It’s October in Ireland and we are on Storm “A”….
as in “”Another Sunday stuck in the house.” But it’s actually a really good day for embracing the melancholy and change in season to create an aromatherapy blend.
This one was so easy. Just came into my mind as I filled the candle diffuser with water and lit the tea light underneath it. Right in front of me, 3 bottles shouted “Pick ME”. And they turned out to be a super harmony I’ve been using every day all week.
Here it is:
Orange essential oil: 8 drops
Peppermint essential oil: 3 drops
Laricio Pine essential oil: 2 drops
If there is a scent that you do not like, then you probably won’t enjoy this. So always trust your nose.
Let’s look at my choice individually a little closer:
1: Sweet Orange (Bot: Citrus Aurantium Dulcis)
The humble eating orange, do we ever think about what a gift of nature this fruit is? Rarely I bet. Even when peeling an orange, its zest, like with all citrus fruit, literally jumps out at us, filling the room with its sweet and uplifting scent. These visible droplets are what makes the essential oil. I always like to stress that the word “essential oil” refers to a plant extract, which is not an oil as in olive oil, but a highly concentrated plant extract, essential to the plant most often for its own protection to ward off pests or insects.
How is it made?
Quite straight forward, after washing and peeing the fruit, the material is being cold-pressed in a very slow application of pressure. If heat was created during extraction, the precious extract would loose many of its beneficial properties. The cold-pressing process is therefore used for all high quality and unrefined extracts of plant materials. You are probably familiar with the term from choosing your olive oil.
Tiny glands in the fruit peel hold the essential oil. By applying pressure, these glands break open and the essence is released. Centrifugal spinning then will separate the extract form other particles and juice contained in the first process, followed by filtration. And hey presto, what’s left is our beautiful essential oil.
2. Peppermint (Bot. Mentha Piperita)
Another every day plant, so exhilarating but also taken for granted, right? From using the fresh herb in the kitchen, we know how strong its scent is when picking the leaves from the stem to use in a curry or a dip or salad due to its high menthol content.
How is it made?
Essential oils from herbs and shrubs are generally extracted by steam distillation. The preferably organic plant material is placed in large containers called alambics. Heated water turned into steam is being fed through the mass. The plant material like leaves, flowers and some twigs releases its essential oil.
The steam carrying the essential oil is being fed into a cooling system where steam turns back into water with the essential oil sitting on top of the plant water, as these 2 substances do not mix. At times, this mixture is used to perform a second distillation to increase the yield. This is not done for all distillation processes. The essential oil floating on top can now easily be removed. The remaining water is called hydrosol. These hydrosols or plant waters also have wonderful properties when used as washes and toners.
3. Laricio Pine (Pinus Nigra) Bud/Needle extract
High in the mountains of the rugged Greek Island of Corsica is the home of this majestic Pine growing wild. This precious essential oil from plant material hand harvested in the wilderness, opens our airways and encourages deep breathe. Imagine walking through a majestic forest…… We cannot but take in the ancient power of those majestic trees. As with the tree, the essential oil opens our airways. We breathe deeper, experience better mental clarity, I guess a result of more oxygen reaching our cells, and feel somewhat refreshed and energized. In combination with the sweetness of orange and the coolness of peppermint, I found this essence perfect to round off a powerfully air cleansing, uplifting and energizing blend.
How is it made?
As mentioned, the plant material has to be collected manually. We call this “wild harvesting”. The local population has the traditional knowledge and know-how about how best to achieve this monster task. The plant material, just like with peppermint is being steam distilled with the resulting essential oil packed with strength and courage, 2 attributes that can only benefit our lives.
Ways to use it:
The blend for your diffuser you have already seen above. Feel free to adjust the quantities to your own liking. If you prefer a stronger or sweeter mint scent, you can choose a Field Mint for its higher and cooler menthol content or a Moroccan Mint or Spearmint for a sweeter note. Instead of Orange, you can also use Mandarin Red, a bit sweeter and children often love it, or Mandarin Green, a spritzier scent. If Laricio Pine is hard to get or above your current budget, Pine Needle, Silver Fir or Giant Fir are also lovely alternatives for that forest theme.
Here is a recipe for an invigorating and refreshing body oil:
Carrier Oil: Apricot Kernel Oil org.
Reason for my choice – imagine the skin and “complexion” of an apricot. So silky, a healthy summer glow, bursting with life and vitality. Would you like your skin to look like that? This oil is cold pressed from the kernel which holds powerful antioxidants and skin enhancing nutrients. It has a lovely viscosity on the skin and absorbs very quickly.
Using our essential oils from this post I have created a blend that you will enjoy every day:
With 50ml of organic Apricot Kernel Oil or another carrier oil:
8 drops of organic sweet orange essential oil
1 drop of organic peppermint essential oil (this is a very cooling essence, therefore this tiny amount)
1 drop of laricio pine essential oil (again a very powerful essence, therefore this tiny amount)
Seal your bottle, give it a few gentle shakes and leave to rest for a couple of hours for the ingredients to blend nicely.
And now enjoy applying this blend daily to your skin. If used on your face, make sure to spare out the eye area as essential oils and fatty oils can irritate our eyes. Should you accidentally get some into your eyes, make sure to rinse with plenty of warm water.
A nice time to apply this blend also is at the end of a shower. While your skin is still damp, apply evenly all over. The water droplets and the oil will form a lovely emulsion, locking moisture into your skin. And most of all, enjoy the sensual scents and precious “me time”
Disclaimer:
Make sure to do a skin patch test on a small area on your inner elbow before applying any new substance. Should you experience an irritation, wash with soap and warm water and do not reapply. If you have allergies, best to consult a professional prior to using any aromatherapy. Never use essential oils internally, unless they have been registered as a food grade product.
I was born in 1965 in Nuremberg, Germany, to a German mother and a Turkish father. Growing up in a blend of two rich cultures gave me a deep appreciation for food, farmers, and the traditions that nourish us—though I didn’t fully realize this until much later in life.
So how did I end up as a health store owner?
Well, life has a funny way of guiding us toward our purpose.
In my early 20s, I worked in export for a well-known sports company in Germany. But I had a dream of living abroad. That dream led me first to Ireland, then to Australia, and eventually back to Ireland—where I’ve made my home ever since.
