There is an abundance of aromatherapy products, including not just the variety of oils you can purchase, but the accessories to use with them.
As an ancient method of holistic healing and wellness, aromatherapy invigorates the mind, body, and soul through aroma or fragrance. Diane Ackerman summed it up well:
“Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains”
Ever smelled something that reminded you of your childhood? A food recipe? Maybe a fragrance that reminds you of a late relative?
Sure, taking a whiff of freshly-baked cookies isn’t a form of aromatherapy. But the point is clear: Smell is the most powerful sense. And that’s why aromatherapy is so appealing.
Aromatherapy products like essential oils provide both physical and psychological benefits to mitigate illnesses and improve health and wellness. The potent compounds of these plants offer countless benefits.
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What Are the Best Aromatherapy Products?
To kick it off, here are a few basic types of aromatherapy:
- Massage: This form of aromatherapy couples the aromatic benefits of essential oils with various massage therapy procedures. Essential oils like lavender enhance the experience by promoting relaxation.
- Cosmetic: This type of aromatherapy uses essential oils to improve your skin, body, hair, and other physical attributes.
- Olfactory: This method involves direct inhalation of oils or emission into the environment. The latter is achieved by combining the oil with water and evaporating the solution through a diffuser.
Now, for the aromatherapy products to use. First, we’ll discuss the essential oil products themselves. Then, we’ll detail some popular aromatherapy accessories you can use with your oils.
Essential oils are supposed to be natural. Keyword, being supposed to. Genuine essential oils are pure distillations of the aromatic non-fatty components of a plant (such as roots, blossoms, and leaves). They take quite a bit of natural source ingredient to create; therefore, they can be more expensive than their synthetic counterparts.
Some brands use fillers to keep their costs down. Air freshener, cleaning products, perfumes, and, yes, some essential oil brands contain man-made chemicals. In fact, a lot of essential oil brands you will find in health food stores and aromatherapy shops contain these additives, as they can be sold at a lower price point.
This partly defeats the purpose of using essential oils altogether. After all, essential oils are largely used as replacements for traditional medicine due to the natural philosophy they have created.
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Types of Essential Oils
Here are some of the most popular oils and their benefits:
- Lavender: Great for relaxation and can help with skin, pain, and inflammation.
- Lemon: With antiseptic qualities, lemon is often used for natural cleaning.
- Orange: Its sweet and citrusy scent can help improve mood.
- Peppermint: Used to boost energy and can help with stomach problems and sinus and chest congestion.
- Frankincense: One of the most prized oils available, frankincense is great for easing stress and protecting from environmental threats.
- Eucalyptus: Acting as a decongestant, this oil has anti-microbial properties that can protect from environmental health effects.
- Oregano: With natural antibiotic compounds, oregano is a must-have oil for the cold and flu season.
Aromatherapy Accessories to Use With Your Essential Oils
Now, for accessories. How far will your essential oils get you if you don’t have a good way to apply them?
Sure, topical applications are highly effective. In fact, for many health targets, topical use is your best option (skin care, for instance).
But inhaling and diffusing oils are preferable in many instances. The most popular method? A traditional diffuser.
Diffusion is the process of emitting essential oils so that their scent emanates throughout the room. There are a wide range of stationary diffusers. Here are a few things to look for when buying one:
- Automatic shutoff: Most diffusers have this feature. It’s an important one, as turning off your diffuser when you are done using it is easy to forget. Typically you can set a timer for a couple hours up to six or more hours.
- Ease of use: Most diffusers are easy to use and maintain. However, some units aren’t convenient to clean and aren’t quite as user-friendly. With a higher quality brand, all it takes is a little water and alcohol to clean.
- Versatility: This isn’t a common factor, but it can be for lower quality brands. Some diffusers demand that you turn off the unit any time you change out oils.
- Coverage: One of the most important things to consider is coverage. This largely depends on the size of the room you plan on using your diffuser. If you are diffusing in a small office or bedroom, coverage may not be too big of an issue. However, if you have a large living room, you may consider a diffuser that has wider coverage.
Portable Diffuser Accessories
Now, for the fun part. Typically, the new or moderate aromatherapy user may not of heard of portable diffuser solutions. They’re still a relatively new aromatherapy phenomenon. Ultimately, portable essential oil accessories allow you to diffuse your oils on-the-go, eliminating the limitations of a traditional, stationary diffuser.
Here are a few different types of portable aromatherapy accessories:
- Car diffusers: There are different types of car diffusers, but the most common type plugs right into the cigarette lighter of your car. Just like a traditional diffuser, you will typically add water to diffuse your oils. There are also clip-on diffusers that can be attached to your air vents. The oil will soak into a felt pad and emit the aroma.
- USB diffuser: These are neat little accessories because they are quite versatile. They can plug into any device that accepts a USB device and they look similar to a flash drive. Add a drop or two of oil and you can diffuse using the electronics of your laptop, vehicle, or other USB-friendly device.
- Diffuser jewelry: Aromatherapy diffuser jewelry is still relatively new to the market, but it is rising in popularity. Apply a drop or two of oil to a diffuser bracelet or necklace (oftentimes in a locket or pendant), and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of essential oils all day – or for even days at a time.[amazon box=”B01N6BGHNS”]