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Setting the Mood with Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

Introduction to Using Aromatherapy for Romance and Setting the Mood

Preciously fragranced room sprays, body mists, bath oils, massage oils, and other natural aromatics can enhance a romantic evening or add variety and intrigue to your relationship.

Planning in advance for special dates, evenings or other moments can help set the mood for a beautiful and quiet (or lively!) occasion. Putting special thought into all the factets of a beautiful evening will make your partner feel special and appreciated, and will make the event unforgettable in his/her mind. Much, however, can also be said about the benefits and wonders of spontaneous moments. Impromptu moments can rule out including some aromatic practices, but it is also possible to plan ahead for spontaneity. A lovely selection of natural aromatics can be purchased or prepared in advance so that you have them on hand for when the mood strikes. Read on for ideas.

A Word of Caution Before We Get Started...

We are all unique and differ in our appreciation and awareness of the sensory cues around us. At any given moment, we have unique sights, sounds, aromas, tastes and textures all demanding our attention. Some individuals prefer to maintain consistency in their surroundings and have a harder time than others in embracing new sensations. If you are unfamiliar with the preferences, limitations, allergies or possible sensitizations of the individual that has captured your romantic interest, it's best to play it safe and limit your use of aromatics until you know more. It's less spontaneous, but it's caring and safe!

Aromatherapy Room Fragrancing for Romance

If planning a romantic evening at home that begins with dinner, select essential oils and oil blends that will complement the aroma of your meal or other aromas that may be present throughout the evening. Start with light, fresh, energizing aromas and lead to more sultry, exotic blends as the night progresses. Remember that less is more and not to overpower the room. If you or your partner smoke, consider diffusing lemon essential oil or including it in a blend to help rid the smoky odor from the room.

Diffusion
Diffuse your favorite sensual essential oils or blend. Refer to AromaWeb's All About Diffusers article to learn of the different ways that you can diffuse essential oils.

Room Sprays / Room Mists
A quick and easy way to sensually and naturally fragrance a room is to create a room spray in advance. A room spray is especially practical for those beautiful, spontaneous moments where minimal advance planning is the key ingredient.

Use AromaWeb's Air Freshener Recipe as the basis for your alluring room spray. Include seductive, sensual essential oils that you and your partner find especially appealing.

Linen Spray
Refresh your bed linens by spraying them with an aromatic spray. Use AromaWeb's Linen Spray Recipe as a basis for your sensual spray.

Candles
Candles are frequently used to make romantic evenings more sensual. They simultaneously delight three of our senses. They tantalize our sight with their soft, flickering light. Fragranced candles heat the aromatics embedded within their wax and disperse the aroma throughout a room. They also generate heat and provide warmth to the skin.

When selecting candles for your most erotic or romantic evenings, choose candles that are fragranced only with essential oils or that are not fragranced at all. If you must use candles that are fragranced with synthetic fragrance oils, select candles that are lightly fragranced with a delicate, mysterious and arousing scent. Although an old addage says "The way to a man's or woman's heart is through his/her stomach," I'd suggest saving your sugar cookie and pumpkin pie candles for holiday entertaining or other fun purposes.

Most candles, even those marketed as aromatherapy candles are fragranced with synthetics. Read AromaWeb's Aromatherapy Candles article for information on selecting natural and aromatherapy grade candles.

Incense
The term incense is a broad term for perfumed dry aromatics that are burned. Countless forms of incense are available, but most are manufactured using synthetic ingredients. Some incense, most notably incense powders, cones and Japanese incense is available that contains only natural ingredients. Incense, when slowly burned, and when burned in a manner that doesn't overpower a room can stimulate the senses. Incense, most notably those that include sandalwood, aloeswood, cinnamon, frankincense and sensual woods and herbs can simultaneously ease stress and enhance arousal. For more information about natural incense and what to look for, see AromaWeb's Incense and Aromatherapy article.

Fresh Flowers
No aroma is purer than the aroma that permeates directly from freshly cut aromatic flowers, herbs and other fragrant botanicals. Create your own fragrant bouquets to complement your passionate evenings.

Rose Petals
Rose petals are not only beautiful, they are delightfully aromatic and velvety soft. They can be sprinkled upon the bed, upon a beautiful tablecloth awaiting a lovely meal, or even sprinkled as a "come hither" path leading your lover to you. Call your local florist or nursery to obtain fresh petals.

A Word About Unpleasant Household Odors
Stale odors, smoke and other unpleasant aromas can be unappealing at any time let alone during your most special occasions. Whenever possible, try to fully eliminate unpleasant odors and don't just try to mask them. Keep your fridge and garbage cans free of decaying produce, meat stuffs and other smelly items by taking out your trash frequently. If you smoke, try to smoke outside whenever possible. Wash draperies and freshen fabrics regularly. Use a kitchen fan if you cook a lot of meat/fish.

Personal Fragrancing Using Essential Oils

Delicately fragrancing yourself with a natural body mist, perfume or cologne can complement your natural aromatic chemistry. Refer to AromaWeb's Aromatherapy Blending Guide for details on how to blend and formulate beautiful essential oil blends. Visit the following links to view natural essential oil recipes:

• Men's Cologne Recipe
• Mouthwash Recipe
• Easy Oil-Based Perfume Recipe
• Scented Hair Recipe
• Whipped Shea Butter Recipe
• Body Powder Recipe
  

Hydrosols
A hydrosol is the aromatic water that remains after producing an essential oil via steam or water distillation. Hydrosols are sometimes also referred to as a floral water, hydrolate, or distillate water. When shopping for hydrosols, however, be careful of those labeled as "floral waters." Many floral waters are fragranced with synthetics, so it's best to ask the supplier if their use of the term "floral water" is synonymous with the term "hydrosol." Hydrosols are delicately fragranced, and can be used as body mists, room sprays and linen sprays. Neroli, the blossoms of the orange tree, features a soft, sweet, slightly floral aroma that is sensual and favored by both men and women. Neroli Hydrosol is a good choice to keep on hand for sensual occasions. Hydrosols are often sold in spray mist bottles, or they can be rebottled into spray bottles that you purchase separately.

Sensual and Intimate Activities Using Essential Oils and Natural Aromatics

Dinnertime
Select foods that you and your partner like, and that are fun or sensual to eat. Get creative. Foods that have been considered aphrodisiacs for their texture, shape or nutritional value includes oysters, avocados, cocoa (chocolate), asparagus, and strawberries/raspberries.

Bathtime
View AromaWeb's Aromatherapy Baths Article for a general introduction to aromatic bathing. Then, using sensual essential oils, create a luxurious Bath Oil or sensual Bath Salts for that next special bath.

Showertime
If you both prefer showering over bathing, you can still enjoy the natural aroma of essential oils during your shower ritual. After turning on the water and allowing it to get hot, sprinkle 2-3 drops of essential oil on the sides of your shower. The oils will disperse into the steam-filled air. Make sure that the surface that you drop the oils on will not become damaged (essential oils are highly concentrated) or stained.

Snacktime
Prepare a beautifully adorned snack plate that includes nourishing bite-size portions of fruit or cheese that you and your partner can serve to on another.

Massage
Massage between consenting partners eases stress, relaxes sore muscles, and can lead spontaneously into intimacy. Essential oils are the perfect aromatic complement to massage. Learn more about aromatic massages within AromaWeb's Aromatherapy Massage Article and use AromaWeb's Massage Oil Recipe to create a sensual massage oil blend. Select essential oils that you and your partner find seductive and that are not sensitizing to the kin.

Rose Against Skin
After removing the thorns, gently brush the velvety tip of a long stemmed rose against the nose of your partner, allowing him or her to enjoy the aroma, and then glide the velvety tip across your partner's skin. The combination of the aroma and feeling as it glides against the skin can be sensual and arousing.

Do not use essential oils, even diluted essential oils, on the genitals or other sensitive areas of the body.

Settingthe Mood with Aromatherapy and Essential Oils While Traveling, Vacationing or During Moments of Spontaneity

Amongst the suggestions above are an array of ideas that can be used even when you are away from home or when you don't have time earlier in the day to prepare. Described above, room mists, personal fragrances, linen sprays, bath oils and massage oils can all be prepared in advance and kept on hand for when the mood strikes. They can also be transported in your luggage (keep carry on luggage restrictions in mind) and kept on hand when you travel.

Aromatherapy Book Recommendations

For more information regarding aromatherapy and love, romance and related topics, consider the following books.

		Essence of Love
		Level: Beginning • Intermediate Author: Maggie Tisserand ISBN: 0-06-250914-4 Summary: This text covers some interesting historical and practical information about the use of aromatics and essential oils in romance and intimacy.
		The Healing Aromatherapy Bath
		Level: Beginning • Intermediate • Advanced Author: Margσ Valentine Lazzara ISBN: 1-58017-197-4 Summary: This delightful book focuses on the joys and benefits of aromatic baths.
		Making Aromatherapy Creams & Lotions
		Level: Beginning • Intermediate • Advanced Author: Donna Maria ISBN: 1-58017-241-5 Summary: A must-have book for those wishing to make natural aromatherapy skincare products.
		Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy & Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt
		Level: Beginning • Intermediate • Advanced Author: Lise Manniche ISBN: 0-8014-3720-2 Summary: Aromatherapy and precious aromatics traces its roots back to Egypt several thousand years ago. Complete with many outstanding photographs, Sacred Luxuries lets us explore the perfumes, cosmetics and other aromatics created during this fascinating era.
		Scents & Scentuality
		Level: Beginning • Intermediate • Advanced Author: Valerie Ann Worwood ISBN: 1-57731-075-6 Summary: Provides a very comprehensive look at how aromatherapy can be utilized to enhance relationships, romance and intimacy.  It also delves into discreet issues such as lost potency, stamina,  energy, etc.

For a more expansive list of aromatherapy publications,
visit AromaWeb's Book Shelf section.

If you haven't already done so,
visit AromaWeb's Aromatherapy for Romance article.

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