Have you ever used rose water? Divine, isn’t it? Real rose water—one of the most popular cosmetics in the world—is technically a hydrosol, a scented water produced by distillation of fresh rose petals. Distillation is when you use steam to extract plant components, especially scented components. Hydrosols 
There’s little better than fresh lavender, whether as an essential oil, an herb for cooking, in a fresh bouquet, or, my personal favorite, growing abundantly on a local farm.
Some of the most sacred and valued scents over the centuries are those deeper aromatics—Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin and others—whose use predates the millennia-old religious texts in which they’re noted. These scents are “heavier” because the chemicals they’re made of are heavier than those in “lighter” oils such as lemon or bergamot. Another way to look at it is that the scents
I recently wrote on citrus essential oils, my favorite oils for scent. Now, we’ll move on to conifer essential oils, another group I love. These are uplifting and motivating, and they blend beautifully with citrus oils for both scent and energetics.
Summer is finally here! Unfortunately, that also means you need to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Here are three completely natural bug repellent DIYs that will save you a buck and keep the bugs away. Bonus points: They smell good to you, not the bugs!
An “infused oil” is a vegetable oil in which herbs, spices, or plant resins have been infused. They’re fun to make and immensely useful. First, let’s look at uses, then how to make an oil, and finally, I’ll share some of my favorite oils.
Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris and A. douglasiana) has a magical feel to it: The silvery green leaves that shine in the moonlight; the distinctive scent used for dream time. Then there’s the botanical name “Artemesia,” for Artemis with her silver bow and arrow, goddess of the hunt associated with the moon and things wild. Mugwort seems to put one into a different space.
With so many options available in the market, why are we asking you to whip up your own sunscreens? To keep those dicey, harmful chemicals away from your skin—and the environment!
An attitude of gratitude is essential for succeeding in life and the everyday stuff that sometimes can get you down—especially in these ever-changing times when it could be easy to look out into the world and feel negative or like nothing is going the way you’d like it to. Spikenard is the essential oil gifted us in order to inspire health, deeper awareness, and gratitude, and bless us to aspire into the state where we can actually be grateful
