Aromatherapy and fragrance

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from natural substances such as fruits, flowers, leaves and plants to promote wellbeing. Aromatherapy can provide you with a calming sensation, stress relief, or various other improvements to your bodily and mental health.

People report that smells like lavender and chamomile help them to relax or sleep, that peppermint can pick up low moods or that lemon can support the ability to focus.

If you want to try out aromatherapy, the most important thing is to do so safely and to focus on what feels best for you. For example, if you are using scented candles, make sure you don’t leave them burning when you leave the room or fall asleep. And if you are using the oils in the bath or on your skin, be mindful that some can be irritating unless they are diluted in a ‘carrier’ oil, such as olive or coconut. You might prefer using candles, running an aromatherapy bath, using an infuser, or simply picking flowers or herbs like lavender. You may also enjoy the act of picking flowers or herbs, like lavender, themselves, or keeping an aloe vera plant, which can be used to make moisturising face creams.