AROMATHERAPY TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Vapourizing essential oils in your immediate environment can create an enchanting ambience with the scents of Rose, Patchouli, Jasmine or Ylang Ylang, but oils such as Tea Tree, Cajuput, Eucalyptus, Pine and Rosemary also have powerful germicidal properties that kill airborn bacteria and/or viruses. Oils such as Citronella, Peppermint and Lemongrass keep bugs at bay; citrus oils (eg Bergamot and Orange) have mood - elevating qualities and Frankincense is renowned as an aid to meditation and ritual work.

These come in various shapes and sizes (and prices), and are available from health stores,some chemists, aromatherapy suppliers in the high street and via the internet

A few drops of pure essential oils are placed on a cotton pad which sits on the diffuser and is gently heated by an electric element. Water isn't usually used, but models vary in this regard: some of the newer models have a water use option.

Good quality electric diffusers have several settings so you can adjust the rate of evaporation and the strength of the scent;as there is no naked flame involved, it is safe to leave them unattended and for overnight use - especially important if they are used in childrens bedrooms.

A few drops of pure essential oils are added to the water - filled reservoir of the burner and a night - light candle is placed below, which, when lit, gently heats the water, causing the oils to vaporize and scent the room.

They are fairly inexpensive, easier to obtain than electric diffusers, need little maintenance (nothing electric to go wrong!), and there are some beautiful ones available for those that love candlelight.

Due to the naked flame, they mustn't be left unattended and must be kept out of reach of children and pets.

These are specially designed to fit onto radiators. A few drops of essential oils are put into the water - filled bowl of the diffuser. The heat from the radiator vaporizes the liquid, thus scenting the air.

These are ceramic vaporizers that plug into an electric wall socket. A few drops of essential oil are dropped directly onto the heated surface of the diffuser. Water can be mixed with the oil.

Safe and simple to use - plug them in and forget about them until it is time to refill them; unobtrusive to use.

Authentic essential oil candles are available from aromatherapy suppliers and health shops. Of course, you can also make your own candles. Unfortunately, the word "aromatherapy" doesn't have (by law) to entail any essential oil whatsoever, so buy carefully - a lot of what is on sale in the high street are candles scented with synthetic fragrances with no therapeutic value whatsoever.

Candlelight and scented oils are such a delightfully romantic way of creating a mood - enhancing atmostphere, beautifully intimate. You may enjoy making your own.

Possible difficulty obtaining the genuine thing; expensive, they must not be left burning unattended; they should be kept away from pets and children.

Another way of scenting a room using candles is to add essential oils to an unscented candle. Use a fat candle for this. Start by lighting the candle until you get a pool of wax around the wick, extinguish the flame, then add a few drops of essential oil to the molten wax and relight the candle. Essential oils are flammable, so take care not to drip them onto the wick and don't add oils with the candle alight.

These are made of metal or ceramic. A few drops of essential oil are put into a groove in the ring which is then placed on top of a (cold) lightbulb. When the light is turned on, the heat from the lightbulb evaporates the oils and scents the room.

Light-bulb rings can get very sticky and insects attracted to the light can get stuck onto them. Only low watt bulbs are suitable, too much heat from the bulb causes the oils to burn and this can smell unpleasant.

Essential oils can be added to water in a plant spray and sprayed into the room to freshen the air and, if suitable oils are used, to kill airborn germs. Add 10 drops of pure essential oil to 250ml of water.

This is a quick and easy method of freshening the air all over the house, it is convenient and economical.

Essential oils (and water) can damage the finish on polished wood furniture, so you have to be careful where you spray; dark oils such as Vetiver, Valerian and Patchouli can stain fabrics, so care should be taken here too. The scent doesn't last for as long as other methods.

Put a few drops of essential oil onto a cotton - wool ball and place behind a radiator - when it is on, the heat releases the scents of the oils.

This method is restricted to when the heating is on, and, as with radiator diffusers, is impractical when the weather is hot