The Rise of the Relaxation Massage
Historically, I'm aware that the majority of my massage appointments have requested a deeper pressure. People want to feel they've 'had a massage', but recently, I've noticed a change. I'm seeing more people through my door asking for a relaxation massage. Previously,...
Why would you book a pamper?
If you don't have therapies, you may think that booking an appointment is a pamper, something you have when you go to a spa to make you feel nice. I'll be honest, before I trained as a therapist I thought exactly the same. I couldn't justify the expense and I remember...
What is an Aromatherapy Massage?
If you're booking for a massage you'll soon discover there are a lot of different types, including aromatherapy massage. Aromatherapy massage is a specific type of massage which uses a blend of essential oils diluted in a carrier oil (vegetable oil)....
Essential Oils and Pregnancy
Recently, I've been contacted by a therapist who is concerned to see a course encouraging essential oils for pregnant women. The person advertising the course has a health background but is not an aromatherapist and is part of a multi-level-marketing company....
How we Choose your Essential Oils
If you're thinking of booking an aromatherapy massage, you may be wondering what oils are used for the session and if it's a pre-blend of essential oils, or if you're expected to tell the therapist what oils you want - if you have a limited knowledge of essential oils...
What are hydrolats and hydrosols?
What are hydrolats and hydrosols? In America they are called hydrosols, while in the UK they tend to be called hydrolats or hydrosols depending on the supplier. They are both used to refer to the same product. During steam distillation, the plant material is...
Diffusing and inhaling essential oils
Did you know that inhalation is one of the most effective ways for essential oils to enter the body? When you inhale an essential oil some of the components make their way to the limbic area of the brain. This is the area which is associated with memory and explains...
Therapies and Pregnancy
Occasionally I'm asked if I offer therapies to pregnant women. I don't advertise it on my website, and perhaps I should, but it's because I don't consider it a special skill and I don't consider a therapy for a pregnant woman as something that needs highlighting. As...
How to Choose Essential Oils
If you're new to essential oils, chances are you've had an oil recommended by someone, or you've read something somewhere and you think it may be worth a try. So, how do you choose your essential oils? If someone has recommended an oil to you, what...
What affects essential oil absorption into your skin?
If you have a massage, you probably think of essential oils being smelly, fragrant aromas which are massaged onto your skin before being absorbed by your body. The skin is designed to be a barrier and to protect things getting into our body. This isn't to say things...
Essential Oils for Bedtime Monsters
During my baby massage course I talk to parents about how to safely use essential oils around children. If you're thinking about using essential oils with your baby you may want to read this post, essential oils and babies. Many parents think about using essential...
Looking After Citrus Oils
If you buy essential oils then you may well have already looked into how to store them and look after them. If you don't know how to store them and you'd like some guidelines you can check out one of my previous blog posts about how to look after your essential oils....
Essential Oils and Babies
Across the internet there is lots of information about essential oils, and there is lots of conflicting advice about essential oils and babies. Some people will say never to use essential oils on babies below 2 years of age, others 12 weeks, and others say it's fine...
Getting the Most out of your Therapy
With holistic therapies it is possible for your session to be tailored to you, so, how do you get the most out of your therapy session? Before the hands-on part of your therapy begins, you'll find that your therapist has a little chat with you. Apart from letting you...
Suggestions for a Good Nights Sleep
It happens to everyone from time to time and it’s quite usual, but if you find you’re struggling with getting to sleep or staying asleep, then it may be worth reviewing what is going on. Recent research is showing the importance of sleep, and how it is used by the...
Looking after your essential oils
If you're buying essential oils, you may discover that some cost a few pounds while others actually cost quite a bit. The cost is usually a factor of where it was obtained, current levels of availability and how difficult it is to extract. For example, you'll find a...
A Commonsense Approach to Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a massive subject and no one knows everything; we keep discovering things and changing our stance on things based on new information; in many circles this is considered as adopting 'best practice'. We revise and grow. Or we don't. I am seeing posts by...
Losing my love for aromatherapy?
Anyone who knows me knows I love my essential oils. I think they're fantastic and I've spent over ten years exploring them, but I'm aware my love for them is waning. This may sound curious from an aromatherapist, but I've been thinking about it for a while. If I'm...
An Holistic Aromatherapy Approach for Chronic Illness
This blog post is a guest post for Honeysuckle Healing. The content arose after twitter feedback asking for information about how to use essential oils most effectively, how they can help with spasms, clear thinking, insomnia and other symptoms people living with...
Aromatherapy without a massage
When you think of aromatherapy, do you think of aromatherapy with a massage? If so, you're not alone. Many people think that when you book with a therapist for an aromatherapy session, you will be getting a massage, however it is possible to book an aromatherapy...
What is phototoxicity?
If you use certain oils on your skin or if you see an aromatherapist for a massage, you may be warned about going into direct sunlight after your session. Sometimes it will be because it's summer and the carrier oil means you are more likely to burn,...
I’ve seen something on the internet, is it safe?
As a member of a few facebook aromatherapy sites, I keep seeing posts by exasperated American aromatherapists. This advice is being given by marketing companies about ingestion of oils and the neat application of many essential oils. What's the Problem? While I'm an...
How to get your first therapy session ‘right’
If you've never been for a therapy session you may be wondering what on earth you do. You're going to go and spend some time with a person you've never met before, tell them your health history and then get the therapy you fancied when you had a look at what was on...
Aromatherapy isn’t just about essential oil
If you think of aromatherapy, you'll automatically think of essential oils - and you won't be wrong. What you may not know is there is also another aspect to aromatherapy, which is used by clinical aromatherapists. There is a by-product which is created during the...
Bespoke Blends for Aromatherapy Massage?
As an aromatherapist I naturally make up blends for my clients before we begin the massage part of the appointment. This is what I consider to be an aromatherapy massage, however, talking to other therapists and my own personal experience of receiving an aromatherapy...
Why I don’t offer aromatherapy recipes
There is a lot of information on the internet, and it's fantastic, as there's so much information at our fingertips. I've seen some social media sites post various aromatherapy recipes which can help with health complaints but as an aromatherapist it's not something...
Offering several therapies
People sometimes look at my business card and say 'Ooh, you do a lot of things, don't you?' The truth is, I don't. It's just when they're all listed out like that it can seem a lot. My business is all holistic, I'm not a beauty therapist and I have no desire to be....
Beginning to Learn about Essential Oils
I remember having a reading list of aromatherapy books for my course, and being so excited when the first one arrived. My attitude soon changed when I looked at it and became overwhelmed. There were so many oils with different cautions and Latin words. Honestly, even...
Neat And Internal Use of Essential Oils
A repost from March 2016, which I posted originally on another website. Yet again I've seen a post asking about neat and internal use of essential oils because people are confused. Some people say you should never use oils neat or internally while others say...
Where should I buy my essential oils?
As an aromatherapist this is something I get asked a lot. I know it's because it's a minefield, and the market is so adulterated it's difficult to know what to trust. The thing is, aromatherapists are a funny breed, we get to like our particular suppliers. At the...