Whatever helps your holiday trips go a bit more smoothly, I’m here for it—magnesium, electrolytes, hemp, etc. I’ve noticed that essential oils are virtually always on the list of wellness travel necessities. It makes sense: the small vials are TSA-friendly and easy to transport, and many of them have anti-inflammatory properties (1).
Because of their calming, calming qualities, oils can be especially useful during Thanksgiving and the days ahead. They can help you stay composed and get through last-minute errands and family get-togethers. Here are seven of our all-time favorite necessary rituals to rely on at every turn, whether you’re hosting or traveling this holiday season.
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When you’re on the move.
The antimicrobial qualities of essential oils are highly valued, and they can be put to the test during long, filthy plane trips (2). Create your own blend by combining 1 ounce of sunflower oil as the carrier oil with 3 drops vetiver, 5 drops lavender, and 8 drops sweet orange.
Apply to pressure points prior to and/or during travel if you’re feeling stressed. Made from the roots, Vetiver has an earthy scent and is very grounding; preliminary studies even suggest that inhaling the scent may help with anxiety (3).
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As soon as you get to your destination.
I swear by the comforting, grounding benefits of woodsy aromas like cedarwood, spruce, and frankincense, especially when traveling in chilly weather. My go-to travel scent is anything that smells like nature. As soon as I arrive, I place three drops of frankincense oil on the palm of my hand and take a deep inhale before entering the shower or bath.
Essential oils are volatile, which means they evaporate, and their aroma intensifies with heat. The aroma intensifies just by applying a few drops to your palms and rubbing them together. The ensuing scented sauna motivates me to take deep breaths in preparation for the upcoming holidays.
When you’re stressed out because of family drama.
Bergamot always reminds me of a sophisticated lime, but its capacity to both relax and revitalize my spirit never ceases to astonish me. I suggest sniffing bergamot oil whenever you’re stressed out with holiday drama for a fast pick-me-up.
When you’re sluggish and sleepy after an abundant meal.
It was both the finest and the worst of times. It was the sensation you experienced after a rich Christmas lunch. Bring some citrus and mint oils to the Thanksgiving meal this year for some relief.
While essential oils cannot cure a food hangover (or any other type of hangover), they can assist relieve digestion and provide a short boost of energy. To encourage good digestion, diffuse or smell a minty scent like peppermint and a citrus oil like lemon, lime, or bergamot.
When a wintertime skin flare-up occurs.
It turns out that lavender essential oil is also calming for our skin, even though its most well-known benefit is on the mind. Few oils, like lavender, can be used straight to the skin; many oils must first be diluted with a neutral carrier, such as jojoba, almond, or coconut oil.
The oil may be a miracle for your dry, irritated winter skin because of its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and topical antibacterial qualities (4,5,6). Just make sure to test it on a small area first to make sure it doesn’t cause an adverse reaction.
To Wrap Things Up
Finding the right wellness companion for your holiday trips might make all the difference. Essential oils emerge as strong companions in reducing travel stress and negotiating family relationships. These olfactory miracles, backed by science, provide a calming salve for the mind and body as you begin on your journey or sink into the festivities.
Essential oils provide a fragrant retreat, whether it’s the grounding embrace of vetiver during flight, the consoling scents of cedarwood and frankincense at your destination, or the renewing effects of bergamot in the thick of family strife. Allow these vital rituals to become your aromatic guide as you relish the joys and negotiate the trials of the season, increasing well-being one drop at a time.
Sources |
- Essential Oils and Their Major Compounds in the Treatment of Chronic Inflammation: A Review of Antioxidant Potential in Preclinical Studies and Molecular Mechanisms – PMC (nih.gov)
- Antimicrobial Activity of Some Essential Oils—Present Status and Future Perspectives – PMC (nih.gov)
- Anxiety-like behaviour and c-fos expression in rats that inhaled vetiver essential oil – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Episiotomy pain relief: Use of Lavender oil essence in primiparous Iranian women – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of lavender essential oil – PubMed (nih.gov)
- The antimicrobial activity of high-necrodane and other lavender oils on methicillin-sensitive and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA) – PubMed (nih.gov)
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