Floral blooms don’t just look pretty; they can help you relieve tension and stress through their natural aromas.

“Every flower on the planet has a particular healing quality. When we think of a peony, it makes us feel very different than when we think of a rose, daisy or orchid. Each flower invokes a particular quality, feeling or state of mind within us,” says Katie Hess, flower alchemist and author of Flowerevolution: Blooming Into Your Full Potential with the Magic of Flowers.
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Katie has blended flowers for President Obama and his family, and her handcrafted flower elixirs have made it to Oprah’s Favourite Things.

“Some flowers bring us joy, others invoke love, peace or even help us sleep more deeply. By spending time around these flowers, putting them in our environment or using their essential oils (aromatherapeutic) or flower elixirs (taken internally), it is possible to experience the specific healing qualities of flowers, even when we’re working indoors and in a stressful, urban lifestyle.”
Here are seven floral scents, in the form of essential oils, that Katie recommends for instant relaxation and calm.
Antidote for: Feeling overwhelmed, overstimulation, insomnia
Promotes: Soothing calm, peacefulness, releasing tension
Try: The Body Shop Lavendar Pure Essential Oil, $3.50 for 5ml
Antidote for: High stress, insomnia, restless sleep
Promotes: Calm, confidence, aphrodisiac
Try: Now Essential Oils Jasmine Absolute, $39.90 for 30ml
Antidote for: Needing more love, self-care and nurturing
Promotes: Love, tenderness, gentleness, aphrodisiac
Try: Young Living Rose 100% Pure Essential Oil, $392.76 for 5ml
Antidote for: Anxiety, sadness, irritation
Promotes: Cheering up, happiness, relaxation
Try: Wild Products Neroli 100% Pure Essential Oil, $62 for 5ml
Antidote for: Stress, anxiety, feeling out of balance, nervous exhaustion, hypersensitivity
Promotes: Soothing calm, feeling centered and nourished
Try: Karmakamet Mimosa Room Diffuser, $48.15 for 200ml
Antidote for: Depression or sadness, anxiety, panic, stress, anger
Promotes: Deep sleep, relaxed muscles, calm
Try: Harnn Marigold and Neroli Bath & Massage Oil, $45.90 for 145g
Antidote for: Irritation, impatience, stress, nervous system overload
Promotes: Calm, rest, patience, creativity
Try: Young Living Ylang Ylang 100% Pure Essential Oil, $88.17 for 5ml
For more on flower elixirs and what your favourite flowers reveal about you, check out Flowerevolution: Blooming into Your Full Potential with the Magic of Flowers by Katie Hess, available for sale here on Amazon (US$25.97).
- TAGS:
- flowers
- fragrances
- peace
- scents
- stress