Thankyou for your interest in my new business-Beneficial Blends.
My name is Joanna and I have been developing Beneficial blends as a business venture for the last 12 months. My love of aromatherapy and the use of essential oils for health and wellbeing goes back much further in time since I first discovered a little shop in Leeds called “Id” when I was a Psychology student in 1992. The shop was a treasure trove of crystals and jewellery and smelt heavenly due to the number of essential oils and josh sticks they sold.
I first fell in love with a blend of Melissa oil that was in a small thin dark bottle with a label decorated with a shining sun. I can still remember the effect this discovery had on my mood ,every time I smelt and dabbed the blend onto my wrists and my radiator in halls. It completely took me away to a happy place with no stress about exams or money or anything else. It made me smile and feel more confident. After that I was hooked and started building up a collection of essential oils including Patchouli, Ylang Ylang, Orange and the must have staple of Lavender oil.
Each oil began to reveal to me individual special qualities and I began to appreciate the power of the oils for mind body and spirit. I began to use a combination of oils in my oil burner and to notice how they mixed and complemented each other. I fell in love with a blend of Grapefruit and Peppermint oil, which became my go-to combination to help with cramming and studying for exams and for restoring energy levels after too much sampling of the union bar!
Around the time of my graduation year in 1993 I stumbled across a book by Valerie Anne Worwood called the “Fragrant Pharmacy” which blew me away. It has been my natural bible ever since! I have learnt most of what I know through consulting this book and it has been my inspiration for blending oils for health and wellbeing. I began using oils for physical health from everything from spots, to insect bites, burns, toothache, headaches, rough skin, you name it! I began to understand properly for the first time how therapeutic the oils are and how extra potent when combined. I became conscious of everything that I put on my skin and the medications taken in. This was well ahead of the movement towards conscious ethical and environmentally friendly consumerism that we have today. This was all thanks to one very special lady and Aromatherapist whose love and knowledge of oils was too good not to share. I also purchased another of her books “The Fragrant Mind” a couple of years later which also amazed me as I had had no idea just how psychologically revelant oils could be in helping to maintain wellbeing.
When I became a parent in 1999 I had already amassed quite a collection of oils and boy did they come in useful! What with sleepless nights and exhaustion plus a bit of post-natal depression knocking at the door! I used a spray with lavender in to sanitise the air around the home and used 100% pure lavender oil on all the pillows and mattresses to kill bugs and bacteria. I also used my oil burner a lot for relaxing. I have been so blessed with a healthy daughter (now a young woman at University, how did that happen?). She was awarded 100% attendance certifcates throughout her schooling and college, even being given awards for it. I cant claim that the lavender was responsible for this but Im sure it certainly helped. People can very easily overlook the bacterial busting qualities of essential oils. Lavender for example is anti-biotic, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-septic.
In October 17 last year, I attended a two day pre-start business course with Manchester Metropolitan University. My business idea was to go freelance with my work as a Wellbeing/Life Coach. I currently am employed in such a capacity for a local authority.
However I think the business idea took a bit of a back seat as I was already doing the job and the market seemed to be saturated with coaches claiming to be the most qualified and transformational!
In the mean time I saw an online Aromatherapy Diploma course with the Centre of Excellence and jumped at the chance to sign up. I found the Physiology and Anatomy modules very challenging and remember thinking wow, anyone thinking Aromatherapy is hocus pocus, needs to think again.! Everything I learned, the science behind the the use of the oils, their awesome properties, the history of Aromatherapy and use of plants in medicines, just reinforced my passion in the subject.
The day I received my results online with accompanying tutors message I cried with joy. I received a distinction of 99%.
That moment was a turning point for me. It confirmed what I had known for a long time , which was that my thirst for the subject continues to grow with time and that there is no end to the power of plants.
I also happened to be reading a book called “The Element” by Ken Robinson which empathised that happiness comes from finding something where your passion, natural talents skills and interests combine. I realised that as much as I enjoyed my day job that I needed to share my love and passion for oils in order to find true happiness!
So Benefical Blends began! I started posting on Facebook about the products and blends I was developing and invited all my friends to the page. The response was so wonderful both online and in person. People have tested , bought and shared the bespoke blends I have created. I realised that my main USP is that all my products use only 100% pure essential oils and carriers and nothing else and that they can be tailored to the individual. I have also sourced oils that are vegan, cruelty free and therapeutic grade.
I have just launched my business at the weekend for the first time at a local Wellbeing and Christmas Fair. It was a huge success and I learnt so much from the experience. I have introduced Aromatherapy lockets, car diffusers and lava stone bracelets to my range of blends as well as natural tooth powders. I find I am in my element when conducting individual consultations and recommending oils and products to help people achieve their health and wellbeing goals!
I am so excited to see where this venture takes me and hope that you will invite the power of essential oils into your life so that you and your family can feel the benefits too. Natural really is best!
Much Love and Wellbeing Wishes
Joanna
