One of my new favorite things to look forward to is receiving a new "secret" essential oil each month from Plant Therapy. In case you didn't know, Plant Therapy started offering an oil of the month subscription service where you receive a new oil that isn't available for sale. They're either single oils, often exotic and hard to find, or beautiful synergy blends that contain coveted oils you won't find anywhere else.

Last month was all about magnolia essential oil which is floral, fruity, and intoxicating. You can read more about this amazing essential oil and its therapeutic properties and benefits here.

May's oil of the month, aptly named Honeybell, is all about bright citrus, green galbanum, white grape, and sweet buchu. It's a synergy blend that I've been reaching for all month since I received it and will be sorely missed once I run out!

May's Oil of The Month - Honeybell

This month has been hard. I've just felt mentally drained and socially exhausted. As a result, I've allowed depression to creep back into my daily life which makes doing normal day-to-day tasks difficult, even simple things like getting up to shower or eat breakfast.

It's something I've dealt with on and off for a long time.

Essential oils have been extremely helpful on this front because they are able to affect the brain on a chemical level, imparting their therapeutic properties throughout the body and uplifting emotions while instilling a sense of well-being.

Honeybell is one such blend.

It contains sweet orange, pink grapefruit, cognac (white grape), steam distilled lime, galbanum, and buchu.

Its scent is effervescent, bright, and vibrant with sparkling notes of citrus with green and woodsy undertones. It's incredibly uplifting no matter how low you're feeling and helps calm rampant negative emotions.

I find it especially helpful when I feel nervous, worried, or tense and will either breathe in the aroma straight from the bottle or use it as a roll-on on the wrists that I can sniff as needed.

It's really hard to feel low when smelling this essential oil blend!

How to Use Honeybell Synergy Blend - May's Oil of The Month

Since I want this blend to last as long as possible, I don't often diffuse it, though it's certainly lovely in the diffuser.

Instead, I aim for methods that use very little essential oil yet still lend potent results.

Some of my favorite ways to use Honeybell synergy blend include:

• A solid perfume - melt 15 grams (approx. 1 TB) of beeswax and 15 grams of carrier oil together. Stir in 10-15 drops of Honeybell. Pour into the container of choice and allow it to solidify before use.
• In a body oil - add 6 drops of honeybell for every 1oz of carrier oil.
• In a diffuser necklace - add a drop or two to your favorite diffuser jewelry.
• In a lotion - Add a drop or two to a pump of unscented body lotion and apply or make one of my lotion recipes.
• In bath salts - add 10 drops to one cup of Epsom salts and add them to running bath water. (Try this recipe!)
• Making a roll-on bottle - Add 2 drops and some carrier oil to a roll-on bottle and apply to wrists

Why These Essential Oils Work

Buchu

Buchu leaf essential oil is a rare oil that isn't often used in the world of aromatherapy and is part of the same family as citruses like orange, lemon, and lime. It has a pungent, slightly minty/camphoraceous aroma with black currant characteristics and is yellow-ish and slightly viscous in consistency. The oil is distilled from the foliage of the plant where pockets of essential oil can be seen when light is shone through the leaves.

When used in aromatherapy, it is often for treating swollen and painful joints and as an insect repellent.

Emotionally, buchu leaf essential oil is known to instill a sense of dreaminess and calm.

Cognac

Cognac, or white grape essential oil, is a wonderful middle note that imparts a dry, tart, wine-like aroma reminiscent of green apple. When used in a blend, it brings about a certain brightness that is fresh and fruity.

It is distilled from the "lees" - the yeasty residue that forms at the bottom of the oak barrels used for making cognac which gives this essential oil its complex and earthy richness.
Its aroma is emotionally uplifting and sedative.

Galbanum

Galbanum essential oil is the "things are going to get better" essential oil. Its diffusive, bitter-green, and leafy aroma is known to calm emotional turmoil, relax the mind, and sedate the senses. It is also incredibly balancing, grounding, and introspective and is used to harmonize the body and mind while relieving stress, tension, and anxiety.

Lime

Steam distilled lime essential oil is bright and zesty and is known to promote feelings of relaxation, uplift the emotions, and hone alertness. It helps restore mental energy and dispel feelings of depression and negative cyclical thoughts.

Pink Grapefruit

Pink grapefruit essential oil has a zesty, fresh, citrusy, and sweet aroma with bitter undertones and is one of the most uplifting and emotionally stabilizing essential oils. It helps alleviate mental fatigue, moodiness, and general feelings of irritability.

It's almost impossible to feel negative or down when smelling the sparkling aroma of pink grapefruit!

Sweet Orange

Last but not least, is sweet orange essential oil. This delicately sweet essential oil is the epitome of sunshine in a bottle. It is the perfect "happy" oil to diffuse when feeling low as it encourages feelings of contentment, positivity, and joy.

Have you signed up for Plant Therapy's oil of the month subscription? How do you like it so far?

To sign up for it, simply visit the oil of the month page here.

You may also enjoy reading:

The Benefits and Properties of Magnolia Flower Essential Oil
Citrus Essential Oils - Essential Oils 101
10 Bergamot Oil Uses You Need to Know
Essential Oils for Depression
Healing Depression Naturally