Step into the year with a positive change that everyone can notice – with aromatherapy! While others are busy buying new clothes, shoes and bags, we tend to forget the little details of what’s in our everyday lives. And one thing that we usually overlook in this aspect is scent.
Scents are used in homes, offices and shopping malls, but if we frequent these places often and long enough, we tend to get used to the scent of the place and before you know it, we hardly smell anything different when we enter the place because our senses have grown so accustomed to the same familiar scent of that particular place that our bodies stop noticing it.
This New Year, why not try switching up the scent of your own home or of you are not using scents yet, then now is a good time to start!
Mandarin
Mandarin is the safest oil to use when there are children around. Its citrusy top notes create a lively environment, yet it has an inexplicable soothing effect at the same time. Mandarin makes a good natural sedative which is suitable to use in the evenings right before sleep.
Read more: Mandarin fact sheet
Grapefruit
Its sweet and tangy combination brings forth liveliness and joy to anyone who manages to catch a whiff of it. Grapefruit also has a lesser known trait of suppressing appetite – thus not really suitable for the dining area but better for places where you need some mood lifting.
Read more: Grapefruit fact sheet
Yuzu
This oil is refreshing yet calming, it uplifts and it destress. How can one oil have such contrasting properties, you ask. Well, Yuzu is a complex fruit that is somewhat a mix between Bergamot and Mandarin, therefore bringing you the best of both worlds. Use Yuzu in the office to calm anxiety, stress and nervous tension. And of course, you can also use it for increasing your mental clarity at work.
Read more: Yuzu fact sheet
Bergamot
Bergamot is what we call a “happiness booster”. It creates happy feelings in the environment, strengthens immune system can helps to clear respiratory issues like colds and flu. The bedroom is an ideal place to diffuse Bergamot.
Read more: Bergamot fact sheet
What Diffuser Should I Use?
Depending on the coverage area, you will need different diffusers or machines to effectively diffuse your favourite scents. If you wish to scent up large areas like the living room, you might want to consider using a nebuliser which can cover up to 400 sqf. Nebulisers are the most effective in diffusing essential oils as it uses nebulising technology to disperse micro-molecules of essential oil into the air, making it easier to be absorbed into our bloodstream.
For bedrooms and common rooms, a burner will suffice. Before purchasing a burner, look at the requirements of the room and see if your room is more suited for a candle burner or an electric burner. A candle burner provides more flexibility in terms of burner placement as you can place the burner anywhere you like, even at the centre of the room. But if you have kids around, an open flame isn’t a good idea so that’s where electric burners come in.
If you prefer something that is low-maintenance yet still give out subtle aroma, a reed diffuser will be able to get the job done. Do take note however, that reed diffusers vary in effectiveness depending on the environment. To maximise the use of your reed diffuser, it is most recommended to place it in an enclosed area with proper wind circulation within the room. You will also need to flip the reed sticks upside down every few days to prevent the top portion of the sticks from drying up.