In today’s busy and hectic pace of life, aromatherapy is becoming a popular complimentary therapy which can be used at work, home or by going to a professional therapist and can help to combat the stresses and strains that are encountered by everyone on a daily basis.

Whilst aromatherapy is a comprehensive subject which does take a while to learn about, it is relatively easy to collate an aromatherapy essential oils home care kit. Once the basic do’s and don’ts have been understood, it is useful to have some key essential oils on standby.

Start by choosing the oils which you are naturally drawn to either by trying the scent or by reading up and learning about their properties, this is dependant on whether the oils are for specific conditions or perhaps household accidents such as minor abrasions or burns for example.

Only select the pure essential oils as there are those which could do more harm than good when applied, so be sure to double check first. The shelf life of the pure oils can be 2-3 years providing they are stored in dark glass bottles and kept away from artificial and natural light. Be aware that citrus oils have a lesser shelf life than others. If you are seriously looking at building up a comprehensive home care kit, then invest in a box to store them in.

Learning about aromatherapy essential oils can be a seriously addictive practice, especially as with just a little knowledge, you realize how beneficial they can be. Just remember to avoid putting oils directly onto the skin, always mix with a good carrier oil such as sweet almond oil or grape seed oil and as aromatherapy essential oils are so concentrated, just a few drops are needed when mixed with the carrier oil.
Lavender and tea-tree oil are the only exclusions to this rule.

Lavender oil is an essential oil to have in your homecare kit. It is an anti-depressant, useful for tension, headaches, for insomnia, indigestion and is both soothing and pain-relieving.

Sweet Marjoram is a sedative, aids digestion and useful in times of anxiety, headaches, colds and muscular pain

Tea Tree oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, useful in respiratory infections, can be used for insect bites, spots or cuts.

Peppermint oil can be used as an insect repellent, antiseptic, decongestant, breath freshener, to ease asthma symptoms, digestive problems and for headaches

Rosemary oil is an anti-depressant, useful in digestion problems, fatigue, flu, oily skin, burns and for poor circulation

Neroli oil can be used for headaches, depression and flatulence, also for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, panic-attacks and stress.

Aromatherapy essential oils can benefit the whole family and once everyone becomes aware of their vast properties, will be used more and more as time goes by. Just remember that whilst they promote natural good health and well-being, they should be treated with respect.