Nature is a healing force that has the power to balance our well-being as well as uplift our mood. This festive season is not always happy for everyone. So to keep your anxiety at bay and your energy levels up, here are the natural scents to surround yourself with this summer, says editor Trudi Brewer.
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Chamomile
Another essential herb if you have space in your garden or kitchen windowsill is Chamomile is almost like having your most supportive confidant standing close by. "Chamomile is one of the best herbs for friendship, luck, money and healing," says Ally Sands, author of Plant Magic for the Beginner Witch: A Herbalist's Guide to Heal, Protect, and Manifest. "It is also great for relaxing and soothing frazzled nerves." For skin, this is a powerful herb too. Its potent anti-inflammatory properties soothe redness and help calm inflammation. Science research shows that chamomile helps block signals in the body known as prostaglandins, which are responsible for inflammation, so it’s ideal for skin conditions like rosacea. Finally, thanks to the abundance of flavonoids and phytochemicals, famous for fighting free radicals, chamomile improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Only Good Body Wash in Balance, $9.
This is a constant in our shower, giving us an uplifting boost when we feel tired and overwhelmed. This natural, soap-free body wash gel is also stacked with Rosehip and Ylang Ylang and enriched with soothing chamomile. This divinely-scented body wash is not only kind to the people you love in your home but also mindful of our planet, being 100 per cent palm oil and cruelty-free, with zero petrochemicals.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a brilliant multi-purpose herb and one of the easiest herbs to grow. While the scent can stimulate memory, it also has emotional healing properties. "Rosemary is mainly used for protection and cleansing, but also love healing and feminine power,” says Sands. It’s also a potent beauty booster for both the hair and skin. With brilliant collagen-boosting properties, rosemary works to hydrate and plump skin, fighting off free radicals while helping to smooth and soothe. Rosemary oil works wonders to kill bacteria, which is ideal for problematic skin types.
Cultured Resilience Facial Oil, $103.
One of the most effective self-care practices is pressing a heavenly-scented facial oil into your skin. This skin healer contains the apricot kernel, almond, borage, olive and rosemary, offering a prebiotic action to support the skin’s microbiome. At the same time, the non-greasy formula gets your complexion glowing asap.
Peppermint
Peppermint is freshly aromatic and can provide a jolt if you feel tired or sluggish. "Peppermint is an uplifting, energetic plant that stimulates physical healing in magic," says Sands. "You can physically rub it on your body to discharge negative energy or ill health; make it into a herbal bundle; place a few handfuls in a healing bath; or dry it and add it to candles, sachets, and powders." For the skin, peppermint oil has brilliant antimicrobial properties, ideal to combat acne, as well as being invigorating for the scalp to boost hair growth.
GOOP G.TOX 5 Salt Body Scrub, $76.
For a DIY relaxing spa-like experience, this salt scrub is made with five different healing salt. Including Himalayan pink salt, Dead Sea salt, Celtic Sea salt, and New Zealand solar salt. Add those essential oils, including rosemary, grapefruit, and peppermint, and not only does it fill your home with a delicious aroma and leaves your skin feeling velvety-soft.
Ginseng
Not only will Ginseng helps to strengthen the Qi energy, (your Qi provides the energy for the most critical bodily functions like your digestion, metabolism, and overall strength). Ginseng is one of the original superfoods. It contains high levels of antioxidants, which help prevent and repair cellular damage in the body," explains New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shari Marchbein. “It also helps stop palpitations with anxiety, and where necessary, opens the heart and strengthens the resolve—so it’s a great all-rounder,” says Sands. It’s also well respected in beauty circles as a natural skin balancer. From smoothing fine lines to correcting sensitivities and dealing with dullness, ginseng's coffee-like energising factors makes it a brilliant addition to any skin-care routine.
Origins GinZing Moisturiser, $34.
Named after this hero herb, this oil-free gel moisturiser boosts radiance overnight. Boosted with a blend of caffeine and Panax-ginseng, any skin type can benefit from this soothing, invigorating face cream in their daily regime.
Roses
In herbalism, Sands says, roses are believed to help calm the nervous system and heal the heart, especially good for anyone who has suffered loss or trauma. "You can make roses into a tincture to heal any trauma or nervous energy," says Sands. The skin will benefit from a daily dose of rose oil tool. From helping skin heal from scars, fighting inflammation, relieving stress and promoting good circulation - it’s also a pleasure to use; its sweet musky scent is addictive.
Chloé Eau De Parfum Naturelle Fragrance Spray, $133.
Famous for using rose as a base in all the Chloé perfumes, this latest designer scent is made with ingredients of 100 per cent natural origin. It’s a fresh, woody, floral, vegan scent brimming with organic Bulgarian rose, neroli and mimosa (which smells like a blend of cut grass and honey). At the same time, the crisp blackcurrant buds are perfectly balanced by woody cedar. These ingredients sit in pure spring water and naturally-derived alcohol. This fragrance has no filters or artificial colouring, and the sunray pleated bottle is made from recycled glass.
Sage
Used to help clear out negative energy, sage "White sage is an at-risk plant of being over-harvested in the wild. There are dozens of varieties of culinary sage. With strong cleansing and purifying properties, it is best suited for making incense, dried bundles, or in ritual baths," says Sands. This humble herb can affect your mental and physical health so many positive ways. A member of the ‘mint’ family, the extract of sage known as Sclareol, can inhibit those UVB rays from damaging the skin, improving the look of skin wrinkling. While sage is also rich in antioxidants, it can also help strengthen the roots and boost hair growth.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Sage And Orange Blossom, $12.
Ideal for spritzing skin during summer (this spray is brilliant when kept in the fridge, the blend of orange blossom thyme and sage in this healing mist hydrates and refreshes skin, restoreing balance to a dry, dull complexion.
Plant Magic for the Beginner Witch: An Herbalist’s Guide to Heal, Protect and Manifest, $14.
You don’t have to be a botanist to use the power of healing plants to add joy world. These clever recipes are divided into quirky chapters on protection, love, abundance, healing and personal power; this is the perfect guide to learning more about the magic of plants anyone can grow.
To nourish and boost skin hydration.