Spa Girl uses AROMATHERAPY for delightful get-a-ways!

Three days of rain and gloomy weather, time to transport myself to a tropical climate using a fabulous mixture of essential oils in a nice hot bath.

The sunny scents of lemon, lime and bergamot are sure to lift your spirits. Add a touch of my all time favourite, lavender essential oil that will sooth and comfort, and to quote from my Spa Deck, soaking in a bath with essential oils is nature’s answer to Prozac.

"Soothe your soul, center your mind, and beautify your body with these sumptuously illustrated cards, each bearing a recipe for a relaxing spa treatment. In this easy-to-use deck, Barbara Close, owner of Naturopathica Spa in New York, has assembled 50 recipes using simple ingredients for deliciously lavish and very essential indulgences."

http://www.naturopathica.com/

Fill a bottle halfway with your favourite carrier oil ( you will need 4 ounces). http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/whatcarr.asp I love olive oil in my bath then add your essential oils, 15 drops of lime, 7 bergamot, 10 tangerine, 14 lemon, 6 lavender and shake well and top off with remaining carrier oil and shake a second time. Add 3 capfuls to your bath water, close your eyes and dream of your favourite get-a-ways.

One the best sites I have found for essential oil information is located at: http://www.auracacia.com/auracacia/aclearn/ar_directory.html#l

Lime oil can be purchased either distilled or cold-pressed. While pressed lime oil is produced in smaller quantities and is more expensive than distilled, it is preferred in aromatherapy. Lime oil applied to the skin, may, in the presence of sunlight, cause a skin reaction. Benefits include: refreshing, cheering.

Bergamot oil is cold-pressed from the peel of the nearly ripe fruit. The aroma of bergamot oil is fresh, lively, fruity and sweet. It is an excellent deodorizer. It contains a constituent called bergaptene that increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight. Benefits include: uplifting, inspiring, confidence-building.

Tangerine oil is pressed from the peel of ripe fruit. It is orange-colored oil with the vibrant fragrance of fresh tangerines. Benefits include: cheering, uplifting.

Lavender oil is used in baths, room sprays, toilet waters, perfumes, colognes, massage oils, sachets, salves, skin lotions and oils. It has a sweet, balsamic, floral aroma which combines well with many oils including citrus, clove, patchouli, rosemary, clary sage and pine. Benefits include: balancing, soothing, normalizing, calming, relaxing, and healing.

Lemon oil is cold-pressed, a much better oil than distilled. The scent is evocative of the fresh ripe peel. Lemon oil in the bath or in massage oils should be well diluted as it can cause skin irritation. Benefits include: uplifting, refreshing, and cheering.

I hope when I open my eyes the rain has gone!