Lavender

 As I run my hand through the lavender bush I am reminded how much I love this herb. It is easy to grow and creates a great garden feature with its silver foliage and beautiful purple spears. Lavender essential oil is a great way to bring that scent inside. It is great in an oil burner on its own or blended with other essential oils. This helps create a calming atmosphere as well as providing relief from the symptoms of colds and flu and keeping the rest of the family healthy.

However this is not its only use. Lavender essential oil has antibiotic, antiseptic, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties making it a great addition to any family medicine cabinet.
When my children were little I often put a drop on a tissue under their pillow to help them settle if they could not get to sleep. This is also a great way to use it if someone has a blocked nose, it helps them breath and eases them into sleep.

Lavender essential oil is also a wonderful insect repellent just add a few drops to pure water and use as a spray. It also helps to heal insect bites by placing a drop on the bite.
Lavender essential oil ‘s antiseptic and anti-fungal properties mean it can also be used to treat skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and other types of skin inflammations .This and tea tree oil are the only oils that should ever be put undiluted on the skin. Also, avoid the eye area.
You can use a few drops on minor burns that are caused from things such as small cooking burns or burns caused by a craft iron or glue gun.
Each time I read about it there is another use for lavender that I have not heard before. Do you have a favourite or new use?

In my oil burner this winter.

I love winter.

Sitting in a favourite chair – rugged up with a hot drink (preferably chocolate) and a great book or some sort of hand craft.

To add to the atmosphere I like to put my oil burner on.  It helps bring the smells of nature inside and makes the house fresh and inviting. You can buy pre-blended essential oils but why not try blending your own?

I begin with one of my favourite essential oils, Rose Geranium; it has an earthy sweet fragrance that is both comforting and uplifting. To this I add the heady Ylang Ylang and finish off with Orange or Bergamot to add a delicate freshness.

Next step; add a drop of each into a small glass or porcelain bowl. This is my beginning point, so next I smell the blend and decide how I want to balance it. For this blend I would generally settle for:

2 drops Rose Geranium

1 drop Ylang Ylang

3 drops Bergamot 

If there is a cold brewing in the house I often add

2 drops Lavender

(I sometimes substitute the Ylang Ylang for a drop of Patchouli or a drop of Eucalyptus)

The possible combinations are endless, even if you only have a few oils, because it’s not only the combinations of oils that you use but also the variation of concentrations

When I get a ‘free’ moment I like to make up a larger quantity and store it in small bottle (generally an empty essential oil bottle that has been washed and dried) for those days when I don’t have time to make a new blend.

Do you have a favourite essential oil or combination?

While we do not have all the essential oils I have mentioned listed on our website, we do have them in the shop so if you’re interested in these or other oils please feel free to email us

Aromatherapy | Insect Repellent

Summer is a great time of year. I love that we can choose to be inside or outside without thinking about the time of day. Life is naturally more relaxed, filled with simple meals, great drying weather, time to water the garden.

 
One thing that can make life uncomfortable is the abundance of insects. The problem for me has been that I dislike intensely the smell of commercial insect repellents.
 My solution was to make my own using essential oils.

There are a number of options so I thought that I would help you get a start.
Some oils can be used on their own but when blended they create a synergy that makes them more potent. One of the best known essential oils for protection against mosquitoes is Citronella, but I personally don't like it.

Here are a couple of suggested  blends
1.Lemongrass
   Eucalyptus **
   Peppermint *
Add 3 drops of each into 100ml of water and pour into a spray bottle.

 2. Rose Geranium  5 drops
     Peppermint *     1 drop
     Lemongrass       1 drop
Combine these in 100ml of water and pour into a spray bottle.

As long as you keep the ratio of oils the same you can make up a bigger quantity then use the undiluted combination in an oil burner either inside or around your barbecue area .
Nearly all essential oils need to be diluted in either water or plain (carrier) oil before use. One exception is lavender oil which can be used directly on your skin and is a great way to deal with mosquito bites.
 Remember to shake your bottle before spraying as the oil will float to the top

 To deter ants use either peppermint or spearmint oil. You can put a few drops in your mopping water or wipe window sills and bench tops with a damp cloth that has a few (2 or 3) drops of oil on it.
 Please make sure that you use a good quality essential oil (I recommend Oil Garden) and do not use fragrant oils as they will not work.

* Peppermint oil should not be used during pregnancy, or on children under 2 years of age without medical advice.
**Eucalyptus oil should not be used on children under 2 years of age without medical advice.
 Lavender is a good substitute for either of these oils