The power of scent is inarguable–the smell of magnolia blossoms on a spring day, the crisp scent of a pine forest and freshly baked bread all evoke thoughts and feelings. All trigger our olfactory senses which can calm, energize or alter our moods to help us stay focused or get creative.
Aromatherapy is an age-old practice of harnessing the power of scent with essential oils and plant extracts to heal and help our bodies. While basic essential oils can work wonders, blending them pumps up their effects and can yield super-effective results. Playing around with oils once you have a bit of an education is so much fun–part magic, part science–and you can create custom blends for nearly any situation, from seduction (hello, Cleopatra) to easing digestion (not as sexy, but useful!). Click through the above slideshow for some aromatherapy basics and some recipes for blends to try at home.