As we hit the height of the summer season, many people head for the beach. Unfortunately, I will be missing my usual Californian beach vacation this summer (due to my French aromatherapy study trip, so I can’t really complain!) but if you are lucky enough to be spending a few days at the beach this summer, you might want to consider taking along these essential aromatherapy products!

Aromatherapy Shea Butter for the Beach

There are several body butter products that you might consider for a vacation at the beach but I think that shea butter is one of the best all-round products. Beach vacations are often accompanied by sun burn (if you don’t adequately protect yourself), wind burn and dry skin due to the outdoor elements

Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) is a soft yellow or ivory colored fat with a nutty-vanilla aroma. It is a great therapeutic lubricant for relieving some of the itchiness, pain, inflammation and dryness caused by the conditions mentioned above. Add in appropriate essential oils for greater therapeutic effects (warning: do not use photosensitive essential oils as this will worsen the conditions due to sun exposure).

If you would like to learn more about making your own aromatherapy products with aromatherapy butters, such as shea butter, watch out for the new Sedona Aromatherapie Professional Aromatherapy Tutorial Course for Beginners, Basic Butters, Balms, Creams and Lotions, that I am currently writing (expected release date: late Fall/early winter 2012).

In the meantime, you might want to consider the Sedona Aromatherapie Basic Body Butter Making Kit in the webstore or the Sedona Aromatherapie Foundation Course in Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy Lip Balms for the Beach

Protecting your lips is essential when you are at the beach and a natural aromatherapy lip balm is a great alternative to store-bought balms. Aromatherapy lip balms are made with natural ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil and essential oils. Again, don’t add photosensitive essential oils to your lip balm. Essential oils such as distilled (not expressed) lime (Citrus aurantifolia), peppermint (Mentha piperita) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) are great for lip balms.

To learn more about making your own aromatherapy lip balms, consider the Sedona Aromatherapie Aromatherapy Lip Balm Making Kit in the webstore or the above mentioned Basic Butters, Balms, Creams and Lotions course. Or pick up a handmade lip balm in the webstore.

Aromatherapy Spritzers for the Beach

When you are at the beach, you often want a quick cool down. Aromatherapy spritzers are great for a quick refresh when on the go! Any of the above mentioned essential oils are suitable for adding to a beach spritzer – or add a skin soothing oil such as geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) or rose (Rosa damascena).

This blog post tells you more about making your own aromatherapy spritzer – or for a more comprehensive instruction in making such products, take the Sedona Aromatherapie Foundation Course in Aromatherapy

Have fun at the beach this summer!!