TRAVEL ESSENTIALS: MUST-HAVE ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS FOR TRAVEL

TRAVEL BENEFITS OF ESSENTIAL OILS

The exhilaration of travel can quickly be replaced with stress – unfamiliar locales, crowds and constricted movement, scheduling conflicts, motion sickness, and encounters with new foods, medications, and plants are only a few of the factors that can lead to feelings of nervousness, depleted energy, illnesses, allergies, and other mental and physical reactions, compromising not only alertness and relaxation but also immunity.

Essential Oils can help to naturally ease the bodily symptoms and emotional challenges that travel brings with it:

• Essential Oils with calming and sedative qualities are ideal for nervous or jet-lagged travelers
• Essential Oils with invigorating qualities are ideal for freshening a musty room and boosting the mood
• Essential Oils with grounding effects are ideal for helping to mentally prepare for a stressful business meeting or rendezvous and for unwinding at end of an active day
• Essential Oils with clarifying and cooling effects are ideal for easing congestion and for helping to keep the body at a comfortable temperature

Read on to discover the top essential oils that are reputed to be beneficial for protecting against harmful germs, promoting alertness, boosting energy levels, supporting immune function, warding off insects, enabling spiritual practices on-the-go, addressing or helping to prevent fungus from developing on sweaty feet, keeping the skin cleansed and hydrated, and for easing muscle pain, cramping, upset stomach, and exhaustion.

TOP 10 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR TRAVEL

1. Bergamot Essential Oil: The reassuring effect of this cheerful, uplifting citrus Essential Oil is reputed to induce a sense of peace and to enhance the mood as well as confidence, an important outlook to have when travelling to a new destination. Its reputed ability to help calm the heart rate makes it a valuable sleep aid when experiencing jet lag. Its refreshing quality is reputed to help improve energy levels and circulation, such as when seated in cramped areas for extended periods, and to facilitate easy breathing when anxious or nervous. With antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, this oil makes an ideal addition to natural cleansing or disinfecting products, such as foot sprays or hand sanitizers, to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
2. Pepper Black Essential Oil: This soothing Essential Oil is said to help the body relax when muscles begin to ache or feel tight and joint pain arises from hauling luggage, sitting in confined spaces, or from resting at awkward angles. With warming, anti-spasmodic, and anti-inflammatory qualities, this oil is helpful for enhancing circulation and can be incorporated into stimulating roll-on or massage blends. Its anti-viral quality helps to protect against harmful bacteria, and its spicy aroma is said to help clear congestion.
3. Citronella Essential Oil: The clean, revitalizing scent of this Essential Oil is reputed to help decrease the feeling of stress, helping to replace it with feelings of rest, comfort, and renewal, making it helpful for reducing mental and emotional obstacles to both happiness and sleep. Its antioxidant property is reputed to leave the skin feeling rejuvenated, and its strong antibacterial property helps to purify the skin, especially the area around a wound or sudden rash, in order to prevent infection. It also helps to deodorize fabrics and stuffy enclosed air. Its reputed ability to calm inflammation makes it valuable for easing pain and irritation. When used outdoors, it helps to gently keep pests from approaching. Citronella Oil makes an equally effective surface cleaner, such as for sticky restaurant tables or the countertops at an Airbnb.
4. Eucalyptus Essential Oil: The cooling quality of this Essential Oil has a calming effect on the mind as well as on physical aches caused by inflammation, including headaches and muscle or joint pain. The cooling effect is also reputed to help promote mental clarity, to boost energy levels, to ease pain, and to reduce the feeling of fatigue as well as negative sentiments that may be caused by the anxiety of new and prolonged stressful travel-related stressors. The clarifying effects of Eucalyptus Oil are reputed to facilitate easier breathing when suffering from congestion or other respiratory discomforts. Its strong antibacterial, antiseptic, and antiviral properties help to protect abrasions from infection and to promote faster healing. It is also known to work effectively as a natural solution for keeping insects from biting.
5. Frankincense Essential Oil: The relaxing and sedative quality of this oil is reputed to calm the mind and to reduce feelings of stress, fatigue, and anxiety. In doing so, it is believed to help achieve or maintain normal and balanced breathing and to ease the distress of headaches. Furthermore, Frankincense Oil is often used to support and enhance immune function, to regulate the menstrual cycle, and to help manage its uncomfortable symptoms.
6. Ginger Essential Oil: The sweet and spicy quality of this warm Essential Oil is reputed to help empower the user by replacing feelings of doubtfulness and helplessness with energy, determination, and confidence to face the challenges and unknowns of travel. This oil is commonly used to address nausea or upset stomach caused by motion sensitivity as well as to stimulate circulation and to ease joint pain or muscular aches.
7. Lavender Essential Oil: The comforting scent of this oil is reputed to have a soothing effect on the body and the mind, helping to encourage rest and quality sleep, especially in hard-to-sleep places, such as airplane seats. It is ideal for addressing sleeplessness caused by jet lag and may potentially be effective in helping to reduce the energy levels of hyperactive children. Lavender Oil is said to have a mitigative effect on skin afflicted with eczema, acne, sunburns, soreness, inflammation, and other types of irritation.
8. Lemon Essential Oil: The uplifting effect of this bright scent help to improve the mood during times of delays, loneliness, or overpacked itineraries, among various other causes for frustration, tiredness, and emotional pressure. Lemon Oil is reputed to be beneficial for soothing the symptoms of seasonal allergies and is said to not only soothe the itchiness of insect bites but to help prevent insects from wanting to approach in the first place. This oil is ideal for addressing respiratory complaints as well as the nausea and upset stomach that may be caused by new foods.
9. Peppermint Essential Oil: This bright, invigorating oil is known to energize the body and mind with its cooling scent, thereby promoting mental clarity and alertness for enhanced ability to concentrate, especially when experiencing the mental fog of jet lag. This clarifying effect is also said to help reduce congestion, while its strengthening effect is known to support digestive health at times of nausea and motion sensitivity. Its cooling effect also extends to the skin; when applied topically, Peppermint Oil can help to ease discomfort in the muscles and joints and to comfortably reduce the body temperature, making it ideal for use after a tiring day in the heat. Its fragrance is also known to have an uplifting and boosting effect on the mood, especially during tense and demanding experiences.
10. Sage Essential Oil: This oil is known to not only smell clean but to also have cleansing effects on the skin, due to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. This makes it ideal for handwashing, for addition to natural hand sanitizer recipes, and for preventing wounds from developing infections. Its refreshing and stimulating scent can help to naturally fight drowsiness and to enable a more vibrant, unhindered mindset during times when increased focus is essential, such as during meditation or other spiritual practices.

HOW TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS WHILE TRAVELLING

Essential Oils can be valuable in various scenarios that are often encountered during travels. They are especially beneficial to those who suffer from the claustrophobic conditions of public transportation; an overwhelming or frequent conflict between travel companions, unfamiliar stimulus in the immediate surroundings; and panic caused by financial or safety concerns.

Essential Oils can be diluted then applied to the skin, they can be added to a comforting bath, they can be sprayed around a hotel room or dabbed onto the corner of a pillow, or they can be dabbed onto the wrist and allowed to naturally waft throughout the day’s journey. Also check our personal care products section, if DIY is not your thing. 

SUGGESTED USES FOR ESSENTIAL OILS WHILE TRAVELLING

FACIAL MIST: Create a natural face mist to refresh the skin, tone the complexion, brighten the mood, balance the emotions, soothe and hydrate skin, and ease motion sickness.

ROOM/INDOOR DEODORIZING SPRAY: Create a room spray to eliminate stale indoor odors, boost energy, induce rest and sleep, reduce fatigue and exhaustion, eliminate airborne germs, balance the mood, infuse a sense of security and familiarity with otherwise new environments, inspire mental clarity, enhance concentration, and encourage alertness.

DISINFECTANT SURFACE SPRAY/SANITIZER: Create a gentle, natural, travel-size surface disinfectant or hand sanitizer to protect against the countless harmful germs that travelers constantly come upon in all the public spaces, such as airports, transportation, restaurants, washrooms, and bedrooms.

NATURAL CLEANSER: Create a mild, natural facial cleanser to soothe and refresh the skin and to remove the dirt, dust, and pollution accumulated throughout a lively day.

SUGGESTED OIL BLEND RECIPES FOR TRAVEL

TRAVELER’S SURFACE-CLEANING & AIR-FRESHENING SPRAY

• 100 ml (3.5 oz.) distilled water
• 1 tablespoon castile soap
• 4 drops Sage Essential Oil (can be replaced with other, less “herbal” oils, such as Tea Tree or Rose Absolute)
• 4 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
• 1 drop Peppermint Essential Oil

In a 120 ml (4 oz.) spray bottle, first add the distilled water and the castile soap, then add in the Essential Oils. Cap the bottle and shake it well to ensure that all ingredients have been thoroughly blended.

TRAVELER’S GERM-BUSTING HAND SANITIZER

• 90 ml (3 oz.) Jojoba Carrier Oil or Aloe Vera Gel
• 4 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
• 4 drops Lemon Essential Oil
• 4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• 4 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil

In a 90 ml (3 oz.) bottle, first add the Jojoba Carrier Oil or Aloe Vera Gel, then add in the Essential Oils. Cap the bottle and shake it well to ensure that all ingredients have been thoroughly blended.

TRAVELER’S PERSONAL ROLL-ON BLEND

For a customized and revitalizing roller-blend recipe, select any 3 of the above Essential Oils, based on the desired effects, then add 3 drops of each oil to a 10 ml (0.35 oz.) roller bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with a preferred Carrier Oil. Shake the bottle well and apply a few dabs to the preferred areas of skin during travels.

ESSENTIAL OIL SIDE EFFECTS

As with all other New Directions Aromatics products, our Essential Oils are for external use only. It is imperative to consult a medical practitioner before using these oils for therapeutic purposes. Pregnant and nursing women are especially advised not to use Essential Oils without the medical advice of a physician, as they may have effects on certain hormone secretions and it is unclear whether these effects are transferable to babies at these stages of development. These oils should always be stored in an area that is inaccessible to children, especially those under the age of 7.

Those with the following health conditions are especially recommended to be advised by a physician: cancer, heart-related ailments, skin disorders, hormone-related ailments, or epilepsy. Individuals that are taking prescription drugs, undergoing major surgery, or who are at a greater risk of experiencing strokes, heart attacks, or atherosclerosis are also advised to seek medical consultation prior to use.

Prior to using any Essential Oil, a skin test is recommended. This can be done by diluting 1 drop of the Essential Oil in 4 drops of a Carrier Oil and applying a dime-size amount of this blend to a small area of skin that is not sensitive. Essential Oils must never be used near the eyes, inner nose, and ears, or on any other particularly sensitive areas of skin. Potential side effects of Essential Oils include redness, rash, hives, burning, bleeding disorders, decreased speed of healing, low blood pressure, dizziness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, convulsions, and rapid heartbeat. In the event of an allergic reaction, discontinue use of the products and see a doctor, pharmacist, or allergist immediately for a health assessment and appropriate remedial action. To prevent side effects, consult with a medical professional prior to use.