Teaching the annual holiday craft workshop series "Get Crafty" was one of my favorite projects at Community Pharmacy. I loved developing new recipes that set a scentscape for a particular year, and building a gameplan for the workshop that was equal parts skill-raising discussion and hands-on play. Here is an article in the spirit of those workshops, which was originally published in CP's newsletter, Infused, in Nov. 2014.
Get Crafty for Healthful Homemade
Holidays!
With a few weeks remaining til the
holiday season is in full swing, now is a perfect time to create the
fresh and fragrant homemade gifts you will bring to this season's
potlucks, parties, and homecomings. It's a time for gratitude and
celebration – of family, food, and good health!
Holiday Party Mocktail Syrups
The complex flavors and digestive
benefits of craft cocktails are also an open invitation to those of
us who look for unleaded beverages. Homemade bitters and flavored
sugars can take weeks to infuse, but herbal syrups can be brewed in
an afternoon. Blended into sparkling water, fruit juices, hot
herbal teas or coffee, they transform dull draughts into drinkable
delicacies. You may want to make a double-batch – every time I
bring these to holiday potlucks, I come home with empty bottles!
Rosemary Tangerine Syrup
4 tangerine's worth of zest (I
carefully use a vegetable-peeler)
2 6-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 C water
2 C sugar
Add zest and sprigs to the water in a
non-reactive pot over medium-high heat. When the water begins
boiling, add sugar and stir until it is dissolved and the syrup
begins to thicken. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 2 hours. Strain
out the solids and store in a clean bottle. Makes 1 quart. Try 1-2
tablespoons in a glass of sparkling water or fruit seltzer.
Rose
& Spice Syrup
¼ C cardamom pods (slightly crushed)
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
½ C rose petals
2 C water
2 C sugar
Add the spices to the water in a
non-reactive pot over medium-high heat. When the water begins
boiling, add sugar and stir until it is dissolved and the syrup
begins to thicken. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 1 hour, then
add the roses, and steep another ½ hour. Strain out the solids and
store in a clean bottle. Makes 1 quart. Try 1-2 tablespoons in a cup
of coffee or black tea.
Home Aromatherapy Sprays and
Diffusion
Walking into a good-smelling house is
always a pleasure, and especially so when the smells remind us of
holiday celebrations! These essential oil (eo) blends smell beautiful, are
antimicrobial to help clear the air during cold & flu season, and
inspire good cheer. Each of these recipes will make 1 milliliter of
aromatherapy blend, which can be used for scenting any number of
formulas! For diffusion, add 10 drops of your aromatherapy blend to
the water reservoir of a nebulizer and run 30-60 minutes, per room. To make
a home scent spray, add 20 drops of your blend to 2 ounces of
distilled water in a spray bottle made of dark (amber or cobalt)
glass.
Deep Breath Aromatherapy Blend
12 drops douglas fir eo (Pseudotsuga menziesii/douglasii)
8 drops eucalyptus radiata eo (Eucalyptus radiata)
2 drops peppermint eo (Mentha piperita)
8 drops spike lavender eo (Lavendula spica)
Holiday Health Aromatherapy Blend
4 drops cinnamon leaf eo (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
8 drops clove bud eo (Eugenia carophyllata)
6 drops oregano eo (Origanum vulgare)
10 drops sweet orange eo (Citrus sinensis)
Gifts of Glowing Skin
Homemade body care gifts are my
favorites to give, they are the perfect practical luxury – fresh,
useful, and custom-created for those you love. Cleansing shower scrubs are
an excellent gift for our dry Midwest winters. Scrubs help keep your
skin soft with nourishing oils that protect from overdrying, while
detoxifying salts and exfoliants polish away dry skin. Keep your
friends and family in mind while you mix!
Squeaky Clean Scrub
1 C fine sea salt
1/2 C almond oil
1/8 C unscented liquid castile soap
4 drops lemongrass eo (Cymbopogon flexuosus)
4 drops tea tree eo (Melaleuca alternafolia)
Combine salt and oil, mix well. Then
add soap and essential oils, blend gently to prevent clumping or
froth. This scrub is gently antimicrobial, making it it perfect for
cold & flu season. It rinses cleanly away and is very
moisturizing – try it in the shower, or beside the sink as a
hand-wash. Makes 12 oz.
Everything Nice Scrub
1 C fine sea salt
1 C sugar
2 T grapeseed oil
3 drops vanilla absolute (Vanilla planifolia)
7 drops lemon eo (Citrus limon)
2 drops cinnamon leaf eo (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
1 drop ylang-ylang eo (Canaga odorata)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and
mix well, store in a jar with a tight lid to preserve the scents.
This is a sweetly scented, lightly moisturizing scrub that can be
used in the shower or the bathtub. Makes 16 oz. Will keep 6 months in
a sealed jar.
Solstice Morning Circulation Scrub
3 /4 C. oats
1/2 C. kaolin clay
1 / 2 C fine sea salt
1/4 C. almonds
1/2 C dried orange peel
1/2 C dried ginger root (or ¼ C
powder)
1 T cinnamon bark (or 2 tsp powder)
Grind the herbs and oats together and
mix thoroughly with the clay. Store in a glass jar with a tight lid
to preserve the fragrance of the herbs. To use, mix 1/2 cup of the
scrub mixture with enough water to make a paste. Massage into your
skin in the shower or bath, and rinse with warm water. This oil-free
scrub leaves the skin silky soft and is perfect for those with itchy
winter skin, but please be mindful of nut allergies when giving this
gift. Makes 5 applications.
Seasonal Perfumes
In addition to smelling fantastic and
keeping seasonal bugs at bay, the aromatherapy of essential oils can
lift our emotions, boost our confidence and put a smile on our faces.
Positive scent-associations help build strong happy memories, and can
help us be more fully present to moments of joy and caring. Wreathe
yourself in beautiful scents, and carry the holiday spirit with you!
Chocolate
Box Perfume Oil
12
drops cocoa absolute (Theobroma cacao)
10
drops vanilla absolute (Vanilla planifolia)
12
drops atlas cedar wood eo (Cedrus atlantica)
12
drops rose geranium eo (Cymbopogon martinii)
6
drops sandalwood eo (Santalum spicatum)
8
drops clove eo (Eugenia carophyllata)
2 tsp
jojoba oil
This is a sensuous sugar &
spice perfume for anyone with a serious sweet tooth. Combine
essential oils in a 1/3 oz (10 ml) glass bottle, preferably one with
a roller-ball applicator tip. Fill with jojoba oil, shake well. Let
infuse for 3-7 days for the scents to mature, then apply to pulse
points and enjoy!
Woodland
Spirit Cologne
2
drops patchouli eo (Pogostemon cablin)
8 drops atlas cedar wood
eo (Cedrus atlantica)
6 drops douglas fir eo (Pseudotsuga menziesii/douglasii)
6 drops wild scotch pine
eo (Pinus sylvestris)
4 drops cinnamon leaf eo (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
3 T (1 ½ oz) 100 proof
vodka
distilled water
This is a fresh and
wild-scented spray perfume for magical creatures of
all kinds; male, female and all other shades. Combine essential oils in a 2 oz (60 ml) spray bottle made
of amber or dark blue glass. Add vodka, cap tightly and shake, then
top off with distilled water. Let infuse 3-7 days for scent to
mature. Shake well before spraying onto pulse points.
Happy Holidays – may
your skin stay soft and your home always smell wonderful!
