TOP THREE SCENTS FOR SELF CARE
What is your favourite scent from childhood? Mine has to be the smell of the Christmas tree and how the fragrance filled the living room and my senses with joy and excitement. Once the fragrance tickled my senses that particular fragrance filled my heard with joy as I worked to countdown the days until Christmas.
My husband says when he gets a whiff of my perfume it takes him back to the days of our youth and when he first laid eyes on me in the hallways of our high school in Scarborough, Ontario. He said he could smell and hear (I wore a zillion silver bangles on my wrists) me coming!
Perfume makers have long known that scents can reach us on a primal level. Once we associate a scent with a feeling or a moment in time, it transports us to that time and place and conjures a similar, unique emotion for us to enjoy, to rally in and experience. Luckily for my husband it makes him reach out and grab me for a snuggle when he smells the French perfume. Sure does make me feel sexy. Thank you Van Cleef and Arpels.
Some scents have universal effects to calm us, energize us, make us happier. This explains the focus on aromatherapy – the use of essential oils to improve our well-being. It is estimated that by the end of this year, an estimated $1B will be spent on essential oils and tools in North America.
Taking advantage of the mood altering benefits of fragrance has never been easier. We can simply plug in a diffuser (I love the Lotus diffuser from doTerra), light a candle or apply perfume and essential oils to our skin. We can start at bedtime rubbing oil on our pulse points for pain relief and calm to splashing energizing fragrance on ourselves in the morning shower! I must inherit my love of the scent of Christmas trees from my Dad for every year he asks for a bottle of Colgate-Palmolive's Irish Spring in his holiday stocking. Choose the mood you want, when you want it, and BOOM – inhale and ahhhhh!!!!!
Here are my three essential oils for #SMILES and #JOY. They may work for you. Or, you may want to share three that do the trick for you. Maybe you have blends, recipes of a gathering of scents to bring JOY to energize your body and help you celebrate your day. Maybe it's a perfume or product like my Dad's favourite that delivers your joy. I would love to hear from you – do share in the comments below what works best for you and yours:
1. Balsam fir. The essential oil from balsam fir needles is used as an anti-inflammatory and to help promote sleep for most. But, for me? Yes, it brings me right back to Christmas Day and the joy of the holiday season. It is great for reducing anxiety and always makes me breathe in deep and smile from my solar plexus.
2. Orange. There is nothing like the colour orange to conjure up sunny days and citrus flavours that make my mouth water. I love a glass of fresh orange juice in the morning. When I take a deep whiff of orange, I'm transported back to a joyous time on the balcony of my Sandy Lane hotel room in Barbados - I can see the aqua blue water and hear riffs of Rhiana's "If It's Loving That You Want." I'm in my baby blue satin komono and it still fits loose around my torso. Oh, yes, it brings back an uplifting, refreshing mood.
3. Bergamot – oh, the joy of bergamot. It smells like other citrus fruits in that is has a sweet aroma but there is a little tartness that tweaks the nose. It is uplifting and yet calming. This oil is used in a lot of fragrances and yes, included in my perfume choice by Van Cleef and Arpel. If I linger in the bath, I sprinkle a little bergamot oil in the water.
Remember to share your best scents below for joy. Look for another blog on creating calm with essential oils. And, if you are looking for oils to balance your chakras, check out my Reiki boutique offerings or ping my personal email letitgowithreiki@gmail.com and I'll hook you up – we’ve got just the oil for your chakra's harmony and balance. Love, Calah xo