Self-care can be an enjoyable experience, and a special moment to indulge. Using essential oils, you can create your own natural products containing concentrated extracts from plants such as rose, lavender, and lemon.
Aside from smelling beautiful, these extracts contain powerful medicinal properties that heal through the sense of smell and absorption. Use these five DIY essential oil recipes to nourish the body and the soul with the healing energy of plants.
Refreshing exfoliating scrub
For smooth, healthy skin, make a habit of exfoliating once per week. Exfoliation helps unclog pores and removes dead skin cells so your skin looks fresh. This natural scrub recipe from Bicultural Mama combines coconut oil, cup brown sugar, and turbinado sugar with drops of essential oils.
For a calming scent, go for lavender, rose, ylang ylang, or bergamot. Citrusy lemon or bright spearmint will have you feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Bountiful body spray
You can create your own unique body spray in just a few short steps. Take a small spray bottle. Combine distilled water, witch hazel, and your choice of essential oils. For a refreshing zing, this recipe from Happy Healthy Mama suggests using ten drops of refreshing grapefruit oil with four drops of lime and four drops of lemon oils.
Delightful diffuser
Add aroma to any living space with an oil diffuser. You’ll need a carrier oil, essential oils, and rubbing alcohol for this DIY recipe from Treehugger.
Take a small bottle or vase. Bamboo skewers or diffuser reeds will help gently lift the aromas into the air. Add alcohol, which evaporates faster than water and helps draw the scent through the diffuser reeds. Mix in a lightly scented carrier oil like almond or safflower.
Now you can play with different combinations of essential oils. For a clean, bright smell, go for frankincense, lavender, lemon, and thyme oils, which all have antibacterial properties, according to a study from Pathogens. Treehugger suggests combining lemon, geranium, and chamomile for imbuing relaxation.
Bubbly bath bomb
Soak the stress away with a calming bath before bed. Check out some bath bomb recipes from Wellness Mama. The main ingredients are baking soda, citric acid, and cornstarch with coconut oil. Next, add your oil combination before slowly mixing in witch hazel. You can add food dye before placing your bath bombs into molds. Let them sit overnight. Now you can add your bath bomb whenever you need a relaxing bath filled with the lovely scents of flowers, citrus, and herbs.
Relaxing bath oil
Bathing has all sorts of therapeutic benefits, especially during dry, chilly winter months. You can relieve stress and feel relaxed by soaking in a long, hot bath. This bath oil recipe from Loving Essential Oils is a luxurious addition to a hot bath, and easy to make!
You will need a carrier oil such as coconut, jojoba, grapeseed, almond, or rosehip oil. Mix with drops of your favorite essential oils. Soothing choices are five drops of lavender, three drops of frankincense, or two drops of sandalwood. You can stick to one type of oil or get creative with your own aromatic blend. Add two to four teaspoons to your bath and enjoy.