DIY: Holiday Aromatherapy Blends

When I was 21-years-old I got a certificate in aromatherapy from Langara.  It was one more step on my scented journey in life.  I have loved scent for as long as I can remember - one vivid memory: Being five-years-old trying to capture the scent of rose petals in water and being mystified that it didn't work.  Indeed aromatherapy still captures my imagination and fascination.  It is in this spirit that I thought:  Let's share some of my favorite holiday aromatherapy recipes!
Please keep in mind that these recipes are proportional.  Once you have made the blend add however many drops you would like to whatever product you are scenting.  I tend to start with just a few drops and adjust it up from there.  My blending style is simple because I love having clear scent notes.


Pine Forest
7 drops of pine oil
2 drops of lemon oil
1 drop of cinnamon oil

Mulled Spice
4 drops of cinnamon oil
2 drops of cardamom oil
1 drop of black pepper
1 drop of clove

Cedar Chest 
5 drops of cedarwood
3 drops of orange oil
1 drop of cinnamon oil

Please notice that cinnamon is included in all of my recipes because it is great at killing germs.  These recipes are ones that I love - but I have a passion for deep, dark, woody scents.  They might not be to your preference.  A great way to tell is to smell the individual notes in your local aromatherapy store.  If you don't like them then you probably won't like the final blend either.  If you don't want to create your own blends, most stores offer pre-made blends or you can just use a single oil that you love.

Tip: Your nose will start to get worn out if you spend a lot of time sniffing different oils.  You can smell coffee beans to refresh your nose or just take a break from all the sniffing.  This is especially good to do when you are adding your final blend to your unscented product.  If you do this when your nose is overloaded you are likely to add way too much scent for the average human being.