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The use of aromatherapy oils can be a wonderful, natural boost to any home. An aromatherapy candle or burner can be used to help scent the home, giving an instant lift' to the air (4 drops Bergamot, 2 drops Geranium and 1 drop Petitgrain oils), or used to have a calming influence (4 drops Patchouli, 2 drops Geranium and 1 drop Marjoram oils).

To get any benefit from aromatherapy, you do need to use quality products though. Fragrance oils are not the same as essential oils and these cheaper scented oils are not going to do anything other than make your house smell nice. Pure essential oils will however not only smell pleasant, they also have therapeutic applications and can help with many common ailments.

The most common way oils are used in many homes is in a burner or vaporizer, but few people realize that this is the least effective method. To be highly successful, oils need to be absorbed as well as smelt, so when used in massage or added to a bath they are of far more benefit. Essential oils can also be used to create personalized skin and hair care products, giving you your own distinctive fragrance.

You need to keep in mind though that with few exceptions (lavender and tea tree), oils cannot be used directly by themselves on the skin, and instead need to be used with a carrier' or base' oil (oils obtained by cold pressing nuts, seeds or kernels).

Different oils have specific properties (antiseptic, soothing, relaxing, refreshing etc) and are usually combined together to treat disorders. Below are combinations of oils used to treat common complaints. These combinations can be used via vaporization in a burner, or for massage by adding them to 25ml of carrier or base oil.

Backache
2 drops Ginger Oil
4 drops Lavender Oil
4 drops Marjoram Oil
4 drops Rosemary Oil

Insomnia
6 drops Lavender Oil
6 drops Mandarin Oil
4 Drops Marjoram Oil

Cold/Flu
5 drops Rosemary Oil
5 drops Cypress Oil
4 drops Lemon Oil
3 drops Fennel Oil
2 drops Sage Oil

You can find many other recipes on the internet, or in a good aromatherapy book. Many health food stores sell essential oils, or you can ring distributors directly. To actively practice aromatherapy can be costly, so it is best to start off small. Buy a book and begin by collecting the oils that have the most applications or are most relevant to you.

Once you become more confident, don't be afraid to create your own blends, based on individual oil properties. There is no right or wrong blend, and by experimenting, you can design the best combination for your personal needs.

Learn more about this author, Kris Zelunka.
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