ESSIO Q&A: Holiday scents and aromatherapy

I recently came across a product with a VERY cool concept. ESSIO is an aromatherapy diffuser that will turn your shower into a spa!  You simply clip it onto your shower pipe (no tools needed!), pop in a scent pod and wait for the essential oils to envelop you.

I sat down and talk scents with ESSIO’s marketing manager, Jared Van Lehn, who filled us in on everything from holiday aromas to how they develop essential oil blends. Make sure you join the conversation and comment below!

What are some of the benefits of aromatherapy? 

While Western medicine has greatly reduced the presence of infectious disease, the subtler areas of wellness, such as mood and energy-balance, require a more integrated approach of which aromatherapy may be a part.  Studies show that specific botanical aromas (derived from phyto-essential oils) have both physiological as well as psychological impacts and benefits.

Inhaling the essential oils of Lavender and Chamomile, for instance, has been practiced as a mild sedative for hundreds of years across Western Europe. It’s worth noting, too, that the essential oils used in aromatherapy are generally anti-microbials.

Christmas is a very scent driven season with smells like sugar cookies and Christmas trees filling the air. What are some of the most popular holiday scents? How can they affect a person’s mood?

The most popular holiday aroma is peppermint. The sharp, fresh fragrance is derived from menthol, a naturally occurring botanical compound which tricks the brain into believing that cold air is being inhaled. In an energetic context, peppermint is stimulating, exciting, and builds optimism and anticipation.

The smell of pine needles and sugar cookies may indeed trigger Normal Rockwell-esque reminiscing. Even more remarkably, because the holidays are marketed with these aromas, someone who never had those experiences may still associate the aroma of candy canes, Christmas trees and gingerbread with feelings of wistfulness, yearning and sentimentality.

How does ESSIO develop their essential oil blends?   

The process of developing the blends is difficult and requires skill and constant experimentation.  The particular equation is developed based on what we want the blend to accomplish. Blends fall primarily into one of three groups: stimulating, sedating, or balancing.

Master aromatherapeutic blenders are called in to come up with the initial concepts for the blends, then to actually implement the formulation. This is challenging from a formulation standpoint because ESSIO does not use any synthetic elements. This means that we must choose essential oils which naturally produce the effects we want.

What is your favourite scent (not just including the ESSIO blends)?

Hmmmm… I think I’m going to have to go with the classic peppermint.  For me it is so revitalizing, and refreshing and powerful.  Plus, peppermint has a nostalgic effect for me.  It takes me back home, back to family and loved ones, and all these happy memories as a kid.  Especially around the holidays, the first thing I think of are candy canes.

Does your company have any holiday scents that work with your ESSIO shower diffuser?

Every ESSIO blend is ideal for the holidays. UNWIND, which blends upbeat citrus with spicy patchouli, is great for busting holiday stress. CLEAR, with holiday favorites nutmeg and peppermint, brushes away distractions, perfect for setting priorities and making New Year’s Resolutions. BREATHE, which also contains peppermint as well as cedar and eucalyptus, to decongest sniffles. ESSIO has six revitalizing blends for the shower.

The ESSIO Starter Kit 

 Pod Blends