Looking for ways to feel fresh this summer without overpowering perfumes or synthetic chemicals? Julie Leonard, Expert Aromatherapist, will tell us how to beat the heat with these natural summer scents.
We are thrilled to have Julie Leonard back on City Starlings. If you missed her interview, please click here. This time, she is back with professional advice on how to stay cool and confident throughout these summer days.
Summertime Scents
In summertime we pack away our heavy winter clothes and bring out our lighter brighter summer clothes. But do you also change your scents? I like to change mine with the seasons and swap my warm, woody essential oils for light citrus and floral essential oils.
I love Lavender (lavendula angustifolia) and always choose a French Lavender because not only does it smell beautiful, but it is a powerful little bottle of oil. Diffuse some in a burner for 20 minutes to make my house smell gorgeous and it leaves me feeling calm and peaceful. I also add a few drops to some water to make a room spray and spritz some on my pillow at night for a good night’s sleep. And I take it everywhere with me. I can treat virtually everything with it – anxiety, stress, sunburn, cuts, burns, bites, infections, insect repellent, insomnia……its amazing!
I particularly like floral essential oils in the summer evenings – Lavender to relax and aid sleep, Rose (rosa centifolia) for a bit of luxury and Ylang Ylang (cananga odorata) to create a sensual mood.
In the daytime I love citrus essential oils. Think zesty, fresh & uplifting. I add Lime (citrus aurantifolia) and Lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus) to my morning shower gel for a refreshing start to the day. I make a natural Gin&Tonic body scrub with Lemon (citrus limon) and Juniper (juniperus communis) to detox and exfoliate, soften my skin and prolong my tan. And I diffuse Sweet Orange (citrus cinensis) to give me energy and clarity. Just a word of caution though, citrus oils are photosensitive so don’t apply them all over your skin before sunbathing.
Rose essential oil is quite expensive (it does take 50,000 flowers to make 1 little bottle!) but is such a beautiful oil. There are many varieties so find the one you like. I personally like Rose Maroc as it is not so sweet smelling. I never blend it and simply enjoy it on its own. And its a strong oil so I half the amount of drops I use. It is also the oil of choice in Seasonal Yoga just now. This is the time to focus on the heart and Rose is a wonderful oil to support your summer yoga practice.
Changing your scents doesn’t mean splashing out on lots of expensive perfumes. It is so easy to create your own perfumes that are natural, contain only good stuff and are tailored just to you. Here is all you need:
1x 10ml roller ball bottle
10mls Sweet Almond oil or Jojoba oil
5 drops (in total) essential oils
Add all together and shake. Apply to your wrists and enjoy.
Some of my favourite Summer blends are:
Lime & Lemongrass
Lavender & Geranium
Orange & Frankincense
Lavender & Ylang Ylang
So, why not try some essential oils and make them part of your natural summer beauty routine.
Julie Leonard is a Life Coach and Aromatherapist based in Munich. With over 25 years of Psychology, Health and Coaching Experience she works with people in person and online around the world. For questions about Aromatherapy, to make a booking or to buy your essential oils and natural products send a message to hello@julieleonardcoaching.com.
More information can be found at http://julieleonardcoaching.com/