Holistic healing

5 essential oils you need in your life

Base Formula’s consultant aromatherapist, Nicole Barton, recommends five key essential oils that can help to balance a variety of mental and emotional issues

Lavender is great for de-stressing, relaxing, soothing and calming the nerves and generally balancing the emotions. It’s also excellent for insomnia.

Rose has gentle yet powerful anti-depressant properties that can help where there is a lot of stress, anxiety or grief. It can be especially useful for women where problems relate to their sexuality or reproductive system – for example post-natal depression, PMT or depression following a relationship break-down.

Chamomile is a comforting oil, that is great for anxiety, panic and phobias – anything where the nerves are on edge! It is also great for insomnia. Drinking chamomile tea will also help to enhance the effects of the essential oil.

Bergamot, known as ‘nature’s Prozac,’ is relaxing yet uplifting, making it particularly helpful for tension, anxiety and depression. It is also highly recommended for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Note: Bergamot is a photosensitiser so do not use on the skin before exposure to sunlight.

Ylang Ylang has an antidepressant, sedative effect that is helpful for depression, anxiety and nervous disorders. It helps to slow over-rapid breathing and an over-rapid heartbeat that may be associated with shock, anger or fear!

How to use:

When choosing essential oils be guided by your sense of smell. The ones you like the most will be the ones that your body needs the most. Pick up to 3 oils and use one or more as follows:

Diffusing: Put 6-9 drops of oil into a diffuser or candle burner.

Massage: Mix 15ml carrier oil (or moisture lotion) with up to 6 drops of essential oil.

Bath: Mix up to 9 drops of essential oil with half a cup of full fat milk and add to the bath. Close doors and windows so you can inhale the aroma while you soak.

Spritz: Mix 100ml hydrolat (Try Rose or Orange Flower) with 30 drops of essential oil and spritz over yourself throughout the day to lift your mood.

It’s best to play around with the oils to see which combinations you like best! One of our favourite blends for balancing and relaxing the mind is 3 drops of Bergamot, 2 drops of Rose Otto and 1 drop of Ylang Ylang!

Oils available online from baseformula.com