Friday, August 12, 2016

Product Review: Aromafloria Muscle Soak Collection & Inhalation Beads

I have been given these products as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. As stated in my product review policy, my reviews will always be honest.

For thousands of years, essential oils and botanical extracts have been used to promote well-being through aromatherapy. I have to admit that I've always been a little bit skeptical, particularly because strong scents usually give me quite a headache! But when I was given the opportunity to review some of Aromafloria's product, I saw that they had a "muscle soak" line that was intended to soothe sore muscles, ease tension, and leave you energized. Several of these products were mineral bath salts - and Epsom salt soaks have become an important part of my pain management routine - so I decided to give them a try.

Aromafloria generously sent me the following products: 

The Muscle Soak products include essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrass - which are all scents that I enjoy in small amounts! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the aroma of the Muscle Soak products was actually quite mild and pleasant - and did not cause any sort of headache for me. Eucalyptus oil is supposed to stimulate the mind, aid concentration, and relieve muscle and joint pain. Peppermint oil is supposed to create a cool, tingling sensation on the skin and have a calming effect on the body, which can also relieve sore muscles. Lemongrass is supposed to energize and tone the skin. My favorite products in the Muscle Soak line were the Mineral Bath Salts and the Bath & Body Massage Oil. 

The Mineral Bath Salts work similar to Epsom salts in that the minerals are absorbed through your skin into your body to help sedate the nervous system and relieve stress - only these salts had the added benefit of the essential oils and pleasant scent. They gave the water a slightly green tinge, but it wasn't unpleasant. And although this may sound strange coming from someone who started out this review by saying that I didn't like strong scents, I honestly wish the scent of these bath salts had been just a little bit stronger. I really like the way eucalyptus smells and I would have liked to have been able to inhale just a bit more of that while relaxing in the tub. But, overall, the Mineral Bath Salts made for a very plesant bath and a nice, relaxing treat.

The Massage Oil is created with special skin nourishing components that are absorbed quickly, and I must say that one of the things I liked best about it was how quickly it absorbed into my skin. The oil was just slippery enough for a nice massage, but didn't leave me feeling like I had rolled in olive oil. In fact, I think it made my skin feel quite soft afterwards. In this case I also wish that the eucalyptus scent might have been just a bit stronger. Also, with the peppermint oil I expected to feel a slight tingling or "icy hot" effect, but I didn't experience anything like that. So, other than to provide a mild, pleasant scent, I'm not positive about the benefits of the essential oils. But on the whole I did really like the quality of the massage oil.

I found the idea of the inhalation beads to be a bit bizarre, to be perfectly honest. The little beads are infused with essential oils, you put a few in a little mesh bag, and then you hold the pouch to your nose and inhale deeply a few times. Just from opening the jar I could tell that the scent of this product was a lot stronger than the other products. I fully expected following the directions to result in a terrible headache, but I gave it a try anyways. I was surprised to discover that inhaling the beads did not trigger a headache - and I found myself wanting to smell them again! It was strangely sort of satisfying to inhale the scent deeply. I ended up having a terrible night sleep after trying the Sleep Ease Inhalation Beads, but that may have been due to other factors and I am actually curious to experiment with the beads a bit more.

I am also impressed by the company's environmentally friendly policies. All the products are manufactured in a USDA Certified Organic facility that is 100% wind powered, and ingredients are sourced from fair trade markets and grown by sustainable growers.  So all in all, I had a lot of fun reviewing these products and look forward to making use of them more in the future!

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