If you are reading this, you may have seen my graphic of this diffuser blend on social media! If you did not and just happen to jump on over to see what this blend is all about, WELCOME!
Here is the graphic of the Calming Diffuser Blend. I am not crafty in coming up with diffuser blend names, and you may see more diffuser blends with “calming” in the title.
I wanted to dedicate this blog to discuss why I chose these three essential oils for this blend and how you can modify them. You may be thinking, WHY would I modify it? Since everyone doesn't have the same sense of smell, some may not like this particular blend I created. But for now, let me give you an overview of what is so special about
these three oils.
LAVENDER (Lavandula angustifolia): I am putting the Latin name because it will tell you what type of lavender I am talking about. There are a variety of lavenders, and I want to make sure you have the right one. The one I get is from Bulgaria.
Lavender is known to calm the mind. It is emotionally balancing too. This essential oil has a floral scent with a little bit of earthy. This oil is safe for all ages for diffusion. This oil is safe to diffuse during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
For those of us who are into the chemical components, the main ones for lavender are linalool and linalyl acetate. From a diffusing aspect, both the linalool and linalyl acetate components are known for calming, relaxing, relieving anxiety, and supporting the immune system.
Note: Lavender makes my son hyper. I have found that using Lavandin (Lavandula ×intermedia) essential oil instead is more calming to him. If you are finding this out with your kids, try Lavandin. It is not easy to find a good one. The one I get is from Plant Therapy https://www.planttherapy.com/lavandin-essential-oil?v=948
ROMAN CHAMOMILE (Chamaemelum nobile): Roman chamomile was formally known to have the Latin name Anthemis nobilis. There are two types of chamomiles, Roman and German. Make sure you pay attention to the Latin name to make sure you are getting the right chamomile. The one I get is from England.
Roman chamomile is one of the well-known essential oils for relaxation. This oil is safe for all ages for diffusion. This oil is safe to diffuse during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Just like lavender, roman chamomile gives you the sense you are emotionally centered.
Roman chamomile, to me, is strong. A little goes a long way. Sometimes this essential oil can take over a blend to a place you are not looking to go aromatically. This essential oil is floral and almost a minty afterthought. Some have said it smells a little bit like apples. I do NOT smell apples. Haha. Let me know if you do?
The main constituents in Roman chamomile are methyl amyl angelate and methallyl angelate. I couldn't find anywhere in my classes or Pubmed the known therapeutic uses for these two components. If anyone comes across information on these specific constituents, please let me know.
I found a study specifically pointing to a-pinene as a component in Roman chamomile having antidepressant effects. Looking at a few GC-MS (Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) reports on the Roman chamomile, a-pinene ranged from .89% up to 10.3%. [1] I found another study showing how Roman chamomile can help with treatment-resistant depression. [2] Overall, there were not many studies on Roman chamomile, but I definitely think more studies should be done on this beautiful essential oil.
SPEARMINT (Mentha spicata): This is a different type of mint from peppermint, so ensure you verify which mint you have by the Latin name. The one I get is from India.
Spearmint is not a known essential oil for “calming” effects, but it is due to one of its chemical components. This oil is safe for all ages for diffusion. This oil is safe to diffuse during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Essential oils such as spearmint or peppermint can be uplifting or stimulating as well. This makes them adaptogens. Due to its high carvone chemical component, spearmint has sedative effects.
I did NOT choose spearmint for its sedative effects. I actually picked it to calm the smell of the roman chamomile. It makes a great combination. Spearmint is a great essential oil for kids and to calm any strong-smelling combination. A little goes a long way.
Now how to “modify” this blend.
I did make this modification so I could see how it came out. It's good! It calmed down the Roman chamomile scent.
The modification of the blend goes as follows:
- 3 Drops Lavender
- 2 Drops Spearmint
- 1 Drop Roman Chamomile
That’s it! Easy enough, right?
I also want to add this diffuser blend is not a substitute for medical intervention for conditions such as depression. All essential oils listed were verified for any contraindications by diffusion via Tisserand & Young's essential oil safety book. [3]
Make sure you check out my blog post on diffusion.
Thank you for reading!
Love and Nature,
Nicole
Remember: The contents of this blog post are intended for educational and informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. Click here to read more about my medical/FDA disclaimers.
References:
My studies through Aromahead Institute and ACHS clinical aromatherapy certification programs.
[1] Kong, Y., Wang, T., Wang, R., Ma, Y., Song, S., Liu, J., Hu, W., Li, S. (2017). Inhalation of Roman chamomile essential oil attenuates depressive-like behaviors in Wistar Kyoto rats. Science China Life Sciences. 60(6):647-655. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28527112/
[2] Hashikawa-Hobara, N., Otsuka, A., Ishikawa, R., Hashikawa, N. (2019). Roman chamomile inhalation combined with clomipramine treatment improves treatment-resistant depression-like behavior in mice. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 118:109263. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31369988/
[3] Tisserand, R., & Young, R. (2014). Essential Oil Safety. (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone.
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