Thought essential oils were just pretty smells? Or maybe you know how great they are for lowering your household toxic load. Natural solutions for basic first aid, cleaning, and beauty. Did you know how powerful they are at supporting us in shifting our emotions? For me when I first got my oils, I wasn't so sure about that side. I hadn't read up on the science of it all yet. However, once I witnessed their powerful effects on my own emotions and mood as well as my three year old's, I was hooked!
The Basic Science
When we inhale an essential oil, the scent is processed through the brain's olfactory system, which is our sensory system that controls our sense of smell.
The olfactory system is connected to limbic system, which is the area of our brain where our memories and emotions are stored.
Our limbic system then produces a response to the essential oil based on our memories associated with that particular smell, flooding our body with a rush of feelings.
In this way, essential oils can produce responses that can be used to enhance our wellbeing and emotions. High vibe livin' my Soulful Ones!
Calming & Uplifting
In general, most essential oils can be classified as either calming oils or uplifting oils.
In the calming category we have your florals which are typically composed of monoterpene alcohols, known for their calming properties. In the calming category we also have tree, grass and herb oils, which are typically composed of sesquiterpenes, esters, and oxides, providing feelings of deep grounding and soothing anxious emotions.
In the uplifting category we have mint essential oils, which contain high concentrations of ketones. Very energising and uplifting. The citrus oils, containing limonene, beta-pinene, and monoterpenes, are extremely uplifting and energising. Spicy essential oils can also be very warming and uplifting due to their phenols.
Emotional Aromatherapy Blends
I use a range of oils for calming and energising, for focus and concentration, for inspiration and creativity, for comfort. However, I have to point out doTERRA's Emotional Aromatherapy oils and also their Mood Management oils. Takes the guess work out of it all! Grab a blend, ready to go for whatever you personally need right there and then. These oil blends have been purposely designed to achieve a unique chemical profile. These oils blend specific plant categories (florals, trees, herbs, grasses, mints, citruses, and spices for example) to elicit certain emotional responses.
Here's a breakdown of these oils and what I love them for:
- Cheer:
I couldn't think of a better name for this oil. Serious happy in a bottle! When I'm feeling really down and I know that if I could meditate and get really present I'd feel better but just can't bring myself to do those things.... Cheer. I roll this baby on my pulse points and in the palms of my hands, rub them together and inhale. This oil shifts me into a sage where I can do those things that I know will help me every time.
Contains wild orange, clove, star anise, lemon myrtle, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, and zdravetz.
- Motivate:
When I get to work in the morning I immediately roll Motivate on my pulse points and the back of my neck. The fresh citrus, minty scent gives me an instant pep in my step and everyone comments on it constantly. I use it again after lunch if I feel my concentration lacking.
A blend of peppermint, clementine, coriander, basil, yuzu, melissa, rosemary leaf, and vanilla bean.
- Peace:
The name says it all. If I'm feeling anxious, panicked, overwhelmed, or like I'm all up in my head, Peace reassuring blend brings me back down every time. So calming. Gorgeous for sleep too. I often roll this on my 3 year old's spine and feet (if I can catch him) when he's feeling huge emotions too.
This blend is a calming melody of vetiver, lavender, ylang ylang, frankincense, marjoram, clary sage, labdanum, spearmint.
- Passion:
This inspiring blend is so sexy and spicy. I looove this as my purefume of an evening. But it's also my go to when I need inspiration and a real sense of passion for whatever I'm working on. Procrastination be gone!
The gorgeous spicy blends in Passion are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, sandalwood, jasmine, vanilla, damiana, and some fractionated coconut oil.
- Console:
Pure comfort in a bottle. Beautiful for support during times of grief. If I'm feeling distressed for any reason, I love diffusing this blend or wearing over my heart and on my pulse points. I particularly love this for my 3 year old. Actually when he was younger I would put this on him before daycare because he had days where he'd just scream when I dropped him off. Then I'd leave and sniff it myself.
Console's a big warm hug in a bottle with oils like frankincense, patchouli, ylang ylang, labdanum, amyris, sandalwood, rose, and osmanthus.
- Forgive:
Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have moments where we simply need to forgive. Both others and ourselves. I know I want to live a high vibe life, but how can I do that if I'm holding onto feelings like anger, betrayal, guilt, and negativity? They're just like big, giant energetic blocks, stopping me from living the life I want. Enter Forgive renewing blend. Forgive, let go, and move on. I'll just take the cap off and whiff when I need it or wear it over my heart and on my pulse points.
This renewing blend contains spruce, bergamot, juniper berry, myrrh, arborvitae, nootka tree, thyme, citronella.
How to choose a blend:
(click for larger image)
Mood Management Blends
There are 4 blends in the Mood Management collection and I use 3 of these constantly! These are my little faves.
- Lavender Peace:
Also known as Serenity in the US & Canada. We have this restful blend in the diffuser every single night. It works better than straight lavender for my 3 year old wildling. I also make up a roller bottle of this blend with a little extra vetiver and cedarwood for calming my little guy's big emotions and meltdowns. I roll it on his spine and massage it into his feet (if I can!) This blend is also gorgeous diluted in the bath.
This soothing, restful blend is a mix of lavender, cedarwood, ho wood, ylang ylang, marjoram, Roman chamomile, vetiver, vanilla bean, and Hawaiian sandalwood.
- Balance:
doTERRA's grounding blend is my mama go-to for keeping me present and centred in my physical body. I swipe it on my feet before yoga for grounding, I swipe it on my feet for hormone balancing, I diffuse it during the day with frankincense to calm the farm at home ;-) or I diffuse it with citrus bliss for grounding yet uplifting our mood. I often aromatically dress my body with balance and frankincense if I know I have a big day ahead of me by mixing with coconut oil.
Balance transports me to a forest with oils like spruce, ho wood, frankincense, blue tansy, blue chamomile, and osmanthus, with fractionated coconut oil.
- Citrus Bliss:
Energising uplifting, invigorating, and helps me invoke a sense of creativity and abundance. If I need a little mood boost, I diffuse this. I often diffuse it with Balance blend to keep the vibes at home balanced and grounded, yet cheery and vibrant. Especially if Master 3 is on the grumpy side, this seems to cheer his spirits. This blend receives so many comments when I diffuse or wear it. It's my oil of choice almost every time I teach an oils class.
The invigorating oils blended into Citrus Bliss are wild orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, bergamot, tangerine, clementine, and vanilla bean. It's just... yum!
- Elevation:
doTERRA's joyful blend smells soft and buttery to me, even though it contains citruses. When I'm in serious need of mood elevation, this is what I pick. I also love it for meditation as it contains oils that are gorgeous for supporting the higher chakras. Elevation softly energises, instils confidence, and a positive mindset. Drives away those lower, negative vibes.
Which blend are you most drawn to the sound of?
To find out how to get started with essential oils, simply click here.
Alternatively, email me for help or to ask any questions.
Clare xx
