A BIT ABOUT RHI: I have practiced aromatherapy for about 12 years. I say after giving it time-I believe it works. I use Lavender for relieving headaches and menstrual cramps, Eucalyptus for chest colds, Orange for the awakening scent to boost creativity and a dab of Rosemary behind my ear to help with ear aches. I recently added more oils to my collection such as Geranium and Jasmine. Oh the smell of Jasmine reminds me of my Summer in Italy - may dab on the neck some as a natural perfume. 

Tip: Guys try a drop or two of sandalwood oil on the neck or use sandalwood soap- it's a turn on (aphrodisiac), works for me. ; )

BENEFITS OF AROMATHERAPHY:
To better understand aromatherapy benefits, it helps to know how your body processes smells. The sense of smell is pretty powerful. In fact, the body can distinguish around 10,000 different scents! Amazing, isn’t it? Aromatherapy also works by absorbing essential oils into the skin and blood stream. One of the advantages to topical application of diluted essential oils is that they can go directly to the spot where you need them the most. 

As scents are inhaled, the smell travels across the olfactory nerves located inside the nose and then up into the part of the brain that controls our moods, our memories and our ability to learn. This area is called the Limbic System and when stimulated it releases endorphins, neurotransmitters and other 'feel-good' chemicals. Wow! That’s pretty scientific stuff… not to worry, in a nutshell, what all of that means is that smells have a subtle way of effecting your mind and emotions.

Just think of the way you feel when you sniff the scent from a fresh bouquet of flowers versus your reaction when you smell something not so fresh like garbage or burnt toast. A big difference right? 

There are numerous resources on aromatherapy, here is a start www.essentials-of-aromatherapy.com