Do you use essential oils or have any fave aromatherapy candles or products? I used to love yankee candle but stopped using an oil burner and fragranced candles a few years back (they apparently are not good for birds) - some fragrances give me an immediate headache but i was put on to this peppermint oil with a metal roll-a-ball roll-on thing (it's in like a lip balm size tube) for headaches and admittedly i forgot about it and it was buried in the back of the cupboard, but the last few weeks i've been using it and i think it's been helpful. Sometimes little things can make a big difference!
right now I just rubbed one drop of essential oil of peppermint on my forehead, cause I was having a migraine...it's helping me lately yo deal with the pain. I started to use one drop of peppermint oil each side of my mask - if I need to go out of my house - helps me breathe and eases the headache masks give me. and I love lavender E.O. to sleep...I put on an electric diffuser. I have problems with strong smells too and rhinitis, so these 2 oils were ok to me. Still need to try other ones, like tea tree, lemongrass...
Isn't it funny how scent is mixed with memory?! @Ferdy tea tree makes me flashback to teen years - the anti acne spot treatments we had were all tea tree based (the last few years I've used it when we've had ants - they don't like it apparently & won't walk thru areas wiped down with weak tea tree so we have some in a spray bottle with water in the laundry still)
I've been using essential oils for over 6 years now. First one I fell in love with was Peppermint. I would get headaches every day at work and was taking Aleve like it was candy. I found that just sniffing the Peppermint oil I had would get rid of my headaches. I was able to stop taking the Aleve and haven't taken any in 6 years. (Ibuprofen was taken after oral surgery though I don't take it any more). One day I felt a headache coming on so picked up the Peppermint oil that sat on my desk all day long. At the same time, I was having a hot flash. I sniffed the oil which stopped the headache and miraculously the hot flash went away immediately. I no longer get headaches since I'm not under the stress of work but I will still use the Peppermint oil for hot flashes. I have a testimonial written up in a book about essential oils that is one of the textbooks for an online aromatherapy school that I really should get back into studying for! I had a sample of coriander in my purse when I went to a college football game in 2014 (my avatar is from that game). I stumbled and fell and really scraped my forearm up even through my long sleeved shirt (no tears in the shirt though). It hurt so just for the heck of it, I got the coriander out since it was in a roller-ball bottle and put it on the scrape. I knew tea tree is what I should be using but I didn't have any with me. All I had was the coriander. I used it several times during the game to keep the pain from getting too bad. When I got home about 3 hours after the game was over and actually got to look at the injury, I was amazed that it was already starting to heal. I put tea tree on it for several days. I have no scar and it was bad enough that I should have one. I also have several blends I've gotten from the company I buy them from that I use daily. One drop on each foot morning and night of 2 of them. The third one is a drop on each foot in the mornings only. Then I also diffuse a different blend for an hour when I first go to bed. I will use other oils off and on but I religiously only use the 3 on my feet and diffuse the one. When I hurt my knee a month ago I had another oil that I mixed with a carrier oil and used on that knee to help with the inflammation and pain. Haven't needed it for about 10 days. They are not a cure all for everything but it is amazing that they can help alleviate some issues for some people that modern medicines don't do anything for. And, the scents of some are so pleasing although I can't handle lavender... it gives me a headache!
wow, added benefit! i'll have to remember that one! lavender doesn't really help me either - my father in law was using ginger oil (i think - or maybe it was turmeric - it was something i thought was a cooking spice!) on his knee after he had a total knee replacement a few years back and said it made a big difference for a while
I don't use essential oils, but I do love Glade Plug Ins. I love the Apple Cinnamon and Blooming Peony and Cherry. For candles, I have a few different ones that are fruity or more soft smelling. My favorite right now is a candle from Target. The brand is Chesapeake Bay Candle and the scent is Snuggly Sweater. There's a local antiques and collectibles shop that makes their own candle call Weeping Fig and it's a stronger version of Snuggly Sweater, but it's also twice the cost for a small candle. It has a bigger throw, but it's hard to justify the cost when I can order the same scent from Target and have more candles. LOL I don't burn candles every day, but I do like to have them burning occasionally.
They really are amazing at times. One oil can be used for so many different things. One oil can work for something for one person but not another. Peppermint is so versatile from headaches to hot flashes to insect repellent. And, the smell of it is pleasant and not overwhelming (some oil companies oils are very strong scent wise, the ones I use aren't). I used candles many years ago but when Mom got sick, she couldn't breathe if they were burning. All scents bothered her, even perfume. So because I lived with her I was in a scentless house for several years. I ended up being sensitive to scents as well (don't do well with perfumes at all). So I am glad that I found some oils that are not overpowering and I can have scent back in my home again.
I sleep with a rose and lavender oil spray. I spray it on my pillow. I was having issues sleeping from pain after my lumpectomy and a friend drop this for me and I slept so good. Now I spray it every night!
Be cautious -- I found out I am allergic to lemongrass - headache, congestion, runny eyes. I had to give my bottle away. Lavender also bothers me if I put too much in the diffuser. Actually broke out in a rash on my face from the diffused oil. I struggle with strong fragrances too, especially those in fabric softeners. I also react to most strong candles the same way. I love the citrus oils, Frankincense, the woods oils, the mints, etc. At night I use a blend of eucalyptus, pine, lavender, & mints for sleeping. So a cautious use for me...
@BevG thank you so much for letting me know about the E.O. I'll be more cautious about the smells and my allergies!!
@Ferdy I have allergies as well and my only reaction has been headaches and only to lavender when used on its own. But when it is in a blend, I don't have a problem with it. One of the blends I use daily has lavender in it but because it is blended with several other oils it isn't a problem. But I did find that if I put an oil on any part of my body without a carrier oil/lotion, I may get a red spot for awhile. The only place I can put an oil directly is the bottom of my foot or the top of my hand. But most of the time I slather some foot cream on my foot then put the oils on. The other thing about some oils is even though they may say they are pure, they may not be. There could be an additive in the oil and that could be what causes reactions. That happened to a friend of mine with an oil from a well-known oil company. Thought they were allergic to it but then tried mine from a different company and they had no problems. @BevG The blend I use at night is actually called "Earth Scent" and has Amyris, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Ginger, Juniper Berry, Juniper Leaf, Patchouli and Vetiver in it. I love the smell of it and it shuts my brain down so I can get to sleep.
I learned that in that online aromatherapy school I mentioned. Learned even more about how testing is done on oil samples that shows what is actually in them. The casual user would be shocked at what they might actually be buying. But this isn't the thread or place to get into it. Enjoy your oils though!
@HavaDrPepper I have a friend that made some classes about aromatherapy, we say she's our "witch"...we are always messaging her to ask about brands and how to's...but I love the tips you and @BevG gave us!
My mom is obsessed with essential oils but I only use one blend on my stomach when it's very upset. DH gets headaches from most essential oils so I try to avoid them for his sake.
