Aromatherapy For Men | No, It’s Not Only For Women

Aromatherapy is largely considered to be a feminine practice, but this is only a modern misconception. Tracing the roots of aromatherapy and essential oil use, we find that aromatherapy was as much, if not more so, a masculine practice rather than feminine. Links can be found in ancient China, Egypt, Rome, India and Greece with a notable example being the Roman Emperor Nero that was said to use copious amounts of rose oil to cure his headaches and lift his spirits.

As you can see, essential oil use was a common practice to the ancients and it became even more prevalent in the early 20^th century when the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé used essential oils to treat wounds on soldiers in the World War 1. He is also considered to be the father, and inventor of the word, aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy reduces anxiety, ease depression and boosts energy levels.

How does aromatherapy work?

Aromatherapy is basically the use of essential oils, that can be applied either as massage oil, so that it’s absorbed directly through the skin, or in an aromatherapy diffuser that proliferates the oils into the air. Since the massaging aspect is pretty self-explanatory, we’ll elaborate on the different types of diffusers that you can get but for a start, here are some of the best diffusers on the market today.

There are 4 types of aromatherapy diffusers that work by using different methods. These four are:

• Heat Diffuser – as the name suggests, this diffuser works by heating up the oils and allows them to escape into the air as a fume. This is great for making your home smell good but it compromises the chemistry of the oils and reduces its therapeutic effects.
• Cold Air Diffuser – by utilizing cold air, this type of diffuser bypasses the negative effects that can be found with the heat diffuser and thereby keeps all of the therapeutic benefits that the oil has to offer.
• Evaporative Diffuser – Using a similar method to the cold air diffuser, this diffuser utilizes a fan that blows air through a pad that contains the essential oils. This allows the oil to evaporate quickly while still preserving all the benefits. These are perfect for your car as you travel to and from work.
• Ultrasonic Diffusers – This type of diffuser is by far the best that you can buy. It works by breaking down the essential oils into micro-particles via ultrasonic vibrations. These micro-particles are then released into the air as negative ions which automatically attract and destroy harmful positive ions that are in the air. Since there is no heat or air involved in this type of diffuser, all the therapeutic qualities of the oils are preserved.

Now that you have the basics on diffusers, let’s get to why you should be using aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy can help reduce stress and it can have a positive effect on male potency. [source]

Aromatherapy can help reduce stress and it can have a positive effect on male potency.

Benefits

Our modern world has many detrimental effects on our mental and physical well-being. When you ask any professional what their main problems are, the first answers are usually “stress”, “lack of sleep” and “headaches” and we’re sure that many of you can attest to that. However, this is where we believe that aromatherapy can alleviate and cure some of these ailments but the benefits do not stop there. Some of the benefits of aromatherapy are:

• Acts as a relaxant
• Stress alleviation
• Relieves headaches and migraines
• Fights depression by lifting your mood
• Reduces anxiety
• Boosts cognitive performance (great for studying)
• Reduces pain
• Increases circulation
• Works as a natural sleeping aid
• Improves digestion
• Helps with the all-dreaded Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after a gym session.
• Helps to heal wounds at an accelerated pace
• Has a positive effect on male potency and libido
• Helps to keep skin healthy and young
• Promotes hair growth

So, with all these benefits, and many more that we didn’t mention, it’s easy to see why aromatherapy is an excellent way to not only heal yourself but to keep your mind, as well as your body in peak condition. It relaxes you, keeps you focused and emotionally stable, and, most importantly, gives you that edge that is necessary in our professional world.

Some essential oils can help reduce pain and they can also tighten your skin and muscles.

Types of Essential Oils

There is a huge variety of essential oils out there but we’ll highlight some of the most popular ones that are used by men around the globe and the benefits that they give. These oils are:

• Patchouli
• Sandalwood
• Oakmoss
• Cypress
• Black Pepper
• Cedarwood

Patchouli

Patchouli essential oil is excellent for the treatment of dermatological ailments such as eczema dermatitis, psoriasis, inflammation, and can even help tighten your skin for that youthful look. Patchouli also enhances your entire immune system and has even been shown to reduce temperatures during fever, boost your energy levels, fight depression and it can also treat impotence and low libido. This essential oil is also excellent for treating cuts and abrasions while reducing the chance of infection as well as flushing toxins from your body since it acts as a mild diuretic. Another benefit of Patchouli essential oil is the fact that it can completely eliminate body odor.

BUY – $12.50

Sandalwood

Sandalwood has long been known for its exceptional antiseptic qualities but little do people know that it can also help to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients as well as lower cholesterol and even acts as a weight loss aid. It has also been shown to treat urinary tract infections and prevents gastrointestinal gas discomfort. Apart from these benefits, Sandalwood can also help to improve your memory and concentration levels as well as being an excellent oil to use for the prevention of aging skin. It also tightens and strengthens muscles after a gym workout and because it smells good, many people use it as a deodorant or perfume.

BUY – $9.99

Oakmoss

Oakmoss is interesting in the fact that is a type of lichen that can be found on the branches of Oak trees. Oakmoss essential oil has been shown to be excellent in treating skin conditions such as inflammation and irritation which it alleviates very quickly and efficiently. This oil is also a superb treatment for dry skin since it helps to maintain the proper moisture levels and sensitive oil balance in your skin. Apart from its dermatological uses, Oakmoss essential oil is also an effective expectorant that loosens accumulated phlegm as well as opening the airways during an asthma attack. However, there are some side effects from this oil, so it is advised that you don’t use it if you prone to neurological disorders or if you suffer from hysteria and epilepsy.

BUY – $19.50

Cypress

As with the Sandalwood, Cypress essential oil has been shown to get rid of toxins and helps in weight loss by flushing fats, excess water and salt through increasing urination frequency and sweat production. This effect also helps to cleanse your liver and lowers cholesterol levels. If you have a cut, this oil heals it quickly and Cypress oil can be used to stop the bleeding since it helps with blood clotting. For all you sport junkies, this essential oil has been shown to alleviate muscle cramps, spasms and even the dreaded pulled muscle. It also smells good so you can use it as a replacement for deodorant.

BUY – $7.49

Black Pepper

It might come as a surprise to many but Black Pepper, apart from its role as a culinary additive, has a myriad of benefits as an essential oil. By acting as diuretic and diaphoretic, Black Pepper essential oil removes and flushes toxins either through sweat or urine and it has also been shown to aid in digestion while preventing excess gas production by inhibiting the growth of gas producing bacteria. Much like Cypress, it works as an antispasmodic that alleviates muscle spasms and pulls as well as convulsions. It is also an excellent antioxidant and has even been shown to delay adverse effects that come from aging such as memory loss, vision loss, muscular degeneration, loss of mobility and even nervous disorders among others. However, if used in excess it can act as a purgative, so that’s something to look out for.

BUY – $14.99

Cedarwood

If you’re looking for relaxation, then Cedarwood is definitely the oil for you. Cedarwood essential oil has a subtle scent that is reminiscent of a forest after a hard rain and this, among other reasons, is why it’s good as a massage oil. This essential oil has a large variety of health benefits that include promoting hair growth and the treatment of dry scalp by moisturizing the skin as well as improving circulation. It can also be used to alleviate the symptoms of eczema and kill fungal infections such as athletes foot. Furthermore, Cedarwood can be applied topically to infected wounds to heal them quickly and is known to defend the body against toxins while strengthening the immune system. It’s also a great natural insect repellant for those camping trips.

BUY – $7.22

Some essential oils can help reduce pain and they can also tighten your skin and muscles.

DIY Aromatherapy Mister

Making your own DIY aromatherapy mood mister is fairly simple. All you need is:

1. ¾ cup of water
2. 2 Tablespoons of vodka, rubbing alcohol or genuine vanilla extract
3. An essential oil (or combo) of your choosing
4. Combine in an 8 oz. spray bottle and shake well
5. Use whenever the need arises

However, if you do not have the time or you feel that you’d like your own professional diffuser, we selected some of the best that you can find below.

Top 5 Aromatherapy Diffusers

1. Quooz Lull Aromatherapy Diffuser – By using the latest in ultrasonic technology, the aromatherapy diffuser uses no heat to disperse your essential oils into the air. By doing this, it doesn’t damage the chemical structure of the oil that you are using and it only uses 2 to 4 drops of oil at a time.
2. Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser by Young Living – With a stylish and modern design the Aria can instantly turn your home into a relaxation haven. It uses ultrasonic vibrations to diffuse and it also plays soothing sounds and glows with a warm relaxing light that helps to calm your nerves.
3. Puzhen Five-Sense Sha Aroma Diffuser – As the name suggests, this diffuser was designed to incorporate all of your senses into the aromatherapy experience. It’s made from a rare purple clay that is aesthetically pleasing and it has 3 LED lights that help set a calming mood. It also has a built in negative ionizer that eliminates positive ions.
4. Casa Aroma Genie Diffuser by Toast Living – Featuring the highest ultrasonic frequency on the market, the Casa Aroma Genie emits 2.5 million ultrasonic vibrations per second while releasing the beautiful scent of essential oils into the air. Since it vibrates at such a high frequency, it also naturally negatively ionizes the oil particles to remove harmful positive ions. It’s very easy to use, just put water in it and add a few drops of your favorite oil and enjoy.
5. Chimney humidifier by Ippinka – Designed to be an equally effective alternative to the usual series of diffusers, this device looks and works quite a bit differently. With a chimney that stands at 43 inches, the Chimney Humidifier ensures that the entire room gets misted and not just the floor. It’s quiet as well since it uses ultrasonic emission and holds 0.5 gallons of water which means that it can mist for hours.

See our full list of the most popular and best aromatherapy diffusers here