Gift of Scent

What do you know about essential oils and aromatherapy? Before I started using essential oils, I heard tons of random information about them, and it was, honestly, overwhelming. There is so much information about what essential oils can do to support our physical, mental, and emotional health, and there is a lot of competing information about how they should be used. After a lot of research and experimentation, here are the basics I’ve learned: Essential oils are the most powerful part of the plant. They are the life blood of the plant; they move nutrients through the stem to every part of the plant. They are distilled from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, fruit, rinds, resins, and herbs. Essential oils consist of over 100 different natural, organic compounds. There are many different oils available, but you don’t need to be a certified aroma therapist to use them to support your health. This article on Healthline succinctly describes aromatherapy: “Aromathera...

I recently had the opportunity to try a new addition to The Gift of Scent product offerings. And I’m ready to call this product my friend. Its name is “Aromatherapy Scent Pendant ” from the Belle Aroma® brand of fragrance diffusers . It’s a locket with a pretty ceramic flower charm inside which you can load with essential oil and hang on the rearview mirror of your car . So, that’s what I did. I loaded the ceramic charm with several drops of organic peppermint oil, one of two varieties of essential oils included in the packaging. Using the satin ribbon attached to the locket, I placed the diffuser over my car’s rearview mirror, and forgot about it. Until I got back in the car again. With the peppermint essential oil applied, I returned to the wonderful feeling of aromatherapy in my car. I say “feeling” because the good smells of aromatherapy bring on a “feeling” that all is right with the world.  Peppermint essential oil is one of my favo...

It’s that time of year again when the fitness gurus go into overdrive marketing their newest “Get Fit” programs. If you’re like me, you’re probably feeling the nudge to get back in the gym and start 2021 off on the best foot. I actually enjoy getting into the gym and getting a good sweat session on. I enjoy lifting weights, running, swimming, cycling, yoga classes…anything active is my jam. But…I also have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. And what comes with a massive sweat session? STINKY shoes. STINKY gym bag. STINKY gym locker. Pew! I’ve tried foot powder in my shoes (which is messy and gets powder all over my socks). I’ve tried putting dryer sheets in my gym bag (which only works for a day or two before it wears off). I’ve tried spraying deodorizing spray (like Febreeze) into my gym bag (which only lasts a few days). I finally found a product that works for 30 days or more, and it’s as easy as throwing it in my bag or in my shoes to keep my gear smelli...

I’ve seen so many people on social media talking about how they want to hit “restart” in 2020. They think the year was a waste…that it was the year the world stopped and that it will show up as a big blank page in all our narratives. But I disagree. True, 2020 is the year the world “stopped,” but really, the stopping was a pause. Though so much of the year was fraught with difficulty and sadness, this great pause also gave us the chance to take stock of our lives—to find out which parts of our existence we needed and loved and which parts were just filler. I don’t think we need a “restart” with the new year. We don’t need to just forget the year 2020 ever happened and move on to 2021. Instead, we need a “Refresh.” We need a chance to change perspectives and think with a renewed mindset in 2021. It’s time to start thinking about ways we can refresh our minds, our bodies, our lifestyles, and our spaces so the year 2021 can be a year we will look back on fondly as the y...

Wow, what a year 2020 was, am I right? Are you tired of hearing that yet? I feel like, even though the world was basically on pause for the whole year, I didn’t get any rest. And after how the world imploded, I feel in desperate need of real rest and recovery. I’m focusing on self-care this new year with an emphasis on rest and recovery. Here are my favorite self-care, rest, and recovery products from The Gift of Scent: Salt Soaks The first thing that comes to mind when I’m thinking about rest and relaxation is a nice hot bath. I love adding Epsom salts to my bath to help soothe tired muscles, and the Salt Soak blends from The Gift of Scent go all out with ingredients that help soothe and relax your body and mind. Try the “I Am Abundant” Salt Soak with Epsom Salt, Himalayan pink salt, Rose Petals, Chamomile Flowers, and essential oils . Or try the “I Am Peaceful” Salt Soak with Epsom Salt, Himalayan Salt, Dead Sea Mineral Salt, Rose Petals, Lavender Buds, and esse...

Whether or not you’re setting New Year Resolutions in 2021, we could all use a boost of energy to tackle this next year. There are so many pieces that go into cultivating a healthy energy level: quality of sleep, stress level, exercise/movement, hydration, quality of food you consume, etc. There are also hundreds of supplements that can help support your body to produce healthy energy levels. One of my favorite ways to support my energy level is with aromatherapy. Diffusing specific essential oils at various times of the day can help me relax, improve my mood, decrease my stress, and give me the boost of energy I need when the afternoon slump hits. Here’s how to use aromatherapy to improve your energy levels. Peppermint to Promote Energy When starting a new exercise program—or even just when the 3 p.m. collapse comes around—I need all the encouragement I can get to get going. Aromatherapy is one of the best ways to give your energy a quick boost. Peppermint is my g...