Your Aromatherapy Star Sign - Cancer (22 June - 23 July)

CANCER (22 June – 23 July)
Ruler: Moon
Colour: Violet
Element: Water
Season: Winter
Aromatic: Frankincense, Rose and Jasmine

Frankincense (boswellia carteri)

Frankincense slows down and deepens breathing, which is why it is so conducive to prayer. It is of benefit to those who cannot "switch off" and is an ideal oil for chronic worriers, relieving nervous agitation, feelings of panic and palpitations. It is also very helpful for mature or damaged skin and can be used to treat irregular periods, catarrh, laryngitis and asthma. Pictorial evidence from the tombs of the Pharaohs shows that Frankincense has been used since 1500BC.

Rose (rosa centifolia)

Rose oil, which is extracted from the petals by distillation or solvents, is in my personal opinion beyond compare for treating stress related conditions, particularly depression and anxiety. It has a very gentle but strong, uplifting effect on the psyche and a balancing effect which can help individuals to “see problems in proportion." Many aromatherapists believe that Rose can mimic the effect of hormones so it is often used to treat psychological problems linked to female bodily functions such menstruation or child birth, PMS or post natal depression.

Jasmine Absolute (jasminum officinale)

Jasmine is a precious oil often referred to as the “King of Oils.” It engenders a feeling of optimism and is an excellent choice to counteract feelings of mental and physical exhaustion, helping to increase courage, confidence and optimism and battling the fear of the unknown. It has an affinity with the female reproductive system and is a key ingredient of most classic perfumes dating back to the C16th. It is also beneficial for irritated or sensitive skin.

Natural solutions for summer ailments

With holidays just around the corner we've put together a range of Summer Health Essentials to help you deal with everyday summer ailments! From sunburn to stings, follow my natural health advice on treating the dreaded summers ills that can often make our life a misery!

Sunburn or Prickly Heat

Try Potions & Possibilities’ Aloe Vera and Lavender Relief Balm – a cooling and soothing natural gel which is recommended for after sunbathing and when the skin or body is overwarm. Ideal for sunburn or prickly heat (Urticaria).

You can also help relieve the prickly heat itching by applying your own aromatherapy blend. Apply Chamomile Essential Oil, a natural anti-inflammatory, diluted in Sweet Almond Oil with just a touch of Tea Tree.

Avoid those bites and stings

Use our Heavy Duty Insect Repellant – Pure Citronella blended into a natural base of skin nurturing Aloe Vera Gel which gently coats the skin without scenting the air around you or clashing with your perfume. It can also be applied to problem areas like hair and eyebrows as well as directly on to the skin without staining or causing irritation.

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer bites apply neat Tea Tree immediately to stop the itching.

Hayfever

Historically, the advice has been that during the non-hay fever period grassy and/or floral oils should be used in the bath to increase tolerance. Geranium and Lavender are good choices. During attacks, use Chamomile Essential Oil regularly in a soothing warm bath, as many believe that it acts to calm the reaction in a similar way to antihistamines. You can also use other methods of enjoying the oils, i.e. a burner, massage or simple inhalation.

Feet fit for summer sandals!

Soothe and refresh tired, hot feet with our new, cooling Tea Tree & Mint Foot Spray. The crisp, rejuvenating power of Wild Mint is blended with pure Tea Tree for a therapeutic, antiseptic, antifungal treatment that leaves the feet feeling energised, comfortable and ready for action!

And, for unsightly, dry, cracked heels try our Finger & Heel Relief Balm with Benzoin, Tea Tree, Comfrey and Calendula. Apply 4 times a day initially then once or twice per day once comfortable.

Luscious summer lips

Our Lip Relief and UV Protection Balm is extremely effective for adults and children alike. With Tea Tree and Spearmint essential oils, Propolis and moisturising Vitamin E, this balm will soothe and protect all summer long. Receive a free Lip Balm when you spend £30 or more online (subject to availability - valid for a limited period only).

Jet lag? Travel fatigue? Irritable?

Try our Travel Relief Balm - a natural Aloe Vera Gel combined with therapeutic essential oils. Fatigue beating Lime is combined with relaxing Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang to prevent irritability and Echinacea for its protective qualities. Apply to the pulse points as required.

Feel free to email me with any other questions.

Happy and healthy holidays!

Julie

Your Aromatherapy Star Sign - Gemini (22 May - 21 June)

Ruler: Mercury
Colour: Yellow
Element: Air
Season: Spring
Aromatic: Chamomile, sandalwood and lavender

Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis)
Chamomile, distilled from the herbal flowers, is one of the best oils available for treating anxiety and insomnia, having both a calming and anti-depressive effect. It has a profoundly balancing effect on the emotions which makes it ideal for the hyperactive, workaholic types or the chronic worriers. It is also a useful oil to use to help treat stress-related skin conditions such as allergies and eczema and is generally believed to stimulate the immune system making it useful for those people who tend to succumb to “bugs” when they are working very hard. Chamomile has been used for over 2000 years for treating nervous complaints. Its name derives from the Greek 'Kamai' meaning ground apple because of its fresh fruity scent. It was called Maythen by the Saxons and was revered as one of their nine sacred herbs, later being adopted by the Christians and dedicated to Saint Anne who was the mother of the Virgin Mary. In the language of flowers chamomile stands for “Patience in adversity". It is often known as the “Plants Physician” because it seems to improve the health of the plants within its immediate vicinity.

Sandalwood (santalum album)
Sandalwood is very much a soft comforting oil, emotionally comforting to men and women. It is very kind to the skin and has a balancing effect, bringing dry or oily skin to a state of equilibrium. It is a well known antidote to nausea and it generally calms the digestive system. It also has a soothing effect on the nervous system, calming the nerves and inducing sleep. The therapeutic properties of Sandalwood have been known since the fifth century BC. The wood has been considered sacred by most civilisations and was used to build temples whilst the oil has always been used in the embalming processes of ancient civilisations. The Indians believe that Sandalwood imparts energy into those using it and that it has the power to enlighten the mind. The Japanese use Sandalwood in their worship of and communication with Buddha whilst the Moslems believe that Sandalwood will purify body and soul and carry prayers heavenward.

Lavender (Lavendula Angustifolia)
Lavender is distilled from the flowers and leaves of the herb and is a very well known, widely used and inexpensive essential oil which is an effective anti-depressant. It is a good “balancer” so it is useful in helping people to recover from mood swings, is a well known treatment for insomnia and is equally good for relieving tension headaches. It has a restorative, tonic effect which makes it useful for treating individuals with debilitating fatigue or lethargy and it is an effective pain killer and anti-spasmodic so it is valuable in treating tension related “aches & pains” of a muscular nature. The name derives from the Roman 'Lavare' which means “to cleanse”. It refers to the Roman custom of scenting baths with the leaves and flowers of the plant. Matthiole the Sixth Century Botanist regarded lavender flowers as most effective against conditions of melancholy. Lavender was popular in the monastic medicinal gardens of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and even earlier than that, in the twelfth century, Abbotess Hildegarde dedicated a whole chapter in her herbal to the medicinal uses of Lavender. Lavender has been used since pagan times to purify the air and the mind. This is linked to another of its pagan uses which was to drive out wicked spirits and, later on, witches. Gerard in his Sixteenth Century Herbal said that the flowers helped to cure “lovesickness” and keep one chaste. However in the seventeenth century, prostitutes would wear a sprig of Lavender to advertise their trade. The Victorians thought that it was an excellent headache cure and would often wear a sprig under their hats.

Father's Day Pampering / Men's Grooming

Father's Day is on its way – you love him to bits but you're on a tight budget! Follow my top five credit crunch treats to show him you care:-

Give him a mini facial

Calm that shiny nose (or forehead if he is bald) and ensure there are no ingrowing hairs in the beard area to irritate him.

Totally skint – Mix inexpensive but luxurious Almond Oil with ground pudding rice (baby rice will do) to make a moisturising and gently exfoliating scrub and treat as above.

Got a little – treat him to our Potions & Possibilities Facial Scrub (1/2 price at £7.83), packed with natural plant extracts to soothe those worry lines and ground olive stones to gently buff away his cares. Gently apply with your fingers in circular upward strokes concentrating on the beard area and the nose and remove with hot cloths.

Relieve that work pressure

Totally skint – Take a washing up bowl and place a layer of pebbles in the bottom, fill with warm water and add 4 drops of Spearmint and four drops of Green Mandarin. Soak away his cares with a long relaxing foot soak.

Got a little - Add 3 drops of Cedarwood, 3 drops of May Chang and 3 drops of Bergamot to a foot spa and switch on. Alternatively treat him to our Executive Stress Relief Bath Oil (£10.99 150ml)

Comfort him with a gorgeous scent

Totally skint – mix 5ml of Cedarwood with 10ml of Bergamot and 5 ml of Lime and 15ml of Vodka . Add 50ml of water to the mix and use as a cologne.

Got a little - Treat him to Divinity Cologne from Potions & Possibilities – a luxurious treat at a sensible price! (£19.99 or 2 for £30)

Recondition those hard working hands and nails

Totally skint – place 2 tablespoonsful of olive oil in a small dish with 6 drops of Tea Tree and 6 drops of May Chang (the oil of tranquillity). Mix well. With the hands resting on a protective towel apply the oil so that it is wet on the hands. Place the hands in two sandwich bags and wrap up well with the towel. Add heat by resting the hands on a Potions microwave heatbag or a hot water bottle and leave for twenty minutes. Gently unwrap the hands and you will find the oil has disappeared into the skin leaving the hands and nails, soft, supple and very comfortable (if hands are affected by arthritis add pain relieving Lavender and Chamomile “natures steroid”).

Got a little – Moisture Relief for the hands from Potions & Possibilities (£6.99) for the ultimate conditioning treatment or use our Joint Ease Massage Oil instead of the olive oil mix (£9.99).

Help him sleep

Totally skint – Make him a pillow spray with 50ml Vodka into which 5ml of Lavender has been added. Top with 50ml water and place in a small spray bottle. Alternatively dry the bed linen in a dryer with 10 drops of Lavender added to a hanky in the dryer.

Got a little - Special Dad Bath & Shower Gel (£8.99) to relax the body and soothe the mind or our …and to Sleep Balm for his pulse points (£4.99).

For all the above mentioned Essential Oils please click here to view the premium grade, 100% pure oils available from Potions & Possibilities.

Happy Father's Day!

Julie

Julie's Aromatherapy Plant Roadshow - Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)

Rosemary has a stimulating effect on the nervous system and is commonly recommended as a tonic during periods of stress. It is clinically proven to improve memory and concentration and can combat work-related fatigue or improve focus as an aid to study. It is an effective hair tonic and is reputed to promote growth and improve condition.

Rosemary has a similar action to Eucalyptus so it is an excellent oil for treating colds and flu and clearing the sinuses. It is a warming oil which is helpful in treating muscular aches and pains and arthritis.

Safety note:
Avoid in pregnancy and if epileptic

Blends well with:
Lavender, Geranium, Sandalwood and Bergamot

Historical note:
Rosemary, from two words "Ros" "Marinus" meaning Rose of the Sea, was considered a sacred plant by the Romans. Christians believed that the flowers were originally white but turned blue when the Virgin Mary hung her cloak on a bush on the journey to Bethlehem. Throughout the ages Rosemary has been carried to ward off evil spirits and protect against illness. Its medicinal properties were documented as early as 1370 and it has been used throughout the ages since. In the West Rosemary has always been associated with the love of friends as in Ophelia's much quoted line from Hamlet "That's Rosemary for remembrance".

Julie's Aromatherapy Plant Roadshow - French Lavender

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)

Everyone's favourite - French Lavender!

Lavender, distilled from the flowers and leaves of the herb, is a widely used Essential Oil which is an effective anti-depressant. It is a good "balancer" so it is useful in helping people to recover from mood "swings.

It is a well known treatment for insomnia and it is equally good for relieving tension headaches. It has a restorative, tonic effect which makes it useful for treating individuals with debilitating fatigue or lethargy. It is an effective pain killer and anti-spasmodic so it is valuable in treating tension related "aches and pains" as well as the pain associated with arthritic or rheumatic conditions.

Also used for insect bites, chilblains, varicose veins and cellulite.

Blends well with:
Lemon, Bergamot, Geranium and Sandalwood

Historical Note:
The name derives from the Roman 'Lavare' which means "to cleanse". In Pagan times it was burnt as sacred protection against harmful spirits. Lavender was popular in the monastic medicinal gardens of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Gerard in his Sixteenth Century
Herbal said that flowers helped to cure "lovesickness" and all pains and "maladies of the head".
The Victorians lined their hats with it to ward off headaches. In the First World War it was used as an antiseptic for wounds and as a drug to ease psychological pain and to induce sleep.

Julie's Aromatherapy Plant Roadshow - Peppermint

Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)

Peppermint is believed to help improve concentration and clarity of thought.

Evidence from the Egyptian tombs dating back to 300BC shows that the benefits of Peppermint have long been recognised.

The name Peppermint is derived from the Latin word 'mente' meaning 'thought' because the Romans used Peppermint as a tonic for the brain.

Safety note: Non toxic
Skin: Ringworm, Scabies
Mind: Slows thought process, improves focus, memory aid, helps with inability to speak fluently Body: Stress related sensation of pain, headaches, flatulence, nausea, burping, stress related digestive problems (irritable bowel syndrome)