Aromatherapy for Healthy Legs and Feet - A guide for home use

The feet and legs are often the most neglected part of the body in terms of care and attention, however they are both incredibly important to overall health. Learning how to carry out aromatherapy on your feet and legs is a great way of ensuring your health will stay in tip top condition.

There is plenty of information found in our guide “Aromatherapy for Healthy Legs and Feet” here at Baldwin's that will teach you all you need to know for foot and leg care and general well being. There is information about preventing and curing common ailments as well as a step by step guide to foot and leg massages using specially formulated essential oils.

For those interested in aromatherapy and massages, here are some good tricks for massaging feet to keep them in good condition:

This is to be carried out on someone else (rather than on yourself).

• Take the foot in your lap and rub a little essential oil into your palms. Place one hand on top of the foot, and one underneath and gently slide your hands off the foot coming forward towards the toes. Repeat this 4 or 5 times.

• Gently circle around the ankles with your thumbs. All these movements should be slow and soothing and not too hard as sometimes the ankles especially can be tender.

• Next rub over the top of the foot with your thumbs making circular movements. Move from the ankles towards the toes and repeat a few times.

• Rub each toe with similar circular movements and then rotate each toe both in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.

• Gently pull each toe between your finger and thumb and then rotate the entire foot both clockwise and anti-clockwise.

• One final exercise is to rub the foot within your hands to create friction. When the foot is warm it can be placed in a towel whilst you take the other foot and repeat the whole process.

Send in any other exercises you have for carrying out soothing foot massages. Also let us know if you have the aromatherapy guide and if you find it useful.

Massage Oils

Last week we had a look at how to make homemade massage oils using base oils and some drops of essential oils. I thought this week it would therefore be a good idea to provide some ideas of the types of blends you can make.

Because both the carriers and essential oils have different properties they all have unique advantages that can be used to target differing things. Dry skin, blemished skin, even cold and fly symptoms, choosing the right blend can really help.

Here is a quick guide to some of the best blends of oil that you can make in the home.

Lavender Massage Oil: Lavender is excellent for feeling calm and sending you off to sleep, so a lavender oil is perfect for use at the end of a long day. It has a lovely smell that is a great natural way to life you mood. If you have just the essential oil at home, a few drops in your bath (or your childrens’ bath) will help relax and calm you.

Eucalyptus Oil: This is ideal for treating the onset of cold and flu symptoms. It also relieves muscular aches and pains so it a good massage oil to be used after intense activity, or the day after when you are finding moving difficult! Children shouldn’t get too close to it however although it is good for clearing their stuffy noses. Simply place some oil on a tissue and let them sniff it or place a drop on their pillow before bed.

Oils for normal skin: The recipe for making an oil for normal skin (skin that is neither very greasy nor very dry) is 30ml Almond Oil + 20ml Thistle Oil + 38ml Jojoba Oil + 2ml Vitamin E. This blend will nourish and moisturize normal skin.

Baby Oil: Baby oil can me made at home quite simply. The following ingredients should be blended together. 38ml Avocado Oil + 40ml Shea Butter Oil + 20ml Thistle Oil + 2ml Vitamin E.

You can have a try at home and come up with your own recipes. Making massage oils and aromatherapy oils is a fun pass time. Have any of you got any other ideas for nice blends of oils? Send in your thoughts below.

How to make Massage Oil

You can make massage oil or aromatherapy oil at home quite easily. All you need are the essential oils of your choosing and a carrier oil, or base oil to blend it with.

There are a few different type of carrier oil, and each one has its own unique qualities. The first step is to choose the one you want. Some common base oils include:

Avocado Oil: This is a good source of vitamins A,B and D and is a medium weight oil. Those who have very greasy skin may want to choose a lighter oil, similarly those with very dry skin might want something stronger. It is particularly good for wrinkles.
Sweet Almond Oil: This is a heavy oil that is suitable for those with very dry skin. It is a good choice if you are wanting to massage your feet which tend to be have very dry skin. It is very rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6.
Grapeseed Oil: This is is a lightweight oil so good for treating quite greasy skin. Grapeseed oil is a a good source of a variety of vitamins and minerals. It is excellent for light massages and is water-dispersible too.
Jojoba Oil: This is actually a wax, not an oil but it is one of the best carrier oils when making massage oils at home. It is very stable and will last a long time. It is a good base to choose if you are dealing with blemished skin or acne.

Once you’ve selected the carrier oil, choose one or two essential oils of your choosing and mix them together using the following quantities:

6 teaspoons of carrier oil + 8 drops of essential oil.

Essential oils are concentrated extracts and not at all appropriate to rub straight on to the skin. This can be dangerous. That is why carrier or base oils are used to dilute them first. The base oil is also important as it stops the essential oil from evaporating too.

Have any of you got any more tips for base oils? Send in your ideas below.

How to banish the winter blues

January is always a difficult month with the excitement of Christmas over and spring nowhere in sight! Here are a few ideas on how to lift the winter blues in quick and easy ways:

1. Play with a dog! This may seem like strange one, but just having fun with a dog for a few minutes a day has been shown in scientific studies to lift your spirits and act as an antidote for depression. You don’t need to rush out to buy a dog; borrow your neighbour's!

2. Sniff a lemon! Again, another strange suggestion, but the smell of citrus has a positive effect on moods according to some scientists.

3. Eat fish twice a week. Omega-3 is excellent at keeping depression at bay. Just 2 portions of mackerel or salmon a week is all you need. Flaxseed is also good and can be sprinkled on anything from ice-cream to omelettes.

4. Take a daily multi-vitamin. This will make sure the body is topped up with all the vitamins and minerals it needs. Vitamin B is particularly good for lifting the mood.

5. Get regular massages. Just 10 or 20 minutes of back massages a few times a week is enough to lift your mood dramatically. It is possibly due to a boost in serotonin levels.

6. Stay up all night. Don’t attempt this if you have to be at work the next day, but staying up all night allows the body to readjust its internal clock so you sleep better in the following days and weeks even.

7. Go for regular walks during the day. Exercise is one of the ultimate mood enhancers so get those trainers on and get out there!

8. Sleep in a different room. This is particularly for those who have trouble sleeping (often due to depression). Having a break from your normal sleeping routine can help you get more sleep.

If any of you have any other suggestions on quick and easy ways to boost your mood, send them in.

New Year Resolutions

I can’t believe it is 2010! When I was young, that was a date that was never going to arrive, and yet here we are. I love the New Year because it always feels like a new start. Every year I make a list of resolutions that I am convinced I will definitely stick to but rarely seem to. This year is going to be different though because I’ve ensured I’ve only made a few, and I plan to tackle them one by one rather than all at the same time.

My first resolution is to give up fizzy drinks and caffeine altogether. That means no coffee or even tea. I will replace fizzy drinks with water or squash, and coffee and tea with herbal teas and fruit teas.

My second resolution is to find a sport that I really enjoy. It is important to get lots of exercise, but it is best if it doesn’t feel like a chore. That is why I am heading down to the local sports centre to see what classes are available.

Finally, I am going to develop my interest in aromatherapy. I have always practiced it and I have a good basic understanding, but I want to learn more and find out everything there is to know. I have found it to be an effective and powerful tool for combatting a variety of symptoms such as stress, anxiety or insomnia, but I know there is so much more to learn.

I am hoping that by keeping the list short and sweet, I am going to see success in my goals. Committing publicly to a a task is a good way of making sure it happens. Why don’t you write your resolutions below. You might just find them easier to stick to if you publicly declare them.

Everyday Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a very effective component of natural and complimentary medicine, with different scents and smells effectively able to alter our moods and help us in a many other ways. Did you know for example that the scent of a rose can prevent headaches and calm us in times of shock and grief?

The great thing about aromatherapy is that you don’t need special equipment to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy. Adding a few drops of essential oils to a pan of boiling water on the stove or perhaps a few drops just added to your bath are all you need to do to reap the benefits. You don’t need burners or candles at all if you don’t want to, although oil burners are attractive items that can look nice in your house and are extremely popular.

You can experience aromatherapy in regular everyday situations. Often aromatherapy is associated with long and luxurious spa sessions, but this is not in fact the case at all! How about hanging an aromatherapy “air freshener” in your car? Sitting in heavy traffic or experiencing a long journey can really take it out of you, but having something that smells nice in your car can really help keep you calm or keep you awake depending on what essential oil you choose of course.

Washing up can also be an excellent place for some gentle aromatherapy. Just add a few drops of your favourite oil to the water and you get to experience all the benefits of the smells whilst simply washing the dishes!

These are just a few ideas of how aromatherapy can be easily interwoven into our everyday and very busy lives. Have any of you any other suggestions of how to administer aromatherapy in a simple and effective way? As always, send in your comments below.

Understanding Aromatherapy

Who doesn’t dream of gentle aromatherapy massages and facials. Having your skin nourished and revitalized whilst your senses are brought to life with the delicious smells and fragrances of the aromatherapy oils. I’m feeling more relaxed just thinking about it.

Aromatherapy is the use of volatile plant oils, including essential oils in order to gain both psychological and physical well-being. The aroma of the natural essential oils stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, and when inhaled into the lungs, the naturally occurring chemicals within the oils supply therapeutic benefit. A good example is the inhalation of eucalyptus essential oil as a way of easing congestion.


Essential oils when rubbed into the skin and absorbed into the bloodstream additionally aid health, beauty and even hygiene conditions. Their powerful essence however means they must first be diluted in a substance such as a form of cold pressed vegetable oil (which is also known as carrier oil).

Baldwin’s is the perfect place to begin down the aromatherapy road. As a first time user, not only can we advise you on the specific oils required for any particular purpose, but we can also provide the burners, or candles or any other item of equipment that you would need to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy. For those of you out there however who wish to develop a deeper understanding of the ancient art of healing and relaxation, we can help you learn how to make your own products and control the ingredients in your own personal aromatherapy products. To be able to reap the rewards and benefits of aromatherapy and the learn the secrets for yourself to enjoy throughout your life is a gift.


Here at Baldwin’s, not only can you take advantage of our many years of experience and knowledge by requesting advice and guidance, but we also have a wide range of books and information available on aromatherapy. Our collection is extensive and we have books that cover aromatherapy for your children, for the home, for stress management as well as blending guides and more. In addition, we also have a number of aromatherapy posters and reflexology charts for quick reference. We are always adding to our collection, but if there is a particular book you would like that we do not have, we will quite happily order it for you.

If you’ve never experienced the deep relaxation and calm that can be achieved through aromatherapy, why don’t you contact us now, or alternatively if you have experienced this and would like to know more, we are happy to help. Leave your comments here and tell us about your experiences of aromatherapy. Have you reaped the benefits over the years, or do you find there is nothing noticeable about the effects other than a nice smell!?