I sent over 4 stock blends, a rollerball, room spray, lotion, and bath salts. I also put together a mini booklet so she had the tools to replenish or get creative with new blends. I decided to share that information with all of you too!
Essential Oils for Mental Health
Even though I was making stock blends and toiletries, I wanted to provide a list of oils that could be used and mixed as desired. Most, if not all, of these are mentioned in the recipes that follow, but you can always play around with your own blends in order to find an aroma that is pleasing and has the desired result.
- lavender
- frankincense
- orange
- neroli
- vetiver
- mandarin
- black spruce
- Roman chamomile
- cedar wood
- sandalwood
- peppermint
- geranium
- ylang ylang
- bergamot
Stock Blends
Stock blends are a great way to use your oils in a variety of ways. My recommendation was to diffuse them in some way or another, but you could add to a bath with epsom salt, mix into a plain lotion or massage oil, and more. I put together some safe ratios for different use types:
- Inhaler: 10-15 drops
- Diffuser Jewelry: 1-3 drops
- Car Diffuser: 1-3 drops
- Room Diffuser: 3-5 drops per 100 ml
- Rollerball: 10 drops per 10 ml
- Spray: 8-10 drops per 1 oz
The following stock blends all make approximately 1 dram (which is also equivalent to 4ml or 1/8 oz). Feel free to multiply and make larger batches if needed. Store your blends in glass bottles and keep out of direct sunlight (tinted glass in a cool place is even better).
Anxiety Blend
32 drops lavender
32 drops frankincense
8 drops mandarin
Depression Blend
30 drops geranium
26 drops Roman chamomile
6 drops peppermint
Stress Blend #1
30 drops lavender
30 drops frankincense
15 drops black spruce
Stress Blend #2
25 drops orange
25 drops frankincense
25 drops cedar wood
Relaxation Blend
30 drops mandarin
30 drops bergamot
15 drops lavender
Relaxing Bath Salts
Baths are a great way to chill out and relax. Light some candles, let your body relax along with your mind, and just take some time to get away from it all. These bath salts will help you calm down and fight those dark feelings, while also pampering your body.
1 1/2 cup epsom salt
3 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp dried chamomile
1 Tbsp dried lavender
6 Tbsp liquid castille
18 drops frankincense
6 drops neroli
6 drops orange
The soap is necessary to dilute the essential oils. I like to mix all my dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then combine my soap and oils in a smaller bowl. Don't stir the soap and oils too much or you will get suds, but mix enough to make sure the oils have dispersed. Gently mix the soap and oils into your dry ingredients. Your salts will remain somewhat wet, but won't cake together.
Alternately, you could use a carrier oil in place of the castille soap. Jojoba is a great choice as it nourishes the skin. I opt for castille soap because the carrier oils still just kind of chill on the water's surface, whereas I feel the soap mixes in better. The amount of soap won't give you a crazy, sudsy bath (but you can add more if bubble baths are your thing!).
To use, mix 1/4 - 1/2 cup into your bath water. This recipe is good for 4-8 uses. Store in an airtight container, preferably glass or PET plastic.
Restful Sleep Room/Linen Spray
I planned for this to function mainly as a linen spray, but there's no reason you can't use it to freshen up a room or your space. Spray gently on pillows, blankets, sheets, sleeping masks, and any other bedding before sleep to help you drift off calmly. Apply to towels or your robe to continue a soothing bath experience. Spray in your bedroom before going to sleep, or in your car before travel. The scent will dissipate more in a room that on your linens, but it's also a great alternative if you can't burn incense in your space.
4oz witch hazel
10 drops vetiver
10 drops lavender
6 drops orange
Combine all ingredients in a 4 oz glass spray bottle. You can also use PET plastic, but the essential oils will slowly erode other plastics. The plastic sprayers that come with bottles tend to hold up, so no need to worry there. Store out of direct sunlight and/or use a tinted bottle to extend shelf life.
You can also use water or hydrosols in place of the witch hazel. I tend to like witch hazel because it usually comes in a partially alcoholic solution which helps with evaporation. Witch hazel is also fairly neutral in scent, versus hydrosols which will also cost you a pretty penny.
Because water & oil don't mix, make sure to shake up your bottle before spraying. The oils are fairly diluted, so there isn't a hard cap as to how much you should use at a time, but 4 oz will likely last quite a while and the scent will still be fairly strong with just a few pumps.
Calming Lotion
This recipe is for a small 1 oz batch of lotion. It's actually more of a body butter, and a little goes a long way. Also, you can tuck that 1 oz jar into your bag and take it with you. Use when you need a little me time but are out and about, or enjoy at home after a relaxing bath or before bed.
1 1/2 Tbsp shea butter
1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
5 drops vetiver
4 drops neroli
3 drops lavender
Melt the shea butter and coconut oil (in a double boiler, or you microwave). Allow to cool but not harden, then stir in your essential oils. While still viscous, pour into a 1 oz container. I like to use small class jars with screw caps, but you could also use a tin or PET plastic.
This lotion will get soft in higher temps, so store in a cool place when not in use (or in your fridge! which is a great idea if you make a larger batch).
Emergency Rollerball Perfume
Also called "Liquid Xanax," this is a great on-the-go solution. Apply when the feelings of stress, anxiety, and/or depression overwhelm you. Or wear to keep those feelings away before they begin (it smells lovely!).
4 drops ylang ylang
4 drops lavender
2 drops chamomile
2 drops sandalwood
2 drops frankincense
10 ml (1/3 oz) carrier oil of choice
When making a roller ball, I always recommend adding your essential oils first, then just topping off with your carrier oil. If you do it the other way around, you risk not leaving enough room for your essential oils. I also find this way everything mixes up a little more evenly.
My usual carrier oil of choice is fractionated coconut oil because it is fairly neutral. However jojoba is another popular carrier that is good for your skin. But don't feel limited; you can use stuff in your kitchen like palm kernel or olive oil ;)
This is for a 10 ml rollerball, which is probably the most popular size (if you were to buy a rollerball blend commercially, it would be this size). However, you can easily cut this in half or make larger batches if you want a smaller travel bottle or to stock up.
