Aromatherapy and The Power of Flower Remedies
While standing in the middle of the Lavender field in Provence, the words that I read from Claire Harvey's book, The Practitioner's Encyclopedia of Flower Remedies came to mind. “I cannot imagine a life without flowers and the magic and joy that they bring. Have you ever felt happier and uplifted by surrounding yourself with fresh flowers? And have been especially attracted to a certain kind of blooms, or found solace strolling among fields or gardens filled with flowering plants? If so, you have already experienced the therapeutic power of flowers.”
A few months ago, I tried a brand named Fluerissent because of its floral ingredients and philosophy. With a mind and skin approach, Fleurissent discovered that flowers have the power to help improve the quality of life for every person we touch, physically and emotionally, when we create a connection with oneself, nature, and flowers.
Dr. Claudia Harvey tells us, “Since the dawn of time we have instinctively known that flowers can lift our spirits and make us feel well again." Flowers and their remedies are featured in the traditional healing practices in many cultures around the world. They play an important role in restoring or evoking a sense of a harmonized mind, body, and spirit.
A History of Healing
This concept of wholeness is a recurring theme in many ancient philosophies and now Fleurissent rediscovers its relevance. Symbolizing love and friendship, flowers have always been a source of pleasure and happiness, of healing in their quintessential form. From the sensuous rose to the humble daisy, the delicate blooms adorning gardens, fields, mountainsides, and woodlands, all possess special qualities that can ease emotional distress, boost self-confidence and energy levels, and increase resilience.
But most natural skin care brands focus on physically safe and topical skin treatment but dismiss the emotional effect on the skin and body. Fleurissent goes further, guided by the philosophy that:
“We are at last emerging from a time when good health is interpreted as the absence of disease. True well-being is something that lies beyond this limited concept, encompassing contentment and security, peace of mind, and an abundance of vitality that is essential if our love is to be enjoyable and fulfilling.
Many ancient cultures believe that everything in nature is infused with vital energy, the spark of life. Wise men living several thousand years ago proposed that when mind, body, and spirit are perfectly integrated, this life force abounds, bringing with it a real sense of health and happiness. The way to obtain such inner harmony they claimed is to respect nature and her ways.”
Achieving Inner Harmony
One way to achieve balance and inner harmony is to connect to nature. Inhaling a flower's scents is a powerful form of natural aromatherapy. Here are more of my favorite ways to connect with nature and experience its benefits:
- Reading a book on a bench in the rose garden on a Sunday morning is truly a peaceful time, or just closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of rose scents around.
- Taking a walk in the nature.
- Setting a self-care routine. Choose a favorite natural skincare brand that harnesses the power of both physical and emotional therapies. For me, I use Fleurissent. I love the scent of flowers and their all floral-infused ingredients which are rich and nourishing for both the mind and skin.
My Self Care Routine
Every night, I schedule quality time with myself for 30 minutes, with no electronic devices or interruptions. I start with a 15-minute warm bath infused with Rose scent, and afterward, I apply the Fleurissent Revitalizing Radiance Rose Mask and turn on some relaxation music. The sound of the music, the scent of rose on my face, and the feeling of the warm bath instantly relaxes my body and my mind. I close my eyes and the rose scent transports me to the rose field in Grasse in the South of France.
For the next 15 minutes, I gently massage my skin with the fine rice particle of the face mask to stimulate blood circulation and exfoliate dead skin cells. To end this journey, I follow the previous steps with the face cream. I gently press the cream onto my face, by putting my hands together in front of the nose and spreading the product evenly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in and out to enjoy the scent. I can feel that my skin is “happy” and ready to rest.
In the article. “An Environmental Approach to Positive Emotion: Flowers,” Haviland-Jones writes: “Flowers have immediate and long-term effects on emotional reactions, mood, social behaviors and even memory for both males and females.”
She notes that fragrant flowers such as these can be powerful mood boosters:
- Rose
- Lavender
- Peony
- Ylang
- Jasmine
- Bitter orange
- Freesia
- Heliotrope
- Chamomile
I immerse myself in the flower... textures, colors, scent, and let go of worries, waking up with fresh, smooth, plump skin. I am back to myself again, fresh, pure, real, and beautiful. The sensation is reminiscent of my initial descent onto this planet.
