Learn from our expert aromatherapist in these videos on lavender and tea tree essential oils. These short, informative videos feature aromatherapy benefits, recipes and more. Broaden your knowledge and get full aromatherapy benefits from your oils!
May 8th, 2008
Join Tim Blakley — author, herbalist, and aromatherapist — tonight at 7 pm CST, for an hour-long live online chat. The topic: Spring Cleaning with Essential Oils - Learn more or JOIN NOW.
April 17th, 2008
I just bought your Avocado Natural Skin Care Oil. I mainly bought it to use on my hands because they are very dry and getting lots of wrinkles. I’ve tried several hand creams/oils, but this is the absolute best product by far. I’ve just used it twice today, and it is so light, and not greasy/oily feeling. I went to your website, but didn’t see any specific facial skin care products. Can I use this avocado oil as a daily moisturizer for my face and neck or would it be too heavy, or would it tend to clog pores. I’m older, and have very thin skin, that tends to be more on the dry, sensitive side. I hope you can recommend something to use as I am pleased with this Avocado Oil.
I am glad that you are pleased with the avocado oil and that it’s working for you. One thing to know is that all nut and seed oils, including avocado can cause bacteria to form on the skin. Jojoba oil (as it is neither a seed nor a nut) is the only oil that is non comedogenic and will not promote the growth of bacteria. If your concerned about clogged pores, you might consider giving it a try. However, if the avocado is working for you, I wouldn’t change it.
Since you mention your mature skin becoming thin, dry and sensitive you might consider adding our Precious Essentials Rose Otto and Precious Essentials Myrrh to your avocado oil. Take the amount of avocado oil that you would normally use and add at least two drops each of the rose and myrrh and apply once a day to the entire face, neck and décolletage. Mixing them together in the palm of your hand is a very easy way to do it. You can also mix them in a container but I would mix them just before each use and no more than you would use at a single application. Both Rose Otto and Myrrh are excellent for most skin types and are especially recommended for dry, tired, sensitive and maturing skin.
Question Asked By: Amy
April 9th, 2008
Hello, what is the origin of aromatherapy oils? Also, what is the origin of herbalists and using natural remedies instead of pharmaceuticals?
The short answer is that aromatherapy, essential oils and herbalists began with time itself. Ever since man has been recording history, there have been countless pictures and writings depicting and documenting the use of plants as medicines. Whether they were inhaled, drank, chewed, massaged or otherwise, the history is both endless and fascinating.
April 9th, 2008
I am interested in making my own candles and I want to make them very strong. Almost like burning the oils blended together themselves. Is there a certain amount of EO I can put in the candles that would be too much. I make various size candles frome 4 x 6 and 3 x 3. Any help that i can receive would be appreciated.
Our experience with candle making is limited, but I can tell you, as with any ‘value added’ essential oil product, whether it’s a lotion, massage oil, or other concoction such as a candle or a spray, the effectiveness and strength of the scent of the finished product is really more about trial and error than it is about an exact amount or recipe. It’s ultimately about what speaks to the person creating the product; how it is received or responded to.
Additionally, we have found that an abundance of products scented with essential oils, including candles, contain synthetics and chemical fixatives that cause the oils to last longer and smell stronger. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult for those of us trying to do things naturally, to come up with finished products that perform to our expectations.
Question asked by: Tasha, GA
March 25th, 2008
I would like to create my own reed diffuser to be able to have the benefits of aroma therapy passively energizing and refreshing my home. I know and trust your products from when I first became familiar with them “way back in my co-op days.”
I can’t find any reference to reed diffusers on your website. Is there a reason for this? I currently use your energizing oil in an electric room diffuser that has a pad that holds the oil. That’s fine for one room, when I’m there but I’d like to have some reed diffusers for an on-going distribution.
I must admit, I haven’t used a reed diffuser because what I see in the stores see like “candle-store” scents. Does the reed diffuser method work? Can you provide some information about it.
Our experience at Aura Cacia is that it is necessary to use a synthetic carrier or solvent in order for essential oils to diffuse properly in a reed diffuser. There are two options that we recommend to solve this dilemma if you are looking to avoid synthetic ingredients all together:
Try using undiluted essential oils with your reed diffusers. Our testing indicates that this is the only way to get the absorption and aroma impact that a synthetic carrier and essential oil blend provide.
Another idea is to drop oils directly onto your reeds or to spray them with essential oils that have been blended with water in a small spray bottle. Again, because these blends will not contain any synthetics or fragrances, the aroma will not last as long as with your original purchase, but you will not be putting those potentially harmful substances into your home.
Additionally, if you opt for the spray or direct drop approach, you will find that there are many diffusers around your home that will work well. For instance, pine cones, wood shavings (like you find in potpourris), cattails, grasses, etc. Also, don’t forget your candles and lamps. You can add a drop or two to your candles just before lighting. Ceramic lamp rings are an inexpensive way to volatize essential oils using the heat from any table lamp. And, they are available through the Aura Cacia website.
Question asked by: Ann Mehrman, IL
March 25th, 2008
Join Tim Blakley — author, herbalist, and aromatherapist — tonight at 7 pm CST, for an hour-long live online chat. The topic: An At-Home Spa Experience - Learn more or JOIN NOW.
March 20th, 2008
Hi, I own a 2000 square foot Health Food store in Ottawa, Canada and I want to use scents in my store to create a better environment for customers to shop in. I have an electric aromatherapy diffuser and would really appreciate any ideas you may have for scents to use in my store.
In a retail setting where the mood can vary throughout the day and the seasons, I would suggest a combination of scents that are both calming and uplifting.
Lavender with Lemon
Lavender with Sweet Orange
Lavender with Grapefruit
Lavender with Bergamot
Lavender being a calming, but not sedative essential oil and the citrus oils being cheery and uplifting. I would start with equal parts of each oil adding more of the scent that is preferred to dominate, if necessary. One might consider adding some drops of vanilla for balance and effect. I would be careful of the vanilla, however. Ours is in jojoba and this oil can produce a burning smell in some heat applications.
I would also suggest Lavender with lemongrass. Lemongrass is fresh, but quite overpowering to lavender so 3 or four parts of lavender to 1 part lemongrass would be a good place to start.
There are other essential oils that are calming, patchouli, neroli, rose otto, German chamomile, but patchouli can be overpowering, too much neroli can make one sleepy, rose and chamomile can have a similar effect.
Peppermint is another ‘uplifting’ oil to consider. Perhaps the Essential Solutions Pep Talk or Chill Pill would be suitable.
Many scent studies have been done on lavender and citrus oils in casino’s and restaurants with great results. The oils either together or on their own were said to have caused the patrons to linger longer and perhaps, spend more money!
Something fun to do would be to try different combinations or blends on different days. Put up a small chalk board or sign that says what the scent or blend is and ask the patrons to vote on what they like or dislike and why. This would be a good way to get the customers involved in the ‘happenings’ of the store, the personnel would learn what scents were liked and disliked based on the feedback, and most likely, the store would sell more oils!
February 29th, 2008
Join Tim Blakley — author, herbalist, and aromatherapist — tonight at 7 pm CST, for our fourth hour-long live online chat. The topic: Create Your Own Love Potion - Learn more or JOIN NOW.
February 6th, 2008
I was wondering if you could tell me if your essential oils contain orris root? I just underwent allergy testing and one of the things I was allergic to was orris root. According to the handout I got from the allergist, orris root is used as a base note in some essential oils. I would appreciate any information you can provide.
None of Aura Cacia’s essential oils contain orris root. We have full disclosure on all of our labels, so if you ever have a question about a product, you can check the ingredients and be assured that if it isn’t on the label, it isn’t in the product. Orris root is often used as a fixative in potpourri’s, sachets, pomanders, and other types of home fragrancing type crafts, so I would caution you to be careful if you purchase any of these items. To my knowledge, it isn’t an issue in essential oils from reputable companies, but I would be very careful when purchasing items labeled as fragrance oils, even if they say they contain essential oils. These products can mask a number of ingredients under the term of “natural fragrances” on their label, making it difficult for persons with sensitivities to decipher whether the product is safe for them or not. Having a number of allergies myself, I’ve found its best to forgo these kinds of products all together in lieu of 100% pure essential oils.
January 18th, 2008