citrus sinensis
• Rosewood – Aniba rosaeodora
• Vetiver – Vetiveria zizanoides

Used several times a day, especially with low energy.

We also made a stock blend of:

• Honey Myrtle – Melaleuca teretifolia
• Tea Tree – Melaleuca alternifolia
• Eucalyptus Globulus – Eucalyptus globulus

To use, 1 drop is placed in unscented lotion and rubbed on the breast area to help alleviate the infection.  This is to be washed off before breast feeding.

Conclusion:  Misty was so impressed with the effectiveness of the simple, natural remedies and essential oils.  The babies thrush hasn’t come back over the past month and Misty’s mastitis hasn’t returned.  When her breasts start to feel tight, she sprays the hydrosols and uses the coconut oil for preventative measures.  She’s feeling stronger and healthy.