A Day of Aromatherapy Bliss at The Royal Marsden.

Stepping into the healing sanctuary of Rhiannon Lewis's aromatherapy course was an absolute delight. Led by a seasoned aromatherapist with over three decades of experience, we unraveled the magic of essential oils—exploring their profound impact on respiratory care and emotional well-being.

Rosemary has been known as a "memory herb" since ancient times. Scholars would often wear rosemary wreaths while studying for exams. This reputation has persisted over the centuries, with rosemary used in traditional medicine to treat various cognitive issues. Research shows that essential rosemary oil can help with cognitive performance and memory in older adults, especially perimenopausal women.

There are many ways to extract a plant's fragrant and therapeutic parts. Various methods are used: Steam distillation, Expression, Absolute and Co2 extraction. As well as less common ones like Enfleurage. By-products like floral wax and hydrosols are valuable on their own alongside oils.

Egyptian Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea)

The story of ancient mystery and modern-day scientific discoveries.

This is the first episode of Lauryn Jean Johnston’s new podcast and I was honoured to talk to her about my brand, my journey and how I came up with the idea of Mask Drops, my award winning aromatherapy blend for use with face masks.

We chat about my product development as well as topics like essential oil safety and whether its safe to use essential oils on your skin and mask directly.

I also mention some products I am currently developing and researching as well as two of my current favourite oils that I can’t seem to get enough of!

The same plant grown in different parts of the world or sometimes just a different geographical location within the same country can also have different chemistry. This is important to know so you can safely and effectively use the right oil for the right situation needed.

Anosmia is the total or partial loss to smell, and can be specific to certain smells. This can can have several reasons, trauma to the head which affects the olfactory bulbs either temporarily or permanently is one. It can also be due to an acquired illness or be congenital. In some rare cases it is of unknown origin (idiopathic).

Smell training using essential oils can great help with recovery from anosmia is some cases.

The human body is a collection of cells that communicate with each other and send out signals continuously. These signals get transported to the various organs of the body to perform functions and respond to stimuli that are being perceived and received. When disruption of these signals happens the outcome of that process is altered. This is where essential oils and aromatherapy can play a part.

You might have heard or read something similar to this before: “Ylang Ylang is a relaxing and soothing essential oil”

This is a simplified explanation of a complex event that can take place in the body and mind.When that term is used for any essential oil, it usually has to do with a disruption that happens to the central nervous system that affects the physical body.

It is a term used to demonstrate that a memory attached to a smell is usually much stronger and more evocative than one without. They are “involuntary autobiographical memories” that can be triggered by cues in everyday life.

While undoubtedly some of the most powerful and multi useful ingredients out there, I advise against using pure essential oils on your mask.

Hydrosols are the water left over from the distillation of plant material. In some cases the plant material is distilled specifically to produce its hydrosol. The essential oil will float to the top of the container while the water will stay at the bottom and can be collect for use on its own.

The same plant grown in different parts of the world or sometimes just a different geographical location within the same country can also have different chemistry. This is important to know so you can safely and effectively use the right oil for the right situation needed.

That reaction to scent triggers neurophysiological processes that can affect mood, cognition, physiological arousal and behaviors. That is why a smell can have an immediate influence on your mood and your emotional state and even physical state. The olfactory receptors turn the chemical signal of a scent into a neural signal that reaches the brain.

A holistic approach focuses on an issue as a whole rather than a specific symptom. An idea born out of the concept that the whole is a sum of its many parts. It is a general approach to health that aims to balance out emotional misalignments that can lead to more physical manifestations of discomfort.

Synergy is when the sum of the parts is greater than the individual component. An essential oil blend with several oils mixed together can sometimes work better than an individual oil on its own.

Aromatherapy is the practise of blending different oils and plant extracts or using them individually for their therapeutic benefits to balance and promote better health.