As almost all of you know, our very gracious and beautiful Tyrika is now a married woman. I have been reflecting on this over the weekend and am beyond ecstatic for her, her husband and their families.

Tyrika, you are genuinely beautiful and full of love, so it makes absolute sense that your life would follow suit. I wish nothing but all the best blessings for you and your family at this incredibly special time!

I thought it only fitting, under the circumstances and for Valentine’s day, to give everyone some uses for aromatherapy to encourage a loving mood The essential oils most commonly used for romance are:

• Rose
• Jasmine
• Neroli
• Clary Sage
• Cypress
• Sandalwood
• Cedarwood
• Ylang Ylang
• Clove
• Black Pepper
• Veviter

As usual, there are plenty of ways to utilize these essential oils. Incense, diffusers, bath oil and in lotions are always great. To increase desire, candles and a massage oil would be ideal…

Mainelement:Love fragrances that would be great to rub on before a date would be; Strawberries and Champagne, Wedded Bliss, and Blue Rose for the ladies, and Insatiable and Seductive for the gentlemen. Most of these fragrances come in le’amour body butter, body wash AND body oil. They are truly fabulous and made with the utmost care.

You could also try the skin care recipes Tyrika has posted, to make sure your significant other finds your skin inviting and touchable.

Now that you have your Valentine’s day aromatherapy arsenal stocked and your skin will be silky-smooth, you are ready to celebrate in style…

Tyrika, we love you and await your return! Congratulations, lady!

Final countdown and I’m ready to make it happen!  It’s been a whirlwind week but I refused to forget about myself and my need to keep myself satiny smooth from head to toe for my big day.  I really think this 30 regimen has helped my keep my sanity….bridezilla still hasn’t shown up and I don’t think she’s going to

In addition to the 30 day and 2 week regimen, I added:

• The threading I neglected to get a few weeks ago (my eyebrows are now fabulous!!!)
• Correcting the two toned hair color I had going on due to 11 months of new growth since my last color
• Due to the new color I had to adjust my conditioner to keep my hair fortified –
• Stepped up my exfoliation to every other day this week; because of the oils and the sugar in the scrub I can’t stop rubbing my own legs, they feel goooooood!
• Mani and pedi today – the perfect shade of red to compliment my strappy white shoes and classic French tips to accentuate my bouquet

I can see it all coming together now, and I’m thankful I made time to keep myself from going crazy or feeling rushed.  It’s hard to enjoy and appreciate the feeling that taking care of yourself gives you when you have to rush through it.  And it was really easy to make it a habit.  A girl could get used to this!
This is it…next time you hear from me, you’ll be seeing pictures of the big day.
Love and blessings to you all!

Many of the essential oils used in aromatherapy can be quite irritating, and even harmful to the skin if used full strength. For this reason, they must be diluted with carrier oils. Carrier oils are mild oils, made from the kernels, nuts and seeds of different vegetables. Like essential oils, carrier oils each have their own properties, which are suited for different purposes.

Here are a few of the most common types of carrier oils:

-Sweet Almond Oil-This carrier oil absorbs fairly quickly and has a light, sweet, nutty fragrance. It is clear with a yellowish tinge. This is a great all-purpose carrier oil, with a moderate price tag. One of my favorites!!!

-Cocoa Butter-Is actually a vegetable “butter” and is excellent for use in lotions and creams. It is more solid in texture and has to be heated or mixed with other oils in order to be “workable”. Cocoa Butter has amazing moisturizing properties and a very sweet, rich scent.

-Jojoba Oil-Has a distinctly pleasant aroma. It is a silky, light oil that absorbs very well, making it ideal for massage. It is actually a wax. Jojoba oil has a very long shelf-life, a fact reflected in its price tag. Jojoba oil is similar to the oil naturally found in skin, called sebum, and is said to have anti-inflammatory properties. For this reason, it is often recommended for people who are prone to acne or oily skin.

-Olive Oil-Is used a lot for hair care purposes. It is a relatively heavy oil, with a greasy feel. This makes it useful for people with very dry hair. It must be used sparingly, or blended with another carrier, and has a 1 to 2 year shelf life.

These are only a few of the carrier oils out there…If I were to list them all in one post, it may be more of a chapter of a book than a blog post I wasn’t planning on it, but this has led me to the conclusion that more than one post is necessary for carrier oils. Be prepared for Part 2 later this week! Also coming up: “Common Essential Oils for Relaxation” – something I know we are all in need of

Essential oils are the very concentrated essences of different plants. They can be made in a few different ways. The uses for essential oils, commonly referred to by us as EOs, are numerous and widely varied. Aromatherapy is just one of the many important things that can be done with essential oils.

Usually, essential oils are produced by a process called steam distillation. When the plant is steamed, the steam that is released contains the essence of the plant. It is then condensed and the oil is separated from the oil.

Some plants can be pressed in order to get their essential oil. This is especially true with fruits like lemons and oranges. Their rinds can be put in a press, the result of which is the essential oil.

Because an essential oil has the very same properties as the plant it comes from, there is a plethora of essential oils to choose from. All of them serve particular purposes, many even have several uses. (Love: The Element also has a series that outlines uses of popular EOs) Many essential oils have disinfecting properties and can be used for cleaning, some can help you through a cold. While some have relaxing properties, others can energize you. Essential oils are used for aromatherapy purposes in soaps, lotions, creams, candles, massage and bath oils, incense and diffusers.

Most essential oils are VERY strong and must be dilluted with a “carrier oil” (I’ll explain the different carrier oils in the next part of this series). Just a few drops in a very mild oil, cream or lotion will ensure you get the effect of your essential oil, without irritating your skin.

It is also important to get high quality essential oils, which are much different than perfume oils. Essential oils have no other ingredients, only the essence of one plant. Other oils may be combined with other ingredients.

Depending on the rarity of the plant an oil is produced from and the process used to get the oil, the price of an essential oil can vary. Tea tree oil is relatively expensive, while rose oil is pricey.

If you do not feel like worrying about which essential oils do which things, or which ones combine well together. Mainelement: Love products may be a perfect answer for you. Tyrika’s expertise in aromatherapy combines beautifully with the wonderful essential oils and all-natural products that are used for our products.

Mainelement: Love products make great gifts for aromatherapy enthusiasts, too! And who knows? Maybe using our rich (but affordable!) products will inspire you to dabble more in aromatherapy, yourself!