Your Mood: You’ve hit a wall so hard you might never get up Your Solution: Peppermint essential oil Craving caffeine at 11 am? Research from Wheeling Jesuit University suggests that sniffing peppermint essential oil should be your new flagging-energy fix. Sniffing the stimulating essential oil gave participants an edge over peppermint-free folks in terms of both creative thinking and problem solving skills on a standardized test. “Peppermint also helps you retain information,” adds Jade Shutes, AT, a certified aromatherapist and director of education at the East West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies in Raleigh, North Carolina.Try: Tsi-La’s Misaki ($125, tsilaorganics.com) Your Solution: Rose essential oil If deep breathing won’t do the trick (and let’s be honest—during maddening traffic jams, it doesn’t), taking a minute to stop and smell the roses might. That is, rose essential oil. The oil alleviates nervous tension by releasing endorphins from the brain, explains Nicola Salter, a clinical aromatherapist based in Los Angeles, California. And the effects last a good while: According to a study, rose oil not only decreased salivary concentration of cortisol (a marker of stress) in participants before an exam, but it also kept that level low during and after the exam. In contrast, study subjects without the flower’s power had stress levels that rose during and the test and continued to spike after they finished it. Strange Invisible’s Dimanche ($385, ); DSH Perfume’s Rubis Rosé ($55, ) Your Mood: Gridlock has you running late for an important appointment Frontiers in PsychologyTry:strangeinvisible.comdshperfumes.com Your Mood: When the only exercise you feel up to is standing next to the elliptical Your Solution: Cinnamon essential oil Cinnamon kicks up more than just your hot chocolate—it could also give you the boost you need to work your hardest during a sweat session. A study presented at a 2013 Eastern Psychological Association convention found that participants who sniffed cinnamon before getting active rated their workout as easier than those who didn’t smell the spice.Try: Lotus Wei’s Pure Energy Perfume ($45, lotus-wei.myshopify.com) Your Mood: You’ve finally mustered the courage to ask your boss for a raise Your Solution: Ylang-ylang essential oil We’ll call this our “Lean In” scent. After you’ve outlined your argument and visualized that corner office, spritz on some ylang-ylang for an added boost. Research from the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil suggests that the floral scent can help quell nagging anxieties: Study participants reported higher levels of self-worth after smelling ylang ylang essential oil.Try: Osmia Organics’ Teale ($150, osmiaorganics.com); Aftelier’s Palimpsest Eau de Parfum ($180, aftelier.com)Your Mood: You’re in a major emotional funk Your Solution: Clary sage essential oil A study from the journal found that clary sage essential oil has antidepressant-like effects, lowering cortisol levels and sharpening concentration. It’s also traditionally been used in aromatherapy as a potent hormone-balancer. So if menopause is triggering some unfriendly feelings, this is your elixir. Lotus-Wei’s Captivator Energy Mist ($40, ); Juniper Ridge’s Mojave Backpacker Cologne ($60, )Complementary Therapies in MedicineTry:aftelier.comnomaterra.com Phytotherapy ResearchTry:lotus-wei.myshopify.comjuniperridge.comYour Mood: It feels like you’ve put in more than your 40 hours—but it’s only Tuesday Your Solution: Orange essential oil If you’ve been using lavender to relieve stress, it might be time to try bold citrus instead. “Tangerine, sweet orange, grapefruit lemon—these oils have a considerable amount of research backing up their anxiety-relieving properties,” says Shutes. A recent study in the journal , for one, found that orange essential oil induced relaxation by instantly reducing activity in the area of the brain responsible for handling stress, called the prefrontal cortex. Aftelier’s Cacao Eau de Parfum ($180, ); Nomaterra Miami Orange Blossom Roll-On Perfume Oil ($55, ) MORE: 10 Amazing Beauty Tricks With Coconut Oil
