Quick Study [kwik stuhd-ee]: The Huffington Post Canada's tips to make your life a little sweeter, five minutes at a time. Think of it as a cheatsheet for your general well-being.
For the next 30 days, we're checking out how to take a break from your busy holiday schedule and relax -- in unexpected ways.
THE EXPERT:
The Huffington Post Canada talked to Gibson, B.C. based natural perfumer Rohanna Goodwin Smith on how a few scented drops of perfume can easily change our moods.
HuffPost: How do you suggest taking a break from the stresses of the holidays?
Rohanna Goodwin Smith: As well as the many stressors we face at this time of year, our health can be compromised by the synthetic scent world we live in. When a hectic pace doesn't allow time for a restorative walk in the woods, reach for the essential oils of spruce, pine, fir or juniper. Ten drops in an aromatherapy diffuser brings the aroma of a fragrant forest into your living room.
These exquisite essences of nature (which can be purchased at health food stores) can be sniffed straight from the bottle. Or sprinkle a few drops on a tissue, tuck it into a pocket and sniff it occasionally.
High on the de-stressing self-care list is a hot fragrant bath. To a full tub add eight to 10 drops of a soothing essential oil such as geranium, frankincense, lavender or clary sage. Swish it around, lay back, inhale the soothing vapours and feel your tension dissolve.
Check out Goodwin Smith's scent recommendations to de-stress this holiday season.
Scents For Your Spirits
TWITTERVERSE GEM:
BLOGGER SECRETS:
Huffington Post Blogger Maggie Van Ostrand questions why everything these days has to smell like something else.
Fragrances are known as the ultimate accessory. Nothing says more about you than the way you smell, say the perfume ads. Trouble is, the scentologists (those who devise new scents) didn't stop there, they wanted everyday things to smell like something else. Why do we deodorize everything from the cat's litterbox to our own? On some level we must be aware of what's going on in the bathroom, or are we supposed to think the person who preceded us was in there squeezing lemons? Check out the rest of her post.
What are your favourite holiday scents? Winter snow, fresh baked cookies or cranberries? Let us know on Twitter at @HuffPostCaLiv or in the comments below.