Candles And Aromatherapy

Our sense of smell isn’t necessarily something many of us think about much. Many don’t think that scents can improve our health or make our lives better However, we certainly don’t like it when we smell something bad or offensive. I have always hated the scent of burning toast! That smell seems to always put me in a bad mood! One thing however is for sure! We all have very different likes and dislikes when it comes to our sense of smell.

Most of us have heard the term aromatherapy. But what exactly is aromatherapy? Briefly, aromatherapy is the use of plant oils, including essential oils, for the well-being of ones body, mind and some believe the soul. I am certainly no expert on this topic. So for this post I turned to the internet and found many well written articles on the subject and if you want more information I would suggest you do the same. You may also wish to make a trip to your local library. Many books on this subject have been written and can give you more detailed information.

My interest on this subject began many years ago when I found a unique shop in the famous Pike Street Market in Seattle. The store was filled with lots of jars, ointments, creams, all used for homeopathic cures. This shop called out to me every time I visited Pike’s Street Market. I would go in and browse around and always end up in this one section of the store where there was a large array of essential oils. I would look at the essential oils and read all about what they were supposed to do for you. At first I didn’t have much faith that by using grate fruit oil in my bath that I would feel energized or that by using lavender it would help boost my immune system. However, I quickly became a big believer that the use of scent helped to enrich my life in many ways. Then one great day I discovered that scented candles worked well too!

Unfortunately, many of these candles that I bought were either not made well or after lit for a few months would not emit the fragrance they promised. So when Duane and I decided to start making our own candles, we did a lot of research to find a top quality fragrance company. We are also very particular about the amount of scent we use when making our candles. We want the fragrance to be just as pleasing and fragrant at the end of the candles life as the first time you lit it.

In prior posts I have given suggestions for scents for different rooms and different occasions. What I wanted to do in this post was to share some scents that Aromatherapist’s use to help with different physical and emotional issues. Again, you may or may not believe that they will help cure you of these ailments but hopefully they will raise your spirits and help you feel better!

For those that suffer from Anxiety (and who doesn’t in todays world?) the use of  Bergamot, Cedarwood (we do offer Cedar), and Lavender are recommended. For depression Jasmine, Lavender, and Neroli are suggested. For grief felt by the passing of a loved one, a pet, or at the end of a friendship or relationship Frankincense and Rose may help you cope with this painful sense of loss. Stress seems to be something we all struggle with at some times of our lives. Being parents of an almost 6 year old along with running 3 businesses we often find our selves stressed to the max! Once our little one is down for the night we turn off the lights and light our candle scented with Ylang Ylang. Ylang Ylang with it’s sweet floral scent and hint of Jasmine not only is considered a potent aid to romance but also is known to help you unwind & relax. You may also wish to try Chamomile, Lavender, Sandalwood, Orange or Cinnamon (these last two are helpful in not only lifting your mood but also can help give you an energy boost). All thought to help calm you down. To help strengthen the immune system you may wish to consider either Lavender, Lemon, and Tea Tree oil (not on our list currently but we can special order it for you). Also know to help lift your spirits and help you get out of your mad mood are Jasmine and Bergamot. Chamomile and Lavender are helpful at bedtime. Eucalyptus, Sage, Basil, Cedar, and Myrrh can be helpful for those who suffer from coughs and bronchial problems. There are certainly many other scents that can help you with your everyday life and help you to feel better. These are just a very few that I have listed. With over 400 scents available we hope you will be able to find the right scent for your home, office, or loved one that can give you a peaceful feeling of well being.

I found the following in an article while doing my research that said that “ Scents affect the way we feel, which isn’t surprising when you consider how we smell. When we breathe in fragrance molecules through our nose, they attach themselves to olfactory sensors that transmit impulses to the brain.” That is pretty easy for most of us to understand. In this same article the author quoted Alan Hirsch, M.D., a neurologist and psychiatrist who heads the Smell & Taste Treatment Center in Chicago. He says “The quickest way to induce an emotional response is through smell”. The author asks us to “think back about how the aroma of pumpkin pie can instantly transport you back to a childhood Thanksgiving and evoke the feelings associated with the memory. Creating Positive feelings and physical changes is what aromatherapy is all about”.

I hope you find these suggestions give you help and guidance in making a scent selection for you or a special person in your life. When life gets to be hectic, overwhelming or just too much, we hope that our candles will help you to relax, breathe & enjoy!

Material for post found at the following sites:
Quotes from article: “Soothe yourself with good scents: essential oils can help heal body and soul – aromatherapy – includes recipes and safety tips” in Vegetarian Times, Feb, 1995 by Maryann Hammers
Lots of great info found at:
http://www.aworldofaromatherapy.com/
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/delight-the-senses-breathe-scents-to-heal-body-min

http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/wharoma.asp

http://www.aromatherapypoint.com/

http://www.aworldofaromatherapy.com/