Springtime Aromatherapy
Why is Spring a Great Time for Aromatherapy?
Floral aromatherapy blends emit the essence of the season’s most prominent flowers. If you have been in hibernation mode over the winter, floral essential oils can add a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere to your space. Citrus essential oils are often used to energize and brighten a space, so they are ideal to beat the last of the winter blues and rejoice in the longer, warmer days ahead.
Aromatherapy can also aid in alleviating the symptoms that are associated with the changing of seasons, such as allergies, headaches, mental fogginess, nasal congestion, and stuffiness. Essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint possess anti-inflammatory benefits that may help ease seasonal allergies when diffused into the air, while Citrus essential oils such as lemon can potentially reduce sinuses and congestion. Peppermint essential oil has long been associated with reducing the severity of headaches. It can be diffused in a room or blended with a body-safe oil and applied topically at the base of the neck for optimal results.
Essential oils such as geranium, grapefruit, juniper berry, and rosemary have detoxifying properties, making them ideal for a good seasonal refresh. When used in a diffuser, these oils can help purify the air you breathe, as well as your respiratory pathways. They also emit gentle antifungal and disinfecting properties when incorporated into natural cleaning recipes for surfaces around the home, such as all-purpose cleaning sprays, bathroom cleaners, toilet cleaners, and other disinfectants. Essential oils can potentially perform the same cleaning benefits as their conventional counterparts without the harsh chemicals!
The Best Essential Oils for Spring
Floral Essential Oils:
Floral oils, most notably lavender, geranium, and ylang ylang, are commonly used in aromatherapy to help with stress and anxiety, as well as mental fogginess and tension in the body. As the most versatile essential oil in aromatherapy, lavender has therapeutic and healing properties that can support your mental and emotional well-being with its soft, calming scent. Geranium has balancing, anti-inflammatory, astringent, and uplifting properties that make it perfect for renewing your space or personal care regimen. Along with their soft, powdery scents, floral essential oils are antifungal, antiseptic, and astringent, perfect for purifying the air you breathe.
Minty Essential Oils:
Oils hailing from the mint family are particularly beneficial for Springtime use due to their astringent, antiseptic properties, and fresh, minty scent profile that is stimulating to the senses. Peppermint oil may ease the symptoms of seasonal allergies when blended and diffused with other anti-inflammatory oils. Their antifungal properties also make mint oils beneficial for cleaning surfaces around the home. Essential oils in the mint family include peppermint, spearmint, and wintergreen.
Herbaceous Essential Oils:
For a blend that is reminiscent of dewy, freshly cut grass, herbaceous essential oils are extracted from the leafy green part of a low-growing plant. These oils include eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, and chamomile roman. Herbaceous essential oils are great for eliminating unpleasant odors, uplifting your mood, promoting a sense of relaxation, and contains cleansing properties when applied to the skin or when added to solutions for cleaning various surfaces.
Citrus Essential Oils:
Fresh, fruity, and invigorating, citrus essential oils are the heart of Spring-inspired diffuser blends. Including lemon, bergamot, lime, grapefruit, and orange, citrus oils add the bright, uplifting, and energizing effect beneficial for the change in season. With their cleansing and purifying constituents, citrus oils can support immunity and ease symptoms of seasonal colds and allergies with their antifungal and antibacterial properties. Citrus oils are also beneficial when added to natural cleaning products due to their astringent effects and their brilliant scent profile, which masks the harsh odors of cleaning agents, leaving a breath of fresh air.
Woodsy Essential Oils:
Extracted from the roots, leaves, branches, or resin of tree species, woodsy essential oils possess an earthy scent profile that epitomize the essence of a walk in the woods. Cedarwood, frankincense, tea tree, and sandalwood are types of woodsy oils that provide a grounding effect and balance any diffuser blend; they blend especially well with floral oils like lavender and eucalyptus, enhancing their relaxing and calming effects. Cedarwood and tea tree are believed to support a healthy respiratory system and protect the skin from environmental stressors, while frankincense and sandalwood can promote a sense of relaxation and mood balance. Cedarwood also acts as a natural bug repellent, perfect for topical application and garden use, as insects become more prominent in the Springtime.
If you’re interested in learning more about aromatherapy and its benefits, check out the book The Beginners Guide to Essential Oils: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started by Christina Anthis. Happy Spring!
