BE YOUR OWN BLENDER

Time to get creative and learn how to blend. Ines Willis is head of education at Neal’s Yard Remedies and an expert at blending. Try her easy first steps…

1FIRST CHOOSE YOUR OIL

But how? ‘Let your reactions guide you,’ says Ines. ‘Sense of smell is one of our most primal instincts and it will guide you to the oil that is right for you. Put 1 drop on to a smell strip, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Pay attention to where you can “feel” the oil and where it travels to in your body. How does it make you feel?’ Soothed, uplifted, energised or relaxed? If it’s what you’re aiming for or simply feels right, then carry on.

2NOW BLEND

‘If you’re new to experimenting with essential oils, start by choosing just three,’ says Ines. ‘Put 1 drop of each oil on three individual tester strips. Hold them together to sniff and see if they work with each other aromatically. If they do, add 1 drop of each oil to a glass beaker and see how the blend works, then gradually increase the drops of each oil, depending on how the blend comes together, with no more than a total of 15 drops. Once you are happy with your blend, add 30ml carrier oil and give it a stir.’ Fragrance testing strips,

£1.85 for 30, fragrantearth.com.

OUR EXPERT’S FAVOURITES

‘Vetiver is very grounding and soothing, petitgrain is uplifting and an amazing oil for stress-related tension and exhaustion, and lavender has a relaxing and versatile smell that I love,’ says Ines.

Want to learn more? Try one of the Neal’s Yard Remedies online aromatherapy workshops for skin, sleep or stress, with Ines Willis (sessions cost £35, nealsyardremedies.com).