As busy women it is not only lovely, but essential that we take some time out to reconnect with ourselves and detox from the ‘busy’ in all of our lives.
However, rituals that come to mind as harmless and indulgent like burning a scented candle whilst soaking in a deep bubble bath, may be at the expense of your health.
“How?”, you may ask.
Recent research conducted by Peter Moller at the University of Copenhagen* likened inhaling the synthetic fragrance from candles to that of diesel fuel or cigarette smoke. The toxic candle smoke was linked to inflammation, toxicity and cancer. Not to mention that a large percentage of commercial candles contain lead in the wicks and are made of petroleum byproducts. And it’s no secret that most bath products marketed to ‘relax’ and ‘rejuvenate’ us are a chemical cocktail of SLS, parabens and synthetic fragrances.
No thanks. Not so relaxing, right?!
So here are 5 easy suggestions for how to have the time out that we all crave without the negative side-effects! And the bonus is, you probably already have most of these things on hand… so you can get started straight away.
1. Tea, Tunes and Toenails
Brew some tea in your favourite teapot. It always feels more special when you are drinking from a pretty cup too! Some teas that are great for calm and relaxation include Peppermint, Chamomile, Lemon Balm and Green Tea. And bonus points if it is organic and ethically sourced.
There are so many great non toxic nail polish options available now, so painting your nails no longer needs to be headache inducing or expose you to unnecessary chemicals such as phthalates and formaldehyde. Some lovely Australian brands include Sienna of Byron Bay and Raww Australian Organics.
And don’t forget the Tunes. Why don’t you make up a playlist to get you in the mood called ‘chill out’ or ‘good vibes’… or just search a great one that someone has already carefully curated!
2. Diffuse Essential Oils while Reading a Great Book
Essential Oils can be used for so many purposes from aiding sleep, to assisting with ailments or to enhance your mood state. Some great options for relaxing include Lavender, Ylang-Ylang and Frankincense.
Be sure to look into the quality of the oils you choose and pick a brand that ensures the oil’s purity and that they operate ethically and with integrity. We love Feather & Seed and Australian Wholesale Oils. If you don’t have essential oils or a diffuser, you could easily substitute is a wonderful natural room spray from Biome or body mist from Hanako Therapies.
Once you’ve got your aromatherapy in action, kick back on a comfy sofa or snuggled up in bed and sink into a great book. Never apologise for reading a trashy novel to escape!
3. Listen to a Podcast while Soaking in a Magnesium Bath
Run in a lovely warm bath with added Epsom Salts or Magnesium Flakes (amazingoils.com.au OR cedarandstone.com.au). The benefits of magnesium include stress relief, easing muscle aches, assist with better sleep, headache relief and joint pain relief.
A new ritual I have added to my bath time is listening to a podcast. If you haven’t discovered podcasts yet, now is the time! There are so many genres to choose from depending if you want to escape, relax or be inspired. ‘Oprah Soul Sessions’ is a great place to start for some serious inspiration and empowerment… but there are SO many options to try including:
4. Dance like no one’s Watching
It does not matter if you are the dancing queen, have two left feet or are somewhere in between, dancing is fun! It can be relaxing or energetic, passionate or freeing. Choose your favourite tracks and just let go.
It might be an enjoyable way to get your heart rate up or improve your flexibility, but it’s also just a great way to take your mind off things and release some endorphins.
5. Indulge in a bit of Shameless time Surfing the Net
When you get a moment of solitude, sometimes there is nothing better that just having a good old browse of your favourite websites, social media accounts, blogs or Youtube channels.
Curate a new Pinterest board of inspiring affirmations, look at some beautiful images on Pinterest, watch an empowering TED Talk or enjoy some retail therapy and buy yourself something indulgent that you’ve been eyeing off!
At naturalperfumeco.com you’ll find our range of all natural, ethical, vegan and cruelty free perfumes that enable you to treat yourself to some sensual luxury to enjoy EVERY day.
*Sources:
