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Jasmine is such a sexy scent. This fragrance has been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac, with ancient princesses bathing with the blooms in order to entice their lovers. However it is also quite healing in the aromatherapy world, relieving depression and calming nerves among other things.
1. Sedating effect on the nervous system - If you are looking for a peaceful night’s rest, use this essential oil right before bed in order to calm the nerves and ease you into sleep. You can add a few drops directly into your bath for a calming soak before bed.
2. Calms muscle tension – Achy and tense from a long day? It blends incredibly well with sandalwood and rose oil, and then can be massaged into the skin for ultimate relaxation with your favorite carrier oil. You can also add a few drops into your favorite body lotion to enhance it’s scent.
3. Mood altering – If you battle with depression, this is a great scent to keep handy. It alleviates your depressive thoughts and brings you into a center of optimism. Just a few deep inhales of the oil will lift your spirits.
4. Antiseptic – Battling a nasty skin infection? Jasmine has antiseptic properties that heal wounds when applied directly to your skin. See the tea recipe below for an example of how you can put jasmine to work for you .
5. Treats PMS – To me, this is the greatest thing about jasmine. It helps keep your cycle regular, painless, and shorter, while decreasing symptoms of PMS. Drinking the tea mentioned below regularly will allow you to experience these benefits. I frequently have very painful cycles and nothing seems to help my symptoms. I can’t wait to try this!
Here’s a great recipe to keep on hand at home for ailments that may come arise:
Jasmine Tea
Add 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf jasmine tea to 3-5 cups boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes. Any longer and the tea can become bitter. You can purchase loose leaf jasmine tea from a health food store or Asian grocer. It’s best to stick with loose-leaf as it tends to be fresher than the tea bags. If ingested, the tea helps with infections and fevers, and will calm nerves and anxiety. Externally, you can make a compress from the liquid to treat cuts, scrapes, and even headaches.
We’re always excited about sharing the latest info, news and tips on natural spa products and techniques to our readers. We’re even more excited about the wonderful feedback from our readers…so excited that we’re sponsoring a contest for our blog readers to post their favorite “at home” spa ritual and experience, to win a mainelement: love spa basket worth over $100.
The contest will run from January 20th to February 12th, 2010, with the winner being announced on February 19th.
Here’s all you need to know and enter:
Subscribe to our blog via RSS or email (see the right side bar)
Email your favorite “at home” spa ritual including the products and/or ingredients you use and the steps to make them, and the cost to create this contest to tyrika@mainelementlove.com using “Spa at home ritual” in your subject header
Include the natural health benefits of your spa experience and how it relaxes and calms you
At the end of the contest period, the staff of mainelement: love will read and select the post with the best “at home” spa experience and ritual using natural products and/or ingredients that are most cost effective
The winner of the contest will receive a mainelement:love spa basket(filled with the entire le’amour body line in Rise and Shine or Lavender Vanilla, a journal, box of chamomile tea, ceramic mug, and spa socks), and their ritual will be featured on the Love: Blog
The fine print:
Blog followers may only post one spa experience story during the contest period
All spa experiences must be authentic and solely created from contestant and not a copyright of any magazine, book, published author or day and salon establishment
Products and/or ingredients must be natural
Contestants must include their first and last name and valid email with blog entry to tyrika@mainelementlove.com this info will not be used for any third party marketing, but winner contact purposes only
Yes, Jamie and I have gone MIA once again, we humbly beg your pardon. I have some interesting gems for you to check out in the meantime. From holiday shopping to new genetic info on the curly hair gene, I have a well rounded list here for your reading pleasure. Without further ado, here’s your outside reading list:
For the DIY’ers out there, I bring you a simple yet very effective scalp and hair oil blend that results in a healthier head of hair with regular use.
neem seeds
• 1/2 oz neem oil
• 3 1/2 oz jojoba oil
• 2 ml of rosemary essential oil
Normally I suggest adding a few other essential oils for a lovely scent of your choosing. However, this is not an oil blend that will land on your favorite list because of the scent. Personally, I find the smell of neem oil to be unpleasant. Because of its fantastic properties for hair and scalp, I choose to deal with it anywhere from an hour to over night until I wash it out. This is a heavier oil (somewhat heavier than olive oil) so you may need to combine your normal washing process with an apple cider vinegar or baking soda rinse to strip away the buildup. With regular use, you will have a healthier scalp and hair.
Last week’s post made mention of being able to find hair pampering products right in your kitchen. There are plenty of commonly known ingredients: olive oil, honey, eggs, mayonnaise, and apple cider vinegar. There are also a few less commonly known times that can do wonders for both your hair as well as your skin.
Baking soda – an excellent replacement for an apple cider vinegar rinse, normally used as a clarifier. Baking soda will displace the residue left from hair products, without stripping the healthy nutrients from your hair. It’s a great alternative for those who don’t like the scent of apple cider vinegar and who find the scent lingering in their hair after clarifying with it.
Tomatoes – provide a variety of benefits to healthy, beautiful hair. Tomatoes restore your hair color when you’ve been exposed to damaging chemicals such as chlorine. They also strip away odors that have settled into your hair even after washing. From tomato juice to sauce to freshly crushed and squeezed tomatoes, use tomatoes to restore your hair’s pH levels back to normal.
Coffee- an uplifting source of shine for your treasured tresses. Applied as a rinse, brewed coffee provides not only shine but stimulates hair growth also. Ground coffee is excellent exfoliating, and has tightening and firm qualities for skin as well.
Coconut oil – keeps your roots and scalp moisturized without clogging pores. Coconut oil absorbs easily into skin, is an excellent deep conditioner for restoring health to dry scalps acting as a great combatant against dandruff.
Bananas – another source of sheen and shine for your hair. Alone or combined with olive oil or avocado, bananas provide protein and soften your hair. This is an excellent ingredient to use when you spend a lot of time in the elements to replenish nourishment. Bananas, mixed with milk or yogurt, can also be used on skin as a mask to combat aging skin.
Take a peek in your refrigerator and cabinets and add one or two of these common kitchen ingredients to your hair care routine today. Luxurious, healthy skin is just a few steps away.
