Want To Know More About Essential Oils?

In our Back to You box you'll find this cute keyring and Lavender essential oil from our friends at BCALM.  This new, small UK business launched in June and are excited to tell us more about the benefits of essential oils, in particular Lavender.

But first, a bit about BCALM - they're a family business of Becky, Richie, Bella and Betsey.  Guided by their free spirit in a world of lockdown they felt that “taking some time out for ourselves, didn't have to mean we couldn't find a moment of calm in our own home”. They believed that they could and they did!....Inhale and Exhale.

BCALM was born to help us all to take some time to create calm. The dream to Be Collectively All Living Mindfully. 

They are all about getting the best sleep ever (now you get why we heart them so much!), finding natural energy or just generally just feeling the very best we can through a fragrance mood boost.  Becky and Richie worked hard to source, 100% pure organic essential oils that have been steam distilled or cold pressed correctly, to make sure the ambient smell has health benefits as well as being sustainable for our environment.  They're ticking all of our boxes here aren't they? 

So, what are the health benefits of lavender in particular - known for its soothing qualities, and how can we bring them into our every day lives and those of our kids?  Here are some of their top tips:

• Pillow talk: A few drops of Lavender on your pillow will help relax and help you drift off to sleep.
• Quick fix: A few deep inhalations from the bottle can help when you are at work, in the car or anytime you need a quick break.
• Shower: Add 2-3 drops to the corner of the shower and enjoy the benefits of steam inhalation.
• Bath: Add 2-3 drops of Lavender in a dispersant such as oil, to the bath to create a relaxing atmosphere while nourishing your skin.
• Diffuser: Add 5-8 drops to 100ml cool water in your diffuser. Or use with other BCALM organic pure essential oils, to blend some magic depending on your mood! Start with our signature day or night scent for inspiration. Lavender blends well with frankincense, orange, peppermint, geranium, tea tree and lemon.
• Topically: Mix 1 drop with 5ml carrier oil (sweet almond recommended) and apply to wrists, chest or back of the neck. Can aid healing of bruises if applied twice a day to the area. For a headache place on the neck, temples and hairline to help.
• Hand or foot bath: Add 2 drops to a bowl of water.
• Compress: Add 2 drops to a bowl of water. For treating inflammation or to cool down use cold to room temperature water. For aching tight muscles use warm to hot water. Agitate a face cloth in the water, wring out excess moisture and apply cloth to the affected area. Repeat two or three times as the compress cools down or warms up.
• Steam Treatment: Add 2 drops of essential oil to a bowl of steaming hot water. Place your face close to the bowl and cover the back of your head and bowl with a towel to trap the aromatic vapours. Caution due to risk of burns or scalding and keep eyes covered during treatment.
• Indoors: Add a couple of drops to some baking powder in a mason jar, shake and sprinkle over carpets - voila, bye bye everyday smells and odours.

Lavender has been determined to be both safe and effective for use with children over age 5 which is good to know and Becky and Richie found it effective in calming Betsey's anxiety when returning back to school.  Give it a go parents...

Go check them out and have a go at creating your own signature scent selection...