Monday, December 1, 2008

Aromatherapy Candle Making -


Aromatherapy Candle Making -

How to Get Started!Aromatherapy candle making is a relaxing and rewarding hobby. Not only can you enjoy the process of making the candles, but aromatherapy soy candles also have great benefits to your mind and spirit.
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Burning an aromatherapy scented candle can help you to feel more relaxed and calm even when experiencing a stressful lifestyle.
Needed SuppliesIf you are interested in making aromatherapy candles, there are several supplies you will need to have handy. You will want to have candle jars and wicks easily accessible so that you always have them ready when you want to make a candle. You will also need some sort of base for the candle. You may choose to make the candle out of beeswax or soy. Many candles include paraffin, which you can purchase at most craft stores. You can even add aromatherapy oils to gel candles and make floating candles out of them. The most essential ingredients for aromatherapy candle making are the essential oils you will use to make the scent for your candles.
Types of Essential OilsOne of the most popular essential oils used in aromatherapy scented candles is lavender. Lavender relieves stress and helps people to relax, and it has a pleasant, sweet aroma. Eucalyptus is another popular essential oil, and it has properties that help breathing and also boost the immune system. Geranium is a popular oil used in aromatherapy, particularly with women, as it helps balance their hormones. Those who suffer from joint trouble will enjoy a candle scented with peppermint, as it takes away aches and pains, as well as helps the digestive system. Ylang Ylang is a popular oil used as an antidepressant, and rosemary also has properties that lift the mood. Sage and chamomile are used to help you sleep. Keeping small amounts of the natural essential oils on hand is essential when making aroma therapy candles. You will also want to have a double boiler to use when melting the wax. If you are not using a jar for your candle, then you will need a mold that is disposable. A paper cup works well to make votive sized candles. Frozen juice containers make a good option for a pillar candle. A cooking thermometer and crayons for coloring the candle are the final things you will need.

Grow Aromatherapy Herbs at Home!




Grow Aromatherapy Herbs at Home!Learning how to grow herbs is a rewarding and healthy activity. When you grow herbs at home, you can save money by using the herbs for cooking or for creating aromatherapy essential oils. These edible plants are not only useful, but also quite beautiful and a real enhancement to your garden, patio or deck. Successfully raising herbs at home begins with selecting the right plants for your setting and climate.
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What Herbs Can You Grow?Not all plants grow well indoors. While you can opt for a strictly outdoor herb garden, it's nice to have at least some plants inside where you can enjoy them and their benefits year round. (If you are interested in incorporating herbs into your yard or garden, talk to a professional at your local plant nursery to find out which herbs will survive well in your native climate, how much sunlight and water the herbs require, and how to protect the plants during the winter months.)So, what herbs grow inside? For the beginner, good choices include mint, basil, rosemary, and oregano. Mint and rosemary have particular healing properties that you can use for aromatherapy and both are excellent when used in your favorite recipes. If you are going to grow herbs indoors, it's a good idea to start with one or more of these four plants since they are almost guaranteed to be successful and will give you greater confidence in your abilities when you're ready to add more herbs to your containers.Another good reason to grow your own herbs indoors is the fact that the plants do require some special care that your normal garden plants may not need. For instance, if you want your herbs to grow year round, with some plants you will need to reseed and to "deadhead" the plants to keep them from dying in the winter. These things are more easily done in a container garden where you can bring the pots up to a good working level than outdoors where you'll be spending a lot of time on your knees bending over. Also, you can provide the proper drainage in a container garden as herbs are bad to get "water logged." In fact, you can buy "grow your own herbs" kits from most plant nurseries or home improvement stores that will help you to accomplish all the basics of indoor herb gardening with with less work -- and they come with helpful instructions.
Materials You Will NeedIf you are going to grow herbs indoors, you will need certain materials including:
eight inch clay jars
potting mix that does not contain soil
some pottery shards
selected herbs as starter plants
liquid fertilizerOnce you have assembled these materials, you're ready to begin preparing your indoor garden.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

ESSENTIAL OILS



Aromatherapy essential oils refer to oils that are extracted from plant sources and these oils must contain potent, aromatic compounds. Such oil is usually extracted from the plant source through the process of distillation, expression or solvent extraction. There has been enough archeological evidence to suggest that such oils have been used for their aroma-therapeutic value since ancient times by various cultures of the world.
However research also shows that while most cultures appreciates the value of these oils in the form of massage oils they were also used in different ways by people of different cultures. In modern times, these uses have been experimented and perfected and aromatherapy essential oils are now available in newer forms such as in the form of candles.Pure essential oils are the ideal essential oils for candle-making and for this purpose usually no added fragrance or perfume is employed in the manufacturing process. However this point should be clarified before purchasing aromatherapy candles. Such candles are available in many different styles such as pillar candles, candles tins and jars and can be made from many different oils such as lavender essential oils, peppermint oil or sweet basil oil for instance.For healing purposes, it is best to use the pure unadulterated essential oils only and hence one should specifically ask for organic essential oils for such uses. Always check the ingredients listed on the cover to ensure that the manufacturer has really not added any outside ingredient. Wholesale essential oils are also available but only make sense to buy is you plan to manufacture or sell aromatherapy
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Aromatherapy oils essential benefit products have been in use since ancient times. There has been sufficient evidence collected from several sources around the world to support this theory. However, the therapeutic value of essential oils received more recognition in the early part of the twentieth century when a French chemist stumbled upon the curative power of lavender oil. The chemist named Gattefosse, accidentally burnt his hand while conducting an experiment and reflexively dipped it into the first liquid he came upon. This was a bowl of lavender oil and Gattefosse soon realized that the oil not only soothed his pain but prevented scars. This intrigued the chemist so much that he meticulously researched and catalogued twenty-five key essential oils. The popularity of essential oils and aromatherapy has increased greatly since that time and this demand has led to the mass manufacture of essential oil and essential oil products like aromatherapy soy candles with essential oils for example. However, many people often make the mistake of purchasing essential oils carelessly, confusing all essential oils available for organic aromatherapy essential oils. Since many aromatherapy products are available over-the-counter, one tends to believe that they are all considered absolutely safe. This is not always the case and one must equip oneself with sufficient knowledge about aromatherapy and essential oils before purchasing such oils. Improper use of such oils can in fact lead to health problems and hence caution must be exercised before purchasing pure essential oils aromatherapy benefit products.Many essential oils products available today are manufactured purely for the sake of the aroma or fragrance as opposed to for therapeutic use. Since these oils are going to be absorbed into your skin if you plan to use them for therapeutic use - through processes like inhaling or massage - one must be careful about the amount, if any, of toxic materials that may be contained in readily-available oils.