Because aromatherapy can be fairly confusing if you’re new to it you can start off by buying ready made blends of essential oil. On the other hand, if you’re more experienced and want the flexibility of creating your own creations then continue reading….
Blending is simply the combining of different aromatherapy carrier oils, essential oils, absolutes, CO2s, herbs and occasionally water for the purpose of achieving different results.
There’s more to blending than simply adding random oils together. You need to understand the theory behind blending before you rush off and waste money. Once you understand the theory behind blending, it’s something you’ll easily be able to do on your own.
What’s the Difference Between Aromatic and Therapeutic Blending
Simply put: with aromatic blending we’re primarily concerned with the scent, whereas with therapeutic blending our aim is to deal with aches and pains. Although the focus with therapeutic blending is different, aroma is still a factor to consider. The therapeutic blending will be a wasted effort if it’s too pungent to be used!
DO Be Careful of Oil Combinations: Not all oils are harmonious with each other, sometimes certain oils can overwhelm other more delicate scents, so you need to be careful. Don’t worry, you don’t need to have a scientific mind to find out what works and what doesn’t. There’s a lot of info written about this subject in books and on the internet.
DO Limit the Amount of Oils Used: Should you want to experiment, it’s better to limit the number of essential oils you combine to three, sometimes four until you’re more experienced with the process. That amount is easier to control.
DON’T Shake – Roll: When blending the one thing you should NOT do is shake the bottle. The best thing to do is gently roll the bottle between the palms of your hands.
DO Take Notes: How frustrating would it be if you created the most beautiful smelling aromatherapy blend only to discover you can’t remember what oils you used and in what quantities! That’s why taking notes is so important. And likewise, when disaster strikes and you create aromatherapy blends that are harsh and as a result, cause significant irritation, you’ll know what NOT to do next time.
DO Be Aware of Contradictions: Special care needs to be taken when using essential oils for certain people. For instance, if you are pregnant you should stay away from rosemary. Also, a surprising amount of people suffer from nut allergies, so if this is you, stay away from essential oils made from these nuts.
DO Label Your Blends: For safety as much for tracking, always properly label and store your aromatherapy blends as well as the individual ingredients in a cool, dark area away from pets and children.
Wow– interesting stuff!
I would also add that it is important to work with oils that are grown organically or wildcrafted, and that have not been distilled using solvents and extreme heat. Essential oils that are not pure and properly distilled will be (1)ineffective, at the least, and (2)toxic… what do you want to pass through your blood-brain barrier?
I should also add that essential oils should be stored in coloured bottles such as green, amber or blue. If they’re stored in a clear bottle the sunlight can damage the oils.
hey April… so right about the bottle opaqueness… and GLASS bottles are, of course, superior to plastic which is easily leeched by the strong natural chemistry of the essential oils. Have you noticed how many “pure” essential oil products are housed in plastic containers? hmm.
keep up the good work~information is power!
Great post! Very interesting!
Even though this is information I will likely never use it is still interesting and worth passing along to a few folks who will use it. Very informative, thanks.
Hi April– Excellent information.