6 perfect scents for a cosy winter home
How your home smells can affect how you feel when you’re in it. Here’s how to create a relaxed home this winter.
Create a happy, healthy, chilled out home using the art of aromatherapy.
Scents have been used as far back as 3,500 BC when ancient cultures infused natural oils to enhance physical and psychological wellbeing. Today, we call it aromatherapy.
Why use aromatherapy?
“Our sense of smell is the only one of our five senses that immediately registers information in the brain,” explains Kimball Hobby, marketing director of Le Rêve, an Australian-owned aromatherapy, fragrance and skincare company. “When we breathe in the essential oils, it triggers an emotional response that affects our body, mood and emotions.”
A relaxed home begins with you
The scents used in aromatherapy are all natural, distilled directly from their botanical source so the therapeutic value of the plant is retained. Not only will essential oils help your home smell lovely, but many people use them for common complaints including sleeplessness, congestion, muscular tension and headaches.
“Each essential oil is unique,” explains Kimball. “Just as chemicals produce different effects, with aromatherapy the natural oils have distinctive therapeutic qualities that can be used in a range of ways.”
A diffuser helps you spread relaxing, healing aromas throughout your home, or you can add a few drops to your bath or to a carrier (like almond oil) and massage it into your skin to relieve aches, pains and skin irritation. You can also simply dab the desired oil directly onto your wrists or temples for relief. “When applied topically, the oils are absorbed through the pores into the skin,” says Kimball. “From there they enter the bloodstream and lymphatic system where they’re absorbed by the body and deliver a natural healing effect.”
Crafting the perfect space
Create the environment you want in your home by using scents that best suit the space. In your entrance have something refreshing to welcome you, your family and guests. Your kitchen should have something purifying, with citrus notes and your bedroom could embrace lavender for a calming, peaceful mood. “Aromatherapy is a very subtle, fragrant art,” adds Kimball. “The idea is not to knock people over with the smell, but to create an atmosphere that is understated yet still noticeable.”
Six super scents to try
Infuse your winter with these powerful oils.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Aroma: Light, floral and refreshing
Why: Calming, soothing and helps relieve sleeplessness
Where: Bedroom
Blend with: Bergamot and ylang-ylang for peaceful sleep
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Aroma: Sharp and menthol
Why: Energising, cleansing and helps improve air quality
Where: Kitchen
Blend with: Lemon and lime so you can breathe easy
Lemon (Citrus limon)
Aroma: Fresh, strong and clean
Why: Helps energise, relieve congestion and focus the mind
Where: Work space
Blend with: Peppermint and basil to help boost concentration
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Aroma: Strong, piercing and menthol
Why: Helps relieve congestion, muscular tension and aches
Where: Living area
Blend with: Cedar wood and tea tree to help fight cold and flu symptoms
Frankincense (Boswellia sacra)
Aroma: Warm, woody and balsamic
Why: Relaxing, purifying and helps relieve allergies and congestion
Where: Entrance hall
Blend with: Sandalwood and geranium for a truly welcoming home
Rose (Rosa)
Aroma: Rich and floral
Why: Calming, comforting and relaxing
Where: Bathroom
Blend with: Lavender and chamomile, and add to your bath for a soothing soak
Le Rêve is an Australian-owned aromatherapy, fragrance and skincare company that markets exquisite Parfum, soy candles, reed diffusers and 100% pure essential oils.