It’s a good question, isn’t it? We tend to think of aromatherapy as being something that women do to relax, when they’re having ‘me time’ or to enhance their mental health. Yet, aromatherapy is, of course, gender neutral and its positive benefits can support anyone at any stage of life.
What Essential Oils are Good for Motivation?
The truth is that we all struggle to get motivated from time to time. So, whether it’s a mental block about going to the gym or a lack of work motivation, look out for mint, rosemary, and clary sage.
Popular mint is a wonderfully stimulating oil and a great one for mental function and focusing on cognitive tasks whilst Rosemary, a mainstay of aromatherapy, has a masculine woody scent and is thought to enhance memory and increase alertness. Heck, it was even used back in the day by Greek scholars.
Clary Sage, a flowering herb, native to the Mediterranean basin, has a clean refreshing scent. It’s often used to calm the mind and is linked to reducing stress by promoting feelings of wellbeing. Additionally, it aids in relieving mental fatigue and promoting mental clarity.
Our FOCUS Aromatherapy Balm contains all three of these powerful essential oils. This is the one to use throughout your day whenever you need clarity of mind to accomplish goals and tasks. Apply your balm before you begin work, when you go into a work meeting or need to refocus after a lunch break. We promise that it’s better than coffee!
Aromatherapy for Hair Loss in Men
Granted that it sounds almost too good to be true! There’s still much research to do but interesting discoveries have been made around the fact that certain essential oils seem to promote hair growth in men. Perhaps the western world is only just cottoning on to this fact though. After all, in India, oils have been traditionally massaged into the scalp for thousands of years to promote hair health and growth.
Culinary herb, Rosemary is one of the oils that have been attributed to hair growth. It’s believed to stimulate hair growth and improv thickness when massaged into the scalp. That’s because this essential oil boosts scalp circulation, so with a better supply of blood and nutrients, more hair grows. This could be useful if you want to grow hair longer, prevent baldness or stimulate hair growth in balding areas. Not only that, but it prevents dandruff and leaves hair looking shiny and healthy.
Peppermint and Thyme have also been found to be effective in enhancing hair growth, especially during the anagen (growing) phase. That’s because these oils stimulate blood flow to the scalp, strengthening the hair follicles and preventing hair loss. Cedarwood, too, is said to balance the sebaceous glands that produce oil in the scalp. These hair-balancing properties may also reduce hair loss.
Best Essential Oils for Men
Stress
Post lockdown, stress, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues are at an all-time high. Men are known for bottling things up rather than seeking help or talking about their worries. We’d always recommend seeking professional help or speaking to someone you trust if you’re experiencing any of the above issues but there are other things that you can in your daily toolkit to support your mental health.
Our DE STRESS Aromatherapy Balm provides on the spot relief from anxiety. It’s blended with chamomile to promote calmness and neroli and mandarin, which help soothe tension and support feelings of well-being. Apply the balm to your pulse points, then inhale deeply for three breaths. You’ll feel an immediate sense of calm as your mood transitions. This is the perfect portable companion to keep you calm throughout the day.
Poor Sleep
Most men experience poor sleep at some stage of their life. Lavender essential oil is a popular choice whether you’re male or female. Why? Because it’s famed for having relaxing properties and promoting a deeper quality of sleep. And it works!
If you like a candle, try burning our SLEEP WELL Home Aromatherapy Candle for a few hours before bedtime to help you unwind and feel sleepy. It’s a beautiful blend that’s not too overpowering, helping your body and mind drift into a restful night's sleep. For a complete sleep double-whammy, apply our Sleep Well Aromatherapy Balm about 20 minutes before you go to bed too and you’ll be wrestling to keep your eyes open.
Me Time
Working from home can be a double-edged sword. Whilst it makes life so much more flexible, it can also be much harder to switch off. We all need some ‘me time’ to unwind and transition from work to home-life. That might be putting your feet up with a newspaper, spending some time out in the garden, taking a bath or shower, or a multitude of activities. We’re all different after all.
Our ESCAPE Aromatherapy Balm instantly transports you away from the office. It’s like a vacation for the senses, strong, exotic, earthy and evocative, a deeply masculine blend. It’s been formulated with oud, which is used in Eastern spiritual practices to enhance clarity of mind, sandalwood for strengthening the mind, and frankincense a grounding, balancing oil that’s often used for meditation and visualization.
We would love to hear about your mental wellness journey. You can also keep in touch via our Instagram @iamscentered or sign up to our newsletter for updates, news and offers.