We’re transitioning into summer mode in my house, and that means it’s time to plan our summer aromatherapy toolkit.
Summer is the season of warmth, sunshine, and outdoor activities. However, it also brings along some challenges like sunburn, pesky insects, and the need for relaxation and vacations.
Building a summer aromatherapy toolkit can help you prepare for these issues naturally while enhancing your overall well-being. This guide will walk you through the essential components of a summer aromatherapy toolkit, including a hydrosol, a carrier oil, and nine of my favourite summer essential oils, along with their uses.
What do you need in your summer aromatherapy toolkit?
Before diving in, ask yourself a few questions, so that you are prepared to understand how these oils can help you.
- What are my favourite summer activities?
- How much time do I spend outside?
- What are some common issues that I face during summer?
- How can aromatherapy enhance my summer experience?
- Do I prefer certain scents during summer?
- What do I need more of in the summer time?
Essential Components
Hydrosol
Hydrosols are the water component produced when an essential oil is steam distilled. Not all essential oils produce a hydrosol. On the flip side, sometimes plants are steam distilled specifically to produce the hydrosol.
These gentle waters are effective products that can be used in various ways during summer. Lavender hydrosol is particularly beneficial due to its soothing and cooling properties. It can be used as a facial mist to refresh your skin, a soothing agent for sunburns, and an all-natural insect repellent.
Lavender hydrosol is an essential component to your summer aromatherapy toolkit, and should be easy to find at your local health food store.
- Keep a spray bottle in your fridge and mist your face and body to cool down on hot days.
- Spray on sunburned skin to reduce redness and discomfort.
- Apply directly to skin to keep insects at bay.
- Hydrosols are an excellent initial application for skin scrapes and small wounds. Just spritz the hydrosol onto a cotton pad and apply to the wound. After a few minutes of pressure, address the wound as you normally would.
Carrier Oil
Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils before they are applied to the skin, but they also have many benefits by themselves. Avocado oil is an excellent choice for summer due to its lightweight texture, moisturizing properties, and multipurpose uses.
- Apply to dry skin as a moisturizer to keep it hydrated.
- Combine with essential oils like lavender or peppermint to soothe sunburned skin.
- Use as a conditioner to protect hair from sun damage and dryness.
Aloe Vera Gel
Adding aloe vera to your summer toolkit is highly beneficial due to its exceptional soothing and healing properties. Aloe vera gel, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, provides immediate relief from sunburn by cooling the skin and reducing inflammation. It also accelerates the healing process of minor cuts, abrasions, and insect bites, making it an essential for outdoor adventures.
Additionally, aloe vera’s hydrating and moisturizing effects help combat dryness caused by sun exposure and heat, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Its versatility and natural efficacy make aloe vera a must-have for maintaining healthy, glowing skin throughout the summer months. Learn more about aloe vera here.
Essential Oils for Your Summer Aromatherapy Toolkit
Here are nine essential oils that are particularly useful during summer, along with their key benefits and uses:
1. Geranium Essential Oil
Geranium essential oil is body balancing, anti-inflammatory, and deodorizing. Add it to your skincare routine to balance oily, dry or mature skin and reduce inflammation. Or use in DIY deodorant recipes for a fresh, floral scent. This essential oil can also help to repel insects.
2. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is soothing, calming, and skin healing. Combine lavender, and aloe vera with avocado oil and apply to areas that have had sun exposure to help cool hot skin.
Summer is a time of rest, relaxation and vacation. Make the most of your downtime by diffusing lavender in your bedroom to promote restful sleep.
Those who love lavender will be happy about this summer hack! While many people love the scent of lavender, many insects do not, including ants. If you have ants that try to come inside during the summer months, try placing a cotton ball in your cupboard with a couple of drops of essential oil to act as a deterrent. Add 3 drops of lavender and 1 drop of peppermint to a cotton ball and place in cupboards where needed.
3. Lemon Essential Oil
Fresh, uplifting, cleansing, and deodorizing are just some of the sunny qualities in lemon essential oil. Use lemon as an indoor air freshener in your diffuser, especially at the beginning of summer when we open our windows for the first time.
Enhance your green cleaning by adding lemon to cleaning solutions for a fresh scent and added antibacterial properties.
4. Lemongrass Essential Oil
Lemongrass essential oil is energizing, insect-repelling, and deodorizing. I’ve added both lemon and lemongrass to this list as lemon is a great essential oil for cleaning, while lemongrass essential oil is an excellent deterrent for insects.
5. Palmarosa Essential Oil
Palmarosa is an antibacterial and antimicrobial essential oil that is part of the lemongrass family. It can be very beneficial when combined with tea tree. Palmarosa is helpful in deterring summer insects.
6. Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is cooling when used in small doses, invigorating, and relieves headaches. Mix 3 drops of peppermint oil, and 3 drops of lavender with 30ml of avocado oil in a small glass bottle for a cooling body mist. Or carefully apply this mixture to temples to alleviate headaches.
7. Rose Essential Oil
Beautiful rose essential oil is hydrating, soothing to the skin and heart, and mood-enhancing. Adding rose to summer skincare is a wonderful way to celebrate the season, with soothing natural skincare. Diffusing rose essential oil uplifts the spirit and creates a nurturing environment.
8. Tea Tree Essential Oil
One of the more well known essential oils for cleansing, tea tree is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and insect-repelling. Apply diluted oil to insect bites to reduce itching and swelling. With our feet more exposed in the summer, you will want to keep your feet looking their best. Use tea tree in foot baths to keep feet fresh and free from fungal infections.
9. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang Ylang is stress relieving, relaxing, mood-enhancing, and skin-nourishing. Diffuse to uplift your spirits and reduce anxiety. For extra summer luxury, add to your conditioner for added shine and nourishment.
Check out our Soothing Summer Body Oil DIY Recipe!
Storing you oils
Keep your oils in dark, glass bottles to protect them from light and heat. Essential oils will last longer if stored in a cool place.
Usage Tips
Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before applying to skin to help avoid irritations. Conduct a patch test to ensure you don’t have an allergic reaction. Always follow recommended usage guidelines for each oil.
Creating a summer aromatherapy toolkit is a wonderful way to enhance your well-being during the warmer months. With the right hydrosol, carrier oil, and essential oils, you can address common summer issues naturally and enjoy a more pleasant season. What will be the first blend you try?
By investing in these natural remedies, you not only take care of your body but also embrace a holistic approach to health and wellness. Enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy and have a delightful summer!
