Local aromatherapist Jen Hutchinson of Ya Wee Beauty Naturals explains the power of scent
We’ve all heard of essential oils in some capacity. When lockdown started I took it a bit further and done a degree in Aromatherapy. That sounds much fancier than it actually was, but it began my love for essential oils.
After a while I found the DIY aspect of it to be quite time-consuming, and although I loved it myself, I knew convenience would make it much more appealing for people to try.
And so began Ya Wee Beauty Naturals - my way, as I see it, of helping people.
There are lots of ways you can use essential oils, from helping with skin conditions and minor health problems, to beauty, to hormones to sex (yes I said it). They are so gentle that they can be used on a newborn baby but so powerful that they can support people going through major illnesses.
There are three main ways to use essential oils: inhale, ingest and apply topically. This column is about inhaling, using oils aromatically.
Smelling essential oils is one of the only methods that can reach the limbic system of your brain. This is where your emotions lie in your body, it’s what makes us happy, sad, it’s where we connect smells to memories. Have you ever smelled something and thought, that reminds me of a person or a song?
This is the part of the brain that connects the dots. Hopefully we are thinking more along the lines of, ‘oh, that smell of fresh bread reminds me of my granny,’, not ‘oh that smell of tequila reminds me of death!’
The power of the essential oil can reach the olfactory system and start supporting our emotions within 22 seconds, either to calm us down, lift our mood or help us sleep. They can help reduce our anxiety, support hormonal issues, help us feel fresh and ready for the day or set the mood for a romantic evening.
The benefits of all the different oils are endless.
A few drops of peppermint oil into the palms of your hands in the morning and five big deep breaths will help clear your mind, lift your mood, prevent headaches and even perspiration.
We all love our home to smell fresh and homely, so imagine having that with added health and well-being benefits? Instead of perfumes full of chemicals and toxins, an oil straight from nature that smells incredible but also invokes peace or courage? Or uplifts you when you’re feeling down? All through smell!
Breathtaking when you think about it! (pun intended)
Published in Konect May 2021
Author Jen Hutchinson