Written by ACHS Aromatherapy Program Chair Amanda Lattin
The month of June is one of celebration. Here at ACHS, we are gearing up to celebrate our graduating students in our graduation ceremony on June 18th. Many of us will also be celebrating the dads in our lives over Father’s Day weekend as well. The summer solstice is also happening on June 20th heralding the beginning of summer. Midsummer’s Eve has a long tradition of celebration for cherishing nature’s bounty and the light and warmth of the summer sun. And if those are not reasons enough, there are June brides, birthdays, and anniversaries – the list goes on!
We wanted to share with you some of our favorite essential oils for this special month whether you are out for a hike in the woods, having a backyard barbeque, attending a graduation, enjoying some summertime self care, or perhaps giving the gift of aromatherapy to someone special in your life you want to celebrate.
Celebrate your Graduate
Celebrate the grads in your life with bay Laurus nobilis (L.) essential oil. Bay L. nobilis essential oil has long been associated with scholars and poets. A crown of bay leaves was used to crown the heads of heroes and Olympians in ancient times. Bay L. nobilis essential oil has a spicy, sweet, and slightly medicinal aroma. It combines well with other summertime favorites such as lavender Lavandula angustifolia (Mill.) essential oil and is a fantastic choice for an aromatherapy spray or diffuser blend for graduation to calm nerves and focus the mind.
Graduation Day Aromatherapy Spray
- 2oz Glass Spray Bottle
- 1oz vodka or rubbing alcohol
- 1oz distilled water or lavender hydrosol
- 20 drops bay L. nobilis essential oil
- 20 drops lavender L. angustifolia essential oil
Directions: Add essential oils and alcohol to a two-ounce spray bottle and shake well. Add distilled water/lavender hydrosol to fill the bottle and shake again.
Celebrate Father’s Day
For the special dad in your life, our essential oil blend The Naturalist: A Men’s Fragrance Blend is the perfect aromatherapy gift. This blend is made of four of our favorite essential oils: Copaiba balsam Copaifera officinalis (Jacq.), Black pepper Piper nigrum (L.), Sandalwood Santalum album (L.), and Vetiver Vetiveria zizanioides (Nash). Black pepper P. nigrum has a rich history. Pliny once spoke of it as “more expensive than gold.” Today, it is one of the most commonly used spices and a favorite aroma for men. Black pepper has a spicy, sporty, and woody aroma that adds a classic and robust vibe to men’s blends. It’s also ideal in after-exercise formulas. Woody and rustic, copaiba balsam C. officinalis is a unique and hearty base note for men’s blends. It promotes nourished and cleansed skin, so copaiba is a fantastic addition to homemade aftershave and other bath products for men.
A beloved classic of men’s blends and fragrances, sandalwood S. album essential oil’s distinct, sweet, woody, and long-lasting aroma is uplifting and invigorating. It’s a favorite choice for men’s soaps, aftershave, and colognes.
It’s important to know that all sandalwood is not created equal. Due to overharvesting and slow replanting, the S. album tree is vulnerable. Because of this, the ACHS College Store, the Apothecary Shoppe, sources sandalwood S. album essential oil exclusively from a sustainable sandalwood plantation in northern Australia. This is one of the many reasons it’s important to know where your oils are coming from and how they’re produced—so you can feel good about your purchase and smell great, too!
Vetiver roots have been used to fragrance fabrics and clothing for centuries. The roots have even been used to create traditional, aromatic baskets and mats. With a deep, husky, earthy aroma, vetiver V. zizanioides essential oil’s strength is a superb fixative in blends for men. An added benefit: vetiver V. zizanioides is uplifting and has been said to promote concentration and focus.
The Naturalist: A Men’s Fragrance Blend can be used to create a fragrance spray, or used in an essential oil diffuser, or a few drops can be added to body wash for an easy aromatherapy shower experience.
You can also make your own naturalist room spray with your own essential oils.
The Naturalist Men’s Fragrance Spray
- Copaiba balsam Copaifera officinalis oil: 10 drops
- Black pepper Piper nigrum oil: 10 drops
- Sandalwood Santalum album oil: 1 drop
- Vetiver Vetiveria zizanioides oil: 1 drop
- Alcohol: 1 oz
- Filtered water: To fill bottle
Directions: Add essential oils and alcohol to a two-ounce spray bottle and shake well. Add filtered water to fill the bottle and shake again. Spray upward into the air as a room freshener or use as a natural body spray.
Celebrate Summer Solstice
Summer solstice is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and is a time of warmth, blooming flowers, and celebrating nature. Summer flowers are on full parade at this time of year and we love to use their essential oils in our self care. Rose Rosa damascena (Mill.) essential oil is a favorite. Both lavender L. angustifolia and lavandin Lavandula intermedia (Emeric ex Loisel.) are ready to harvest around the summer solstice. There are also many herbs that bloom in the early summer. Marjoram Origanum majorana (L.) is a great example. Marjoram O. majorana essential oil has a sweet herbaceous and slightly medicinal aroma. It blends well with rose R. damascena, lavender L. angulstifolia, and lavandin L. intermedia essential oils for a summer meadow type of aroma, perfect for a cool evening aromatherapy bath.
Summer Evening Aromatherapy Bath
- 1 cup epsom salts
- 1 teaspoon carrier oil of choice
- 2 drop lavender Lavandula angustifolia or lavandin Lavandula intermedia essential oil
- 1 drop rose Rosa damascena essential oil
- 1 drop marjoram Origanum majorana essential oil
Directions: Mix the essential oils with the carrier oil. Add to epsom salts and stir. Pour mixture into a full bath and swish water to incorporate.
You can find all of the ingredients (except alcohol) for the recipes in this blog post right here in the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe! Let us know in the comments which recipe you are most excited about making!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. This article has not been reviewed by the FDA. Always consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am an instructor for the American College of Healthcare Sciences, the Institution that publishes this blog. However, all opinions are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
About American College of Healthcare Sciences
American College founded in 1978, is a fully online accredited institute of higher education specializing in holistic health. Based in Portland, OR; our goal is to make research-driven and science-based holistic health education taught by industry-leading experts accessible to anyone anywhere while still giving students a hands-on experiential learning experience like a traditional college and a strong sense of community, school pride and student bond.
This commitment to our students and graduates reflects in our current survey results that reflect 98% of our students would recommend ACHS to a friend or family member.
We believe education is the most powerful tool for changing an individual and the world around us.
When a person enrolls as ACHS, it is vitally important that they graduate with tools they need to forge their own holistic and sustainable missions, build up their communities confidently and changing the face of healthcare with knowledge.
