Ahh, summer. It's more than a season: it's a feeling, a memory, and an experience we wish could last all year long. Given that smell is closely tied to memory and emotion, it makes sense to use aromatherapy to bring the joyful, carefree feeling of summer inside your home or office. Use your favorite summer scents to evoke memories of your happiest summers as you create new summer memories with your friends and family—and maybe continue to use them throughout the fall and winter when you want to be reminded of your favorite season!

If you want to feel energized for a fun-filled day at the park or a long hike in the mountains—or to relax after returning home from such an adventure—here are four aromatherapy essential oils you'll want to have on hand this summer.

Zest for Life

The name says it all, and this signature scent calls upon one of the most summery smells out there: citrus. Fresh lemon peel, lemongrass, and sparkling lime combine to create a classic aromatherapy oil that refreshes and energizes—perfect for helping you wake up and get ready to go on a bright summer morning.

• Lemon: Lemon oil has long been known to boost your mood and promote alertness and mental clarity. It has also been shown to reduce anxiety.

• Lemongrass: Not only does lemongrass have antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, it has a soothing effect on the nervous system and may reduce anxiety. 

• Lime: Like its citrus cousins, lime is uplifting and energizing. 

Zest for Life is perfect for diffusing first thing in the morning: simply add a few drops of the oil to your favorite diffuser and breathe deeply as you prepare for your day. If you fall into a mid-afternoon slump while at work, diffuse it at your office or, if that's not an option, simply open the bottle and take a few deep inhales. 

Asian Vanilla

The flowers are blooming inside and out! Asian Vanilla features coconut, white jasmine, sandalwood, musk, and heliotrope in addition to vanilla and Oriental floral notes. The luscious sweet smell of jasmine is reason enough to add this oil to your diffuser, but the benefits of jasmine are a bonus. This study indicated that jasmine promotes alertness, relieves depression, and boosts mood. And there's even more to this Asian Vanilla essential oil than that!

• Sandalwood: It's popular for a reason: it can reduce anxiety and irritability and improve memory and concentration. 

• Heliotrope: It smells so good, it's often used in traditional perfumes; its lovely scent also soothes and calms.

• Vanilla: Familiar and sweet, the scent of vanilla promotes calm and relaxation.

This is a wonderful diffuser fragrance oil to bring the smells of summer into your home all day long. Use it while reading a good book or unwinding with your family before dinner. Using a nebulizing essential oil diffuser will help you maintain the potency of the oil as you diffuse it. 

Citrusy Musk

With sparkling citrus, green leaves, tea, honeysuckle, musk, amber, and the always-loved jasmine, Citrusy Musk is a relaxing, joyful scent reminiscent of white tea. 

• Honeysuckle: This plant is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In addition to its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, honeysuckle is known to help reduce stress and promote relaxation.

• Musk: Musk has a wide variety of uses and benefits, including stress reduction.

• Amber: Great for easing depression and anxiety, amber also has a lovely scent that makes it perfect as a diffuser essential oil on its own and in combination with other oils.

Citrusy Musk brings together several of the best relaxing, mood-boosting essential oils to create a unique diffuser oil for regular use. With so many summer smells lingering in the air, you'll return to this blend all summer long.

Calming Aromatherapy Mist

Whether you have a house full of guests or you're relaxing at home by yourself in the evening, this Calming Mist is perfect to help you unwind at the end of the day. This special combination promotes calm and peace of mind. 

• Lavender: This is one of the most all-around beneficial essential oils out there! In this blend, we love it for its ability to ease anxiety and promote high-quality sleep.

• Rosemary: Though rosemary is probably most familiar to you as a cooking ingredient, rosemary essential oil has a variety of uses. It has been shown to decrease cortisol (as does the scent of lavender), improve concentration, enhance memory, and reduce stress—the perfect addition to this Calming Mist. 

• Orange: Like other citrus scents, orange essential oil can help reduce anxiety and stress.

• Bergamot: This citrus scent can help ease depression and anxiety and may even help ease pain.

This powerful combination of essential oils creates the ultimate Calming Mist. Spritz it in your living room while watching a movie or enjoying a glass of wine, or use it in your bedroom as you prepare for a good night's sleep.

The best part of an aromatherapy mist is that it can go anywhere with you. Your diffuser has to stay at home, but the mist spray bottle fits in your purse, backpack, or briefcase. You can leave a bottle in each room of your house, at your office, or in the car. Spray it any time you're feeling a little nervous, anxious, or frustrated, and enjoy the calming effects of this sweet-smelling blend. You can also spritz it on sheets or linens for an instant refresh.

Essential oils are such a simple way to enhance your life in general. Turn on your diffuser, breathe deeply near the open bottle, or spray the mist into the room to benefit from each oil's unique qualities. Whether you're looking to perk up, calm down, maintain your health, promote peace of mind, or simply be surrounded by the smells of summer, there's an oil or a blend to help you do it. Start with these four summer essentials.

If you have any questions about essential oils and their benefits or how to use them, please contact us!