{keeping cool}

Well, hello summer, you didn’t need to hit us over the head! Today is a “delightful” little taster of what’s to come, isn’t it? I’ve got the fan going inside while Master14 and I finish up his school day, and the three smalls are just outside the back door in the blow up pool under the shade sail.

Over summer, one of my favourite little tricks for a hot day is my cooling spritzer. In a 30mL spray bottle, I start with 20 drops of peppermint oil, and from there, it’s often a flexible combination depending on what I am using it.

The combo on the left I used for a nasty case of man flu – that one was 20 drops of peppermint, 10 of frankincense for it’s systemic benefits, and 5 of citrus bliss to help give the patient a bit of a pick me up. The combo on the right is a particular favourite for after outdoor activities – 20 drops of peppermint, 5 drops of wild orange, and 1 drop of basil. It is designed to pack a bit of a mojo boost punch along with the cooling effect.

Of course, with pool weather, comes sunkissed shoulders! For this targeted cooling spray, I start with the same 20 drops of peppermint, and then add 20 of lavender, 10 of frankincense and 10 of tea tree, to help nourish those pink-tinged areas.

Once in the habit of mixing up the sprays, it’s really easy to customise your mix to suit your needs and preferred aromatic profile. There’s no reason you couldn’t include an oil just because you like the smell. If your little people tend to be a little bit delicate in the heat, you could add Adaptiv, or your favourite calming oil. You could load it with your fave sleepy oils, and halve the peppermint, and use it on the nights where it’s stifling and sleep is elusive.

If you are a fellow cooling spray devotee, I would love to know what your favourite combos are, and what are your must-have inclusions!