Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists (and Writers Too)

By Thea Fiore Bloom, Ph.D.
Want to enlist a gentle, fragrant force to help pulverize the stress that comes with being an artist or writer?
Make your own aromatherapy toolkit.
I reached out to wizard aromatherapist Sharon Mayberry and she kindly agreed to introduce us to what she thinks are the five perfect oils to include in a supportive toolkit just for creatives.

“These 5 oils have the chemical compounds proven to address insomnia, self-doubt, creativity, survival fear and general anxiety,” says Mayberry.
5 Oil Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists
First Oil for Your Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists
Cedarwood

“Cedarwood essential oil is very soothing and centering when you’re: in fight or flight mode, suffering from self-doubt, or are worried about your survival, ” said Mayberry.
“It has a beautiful, fresh, earthy, woodsy scent and like all five oils in this money panic tool kit, it’s balancing, grounding and protective.”
“Cedarwood oil is extremely calming to the entire nervous system,” said Mayberry. “It can help you fall asleep and stay asleep if anxiety has kept you awake lately.”
Here is a link to a nice quality but affordable cedarwood oil.
Second Oil for Your Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists

Frankincense
“Frankincense gives great support to you when you need to feel grounded and safe,” said Mayberry.
There are several chemotypes (kinds) of Frankincense, the one that Sharon recommends for financial freak out is Frankincense carterii; a gorgeous, deep resinous oil with a pine heart note, high in boswellic acids which have been found to impart a feeling of emotional and physical comfort.
“What I love about this particular Frankincense is it’s very calming for racing thoughts at night or monkey mind during the day.”
Mayberry suggests this oil for artists or writers who need to feel better about themselves. Here is an affordable, nice quality frankincense.
“Use it when you want to switch out of fear mode and into a meditative mode,”said Mayberry.
Third Oil for Your Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists
Rosemary
Rosemary is an inexpensive powerhouse of an oil.
It’s been revered since ancient Roman times and is still believed to sharpen mental acuity and memory.
“I love Rosemary, said Mayberry, “because it’s very warming to both the mind and the body. It has this lovely, fresh, truly uplifting aroma and it’s actually one of the most effective oils for boosting self-esteem.”
Here’s a good, inexpensive Rosemary you might like.
Fourth Oil for Your Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists
AgarWood
“You only need just a bit of precious Agarwood oil to get you back in balance when you are out of whack, said Mayberry.
That’s good because even when pre-blended in jojoba oil, Agarwood can still cost big bucks.
( But less is more in aromatherapy. You don’t need to spend a fortune on full bottles of each of the 5 oils here; even a tiny vial of 2 of the oils would be fine to start.)
“But its worth it because the smallest amount will last you such a long time, and it grounds the body, calm the mind and it also has the benefit for the artist of being a very introspective oil.”
Mayberry believes Agarwood helps artists take their focus off of panic, and place it instead on creativity.
Agarwood would be a good oil for creatives on the verge of burnout.
Fifth Oil for Your Aromatherapy Toolkit for Artists
Buddha Wood
Buddha wood is a delicious, sweet, nutty, relaxing, earthy oil from the Buddha shrub/tree of Australia where it’s still used today by indigenous people for its purported anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial wound healing properties.
“Chemically, Buddha wood is very close to agarwood, so those two oils blended together would be really heavenly.”
It’s another one that’s not cheap.
“But even a few drops of Buddha Wood in a diffuser or in a carrier oil in a roll-on perfume vial,” said Mayberry, “can make you feel like you’re in a warm little cocoon, totally protected from the outside world.”
3 Easy Ways To Put Your Aromatherapy Toolkit To Work
1. Cotton Ball Method
You could simply put a drop or two of one, or all the oils on a cotton ball you have placed on your desk or beside your bed.
2. Roll-On Method
Aroma Roll-Ons: Place a few drops of essential oil and carrier oil (like sweet almond or jojoba) in perfume vial with a rollerball top and glide blend over your wrists. This article will teach you the basics of making your first roll-on.
3. Diffuser Method
For the best possible therapeutic results, Mayberry recommends you buy a plug-in diffuser and place a few drops of oil in diffuser’s water well and press go.
Mayberry turned me on to an affordable diffuser I love.This Aromasoft diffuser can subtly scent an entire apartment, has a lifetime warranty and is only around $18. I have had it for a year, no problems. Other $100-$200 diffusers I have purchased in past, clogged quickly and ended up as expensive clutter.
Give True Aromatherapy a Try
For less money than I’d spend on a so-so bottle of wine a month, I’ve acquired a weirdly, fun, efficacious, creative, healthy hobby that has decreased my self-doubt and increased my creativity.
I hope it will support your art business and art practice in the same way.
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Other Relaxing Resources
If you liked this piece or want more ideas on how you can best let go of stress and come back home to yourself and your art, check out these other Charmed Studio posts:
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How Tea Helps Artists: & Tea Lovers Booklist
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Top 5 De-Stressing YouTube Yoga Picks For Artists and Writers
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Meditations For Artists: Reduce Your Fear and Ignite Your Creativity
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Transform Your Art Newsletter in 3 Questions
Check out The Charmed Studio’s Mostly Free Resources for Artist’s Page to get a link to my favorite free meditation app.
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Aromatherapy Toolkit Safety Warnings
Essential oils are often written off as nonsense but non-synthetic oils are the real deal and as such can be as dangerous as they are efficacious.
So never ingest oils. Don’t use oils if you are sensitive, pregnant, nursing, have epilepsy, asthma, health challenges or doubts, before consulting a doctor.
Kids and cats are sensitive to oils. Some sources say certain oils can give cats Upper Respiratory Infections and lead to liver problems. Other animals are sensitive to essential oils as well so keep an eye out for sneezing etc. in them as well.
Robert Tisserand wrote the bible on aromatherapy & safety. If you use oils daily on yourself or others pick up a copy of Essential Oil Safety.
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What’s your favorite essential oil? Let me know in the comments below.
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I loved this blog post! Super helpful. Can’t wait to try the cedar wood. Thank you! I lay awake and make jewelry in my head but sleeping would be great.
Thanks so much for reading and leaving such a wonderful comment. I love that you make jewelry in your head when you can’t sleep, brilliant! I do that with wording for titles of articles, but I bet that like you, the creating of something new in the imagination leaves us too to sleep. 🙂
I’ve never tried this, but I might give it a go. It sounds beneficial.
Thanks Sara,
I am a bit of a cynic and it’s worked surprisingly well for me. I did another interview/blog post with the same aromatherapist you might like on the oils to use when you feel reluctant to do the office / marketing end of one’s art business.
https://www.artsyshark.com/2017/11/29/hate-marketing-your-art-this-aromatherapy-toolkit-can-help/
Thank you for this enjoyable and informative blog. It inspired me to explore these scents from a health and well being aspect as opposed to just something that smell lovely. also, I’m now discovering the “art of scents”.
Thanks Raven, you are the best. Learning more about the subtleties and impact of scent been an eye-opening or I should say nose-opening journey for me as well. You speak of the “Art of Scent” and it reminded me of a story I read about the first museum show that focused on that very topic.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-first-major-museum-show-to-focus-on-smell-1787124/
I have found aromatherapy to be really helpful for me in my work as designer. Thanks for all the detailed information here.