DIY Summer Aromatherapy Mood Spray

I don’t know about you, but this lady is ready for summer! Don’t get me wrong. I’m being mindful of these spring days and doing all I can to make the most of them, but there’s just something about summer that I look forward to so much. On those cloudy spring days when I find myself wishing for summer’s sun, I use aromatherapy mood sprays to bring the sunshine to me. 

Aromatherapy mood sprays are a great way to get into a positive frame of mind. They can not only help you to recall some of your best summer memories, but they can even help you be more productive on those summer days when you are stuck inside!

Today, I’d like to share one of my favorite aromatherapy mood spray recipes with you as well as the exact steps I follow to make aromatherapy mood sprays that I use throughout my home. You can make this exact recipe if you want to bring summer feeling into your home as well, or you can tweak it to fit your own needs. 

I’ll share all the details with you below! 

Scents & Memory Recall

Several years ago, I shared how I was trying to create odor prints in my home as a way to establish scent memories in my children when they were little. While aromatherapy mood sprays can be used for this purpose, today’s information is less about using these scented sprays to create links between the scent and a particular memory and more about recalling a past memory.

You see, scent association is known as associative learning which is the process by which an event, item, or scent becomes linked to another because of an individual’s past experiences. 

When you think back on a positive memory, you often remember the colors, scents, and flavors that go along with it. 

For me, the scents of summer come in many forms. The smell of coconut reminds me of vacations at the beach. The smell of conifers and damp soil takes me back to summer camp in the mountains. The smell of burning wood is indicative of a summer bonfire. Even the smell of gasoline triggers the memory of a road trip. 

So, when I find myself longing for summer, you can bet that these scents are incorporated into the aromatherapy mood sprays I use around my home—minus the gasoline scent, that is! I’ve yet to find an essential oil blend that reminds me of that smell!

I go into more detail about the scents of summer and how scents are associated with memories in my most recent article, 5 Aromatherapy Mood Sprays for Summer, over on the Herbal Academy blog. Be sure to check that out if you’re interested in learning more about memory recall through scent.

Now that I’ve got you all geared up for some summer fun, let me share one of my favorite summer essential oil blends with you and walk you through the steps on how to make this aromatherapy mood spray.

Summer Aromatherapy Mood Spray

The summer essential oil blend embodies summer in every way to me. It’s warm, floral, and fresh. Aha! In fact, it literally feels like I’m bringing the outdoors in when I use it. What is better than that when you’re stuck inside, longing to be outdoors?

Summer Days Aromatherapy Mood Spray

Think of summer days gone by—days filled with sunshine, blooming flowers, and fresh breezes with this mood-boosting reminder of summers past. Just a spritz or two is all you need!

Ingredients

• 1-ounce clear glass bottle with spray top
• 1-ounce water or hydrosol
• 5 drops tangerine (Citrus reticulata) essential oil
• 3 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil
• 2 drop lime (Citrus aurantifolia) essential oil
• 2 drop spearmint (Mentha spicata) essential oil
• 48 drops of polysorbate-20 (optional)
• Your choice of plant-based preservative (optional)

Directions

1. Using a small funnel or a glass measuring cup with a pour spout, fill your 1-ounce glass bottle with water or a hydrosol of your choice ¾ of the way full. You can purchase hydrosols online or make a homemade hydrosol. I would recommend using a hydrosol that will blend well with the essential oils in your aromatherapy mood spray, such as tangerine or spearmint.
2. Next, carefully add the essential oils to the liquid. I love Plant Therapy essential oils! They are a family run business, have high-quality essential oils, and have excellent customer service!
3. At this point, you can add in the optional polysorbate-20. This product acts as solubilizer which helps to keep your essential oils and water mixed together making your aromatherapy mood spray a bit safer for you (and any wood surfaces) it may contact. I explain more about polysorbate-20—what it’s made from and why it’s beneficial—over in my Herbal Academy blog post.
4. Once your ingredients are all in your bottle, place the cap on and label the bottle with your blend name. Shake your bottle to combine the ingredients, and let the mixture rest for 24-48 hours so the scents can meld together.
5. You can store your aromatherapy mood spray unrefrigerated for a couple of weeks unless you add a preservative to your spray. If you store your spray in the refrigerator, you may be able to extend the shelf-life to 3-4 weeks. If you choose to skip the preservative as I have in this recipe, it’s a good idea to look at the liquid in the bottle once a week to make sure nothing is floating or growing in the water and that the smell hasn’t changed.

Safety Note: It is always a good idea to research essential oils before using them on yourself or in your home as some essential oils are contraindicated for those who are pregnant, have chronic health conditions or are taking certain medications, and for certain age groups.

Want More Essential Oil Blends for Summer?

I’m sharing four more summer essential oil blends you can use in your next aromatherapy mood spray in my post, 5 Aromatherapy Mood Sprays for Summer, over on the Herbal Academy blog! You’ll find essential oil blends that smell of summer rains, help you feel centered and peaceful, and remind you of fresh-cut grass or the beach coast.

Click here to get these four summer essential oil blends!

Speaking of essential oil blends, did you know that it’s easy to create your own? It is, and I’ll walk you through the steps on how to do it even if you are a complete beginner in my blog post, Blending Essential Oils for Beginners.

Not only will I teach you the basics of blending essential oils, but I’ll give you three blending formulas you can use to formulate your own, well-balanced essential oil blends as well. In addition to that, I’m also giving away a free PDF that features the notes and categories of 24 common essential oils designed to help you get started making your own essential oil blends quickly.

Check it out and learn how to make your own custom essential oil blends today.

Are You Ready For A Summer Mood Boost?

Whether you are longing for the beach or the mountains, for summer gardens or picnics in the meadow, bring the aromas of summer to you with this aromatherapy mood spray.

Share a photo of your summer mood spray blend on Facebook or Instagram along with the mood or memory you associate it with, and tag me @growingupherbal so I can share your summer memories with you!

Love and light,
Meagan