Your Free Aromatherapy Guide

Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks, Persians and Romans used it to cure all manner of things. It is very easy to learn the basics and use essential oils to benefit yourself and those around you.

The most important thing to remember is that essential oils are chemically very complex. Always research your oils (this is easy on the net) and make sure that they are suitable for the person you are treating. For example, some oils may not be safe for people with certain health conditions and others may not be recommended for children. Get your information before you start.

Follow the safety rules:

1. Research your oils and make sure they are suitable for the person being treated and for you if you are using them for massage. They will go into your body through the skin on your hands.
2. Never attempt to treat anyone with an underlying health condition without their medical practitioner’s written consent. You could be sued if there were complications and possibly blamed for negligence.
3. As a general rule, never put essential oils into the eyes,mouth or nose. There are exceptions but it’s wise to take advice from a professional on this.
4. Don’t use on infants under 2 years. (Again there are exceptions.) Use a half strength blend for children under 12 years.
5. Dilute essential oils with appropriate carriers (explained below) before applying. Some essential oils may burn the skin.
6. Do not buy Fragrance Oils, these will be cheaper than essential oils, but they are not the same. These can burn skin and should never be used in aromatherapy. Always check the label to make sure you are buying 100% essential oil. If it doesn’t say 100%, don’t buy.

How to blend essential oils once you have selected them:

1. Choose a carrier. This is a medium which is used to dilute the esential oils and allow them to disperse quicker. Some suitable carriers are wheatgerm oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, milk, or even vodka. Mix 3 to 5 drops with 1 teaspoon of carrier.
2. Select your oils. Essential oils may be blended together to suit your requirements. Blending is an art in itself and quite complex but the main thing here is to make an aroma that pleases you. More than three oils in a blend is not recommended as this would be like mixing too many colours together and getting a “muddy” result.

Using the blend you just made:

There are a number of ways to use your blend.

1. Massage as required.
2. In a warm bath. Use milk or vodka as the carrier here and you won’t have a slippery tub!
3. Use in an oil burner and place over a flame to disperse the aroma.
4. Put a few drops of essential oil onto a piece of cotton wool, or tissue paper and place on a radiator.
5. Use on a terracotta lampshade ring.
6. Put a few drops into a bowl of hot water and inhale. (Great with eucalyptus for colds and stuffy noses but not for asthmatics.

Some basic essential oils:

There are many hundreds of different essential oils but it is wise to start off with a small number of basic ones and then add to your collection as you find out about new ones. To use aromatherapy properly you need to know as much as you can about the oils you use, so that you can develop your own favorite treatments.

1. Lavender:

   Skin care, burns, spots, insect bites. Athlete’s foot, dandruff, sunburn, minor burns,asthma, bronchitis., and more.

2. Chamomile:

   Anti-inflammatory, burns, cuts, insect bites, eczema, neuralgia, indigestion, insomnia, stress, etc

3. Eucalyptus:

   Skin care, muscular aches and pains, coughs, sinusitis, throat infections, “flu symptoms, headaches, and others.

Enjoy experimenting with essential oils but be safe. If in doubt don”t use a particular oil. Research your oils on the net’ or by using a good aromatherapy encyclopedia. Making notes on the oils you already have will help you learn quickly.