BESPOKE vs PRE-BLENDED
I have been practising aromatherapy for over 25 years and a huge part of what I love about my work is the certainty of making a bespoke blend for my clients at each and every appointment.
There is a place for pre-blended oils but if you visit a qualified aromatherapist you should, with your therapist, get the opportunity to choose your essential oils for your blend to reflect exactly how you want to feel at that appointment and for that massage.
For each treatment I will take the time to discuss your needs and to check in on how you are feeling and more importantly, how you would like to feel after your massage.
Then with my client I will offer them a choice of essential oils. I will have chosen them by their therapeutic properties and to reflect what my client has asked for. Plus, I will consider the overall aromatic experience. There is always a choice, so if my client doesn’t like the smell, and let’s face it isn’t going to do too much good if you are lying there having a massage and not enjoying the smell! I can offer them another essential oil.
All essential oils have therapeutic properties that allow them to do what they do. There is often a likeness within plant families, but their properties are varied and unique. Learning the properties of the oils is of course paramount to being a successful practitioner but blending is an art, a skill that take years to master.
Our sense of smell is idiosyncratic and one smell maybe an elixir for you and an abomination to me! Smell is linked to our memories and the area of the brain that is responsible for emotions and hormone levels, making it an extremely evocative sense.
Pre-blended products allow you to discover and enjoy aromatherapy at home, on the go or in your office. As part of my job I blend products for Tisserand Aromatherapy, creating ready made blends for you to enjoy anywhere! The challenge here is to create an aroma that will be pleasing to all and have the desired effect.
So, if you are visiting an Aromatherapist for a massage treatment check ahead to see if he or she makes bespoke blends or uses readymade blends, which won’t really be reflecting your needs for the money you will pay. If, however you want to use essential oils and aromatherapy at home choose a reputable company for your products.
I would recommend you find an Aromatherapist through IFPA (The International Federation of Aromatherapists). They have a register of qualified aromatherapists that you can locate by area. All therapists registered with IFPA will have been taught to make bespoke blends for their clients and educated to a high standard.
Having frequent aromatherapy treatments will enhance your well-being, improve your immune system, reduce muscular aches and help you to deal with stress a little easier!
Make 2020 the year you take the time to have regular aromatherapy massages!