When I began researching natural remedies for asthma to help my Ruby girl, I found a lot of information on artificial fragrance and how it contributes to asthma, allergies, hormone disruption, cancer and more.  I was shocked to learn that these chemicals are not regulated and in fact they are protected as “trade secrets.” The amount of fragrance that we are exposed to in our personal care, cleaning products, are fresheners and perfumes can really add up and wreck havoc on our health.

In our home we love using essential oils to scent everything from the air to our hand soap.  Essential oils (when purchased from a pure source) are strictly a plant extract, the “essence” of a plant if you will.  Not only are these extremely safe but they have medicinal properties as well.  You can uplift your mood, support your immune system and make your house smell like Anthropologie ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

The easiest and most affective way to scent your home naturally is using a diffuser.  You simply fill it with water up to the fill line and add a few drops of your favorite oils.  I love to mix citrus with tree oils so a favorite of mine is 3 drops each Grapefruit and Siberian Fir. A great one for winding down in the evening is a blend of 3 drops each Lavender and Cedarwood. There are also kits of oils you can get with a selection of 10 different oils, that is how I started and I use them everyday.

Another thing you can do is make a simple room spray.  These are especially great for bathrooms.  Fill a small spray bottle with 2/3 filtered water and 1/3 vodka or witch hazel leaving a little room for essential oils are the top.  Add 10 drops per oz, so if the bottle is 4oz you will add 40 drops. If suing several oils, divide the number of drops by the number of oils and that’s how much of each oil you should use.  The diffuser combos above would be great for sprays as well.  Others I like are Arise & Balance, Citrus Bliss & Cypress and Wild Orange, Frankincense & Eucalyptus.