Argan Oil for Natural Skincare

Posted on: June 17th, 2013 by
Comments Requested
Argan Oil for Natural Skincare, Luisa Puccini, ISP

Argan Oil for Natural Skincare, Luisa Puccini, ISP

Argan oil seems to be fast becoming the “darling” of the carrier oils around in aromatherapy, with many people singing its praises for its skincare properties. I recently received a sample of argan oil from Andriana Pilatto at Pure Element Naturals, after getting into a discussion about argan oil with her on twitter: Andriana very kindly sent me a sample of the argan oil which she sells through her company. I have to say I can understand why people are liking it! Here is some information on argan oil – and what you can do with it.

Extraction of Argan Oil

Argan oil is extracted from the kernels of the argan tree (Argania spinosa): There are three kernels in each argan nut. The oil is cold-pressed. Argan oil is sometimes known as Moroccan oil because the argan tree is native to Morocco and only grows in a limited area of Morocco. Argan oil is usually high in price (compared to some of the other carrier oils in aromatherapy use) because of the limited resources from which to obtain the oil, and the labor-intensive hours needed to produce a small quantity of argan oil.

Chemical Composition of Argan Oil

Argan oil is a great source of vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids. Argan oil is chemically composed of:

  • gamma tocopherol – antioxidant properties, protection against chronic inflammation: Good for wrinkles and mature skin

  • oleic acid – monosaturated fatty acid which helps to reduce cholesterol levels

  • linoleic acid – polyunsaturated fatty acid which helps to lower cholesterol levels and therefore leads to a reduction in heart disease

  • squalene – possible protection against skin cancer.

Argan oil is moisturizing and nourishing to the skin, in addition to health benefits for culinary purposes.

Uses for Argan Oil in Skincare

There are many ways in which you can use argan oil in skincare. You can:

  • use it as a massage oil base

  • combine it with other carrier oils and/or essential oils for a facial serum

  • add it to lotions, butters, creams and bath melts for its moisturizing properties.

Learn How to Use Carrier Oils in Aromatherapy

Argan oil is one type of carrier oil which will be included in the full aromatherapy certification program which I am currently writing, and which will be available in 2014. In the meantime, learn how to use other types of carrier oils in aromatherapy products by taking one of the Sedona Aromatherapie home study courses such as the Basic Butters, Balms, Creams and Lotions Course.

Enjoy!

References:

Pin It

Related Posts:


Tags: , , , ,
Posted in carrier oil profiles, carrier oils, carrier oils for aromatherapy use | No Comments »

The Skills You Need to be a Successful Handmade Business Owner

Posted on: June 10th, 2013 by
Comments Requested
The Skills You Need to be a Successful Handmade Business Owner: photo credit, Ilya Glovatskiy, ISP

The Skills You Need to be a Successful Handmade Business Owner: photo credit, Ilya Glovatskiy, ISP

A couple of months ago, I wrote, what became, a hugely popular blog post on Why Handmade Aromatherapy Products are Worth the Money. I decided to follow up that post with an expansion on some of the skills that you need to be a successful handmade (aromatherapy) business owner. Handmade business owners are vastly talented – not just in their chosen art or skill – but in the myriad of other skills that go along with that.

Multi-Tasking Handmade Business Owners

I think that the number one skill which you need to possess, or learn to master, as a handmade business owner (or any small business owner) is multi-tasking. And I don’t just mean business-related! You have to learn to juggle home, personal and business responsibilities in a cheerful and time-efficient manner – otherwise, you’ll achieve little on all fronts. If you can’t successfully multi-task, your business (and life) are going to suffer.  And, unlike in a “regular” job, when things get hard, or go wrong, there is no one to offer to support – or take the burden.

For example, my day may consist of a personal appointment or family/home obligation, helping an aromatherapy student with an assignment, dealing with a new customer inquiry or sale, putting together a custom quote, a writing deadline, a voluntary (yet obligatory) commitment – and all the time trying to find a bit of me-time in there (if only for five minutes). Its not an easy task – yet, I know many handmade business owners who do the same type of juggling on a daily basis.

Business Skills Required as a Handmade Business Owner

Although I obtained a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting many, many years ago, the world of business has evolved, and come a long way, since then! Many of the business skills which I need to do to carry out my work these days have been self-taught. These include:

  • social media

  • website maintenance

  • sending out newsletters – electronically and en-masse

  • e-mail correspondence

  • managing an online aromatherapy course program

  • online documentation

  • creating and maintaining a blog

  • shopping cart maintenance for my website

  • online banking.

In addition to those skills, you’ll also need the basics of accounting, taxation and other regular business activities. You’ll also need some personal skills such as:

  • tact

  • patience

  • manners

  • knowing when its ok to say “no”

  • strength

  • a smile.

Although some handmade business owners eventually outsource some of their tasks, many do not have the budget to do so, particularly at start-up. This means that you really have to be passionate (and skilled) in what you do, more so than in a “regular” job, because you will have a wide range of responsibilities. And remember, if you buy handmade, not only does that person have all the skills required of their profession, as discussed in the previous post, they most likely are juggling (and mastering) many of the tasks discussed in this post.

I do what I do because, despite the days when everything seems to be going wrong and you are the only one who can sort it out (technical mishaps being the biggest of my problems), I receive an unexpected e-mail or handwritten “thank you” note in the mail – which makes me feel that I actually did make a difference in someone’s day! So, thank you to ALL handmade and small business owners for doing what you do – and having the passion, skills and beliefs for doing so!

Learn How to Start Your Own Aromatherapy Business

If you think you have the passion, skills and dedication to start your own aromatherapy business, consider taking one of the Sedona Aromatherapie aromatherapy courses to get started! Visit the courses home page to discover the latest courses available!

Pin It

Related Posts:


Tags: , , , ,
Posted in business | No Comments »

Aromatherapy for Shock and Grief

Posted on: June 3rd, 2013 by
Comments Requested
Essential Oils for Shock and Grief, Jani Bryson, ISP

Essential Oils for Shock and Grief, Jani Bryson, ISP

Both shock and grief can have a debilitating effect on your body. Grief and shock are often combined; for example, the news of a sudden death. In addition, car accidents, falls and other types of unexpected news can force our bodies to go into “emergency” mode to cope with the change in circumstances. The emotional responses to both shock and grief often have physiological effects on the body. The use of essential oils in aromatherapy may help you to cope with some of these responses.

How to Use Essential Oils for Shock and Grief

The quickest way in which your body responds to emotional issues is to use essential oils through inhalation (source: Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, Shirley Price, Len Price). The nose is directly linked to the brain and therefore inhaling an aroma will have a quicker response time than applying essential oils (in a carrier base) to your skin.

You can inhale an appropriate essential oil through a variety of methods; these include:

  • inhalation direct from an essential oil bottle

  • inhalation from a tissue – simply add a couple of drops to a tissue and inhale

  • inhalation in the bath – add a couple of drops of an appropriate essential oil to warm bath water or directly from a bath oil

  • inhalation from an aromatherapy diffuser – add a couple of drops to the diffuser, as instructed (candle diffusers and electric diffusers work differently, so see the manufacturer’s handbook for guidelines). Aromatherapy diffusers disperse an aroma throughout a room.

Essential Oils for Shock

Several essential oils are reputed to be beneficial for shock; these include peppermint (Mentha piperita), neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara), mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata). According to Patricia Davis in Aromatherapy: An A-Z, peppermint is one of the most useful essential oils for treating shock. However, peppermint essential oil is a powerful essential oil and you should use it in moderation, in addition to taking note of other contra-indications for use.

Neroli essential oil is a “gentler” essential oil than peppermint but it is an expensive oil to buy; you may want to inhale it directly from the bottle for shock in order to preserve the quantity of oil. Mandarin essential oil is a member of the citrus botanical family and consequently is a light, uplifting essential oil. Ylang ylang is a heavier essential oil but it is used to treat stress, nervous problems and depression, working on the emotional senses; however, use ylang ylang essential oil with caution as it may cause headaches or nausea if you use it in excess.

Essential Oils for Grief

Essential oils cannot help to heal grief alone, but may help in the overall grieving process. Essential oils such as vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides), rose (Rosa damascena) and benzoin (Styrax benzoin) might be useful for grief, in addition to the uplifting bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and other citrus essential oils.

In addition to the inhalation methods discussed above, you might find massage combined with essential oils useful in the grieving process.

Cautions for Using Essential Oils

Consult a qualified and experienced aromatherapist before using essential oils for the first time; in addition, seek medical advice for the prolonged treatment of shock and grief. Essential oils carry different cautions for use so it is essential that you are educated on a particular oil before using it; for example, you should not use some essential oils with babies, children, in pregnancy or with certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure of epilepsy. The use of aromatherapy is often not recommended in conjunction with certain homeopathic treatments and/or prescribed medications.

Learn More About How to Use Essential Oils

The Sedona Aromatherapie Foundation Course in Aromatherapy introduces the beginner to the therapeutic properties of essential oils through botany, chemistry, physiology, blending and more. To about other courses too, visit the courses home page.

References

  • Davis, Patricia, 1999, Aromatherapy: An A-Z, UK: Vermilion

  • Lawless, Julia, 1995, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, UK: Thorsons

  • Price, Shirley, Price, Len, 2002, Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, UK: Churchill Livingstone

  • Author’s personal experience and training.

Pin It

Related Posts:

  • No Related Posts

Tags: , , ,
Posted in aromatherapy, essential oils | No Comments »

A Simple Guide to Bath and Body Product Ingredients: Oil and Water

Posted on: May 27th, 2013 by
Comments Requested
Oil and Water for Bath and Body Products, Jim DeLillo, ISP

Oil and Water for Bath and Body Products, Jim DeLillo, ISP

Oil and water are two common ingredients in bath and body products; however, the addition of one or the other, and the quantity added, can have a big impact on how your bath and body product can turn out. Although the process is more complex than this blog post allows for, I hope that the following information will help you to understand the basic difference between adding oil or water to your bath and body products.

Oils for Bath and Body Products

You need to make sure that you choose the right type of oil for your bath or body product. Oil is a general term that can have several meanings in the world of both aromatherapy and bath and body product making. An oil can be:

  • an essential oil

  • a basic carrier oil

  • a herb infused oil

  • a butter (butters contain natural oils).

Make sure that you know exactly what a bath and body recipe is referring to when it states oil; most likely, it will be a basic carrier or herb infused oil – but it might mean a variation of butter or even essential oil too (sometimes people drop the word essential from in front of the word oil).

Water for Bath and Body Products

You might think that water is simple; after all, water is water, isn’t it? Not when it comes to making bath and body products. First of all, don’t use water direct from the faucet or tap. Use distilled water; distilled water has many of the impurities removed through boiling the water and condensing the steam from it.

Secondly, you can also use aromatic hydrosols as your “water” component in bath and body products. Hydrosols are distilled in much the same way as essential oils – and add aroma to your product.

Adding Oil and Water to Bath and Body Products

Bath and body products vary in consistency and texture; some of these differentiations are due to the variables in quantity of each ingredient added. For example, some butters are naturally harder than others (as they contain various amounts, and different types, of natural oils); therefore, your end product will be affected by this factor. In addition, the amount of a carrier oil which you add into such a bath and body recipe may “soften” up the end product.

Water is added into some bath and body recipes and not in others; in general, you will find that water is an ingredient in most lotion and cream recipes, but is not present in oil-based recipes such as butters and bath melts.

Finally, oil and water don’t naturally mix together; this is where the addition of an emulsifier, or solubol, (depending upon product)  is useful in bath and body products which contain both ingredients. Emulsifiers help to bind oil and water together in, for example, a lotion; solubols help to “disperse” the water and essential oils in a spritzer mix.

Learn to Make Your Own Bath and Body Products

If you would like to learn more on how to make your own bath and body products, consider either the Sedona Aromatherapie Basic Butters, Balms, Creams and Lotions Course, or the Sedona Aromatherapie Basic Bath Products with Essential Oils Course. Both courses are home study and start at just $59.99 each.

Enjoy!

Pin It

Related Posts:


Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in aromatherapy, aromatherapy crafts, aromatherapy spa, bath and body | No Comments »

Different Uses for Aromatherapy Balms

Posted on: May 20th, 2013 by
Comments Requested
Different types of aromatherapy balms, ISP

Different types of aromatherapy balms, ISP

Perhaps the most common type of aromatherapy balm that springs to mind is an aromatherapy lip balm. However, balms can be used for different things, in addition to lips, depending upon your definition of balm, and the ingredients in it. As always with bath and body aromatherapy products, balms are one of those items that can have various meanings (for example, bath melts and bath bombs). Here is my take on aromatherapy balms.

Ingredients of Aromatherapy Balms

Ingredients for aromatherapy balms vary, depending upon the aromatherapist, and where you intend to apply the balm. However, a basic balm is usually made up of a mixture of the following:

  • butter (for example, cocoa butter, shea butter)

  • beeswax

  • carrier oil (for example, coconut, jojoba)

  • essential oils.

The amount of each ingredient used (in relation to butters, beeswax and carrier oils) will affect the softness or hardness of your balm.

Aromatherapy Lip Balms

Aromatherapy lip balms are perhaps the most common type of balm that you will encounter. In addition, they are probably one of the easiest aromatherapy products to make. You can fragrance your lip balm with a suitable essential oil, such as a citrus essential oil. However, you first need to understand the essential oil you are using, including its therapeutic properties, its contra-indications for use and the quality of the essential oil.

The Sedona Aromatherapie Aromatherapy Lip Balm Making Kit is an ideal introduction for beginners to making these types of balms.

Aromatherapy Baby Balm

Balms are great for babys’ bottoms! If you make the balm yourself, you will know exactly what went into it. If you add an essential oil, make sure that it is suitable for use with babies.

Aromatherapy Hair Balm

You can also use balms as a type of hair “conditioner,” in place of regular gel or hair product. I use aromatherapy balms on dry hair after blow drying it. You don’t need a lot: Just rub a small amount between your fingers, and run through your hair to give extra shine (and fragrance!) – its also great to “calm down” frizzy or unruly hair.

Aromatherapy Balm Sticks

Aromatherapy balm sticks are essentially the same as lip balms. Mix together an appropriate blend, carry it around in your purse and apply to the wrists/temples as needed (as oppose to lips). This is a great format for anxiety blends.

Learn How to Make Your Own Aromatherapy Balms

If you want more information on how to make your own aromatherapy balms, consider the Sedona Aromatherapie Basic Butters, Balms, Creams and Lotions Course for Beginners– or for quick fix in simple aromatherapy recipes try the e-book, 25 Basic Aromatherapy Recipes for Beginners.

Enjoy!

Pin It

Related Posts:


Tags: , , ,
Posted in aromatherapy, aromatherapy crafts, aromatherapy for skincare | No Comments »

Different Types of Perfume Products with Essential Oils

Posted on: May 13th, 2013 by
Comments Requested
natural perfumes with essential oils, ISP

natural perfumes with essential oils, ISP

Natural perfume products are growing in popularity. However, you don’t need to be a qualified or experienced perfumer to get started making your own natural perfume products at home. Although the art of natural perfumery is a learned art, with the use of natural plant extracts, in addition to essential oils, you can start out by making some of these simple products with just a few base products and a selection of essential oils.

What is a Natural Perfume Product?

A natural perfume product doesn’t have to be a traditional perfume or cologne: It can also be a perfume spritzer, a perfume oil or a solid perfume. In fact, traditional perfumes in ancient Pompeii in Italy were often called unguents. Unguents were popular in ancient Egypt too. Unguents are often described as a healing salve, prepared for a particular purpose, such as for wounds. But there is no reason that a natural perfume can’t be made for both healing and scent purposes.

Natural Perfume Spritzers

Perfume spritzers are simple to make: Basically, they are a combination of water and essential oils. They can be used to scent a room, or used for personal hygiene. You can also add mineral rock salt to perfume spritzers: this makes them more deodorizing, and adds “energy” to the blend.

For a simple perfume spritzer recipe, read this earlier blog post.

Natural Perfume Oils

Perfume oils date back to ancient times: Before the common use of soap, oil was used in place of soap in Roman bath houses. Use a good quality, cold pressed carrier oil for the base of your perfume oil and add a suitable combination of essential oils: Examples of carrier oils include jojoba, sweet almond, apricot and sunflower. Carrier oils have therapeutic properties too.

Perfume oils can be used on the body in massage, as a bath oil or as a roll-on perfume.

Solid Perfume Products

There are various ways to make solid perfumes, and each perfumer/aromatherapist has their own favorite recipes for making solid perfumes. Basically, solid perfume products consist of a “hard” base (such as beeswax or cocoa butter), to which you add essential oils. It may also include carrier oils. The perfume is stored in a small pot or jar.

Natural Perfumes with an Alcohol Base

Perhaps the most “traditional” type of perfume is one which has an alcohol base. Alcohol is the dominant base in these types of perfumes, with a small percentage of water added to the base too. The same ingredients are used to make an eau-de-cologne, except that the ratio of water to alcohol is more than it is for a perfume base. In addition, the percentage of essential oils used varies for each product.

Learn to Make Your Own Natural Perfumes with Essential Oils

If you would like to learn more about making simple perfume products with essential oils, take a look at the Sedona Aromatherapie Natural Perfumes with Essential Oils course. If you aren’t quite ready to take a course in making natural perfumes, take a look at the e-book, 25 Simple Perfume Recipes with Essential Oils.

Enjoy!

References:

  • Giordano, Carlo, Casale, Angelandrea, 2nd Edition, 1992, Profumi, Ungent e Acconciature in Pompei Antica Roma: Bardi Editore

  • Author’s trip to Pompeii, Italy in 2008

  • Author’s own training and experience

Pin It

Related Posts:


Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in aromatherapy, perfume | No Comments »
1 2 3 4 ... 53