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In this newsletter we will try to help you further
your knowledge and use of essential oils.
Physical
OLFACTORY FATIGUE –What is it? How it affects the use of Essential
oils & Why don’t the Scents Last?
by Penny Keay
Everyone loves to smell essential oils. In fact, the first
thing many people do, is open the bottles and take a long smell. Although this is not
the proper way to smell an essential oil, it is a fairly common practice.
Diffusing essential oils can make for a very pleasant and wonderful smelling room, but
if you put too much or too little oil into the air pretty soon you cannot smell them.
The oils are still in the air – cleaning, disinfecting and scenting, but as you stay in
the room you may no longer smell the oil.
What happened? Well, your body and olfactory sensors have become accustomed to the smell.
You have what is called ‘Olfactory fatigue’. The olfactory senses have blocked the smell
of that particular scent.
What is “OLFACTORY FATIGUE”? This is a very normal body response with the sense of smell.
It is a part of your primordial brain. It involves the "Fright and Flight" response of animals and ‘humans’ too.
Your nose constantly smells the air for ‘threats’. For most humans it smells for fire, burned toast,
skunks or other stinky smells. But wild animal noses are searching smells for other predators.
Just ask any hunter – why do they want to stay ‘down wind” when they are hunting? You got it,
they don’t want the animal to know they are hunting to smell them. Wilds animals will almost
always smell humans as a threat.
Just realize your nose and body cannot tell the difference (threat wise) between a sweet
smelling essential oil and a fire.
AFTER your body has determined that the essential oils or the smell of smoke is not a
threat – your bodies sense of smell will then BLOCK that odor. You will not be able to
smell the essential oil nor the smoke after anywhere from 5-30 minutes depending on how
quickly your body will dismiss the smell as a threat.
Unless you leave the building for several minutes (usually needs to be at least 15 minutes)
to reset your sense of smell, you will not be able to smell them again. But just like before –
once your body determines its not a threat your sense of smell will block it again.
This time and each subsequent time it will block the smells more quickly.
As stated above: To smell the scent again you will need to ‘reset’ your sense of smell.
Simply leave the room for 15-30 minutes – step out doors and get some fresh air if possible.
When you re-enter the room you will smell the scent again. If not, maybe you do need to
add more essential oils to your diffuser. If you do smell the scent, realize that within
an hour or so, (sometimes less). We know there is folks whose sense of smell will block
the scent out within 10 -15 minutes. It is possible even your body will again block the
smell and you will think the oils are all gone.
So, there is nothing wrong with you, just your sense of smell getting used to the scents or
odors that are present.
Don’t add more scenting until you have done the “leave the room” test. Once you have done
that and you smell the scent again you won’t necessarily need to add more. This is to prevent
the potential to overdose or over use the oils. Just realize they are there but you just
can’t smell them due to olfactory fatigue (unless you leave the room and re-enter later).
The essential oils are still there doing there thing whether it be for physical, psychological
or spiritual needs.
NEXT: We are often asked how long are the essential oils going to last in the air (room)?
There are a few factors that need to be considered to help determine how long the essential
oil may last when you diffuse them.
First is the viscosity of the essential oils.
Viscosity is the thick and thinness of the
essential oil itself. You can easily tell by how fast they will pour or drop from the container.
Thin oils of course will pour just like water. Thick are so thick you can’t even pour them
until you heat them slightly.
Top note oils are the most volatile and will disperse into the air quickly and are often times
the thin oils. Oils like orange, lemon, and other citrus will not last long and if you want
to smell them after a couple hours you will need to reapply more to your diffuser.
Heavier and more viscose oils like
Patchouli,
Vetiver and
Sandalwood are considered base notes
and have the longest lasting capabilities of upto several days.
Many oils fall in between the top (thin) and base (thick) oils and will have varying degrees
of the length of time they will last. Meaning they will last from 3 hours to 24 hours but
usually not too much longer than that.
To help the scent last longer when diffusing the Top and Middle note essential oils blend
them with a little of a base note essential oil. The blend will often times be very pleasant
and will linger longer.
The Second reason they may not last long is the room temperature along with the Third Reason
- the room’s air currents.
As the temperatures rise the molecules are excited more and will evaporate more quickly.
Also any air movement will help them to dissipate quickly too.
What’s the answer to help? This is not easy. You can try using diffusers that diffuse
more slowly such as Terra Cotta Disc type.
The Terra Cotta Disc will allow the essential
oils to soak into the clay and they are slowly released into the air over a period of
several hours to sometimes even a few days. Another hint: Be sure to add a base note
essential oil – just a drop or two to the blend you will be applying to your disc.
This will help it to dispel the oils more slowly too.
As for any fan style diffuser
– you will have to test the oils to see how often you need
to reapply. The speed of the fan and room temperatures will again produce an unknown
situation for your room whether it is at home or at the office.
Another method that helps to let the scent linger is the use of soy wax tarts. Using
a low temperature electric tart warmer and adding your essential oils to the melted wax,
stirring slightly after adding the essential oils will help the scent to be release very
slowly as compared to other methods.
The TealightWax melter/warmers
are good too but because that tiny tealight candle can
produce more heat than the electric warmers the scent may not last as long, and the oils
can be heat damaged changing them chemically and also their scent.
In conclusion, there is nothing wrong with your essential oils when you can’t smell them,
it’s just that they have evaporated into the air and dissipated to a point where your
nose may not be able to smell or detect them. Yep, that’s Olfactory Fatigue.
There is nothing wrong with your nose or your diffuser. It is normal.
The Essential oils are still there and are working for you, but just not detectable by your nose.
Add more essential oils to the diffusers if you want and enjoy but be aware that you
can use too much of a good thing too. Remember to do the “leave the room or building test”
before adding more essential oils. You don’t want to overdose or have your house smell
like a perfume factory.
For more information concerning the “Variable Factors concerning Choosing a Diffuser” visit the following page:
http://birchhillhappenings.com/diffuserfactor.htm
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Aromatherapy Tip for the Beginner
Drop, Drop, mL, mL, Oh, Can you help me with measuring in Aromatherapy?
by Penny Keay
Measurements when using essential oils can be very confusing for the beginning aromatherapist.
In many aspects of the cosmetic industry we measure by volume and yes “drops” are
considered volume.
But not all ingredients are measured by volume in our industry. Many ingredients
are measured by weight too, especially when adding ingredients that are in a powder form.
In Aromatherapy, most essential oils are measured by volume when they are used in small
quantities such as mixing a small amount of essential oils with a carrier whether it is
a vegetable oil or a lotion or shampoo.
For most of us it isn’t a problem when you are just measuring a few drops into a
tablespoon or two of the carrier solution.
But if you want to make a larger ‘batch’ of goodies to give as gifts or for your
own use counting out 200 drops of this or that is just not practical. I’m sure
you can count to 200 but . . . .
Using a conversion chart will make it a little more convenient to understand what
the drops to mL (milliliters) to ounces for your projects. Another helpful chart
is the Percentage chart. For most applications of essential oils for use on the skin
(massage oils and lotions) or in hair care (Shampoos, conditioners, scented sprays)
you will want to stay within or under the 3% dilution rate of essential oils to your base product.
Following are two very helpful charts: Print them out and keep them with your blending supplies.
|
Metric measurement | Decimal for ounces |
Common Fraction for ounces |
By drops (approximately due to viscosity of each essential oil) |
|
1 ml | .0335 oz | 1/30 oz | 20-25 |
|
2 ml | .067 oz | 1/15 to 1/16 | 40-50 |
|
4 ml | .135 oz | 1/8 oz (approx) | 80-100 |
| 5 ml | .169 oz | 1/6 oz | 100-125 |
|
10 ml | .33 oz | 1/3 oz | Drops should not be counted |
|
15 ml | .5 oz | 1/2 oz | for blending large |
|
29.573 ml | 1 oz | 1 oz | amounts of essential |
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30 ml | 1.014 oz | 1 oz | oils therefore no drop values |
|
50 ml | 1.69 oz | 1 2/3 oz | for these larger volumes |
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60 ml | 2.28 oz | 2 oz | are given. |
When blending essential oils with carrier oil s or lotions for use in massage
figuring out percentages can be mind boggling and very hard for those not mathematically inclined.
We always suggest that dilutions for children, the elderly and pregnant women should be about 1%.
For whole body massages of people 12 years or older you can use a 2 to 3% dilution.
For concentrated massage used in a local area your dilution can be anywhere from 4% to 10%.
Of course this latter one is only for spot applications.
Now this is what is recommended and that is the easy part. The actual amount to be used
when you make up your recipes is the more difficult part of the blending.
The following table will be of help to those of you blending any massage oil or lotion.
The percentages for shampoos, conditioner and shower gel can use these percentages too,
but because they are in products that are put on, then washed off you can – in some cases
choose to add more (or less) according to your desires.
|
Massage oil Total Volume | 1% | 2% | 4% |
| 1 tablespoon | 3 drops | 6 drops | 12 drops
|
|
1 oz (2 tablespoons) | 6 drops | 12 drops | 24 drops
|
|
2 oz (4 TBS) | 12 drops | 24 drops | 48 drops or ½ tsp.
|
|
4 oz (1/2 cup) | 24 drops | 48 drops ( ½ tsp) | 96 drops ( 1 tsp)
|
|
8 oz (1 cup) | 48 drops ( ½ tsp) | 96 drops (1 tsp) | 10 ml or 2 tsp
|
|
16 oz (2 cup) | 96 drops (1 tsp) | 10 ml (2 tsp) | 20 ml (4 tsp)
|
This is a simplified table to create your massage oil and lotions. The number of DROPS
for each percentage is the TOTAL of all essential oil drops in the blend. If the 4%
dilution is a total of 12 drops. You can have 4 drops of one oil and 5 drops of another
and 3 drops of another for a total of 12 drops.
We suggest when blending your massage oil add the essential oils to the mixing bottle
first then fill the bottles with the appropriate amount of carrier oil or lotion.
Using Pipettes (disposable) with graduated marks on it makes it easier when counting
out the actual drops. Sometimes drops out of the essential oil bottles are hard to count.
Remembering that one mL is approximately 20 drops will make it easier when blending larger quantities.
You can mix in glass beakers using a stirring rod to mix your blends before pouring
into your finished bottle.
Or if you want an even more simple method of blending, add your drops of essential
oils to a PET plastic bottle
of appropriate size. As an example: say you are going to mix
2 ounces of massage lotion/ oil with 2% essential oils.
Start with an empty 2 ounce PET plastic bottle,
next count out your total of essential oil
drops to make an 2% dilution (24 drops total) then add your carrier oil – just to the
shoulder of the bottle (most bottles volume total is to the shoulder - before it
reaches the threaded part of the neck).
If you still need help don’t hesitate to e-mail us and we’ll be more than happy to
help you get the percentages of essential oils correct in your blends. Or if you
need help converting a small recipe into a larger batch, we’ll be happy to help you there too.
Have fun blending!
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Skin and Hair Care
What to Use for All those Bug Bites?
by Penny Keay
Oh it is this buggy time of the year! Bees, Gnats, Mosquitoes, Ants, Fleas, Spiders
and the ‘unknowns’ are coming at us from every direction.
Using a few essential oils to repell these little buggers should be your first course
of action, but if you are like most folks you don’t think of it until someone is bitten!
So what to do once you are bitten. Most all bug bites can be treated the same way (but
not bee stings if the stinger is left in. But you can find information on those in
another issue of our past newsletters).
First DON’T Scratch. Next wash the area with a mild soap and warm water. Rinse
the area well and dry with a soft cloth. This is basic first aid for any type of wound.
Did I mention? DO NOT SCRATCH!!
Next you can add several drops of Lavender essential oil
to Jojoba or other carrier oil .
I like to use Jojoba as it is the carrier that is most like the oil (sebum) produced by the human skin.
Lavender will help to stop the itching, reduce the discomfort and speed the healing process.
Other essential oils that can be used along with
Lavender include:
Roman Chamomile,
German Chamomile,
Helichrysum,
Peppermint,
Eucalyptus globulus,
Ravensara,
Manuka ,
Rosemary,
Tea Tree,
Thyme or
Oregano.
Contrary to popular belief do not apply any essential oil including those you
have read or heard can be used neatly to any insect bite. Mix the essential oils
with water and apply as a cool compress or mix with a lotion or
carrier oil
and dab to the affected area as often as needed. Remember – DO NOT Scratch!!
To Relieve the Itching:
Soaking in a tub of Epsom salts or Baking soda with a few drops of one
to four of the above listed essential oils added will also help to reduce
the itchiness often associated with bug bites. You want to keep from
scratching the area as scratching and itching can suppress healing.
Scratching releases histamines that make the itching worse and cause the tissue to swell.
You can also use some of our
Allergy Tamer blend in distilled water or in the
Body spray
to make an anti-itch soothing spray.
Keep it in the refrigerator as cooler sprays and compresses help to relieve the itchiness too.
IF you suspect the bite is a spider bite, seek medical attention as some spider bites
can be very serious and may need more than the use of essential oils. Some spider venom
can cause the skin and surrounding tissues to actually die. So seek professional medical
attention in the case of a spider bite.
If the bite is actually a sting from a bee or wasp, be sure you remove the stinger first.
Again, seek professional help, if you are unsure how to do this correctly.
An Antiseptic blend for Insect Bites
Lavender – 30 drops
Eucalyptus globulus - 30 drops
Thyme – 30 drops
Unscented lotion base – 2 ounces OR
Sorbolene Cream – 2 ounces
Blend essential oils in an amber bottle
or beaker
. Then add to lotion base. Stir and blend well.
Clean the bitten area with warm soap and water, rinse and dry with soft cloth.
Apply a thin layer of lotion (or cream) and
leave uncovered. (You can cover the area if you desire with a band-aid especially if you feel
you won’t leave the area alone.)
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Around the House and Garden
Having a Garden Party (or Bar-B-Q)?
by Penny Keay
This time of year is great. The weather has finally settled a bit and the evenings
are great for dinner with friends (and relatives too). Crank up the Bar-B-Q for fun
or just dining outside is very enjoyable too as you visit.
Diffusing essential oils can be fun, refreshing, exciting, calming and also be helpful
at deterring bugs.
As you know the most popular essential oil scent for use on a patio or outdoors is
Citronella.
But if you are like many folks including Al and me, this smell is simply sickening after a while.
There are many other wonderful smelling essential oils that are more fun to use and will
work against those pesky garden intruders. Some of the best essential oils that may
be more pleasant and enjoyable for you and your guests include
Geranium,
Cedarwood,
Pennyroyal,
Eucalyptus globulus and
Peppermint and
Lemongrass.
Eucalyptus Lemon (Eucalyptus citriodora)
is a proven insect repellent and although it does have a lemon smell
it also has the clean crisp Eucalyptus smell.
Some folks may enjoy this smell in their patio.
For me its still a member of the Eucalyptus
family and it smells too much like cold medicine!
Diffusing essential oils in anyTart or Oil warmer
should work the same way in a larger
area such as a patio provided there is too much of a breeze.
If you have a problem with bugs around the Picnic Table again, use a
Terra Cotta Discor
maybe even a Tealight tart/oil warmer (as a table center piece) and diffuse some oils to
keep the bugs away from the picnic.
but because these areas can be large, the effectiveness will be greatly diminished
and because you might have to keep reapplying it the evening visit and dinner won’t
be as fun for you. Of course your guests will appreciate your efforts.
Summer is way to short to have evenings and dinners ruined by those annoying little critters.
Try this Outdoor Dinner Diffuser Blend in your Favorite
Tealight tart/oil warmer
Lavender – 20 drops
Geranium – 20 drops
Mandarin – 20 drops
Blend these essential oils in a glass bottle.
Then add several drops to your
tea light diffusers warming bowl. If you are using water in the bowl, you may need
to add more after an hour or so. If you pre-melt a soy wax tart
in the bowl and add the
entire blend and stir into the melted wax, you should be able to enjoy the entire evening
without adding more oils.
Please note: that if it is too breezy – the essential oils won’t linger in the area but
drift into your neighbors’ yard! Of course, if it’s breezy – the bugs will be over at the neighbors too!
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BIRCH HILL HAPPENINGS NEWS
Hello Everyone,
SUMMER has finally arrived – I think?
Wow, not only is summer looking very busy for Al and I, this past Spring just seemed to zoom by.
We apologize for not having a Newsletter last month. But being as busy as we were
the next thing we knew we were on vacation and since then we have been playing catch-up!!
Not only is our business keeping us hoppin' but with personal projects such as finishing our
remodeling and building projects we started last year, we are a little behind on things.
You know, in Minnesota and other parts of the northern USA and Canada we have to enjoy the
short spring and summer months. And any outdoor projects are also restricted by rain and cold (at times).
So no rest for those of us in the north!
As I write this newsletter it appears that summer is finally arriving. It is nearly 70
degrees today and over the next few days it’s to be in the mid 70’s. Perfect weather for me!
Sorry for all of you that live where it’s HOT, but summer here is perfect! Even if our summer is
rather short we enjoy it while it lasts.
We hope this newsletter has helped you understand a little bit more about how essential oils
are used in Aromatherapy. As you continue to study aromatherapy the information on how your
nose works and how essential oils are measured and used in percentages in aromatherapy will
undoubtedly be very useful.
One extra personal note about Olfactory fatigue. Since we have been working with essential
oils for over 15 years and our home and business is very much saturated with the scents of
the oils, we ourselves very rarely smell the oils – unless we spill some or actually inhale
them directly from a pad or diffuser (like a personal inhaler). But visitors always comment
on how lovely and wonderful our place smells. To us, it is home and work. Just like you are
accustomed to your own home, you only smell the bad or good smells when they are more intense
than normal. Everyone has experienced olfactory fatigue in your normal everyday living.
Just remember in aromatherapy, you will experience it there too.
Our sense of smell has pretty much blocked the smells of essential oils out as we no longer sense
them as a threat. Of course our sense of smell is very acute because of the use of essential oils
and for us to go down the ‘detergent aisle’ of any store about (fill in the blank) us - well – it
‘stinks’ to us. We prefer the more earth and human friendly scents nature has provided.
Now onto what is new: We are still working on the YL Joy replication that we are going to call
"Happy! Happy!! and hope to have it available soon.
We are developing a couple new products too and will announce them on the "What’s New Page" when they are ready.
During the summer months the “Aromatherapy Tip of the Week” will most likely be biweekly (every 2-3 weeks)
and the “Newsletter” may only be every other month. Remember it is just Al and Penny that are here at
Birch Hill Happenings and we are still getting orders out within 24-72 hours of you placing them.
Yep, we do everything here – we are a Mom and Pop Shop!!
We want you to know we are here for all your Aromatherapy questions and supplies. Don’t hesitate
to e-mail us with your questions. If you call and get our Voice Mail, be sure to leave your name,
number and a message and we will get back to you ASAP too!
Have a great summer and we will too. We are going camping with our Grandkids this weekend!
We are testing out a few new products and hope to let you know how they performed while we
are out in the North woods!
As always, if you have suggestions, questions or comments please feel free to send us an e-mail to
bhhinfo@birchhillhappenings.com
and
we will get back to you as soon as possible.
‘til next month,
Yours in Aromatherapy,
Alan and Penny
PS. Do you remember the little black bear that visited our Bird Feeders last year?
Well, he's back and brought his elderly Grandma or Grandpa with him.
They just took down our bird feeders again. The rascals!
Oh and remember I mentioned above that my sense of smell is more acute these days.
Well, the bears have been visiting us every few days as when they are near, my nose can smell them AND they don't smell
very nice! Penny
E-mail us at bhhinfo@birchhillhappenings.com
CLICK HERE TO Start SHOPPING!!!
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