I am overjoyed to share this post with you today! 

Emotions are not something I talk about too often, they’ve always been a little hard for me to express.  Do you ever have one of those days (or weeks if I’m being honest) where you can’t explain it but you just feel all sorts of down?  Then it seems like once these feelings set in they are quite difficult to shake.  Let me tell you, I’ve been there. Recently I decided to try aromatherapy to pull me out of a funk.  After spending a few minutes in my oily corner I came up with this blend and immediately…

 FELL. IN. LOVE. 
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“Sweet as a Rose” blend was designed to gently uplift spirits and soothe the soul, provide encouragement and hope, and lastly to facilitate self-love. 

This is simply too good to keep to myself, so I’m sharing my recipe along with why I chose each oil in it:

• Sweet Orange: A sweet candy-like citrus aroma that is equally uplifting yet calming, known as the “happy” oil.
• Lavender, Fine: A more refined and complex lavender which is calming, relaxing and relieving of nervous tension.
• Lavender Flower CO2: A beautifully rich and highly aromatic lavender that is soothing, calming, relaxing, refreshing, promotes mental clarity, an excellent choice for emotional support and mental well-being.
• Rose Otto: A little goes a long way with this powerful and fragrant gem that can be comforting to the senses and beneficial during times of duress.

For emotional support I turn to inhalers the most.  Inhalation is the quickest and most effective route to the brain and the act of inhaling forces one to breathe deeply which is a known stress reliever in itself.  This inhaler hasn’t left my pocket since I made it over a week ago and it continues to amaze me every time I use it!  It just keeps getting sweeter...  :)

The name Thieves itself refers to a blend sold by Young Living.  Other companies sell similar blends such as On Guard by DoTerra, Fighting Five by Edens Garden, and many more. Thieves-type blends typically consist of ingredients such as clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary, and lemon or orange.  These blends are known for being germ-fighting and immune-boosting super heroes.   Many times, as is the case lately with back-to-school season kicking into gear, they are promoted as a preventative tool to keeping healthy during cold/flu season and the upcoming winter months.

These blends can certainly be beneficial when used appropriately; however, they may not necessarily be the best choice for families and young children.  Let’s take a look at some of the most common ingredients in thieves-type blends and their precautions:

• Clove-Clove is considered a “hot” oil and has a maximum dermal limit of 0.5%.  It is contraindicated for topical use with children under the age of 2.  Clove essential oil has a moderate skin sensitization risk.
• Cinnamon-Cinnamon bark is also considered a “hot” oil which can cause skin irritation.  It has a maximum dermal limit of 0.07%.  Cinnamon bark essential oil has a high skin sensitization risk.
• Eucalyptus-Eucalyptus varieties that are rich in 1,8-cineole such as Eucalyptus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus are most commonly used in thieves-type blends for their affinity with respiratory health.  The higher 1,8-cineole content in them however can cause CNS and respiratory problems in infants and young children.  In the past they have been contraindicated for use with children under the age of 10; however, this has recently been reevaluated and they are indicated as safe for topical use on children from 3 months-3 years at a 0.5% dilution and children 3-6 years at a 1% dilution.  Diffusion of 1,8-cineole rich eucalyptus oils has also now been determined as safe for children 3 months and up.
• Rosemary-Similar to eucalyptus, rosemary can also contain a significant percentage of 1,8-cineole as well as camphor.  For this reason, caution is indicated when applying on or near the face of infants and children.
• Lemon and/or Sweet Orange-Most citrus oils are indicated as safe for children.  The concern arises due to their phototoxic risks and consequently low maximum dermal limits of some expressed citrus oils.  For example: expressed lemon essential oil has a low phototoxic risk factor and a maximum dermal limit of 2.0%.  Sweet orange essential oil on the other hand is not phototoxic.

Pre-made blends can be an excellent time saver and easy choice, especially for those newer to essential oils or anyone that doesn’t have the interest in formulating their own recipes.  When buying pre-made though, the company does not typically disclose the ratios of essential oils used in the bottle.  Without this information it would be nearly impossible to determine how to properly dilute or use the blend in a safe manner.  In this case for example: trying to calculate a dilution rate while making a roller bottle to ensure that the cinnamon bark essential oil in the blend will meet its very low maximum level of 0.07% to avoid the risk of skin irritation.  

Tisserand and Young. (2014). Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Edition. Churchill Livingston Elsevier. ISBN: 978-0-4430-6241-4

Tisserand Institute. (2017). Are eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils safe for young children? [infographic]. Retrieved from http://tisserandinstitute.org/learn-more/kids-inhalation-safety/
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Using Essential Oils Safely. (2017). What is wrong with premade thieves blends? Retrieved from http://www.usingeossafely.com/what-is-wrong-with-pre-made-thieves-blends-what-makes-thieves-blends-unsafe-what-to-use-instead/