Women's half of humanity is very fond of lighting houses candles, incense and other things that fill the space with pleasant aromas. However, candles may contain harmful chemicals, the effect of which is enhanced by combustion. We share recipes for mixtures of essential oils that smell even better than your favorite candles.

Smell plays an important role in the life of the house. If you prefer aromatic candles, then you need to know that they contain potentially harmful chemicals that are released into the air along with the smoke. Often even soy candles, which simply have to be harmless, are filled with chemicals. The most harmful substances are found in candles on paraffin, which are the most popular and cheapest.

According to CNN, some of the candles may contain known carcinogens, such as benzene and toluene, other heavy metals and paraffins. Given these facts, it is best to give candles to their beeswax or soybeans, if you still want to use candles.

However, there is an option that will help create a pleasant fragrance in the house without any risks to health and smoke - natural essential oils.

"When we dissipate the oils, the air is always felt easier and somehow cleaner than when we light candles," says Yoga teacher Yelena Brouwer in New York..

Moreover, the spraying of essential oils releases thousands of oxygen-containing molecules and negative ions into the air and the environment. Negative ions purify the air of mold spores, pollen, unpleasant odors and even bacteria. So, if you want to create a pleasant fragrance at home, and also clean it, essential oils are a win-win option.

Why fragrances are so strong Brower explains that for two decades of teaching yoga and meditation using essential oils, she discovered that a person can create new emotional paths using a scent that can have a positive impact on how we cope with daily problems and how behave in confrontation.

According to psychology, smells are processed first in the olfactory bulb, from inside our nose, and then directed back to the bottom of the brain. This is important because the olfactory bulb has a direct connection to the two brain zones that are closely related to emotions and memory: the amygdala (amygdala) and the hippocampus. Therefore, when you listen to the smell, you instantly "move" somewhere. Visual, auditory and tactile information does not pass through these areas of the brain.

Brower says that she chooses essential oils based on the flow of the day or her mood.

"In the mornings, I choose oils such as wild orange or grapefruit, or oils that are great for focusing, such as mint or eucalyptus. As the day goes by, I'll add sandalwood, cypress or cedar, or even mix a floral fragrance, such as ylang ylang with a more soothing vetiver, "says Brouwer.

Better than candles: a new approach to oils So, you decided to choose oils instead of being tormented by the smoke of candles and possible secreted chemicals. How to create a real oasis in the house? Brouwer shares five recipes of blends of oils that will suit a variety of moods.

Soothing citrus Mix three drops of lavender essential oil, three drops of ylang-ylang and three drops of wild orange. Another option - three drops of bergamot, three drops of wild orange and three drops of cypress.

Spring flowers Mix three drops of ylang-ylang with three drops of geranium oil.

Warm vanilla This is one of the most difficult flavors for self-cooking. As Brower says, vanilla essential oil can not be obtained, so it's best to use ready-made natural vanilla mixtures in which hexane is present - a non-toxic organic substance. Be careful if you see a label that claims to contain 100% vanilla, since the pure vanilla flavor always gets synthetically.

Festive mixture Mix three drops of essential oil of Siberian fir with three drops of wild orange. Then add two drops of cinnamon essential oil, two drops of cardamom and two drops of cloves.

Autumn Spices Mix four drops of mandarin essential oil with two drops of black pepper oil.

How to aromatize the air with oils For the aromatization of air it is enough to buy a simple aroma lamp. It is available and very easy to use. Fill the bowl with water and add a few drops of the oil mixture. Put a lighted candle under the cup. When the water starts to warm up, the aroma oils begin to evaporate with it, and the air of the house smells good with the fragrances chosen by you. But make sure that there is always water in the bowl.

You can go even simpler way. To aromatize the room, take a conventional spray, fill it with water and add a few drops of oil. Spray the mixture indoors, but keep it away from furniture and fabrics. The aroma will last no more than two hours.

Oils can also be flavored with bed linen. During the rinsing of the laundry, add to the conditioner three drops of essential oil.

The simplest method that will be available when in urban apartments include heating: drip a few drops of oil on a napkin or a piece of cloth and put on the sill over the battery. This way will quickly fill the room with a pleasant fragrance.

Ekaterina Romanova.

Source: Yoga Journal vegetarian. en Key words:.