Aromatherapy Lifestyle aims to make the art of aromatherapy as easy and understandable as possible, so that everyone can introduce the benefits of this gentle yet powerful healing art into their daily lives.

Aromatherapy is the systematic use of volatile plant oils known as essential oils for the treatment or prevention of disease. It is a form of complementary therapy designed to treat the whole person and not just the symptom or disease by assisting the body's natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself.

On this site we reveal exactly how aromatherapy can help keep you in the best of health and looking good with loads of expert recipes, essential oil profiles, health and beauty tips, plus all the latest news from the world of aromatherapy.

And since aromatherapy crosses over into other related areas of natural medicine and healing, we intend to investigate lots of these in our articles and resources too.

You are encouraged to interact with us by leaving a comment or question about the articles, and wherever possible the authors will post a reply. If you can think of subjects that you would like to see covered in future articles then just let us know and we will do our best to include those too.

Brought to you by Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd®. The information on this site is provided for educational interest only and is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

Knowing how to choose the right carrier oil can be somewhat bewildering for newcomers to aromatherapy because specialist suppliers usually offer such a wide range. Very little is written about this subject in most aromatherapy books, so unless you enroll on a training course knowing how to select them can seem like a bit of a black art.
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Vetiver belongs to the same botanical family as lemongrass, citronella and palmarosa, and has been appreciated for its wide diversity of useful applications since records began. In some countries such as India its role as a perfume may even precede that of the ubiquitous rose.

Vetiveria zizanoides is a dense, erect, clumping perennial grass that grows throughout tropical regions. When growing in the wild, the straight-stemmed, robust leaves easily reach a height of 2 or 3 metres (6ft 6ins – 9ft 9ins) and the plant readily adapts to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions.
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Although several customers had requested them recently, we were not entirely convinced that our range of Bath Bombs would prove to be very popular when we introduced them back in October. Boy, were we wrong! Read more…

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a medically recognised form of clinical depression that strikes during the darker winter months. Although not fully understood, it is most likely caused by shorter daylight hours which cause shifts in the body’s biological clock and hypothalamus.

From time to time we can all suffer from a dose of what might be called the ‘winter blues’ and feel a bit down, lethargic or generally under the weather. But for some people SAD is a seriously disabling illness with a wide range of symptoms that can totally and utterly disrupt their lives. Read more…

Petitgrain essential oil is derived from the fresh leaves and green twigs of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium and its various sub-species. Bitter orange belongs to the Rutaceae family and is believed to have originated in South-East Asia where it later spread to North-Eastern India, Burma and China, eventually finding its way via Arab traders to Africa, Arabia and Syria.

From these regions it was taken to the Mediterranean by the Moors, and by the end of the 12th century it was cultivated in Seville, Spain, thereby leading to the common name for bitter oranges.
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Usually when you want to create a soothing, relaxing atmosphere in the house, lighting up a burner or plugging in a vaporizer is the preferred option. But it is not always possible to use a burner in some locations, so having alternative techniques to diffuse your essential oils can come in really handy.

Fortunately, there are lots of easy ways you can enjoy the wonderful benefits of natural fragrance around your home, and you could even use these techniques at work too. Just be sure you check its okay with your boss first!
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Autumn can be quite a shock to your skin as the temperature rapidly drops and the wet and windy season sets in, so it is imperative that your skin receives some extra care and protection now to shield it from the dryness and chapping that can so easily develop over the coming months.

So instead of spending a fortune this autumn on all those over-priced brand name skincare products out in the shops, why not use the aromatherapy carrier oils that you already have at home to care and protect your skin naturally - and save your money?
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Rosemary is an attractive, evergreen, shrubby herb that belongs to the Lamiaceae family and grows wild throughout Mediterranean countries where it is believed to have originated.

The upright form of this herb can reach a height of 1.8 metres, although there are other forms such as R. officinalis var. prostratus, which is a creeping variety that is often grown in rock gardens or for ground cover.

The narrow fragrant leaves of rosemary are dark green on the upper surface, with undersides that are paler and matted with thick hair. During spring, the small and delicate, tubular, blue-white flowers begin to blossom on the tips of the leaves, and can remain in bloom throughout the summer.
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At Quinessence we are always looking to bring you something new and interesting, so this months newcomers include a fantastic ‘how to massage’ DVD, fragrant Bath Bombs and a new Pillar Candle to add to our collection.

During the next few months we will be adding even more new products to our Aromatherapy Collection, so be sure to call back to check them out.
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Have you ever entered a room whilst in a perfectly normal and happy mood, and immediately felt an emotional change come over you? The feeling is unmistakable and may vary from just feeling a little uncomfortable right through to experiencing the irresistible urge to flee the room.

Perhaps a heated argument had taken place there earlier, or something much more sinister might have happened many years ago, but either way you got the message and no mistake. This is not as uncommon as you might imagine and there are many documented cases of how people’s lives were saved by taking decisive action after experiencing such feelings.
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