I am a very pale girl with lots of freckles and blonde hair…trust me when I say that I know sunburns.  I have made numerous concoctions in an effort to find relief for my reddened skin with combinations of aloe vera, hydrosols, vinegar, black or green tea, and essential oils.  Many have worked quite well, but sometimes you just need something quick, simple, and effective.  That’s where my 2-ingredient cooling & soothing after sun spray comes in!

• A 60 ml (2 oz.) glass bottle with spray top
• 40 ml peppermint hydrosol
• 20 ml lavender aloe jelly (by Plant Therapy)

Add both ingredients to a 2 ounce spritzer bottle and shake well to combine.  Done!

*If you don’t have the lavender aloe jelly you can certainly substitute regular aloe vera and add 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil.

**Store it in the fridge to extend its shelf life and provide extra cooling relief to your skin.

​This morning as I was enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch and admiring our bright pink rhododendron in bloom I became inspired to explore one of my lesser known and used essential oils-Rhododendron anthopogon.
 
Interesting fact:  The rhododendron that is used for essential oil is not the same as the large, brightly flowering shrub we are familiar with (such as the one in these photos).  Rhododendron anthopogon is one of the few species of rhododendron considered to be non-toxic.  It is smaller than most, and grows wild, primarily in Nepal and other areas of the Himalayan mountain range (Anthony, 2018).

The essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves, flowers, and sometimes twigs of the shrub.  It is clear to pale yellow in color and has a thin consistency.  Its aroma is milder than most florals, bright, refreshing, slightly herbaceous, and even a little bit fruity to my nose.

It blends well with: the conifers, lighter florals such as lavender or lavandin, cape chamomile, cedarwood, frankincense, lemon, mandarin, rose, and sweet orange.

Rhododendron is considered safe for children and has little to no known safety concerns.  It does pose risk of oxidization due to its high monoterpene content.  Oxidized essential oils can cause an increased risk of skin sensitization and irritation (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

As mentioned above, rhododendron essential oil has a high monoterpene content; particularly alpha-pinene at around 37.4% and beta-pinene at 16.0% with notable amounts of limonene at 13.3% (Tisserand & Young, 2014). 
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Thanks to the amounts of pinene present in the essential oil, rhododendron is an excellent for respiratory support.  It also has an affinity with the musculoskeletal system, immune system, and nervous system.  It can be a nice addition to nourishing beauty products for a luxurious touch (Plant Therapy, 2017).  Its’ refreshing yet soothing aroma can provide relief from a myriad of issues such as exhaustion, mental fog, and extreme emotions or negativity.  I have seen the essential oil used in cases of anxiety, depression, grief, and more (Anthony, 2018). 

See how I incorporated rhododendron essential oil in a blend for grief called “solace” in this post here: https://www.thelavendergiraffe.com/blog/aromatic-support-for-times-of-grief

Anthony, A, (2018). Essential oil allies: rhododendron. Aromatic Studies. Retrieved from: https://aromaticstudies.com/essential-oil-allies-rhododendron/

Plant Therapy. (2017). July oil of the month-rhododendron. Retrieved from: https://www.planttherapy.com/blog/2017/07/27/july-oil-of-the-month-rhododendron/
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Tisserand, R. & Young, R. (2014). Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Edition. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier. pp. 402-404.