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To introduce the essential oils you have chosen for the type of bath you wish to prepare it is first necessary to mix the essential oils with a base oil or carrier. The best of these will be produced by what is called 'cold pressings' and if possible these oils should be from the first pressing, and are known as virgin oils .There are various base oils available some of the best being:- Sweet Almond, Sunflower Seed, Grapeseed, Sesame seed, Peach Kernel and Apricot Kernel oils.

Some suggestions for baths, their purpose and what oils to choose are:-

Relaxing Baths.
Some good oils to produce a relaxing bath might be Frankincense, Clary Sage, Sandalwood, Sweet Marjoram, Lemongrass, Neroli or Lavender Oil. A typical combination could be 3 drops of Frankincense, 3 drops of Clary Sage and 4 drops of Lavender Oil.

Revitalising or Re-energising Baths.
To help you feel revitalised try Bergamot, Juniper, Geranium, Cypress, Myrtle, Grapefruit or Rosewood Oils. Try a combination of 3 drops of Rosewood, 4 drops of Myrtle and 3 drops of Geranium Oil.

Invigorating Baths.
A bath that invigorates you at the start of the day canbe acheived by using Lemon, Sweet Basil, Rosemary or Geranium Oils. 2 drops of Sweet Basil, Rosemary 4 drops and Geranium 3 drops make a good combination.

Baths that help you lower stress levels.
For a relaxing bath that helps reduce stress levels try Clary Sage, Bergamot, Mandarin, Ylang- Yling, Neroli/Orange Blossom or Sweet Marjoram. A good combination is Clary Sage 4 drops, Sweet Marjoram 4 drops and Mandarin 2 Drops

Baths to help you uplift your spirits.
Uplifting your spirits are similar to stress releiving and relaxing baths. Geranium is a good oil to use with Yling-Ylang,, Lavender Oil, Neroli, Sandalwood, Francinsense and Grapefruit oil are all eminently suitable. Try a mixture of 5 drops Lavender, Neroli 2 drops and 4 drops Mandarin.

Purifying Baths.
Baths can help to ease minor illnesses and decrease infection (colds and flu). Good oils would be Eucalyptus, Lavender Oil, Tee Tree Oil, and Laveder Oil. Try blending Lavender Oil 4 dropsl, Bergamot 3 drops, Tea Tree 3 drops.

Pine, Juniper Berries, Cloves, Pine and Petitgrain are also suitable for creating Aromatherapy Baths

The combination of oils are general suggestions for acheiving the purpose and type of bath you require. Experimenting will give you an idea of which oils are suitable for you and how the different oils affect your body, skin and general mood and disposition. There are however some general rules you should try and follow:-

Do not make the bathwater too hot, this causes the essences to evaporate too quickly.

Only put the oils in the water just before bathing which ensures you receive the full benefits of the oils.

Swirl the water around quite vigorously to ensure the water surface has an even covering of oil.

It is sometimes useful to keep doors and windows closed to contain the aromatic vapours produced by the essences.

15-30 minutes is the average time of bathing to take full advantage of the aromas and soothing affects of the oils.

It is usual when you first start using Aromatherapy Baths to use 2-3 Oils and it is thought that 4 is probably the maximum.

Ideally no more than 10 drops of oils should be used but if you find less are suitable then adjust the quantities as necessary.

It is quite often useful to wash or shower before taking your bath, this often makes absorption of the oils easier.

If you feel uneasy about quantities and combinations of oils it could be useful to consult a quailified Aromatherapiest or Dispenser/Supplier of oils and essences.