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Aromatherapy and Essential Oils to Help Cool You Down When You're
Hot
 One
of my two favorite essential oils to use on unbearably hot days
(or anytime that I'm feeling uncomfortably warm) are Peppermint
Oil and Spearmint
Oil. I sometimes enjoy adding a touch of Eucalyptus Oil (I prefer
radiata).
These oils, however, are really potent, so it's important to use
them sparingly.
I also love working with Hydrosols
as they create wonderfully aromatic and refreshing body and room
mists that can be used to help keep cool when you're hot.
Cooling Essential Oils
Essential oils belonging to the mint
family, especially those with higher percentages of menthol like
Peppermint Oil,
will help make the body feel cooler. I also find Eucalyptus
Oil to be especially cooling.
I'll spare the chemistry lesson,
but menthol apparently has the ability to trick receptors in the
brain into thinking that the body is cooler than it really is, most
particularly the part of the body that is in contact with the menthol.
The Eucalpytol in Eucalyptus Oil acts similarly.
Peppermint
Essential Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil contains a significant amount of menthol.
Besides its cooling sensation, menthol is known to help relax and
ease tension headaches and muscular aches and pains. Peppermint
Oil is quite stimulating and may interfere with sleeping.
Spearmint
Essential Oil
Although Peppermint Oil contains significantly more menthol, I personally
prefer the aroma of Spearmint Oil. I often substitute Spearmint
Essential Oil for some or all Peppermint Essential Oil in a blend.
Eucalyptus
Essential Oil
Eucalyptus acts as a nice alternative or complement to Peppermint
and Spearmint oils in cooling blends. In addition to its ability
to provide a cooling sensation, Eucalyptus
globulus and Eucalyptus
radiata Essential Oils contain a significant quantity of the
oxide 1,8-Cineole. 1,8-Cineole is said to act as both an anti-inflammatory
as well as an expectorant.
Hydrosols
A hydrosol is the aromatic
water that remains after producing an essential oil via steam or
water distillation. Some plants are specifically distilled for the
resulting hydrosol instead of the hydrosol being simply a byproduct
of the distillation.
Hydrosols are gently aromatic, soothing and are
a wonderful addition to room mists and body sprays intended to help
keep you cool and refreshed. Unlike essential oils that should be
diluted prior to application to the skin, hydrosols are water soluble,
are much more gentle than their essential oil counterparts and can
be used directly on the skin without further dilution.
My personal hydrosol favorites for use in cooling
and summertime products are Neroli Hydrosol, Lavender Hydrosol and
Peppermint Hydrosol. So many other hydrosols are also wonderful
to use as a basis for a personal spray or room mist. Bulgarian Rose,
Roman Chamomile, Frankincense and Helichrysum are a few others that
come to mind. Quality hydrosols can be hard to find. Look to the
Hydrosol category of
AromaWeb's Global Aromatherapy Directory
for a list of suppliers.
How to Use Essential Oils and Hydrosols to Help
Cool the Body
Essential Oils and Hydrosols can be used in a
number of ways that can help keep you feeling cool and refreshed.
Remember that essential oils should always be
diluted (or used as a part of a recipe) before applying them to
the skin (Read the Guide
to Diluting Essential Oils to learn how to properly and easily
dilute essential oils.)
Cooling Aromatherapy Room Mists
 Use
AromaWeb's Air Freshener Recipe
and one or more of the above essential oils as a basis for creating
a cooling room mist.
Cooling Aromatherapy Body Spray
AromaWeb's Air
Freshener Recipe can also be used as a basis to create a cooling
aromatherapy body spray. When using this recipe to create a body
spray, be very careful to choose essential oils that are
the least likely to cause sensitization and be absolutely sure that
you shake the spray bottle before and during each application. Avoid
spraying the mist on your face.
Cooling Body Powder
Use AromaWeb's Body
Powder Recipe and one or more of the above essential oils as
a basis for creating a natural cooling and absorbent body powder.
The recipe calls for 30 drops of essential oil. Limit the number
of drops of peppermint, spearmint and/or eucalyptus essential oil
to 10 or under. Try 8 drops of Spearmint Oil or Peppermint Oil with
22 drops of Lavender Oil for a fresh, uplifting, cooling body powder
combo.
Cooling Diffuser Blends
Peppermint, Spearmint or Eucalyptus oils possess
a refreshing aroma that can make you feel cool and revived. Select
one or more of the above listed essential oils and add several drops
to your diffuser by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Be sure to use Peppermint Essential Oil sparingly as its aroma is
incredibly strong. Spearmint Essential Oil is also rather strong,
but it's typically not as tenacious as Peppermint Essential Oil.
Try blending a tiny amount of Peppermint Oil with a Citrus Oil (i.e.
orange) or a floral oil (i.e. Lavender Oil) for a refreshing blend.
For more information on the different ways that essential oils can
be diffused, read All About Aromatherapy
Diffusers.
Seek Medical Advice
Important Note: It goes beyond the scope
of this article to describe all the conditions that can make you
feel unbearably warm. The tips mentioned here will not remedy or
"cure" any underlying medical issues. If you feel unbearably
hot when the weather (or indoor situation) should be comfortable,
discuss your situation with your doctor and ask for his/her guidance.
 
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