Can you believe summer is already winding down?! Those fun days in the sunshine never last long enough, do they? The end of summer always leads to the beginning of a very hectic and busy daily routine. The school year is approaching for our children and in some cases for us too. The holiday season is creeping into our minds and its approach can even create a lot of extra work at our jobs. After a couple months of fun in the sun it can be hard to get ourselves and our family focused. We want to do our best to set our children up for a successful school year while also maintaining our own concentration on the increasing responsibilities sneaking up on us this time of year. Regardless of the reason, there’s never a bad time to try something new to improve our focus and memory.

The connection between our sense of smell and our brain is a very strong one due to the limbic system which is responsible for our memory, emotions, learning, and motivation. Because our sense of smell is so strong, with over 1000 different receptors, there’s no wonder that our limbic system is easily triggered by memory-scent. This is a very significant phenomenon. Simply smelling an aroma can provoke an image of a time you once had smelled that aroma and with it bring back the memory associated with that scent. If an aroma has that kind of power over our memory, imagine diffusing an essential oil while studying for a big test. Then on the day of the test we inhale that same essential oil right before we take it… it would increase our overall probability of actually recollecting what we had studied. 

Aromatherapy can be a great tool to improve focus, memory, confidence, and energy. Some essential oils do this by stimulating the limbic system, while other essential oils are capable of improving our concentration by removing negative emotions that fog up our minds, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and even lack of sleep. Relinquishing ourselves of the weight negative emotions put on us is a recipe for a confident, energetic and focused life. 

The Following are the Top Essential Oils used for Focus, Memory, Energy, and Motivation.

Rosemary

Rosemary essential oil is known to support memory, improve cognitive functions, and increase blood supply to the brain. It can help prevent the breakdown of a brain chemical called acetylcholine, which is linked to learning, concentration, and memory. 

“There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." - William Shakespear, Hamlet, 1601 

Peppermint

The most popular essential oil people turn to for focus is peppermint. It stimulates the mind, increasing mental clarity, concentration, and memory, while also providing a quick dose of energy. Peppermint essential oil improves cognitive performance by encouraging a part of the limbic system called the hippocampus. This area of the brain is responsible for forming new memories, and engaging our emotions and learning capabilities. 

Lemon

Citrus essential oils are acknowledged for their potential to increase energy and improve our moods. Lemon essential oil invigorates our senses and elevates our state of mind, giving us more stamina to stay concentrated on the task at hand. By removing stress and anxiety, it clears any fog that might be distracting us from what we need to get done. 

Basil

Basil essential oil contains linalool, which gives it the ability to clear mental fog by reducing stress and relaxing the mind and body. It is used to enhance focus and clarity while also decreasing feelings of anxiety. Basil essential oil can reduce memory loss and tension, contributing to a more concentrated and ambitious mindset. 

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus essential oil is useful for balancing mental function and improving clarity. It is known to promote relaxation, and eliminate any stress or anxiety that can be distracting us from our daily lives. There are currently studies being done on using eucalyptus essential oil for Alzheimer’s disease and it has been proving to be effective for treating dementia, insomnia, anxiety, and memory and cognitive functions.  

Other essential oils that can help us stay motivated and focused: Lavender, Cypress, Ginger, Juniper Berry, Frankincense, Helichrysum, Ylang Ylang, Black Pepper, Thyme, Spearmint, and  citrus essential oils. 

We’ve put together some recipes below to aid with focus for you and your whole family. 

For the Kids

The following recipes are meant for children ages 6 and up. Never apply essential oils to a child’s skin until it has been properly diluted. 

Goodnight Bedtime Spray

Sleep is absolutely vital for our children’s brain development and overall moods. An overtired child can actually have cognitive dysfunctions because their brains lapse into a sleep-like brainwave pattern. This causes them to space out, forget things, and lose interest. A good night's rest can increase our little one’s focus and their ability to learn. A consistent bedtime routine is important to follow. Make it a little more fun with this pillow spray. Have your little one help you spray their pillow and around their room before bed. The relaxing essential oil blend in this recipe will encourage a deep sleep.

Ingredients

• 4oz Amber Glass Bottle with Spray Top
• 6 tablespoons of Witch Hazel 
• Distilled Water
• 6 drops of Lavender essential oil
• 3 drops of Juniper Berry essential oil
• 3 drops of Vetiver essential oil

Directions: Add essential oils and witch hazel to your 4oz glass bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle up with distilled water. Attach the spray top and shake until all the ingredients are well combined. Store in a dark, cool location out of reach from children and pets. Shake well before each use, separation is normal. 

Homework Diffuser Blend

Homework is hard for our children. Usually they've already spent most of their day absorbing tons of information from their teachers and when they’re done with their lessons, they want to play! Not do MORE work. Who can blame them? Creating a fun homework space and diffusing some pretty aromas might peak their interest. Plus, this blend is made of essential oils that will stimulate our children's minds and keep them focused and energized. 

• 2 drops of Peppermint essential oil
• 2 drops of Frankincense essential oil
• 2 drops of Sweet Orange essential oil

Diffuse this blend intermittently while your child is doing their homework to improve focus. Place the diffuser at a safe distance and out of reach from children. This blend is created with a 200ml ultrasonic diffuser in mind. If your diffuser is a different size adjust the number of drops accordingly. It is important to use the right number of drops especially when diffusing around children. 

Immunity Booster Roller Bottle

Our children getting sick is a constant worry. With everything else on our plates, a sick little one is the last thing we need. A healthy diet, exercise, and the right amount of sleep is the perfect regime for a strong immune system. Essential oils can add an extra boost to our children’s immune system as well. The recipe below is made of essential oils that contain immune function balancing properties. Apply this recipe before bed onto the bottom of your child’s feet and then put on socks, to keep the oil contained. 

Ingredients

• 10ml Amber Glass Roll On Bottle
• 1 ½  teaspoons of Sweet Almond oil  (or carrier oil of your choice)
• 1 drop of Cypress essential oil
• 1 drop of Lavender essential oil
• 1 drop of Lemon essential oil
• 1 drop of Tea Tree essential oil

Directions: Add the essential oils to the roller bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle up to the neck with the almond oil. Attach the roller top and shake well until ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Store in a dark, cool location out of reach from children and pets. Shake well before each use, separation is normal. 

For the Teens

The following recipes are meant for children ages 10 and up. Never apply essential oils topically with diluting them first. 

Study Diffuser Blend

Teens have a lot on their minds, and those thoughts can cause a huge distraction when it comes to studying. Good studying habits need to be learned. Introducing a diffuser blend to help them focus can be a cool and fun way to start creating a healthy study space and regime. This blend of essential oils increases energy, clears brain fog, and can even evoke a positive mood. 

• 4 drops Grapefruit essential oil
• 2 drops of Rosemary essential oil
• 2 drops of Peppermint essential oil
• 1 drop of Vetiver essential oil

Diffuse this blend intermittently while your teen is studying. This blend is created with a 200ml ultrasonic diffuser in mind. If your diffuser is a different size adjust the number of drops accordingly. It is important to use the right number of drops. 

Confidence Roller Bottle

Lack of confidence can cause our teens to be unsuccessful in school. The fear, self-doubt, and negativity can make them too insecure to do the best they can. It's important to check in with our teens and continue to encourage them as best we can. Presenting them with a roller bottle recipe that contains a blend of essential oils, meant to increase self assurance and evoke a positive outlook, could be a good way to help if they're not opening up to us. Let your teen know to apply this blend on their wrists and rub them in whenever they need a confidence boost. 

Ingredients

• 10ml Amber Glass Roller Bottle
• 1 ½  teaspoons of Fractionated Coconut oil  (or carrier oil of your choice)
• 2 drops Bergamot essential oil
• 2 drops Frankincense essential oil
• 1 drop of Ylang Ylang essential oil

Directions: Add the essential oils to the roller bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle up to the neck with the fractionated coconut oil. Attach the roller top and shake well until ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Shake well before each use, separation is normal. 

Acne Nighttime Face Serum

One thing that can cause our teenagers a huge lack of confidence and a lot of distraction is ACNE. It’s natural for teens to have intense breakouts on their faces, and that doesn’t make anyone feel very excited to learn or be around others. Help them out by making this all natural facial serum to help reduce acne and fight breakouts. This blend of essential oils isn’t only cleansing for the skin, but the aroma will help induce a good night’s sleep. Have your teen wash their face thoroughly, then gently massage a few drops of this serum onto their face right before bed.  

Ingredients: 

• 2oz Amber Glass Bottle with Dropper Top
• 2 ½ tablespoons of Jojoba oil  (or carrier oil of your choice)
• 4 drops of Chamomile essential oil
• 3 drops of Cedarwood essential oil
• 2 drops of Tea Tree essential oil

Directions: Add all of the ingredients to a 2oz glass bottle. Attach the dropper top and shake well. Store in a dark, cool location out of reach from children and pets. Shake well before each use, separation is normal.

For Us

The following recipes are meant for adults ages 18 and up. Do not use these recipes on children. 

Memory Roller Bottle

It’s a lot easier to recall a memory when one of our senses are attached to it, especially smell and emotions. Using this memory roller bottle during times you need to retain the information or situation presented to you will evoke them in the future when you smell the aroma of this blend again. The essential oils used also stimulate and energize the mind, providing clarity. Apply this blend on your pulse points during times you need to remember.  

Ingredients:

• 10ml Amber Glass Roller Bottle
• 1 ½  teaspoons of Sweet Almond Oil  (or carrier oil of your choice)
• 3 drops of Sweet Orange essential oil
• 2 drops of Rosemary essential oil
• 1 drop of Eucalyptus essential oil

Directions: Add the essential oils to the roller bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle up to the neck with the almond oil. Attach the roller top and shake well until ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Store in a dark, cool location out of reach from children and pets. Shake well before each use, separation is normal. 

Stress Relief Bath Oil

Stress can cause us to feel tired and irritable, which leads to a foggy, unfocused mind. Taking a hot bath has always been an effective way to relax and relieve some tension. Using this bath oil can add a spa-like feeling that will melt all of your worries away. It contains oils that balance emotions, relax the body, and ease tight muscles caused by stress.  Add about 1 tablespoon of this recipe to your full bath in the evening. Swirl it around to mix it, then sink into the relaxation. Be careful getting out, the tub may be slippery from the oils. 

Ingredients:

• 2oz Amber Glass Bottle
• 3 ½ Tablespoons of Jojoba oil  (or carrier oil of your choice)
• 9 drops of Frankincense essential oil
• 9 drops of Clary Sage essential oil (If pregnant, substitute with Lavender. Clary Sage is not safe to use while pregnant)
• 6 drops of Bergamot essential oil

Directions: Add all of the ingredients to a 2oz glass bottle. Attach the cap and shake well until thoroughly combined. Store in a dark, cool location out of reach from children and pets. Shake before each use, separation is natural. 

Energy Perfume

Energy… we could all use a little more of that sometimes, right? Feeling tired distracts us and makes us forgetful, but with all of our responsibilities it can be hard to get the proper rest we need. Before you reach for a second cup of coffee try creating this perfume blend. It contains the essential oils best suited to stimulate our minds and our senses, waking us up and allowing us to face the day with an umph! Apply this perfume to wrists and neck anytime of the day for a beautifully invigorating boost of energy. 

Ingredients:

• 10ml Amber Glass Roller Bottle
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Fractionated Coconut oil (or carrier oil of your choice)
• 4 drops of Grapefruit essential oil
• 2 drops of Rosemary essential oil
• 2 drops of Palmarosa essential oil

Directions: Add the essential oils to the roller bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle up to the neck with the fractionated coconut oil. Attach the roller top and shake well until ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Store in a dark, cool location out of reach from children and pets. Shake well before each use, separation is normal. 

***Skin sensitivity may occur. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be diluted before applying directly to the skin. Keep essential oils out of reach from children. If pregnant or breastfeeding please ask your doctor before use. If you or your child experience any pain, discomfort, coughing, redness, swelling, irritation, etc. stop use immediately and seek medical attention.