Fans of Victorian-era romance novels will know about women who call for smelling salts in the midst of great distress.It is not a thing of that era to smell salts.Hockey players, boxers and football players use ammonia-releasing salts to boost their energy or regain consciousness after being hit hard.The best place to make them is in laboratories.Try these non-ammonia aromatic alternatives, which can be blended to increase alertness and boost energy, as well as to relieve anxiety and stress, to help with insomnia and to combat colds!
Step 1: The salt needs to be prepared.
A natural compound of Magnesium and Sulfate Heptahydrate is what forms half of the base of aromatic salts.Pour 1.25 cups of it into a medium-sized, metal, hard plastic or glass bowl using dry measuring cups.You can make a variety of smelling salt blends by storing the rest in an airtight container.You want to use a metal, hard plastic or glass bowl so that when you add the oil, they won't absorb into the bowl, which would happen to one degree or another in a wooden bowlIt is cheap to have Epsom salt.You can buy a box of salt for $2 at big box stores.A 5 pound bag costs $5 and leaves you plenty for a nice bath soak and a whiff of your smelling salt blends.
Step 2: Add the sea salt.
Sea salt is created through a process of water evaporation.It works well as a base for smelling salts because it is able to absorb the essential oils that are added to them.To add the sea salt to the Epsom salt, you will need to measure 1/3 of it.Fine-grind and flaked sea salt can be found.The oil will be better absorbed by flaked sea salt.
Step 3: The salts should be put together.
Stir them with a metal spoon.The sea salt crystals should light up the mixture.If you are using a glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid, shake it well until the salts are thoroughly mixed.Another option would be to use a large and thoroughly washed plastic container with a lid, like the ones used to hold sour cream, to put the salts in and shake them together.You want to use a metal spoon when mixing for the same reason as you want a hard plastic or glass bowl.The essential oils won't soak into a metal spoon when you add them later.
Step 4: Pick out the effect you want from the salts.
Do you want to be more alert?Do you want to relax?Are you having trouble sleeping?If you decide to do an online search, you can create a list of essential oils with this effect or characteristic.Other words to include in your search are calming, uplifting, clarifying, purifying, and so on.There are also searches for essential oils for headaches and depression.
Step 5: Pick three essential oils by category.
When you first learn to blend essential oils, stick to a small number as things can go from fresh to foul fast.To make sure they compliment each other, you need to know which category each of your essential oils falls in.You can find it by doing an online search for "essential oil categories".For each of the oils you found, write its category name next to it.The nine categories are floral, woodsy, herbaceous, minty, medicinal/camphorous, spicy, oriental andCitrus.The oils from the same category blend well.It blends well with woodsy and spicy oils.Woodsy blends well with all categories.It is possible to blend spicy and oriental oils.Minty oils blend with other oils.
Step 6: Do you know the notes of your essential oils?
The top, middle and base notes of essential oils are used to create a synergistic blend.Top notes evaporate the fastest, middle notes are warm and help equalize a blend, and base notes help hold the blends essence longer.Take your list and write down the note of each oil.Online, you can find them listed by note type.You can check out a book from your local library that has both categories and types.
Step 7: Pick your essential oils.
Pick one oil from each note on your list and make sure it is from categories that blend well together.It will take experimentation to find the aroma that appeals most to you.Blending essential oils is more artistic than scientific.The blends here meet the criteria for notes and categorization.The blend had the top note being peppermint, the middle being Rosemary and the bottom being Peru balsam.The blend includes lavender (Lavender angustifolia), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata var genuine), and vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides).The blend was made with the top note being bergamot, the middle note roman chamomile, and the base note Santalum album.The rules of keys and categories of aromatic blends do not apply to therapeutic blends.You can search for therapeutic blends online.Here is another one, created for this article, which is also an expectorant, ravensara, and bay laurel.
Step 8: Determine the oil blend ratio.
Start with a blend of 10, 20 or 25 total drops of oil as essential oils can be quite expensive but you also will be experimenting at first.The ratio for aromatic blends is 30-50-20, in which 30% of your blend will be from your top note oil.You only need to make a blend using at least 10 drops of oil if you add 6 drops later.According to the 30-50-20 ratio, 10 drops would include 3 drops of peppermint, 5 Drops of Rosemary and 2drops of Peruvian balsam.
Step 9: Make a blend of essential oil.
Put the correct number of drops from each essential oil bottle into a new, unused amber bottle with a tightly sealed lid using a dropper.Put the lid on tight and shake it.The amber bottles protect the oils from being damaged by light.You can buy them in a variety of sizes online or at shops like The Container Store.You should keep your blends out of the sun.Extreme temperatures will cause essential oils to evaporate.
Step 10: The bottle needs to be labeled.
Take a small strip of paper and write down the essential oils you used.Put it on the side of the bottle.You could even come up with a name for your blend.
Step 11: The oil should be added to the salts.
Add 6 drops of oil to the salt mixture using a dropper.If the amber bottle that your essential oil blend is in has a plastic orifice reducer on the top, you can either remove it and use a dropper to collect the oil, or gently turn the bottle on its side and tap it so only one drop comes out at a time.Next, take a metal spoon and stir the oil and salts together.If you use a plastic container with a lid, shake it vigorously after you have stirred the oil and salts together.You could try pouring it all in a zip lock bag if you don't have either of these.Pour it all back into the bowl after Seal it tightly and shake it well.You can always add more if you find that the scent isn't strong enough.Do it slowly and carefully.One of the times in which less is more is when using undiluted essential oils.Set it aside for a while if you add 1-2 drops.It might be perfect when you come back.
Step 12: The smelling salts should be put into a bottle.
If you want to protect the essential oils in the smelling salts, you should use an amber bottle larger than the ones you use for the oils.The salts should be poured into the bottle using a funnel.The lid needs to be sealed tightly.It's fine if you have a little left over.You could give it to a friend or family member if you have enough, or put it in a smaller bottle for travel.
Step 13: The salts should be labeled.
You want to make sure you use the correct blend of salts.As you did with your blended essential oil, write down the oils used on a small piece of paper and secure it to the bottle with scotch tape.Give it a name and put it on the bottle.It's possible to find a photo, illustration or quote online that shows the essence of the salts, print it and stick it to the bottle.
Step 14: You can take a whiff from the bottle.
Hold the bottle of salts up to your nose and inhale for a few seconds.The lid should be replaced.It is as simple as that.You could divide the batches into smaller bottles.One could be used at home and the other at times away from home.
Step 15: The smelling salts should be placed in a bowl.
Many people love to have bowls of potpourri in their homes, but become frustrated because the scent fades so quickly.Salts made from essential oil will last longer.Put the smelling salts around your house by pouring them in a small bowl.You could use them to make a room smell nice, or you could place them strategically to counteract unpleasant odors.
Step 16: There is a sachet.
The smelling salts can be added to a small bag or pouch made from porous material.If you made a blend to help you sleep, you could put it on your pillow.It's possible to put an uplifting blend in your lingerie drawer.You could put one in the back of your car.