By now, I hope you are comfortable with your single essential oils and how they can help support your wellness concerns. If you are just now jumping in, here is where we are so far in this introductory series of Essential Education:
The Wonderful Wide World of Aromatherapy — How essential oils and aromatherapy support our wellbeing
Welcome to Essential Education — Getting to know our essential oils
Getting to Know Our Essential Oils – Part 2 –– Choosing the most appropriate oils for our concerns
Another question we often get asked is:
“Can pre-blended synergies be used for other purposes?”
The short answer is “it is possible.”
Once you are familiar with the effects of essential oils, and how to match those effects with your concerns, you can create a roadmap to your answer, ensuring it works with your unique needs.
I always start with the concern I want to address. So the question I ask is “what pre-blended synergies do I have on hand that could address this issue?” Yep! Even aromatherapists “cheat” now and then when you have some wonderfulness already in your arsenal for times of need.
Here is a real-life example from my recent experience.
Recently, very late into the night, the muscles of both legs were tight and aching. I also had a great deal of discomfort from some very tight knots in certain spots, and my low back was throbbing. So I needed some relief and wanted to take a hot bath with a blend that would support relaxation of not only my body, but also my mind, so I could get in a good restorative sleep for the night.
I happened to have Calming the Child on hand and, after checking a few key things, I knew it was perfect as my “grab-and-go.”
Here’s the description of Calming the Child from the Plant Therapy website:
“Calming The Child is absolutely wonderful and a delight for little ones. Calming The Child was created to help promote a tranquil atmosphere during the day or before bedtime. Used by adults and children alike, Calming The Child can help anyone feel more calm.”
The essential oils in this synergy were specifically chosen and blended for the purpose as described above, and it does an amazing job.
But, remember, what I needed was a remedy to support relaxation of my body and mind so I could get some rest.
So, here is the checklist I went through to assess whether I could repurpose this-pre-blended synergy to suit my specific needs. You can use your worksheets from Welcome to Essential Education and Getting to Know Your Essential Oils – Part 2 as advance guides to map out potential multi-purposes for your blends when you are making purchasing decisions, or after they arrive. Even with a Plant Therapy blend, you may need to research through other reputable resources such as those recommended in Getting To Know Your Essential Oils – Part 2
What are the ingredients?
You can check:
- The label (all reputable companies list the essential oils used)
- The website (see the product details box, under “ingredients”); or
- The product template sheet (open and/or download from the website)
Here are the essential oils used in the blend:
Do these essential oils address my concerns?
- Lavender – relieves muscles tension, stiffness, aches and tight knots. Calming and soothing for restlessness. Relieves nervous tension.
- Chamomile Roman – powerful support for relieving tense muscles and tight knots. Soothing to the nervous system. Promotes calm and supports relaxation before bedtime.
- Mandarin – Helps to soothe nervous tension. Eases the mind and body before bedtime. Mild support for tight knots and muscles.
- Tangerine — Mild support for tight knots in the muscles. Helps to clear the mind and reduce nervous tension. Relaxes the mind before bedtime.
Are there any safety considerations?
We already know this synergy is:
- KidSafe; (marked on the website and the label); and
- Safe for topical use as well as inhalation (either by reading the product template sheet on the website, or because we can see the product also comes pre-blended for topical use).
Are there other considerations?
Since it was way past bedtime, anything stimulating would be no-go. It would be a bonus if the ingredients would to also help calm the mind and support sleep.
Bingo! Calming the Child met all of my needed criteria, plus the bonus round of supporting a good night’s rest. I was able to quickly mix Calming the Child into an epsom salt bath, soak, relax and crawl into bed. It worked beautifully for the much needed relief and the restorative night I required. With this awesome result, Calming the Child remains in my rotation for those nights when I need a “go -to” to “grab and go.”
Calming the Child Bath Soak
Soothing to Mind and Body
- 5 drops Calming the Child
- 1-2 T natural, unscented body wash
- ½ c Epsom salts
Mix Calming the Child with the body wash to completely disburse the essential oils. Add the epsom salts to the body wash and mix. Pour under running water for a warm bath. Soak, soothe, and sleep!
I hope this helps walk you through how to answer the question about whether your pre-blended synergies can be used for other purposes. The key is really knowing your essential oils and how they can best address your concerns. If the ingredients meet that criteria, in addition to safety and other considerations, it can be considered a go. You can explore and experience for yourself to determine whether your pre-blended synergy becomes a “go-to grab-and-go” for other purposes.
In our next blog, we will discuss some simple steps to creating our own blends.
Sources:
Lawless, Julia. The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to the Use of Aromatic Oils in Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health, & Well Being. San Francisco, CA: Conari, 2013. Print.
Shutes, Jade. The Dynamics of Blending: A Guide to Blending and a Reference Manual for Essential Oils and Base Materials. N.p.: East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies, n.d. Print.
Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Over 800 Natural, Nontoxic, and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health, Beauty, and Safe Home and Work Environments. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016. Print.
