Greenleaves Aromatherapy Workshops and Therapies

19/06/2026

If you came along to this months Aromaclub, you maybe interested in the wonderful Plai v Ginger companion below, courtesy of Jonathon Hinde of Oshadi Oils

Zingiber officinale
Most of us are familiar with Ginger the root, and ginger the essential oil. Both have a warming, stimulating quality, so much so that Ayurveda refers to Ginger as Mahaushadha, or 'great medicine'. It stimulates digestion, and can be used for local application (5-10% in castor or sesame oil) to 'digest' swelling.

Plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.)
Plai is Ginger’s close relative from Thailand, but its character is quite different. Rather than warming, Plai has a cooling quality. It is widely used in Thai medicine for inflammation, pain, and infection, particularly where conditions are chronic or difficult to resolve. Plai is especially valued for skin and joint work, and for situations where detoxification and reduction of heat are needed.

Similarities and differences

Aroma: Ginger is warm, spicy, and softly sweet, while Plai is sharp, camphoraceous, and cooling.

Chemistry: Ginger is rich in sesquiterpenes such as zingiberene, which contribute to its warming and circulatory effects. Plai contains high levels of monoterpenes, including alpha- and beta-phellandrene together with terpinen-4-ol, giving it strong anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial actions.

Effect: Ginger is stimulating and strengthening, supporting digestion, circulation, and cold or sluggish conditions. Plai is cooling and dispersing, often used for inflammation, pain, swelling, chronic skin issues, and detoxification after heavy medication use.

Usage: Ginger is well suited to massage, baths, and diffusion when warmth and movement are needed. Plai is most often used topically, even on sensitive skin, and is commonly chosen for joints, muscles, skin conditions, and inflammatory states.
Plai and Ginger can both be used for muscle and joint support. Where discomfort feels hot, inflamed, or aggravated, Plai is often the better choice. Where coldness, stiffness, or lack of movement is present, Ginger can provide welcome warmth and stimulation.


How to use
Ginger blends well with Cardamom and Peppermint for digestive comfort - great for travelling. For joints and muscles, it can be added to a massage oil with Black Pepper, Rosemary, or Kunzea to support circulation and ease stiffness.

Plai is often used for skincare, especially chronic and difficult conditions. It blends well with Cistus, Myrrh and Geranium. It can also be added to a personal inhaler for a cooling and settling influence.

15/06/2026

For those that know me personally and attend or have attended wellbeing or workshops with me, you know my love and passion for aromatherapy runs through my blood. It is part of me, and always will be.

I love nothing more than to inspire people to try the magic of aromatherapy for themselves. ♥️❤️🙏

14/06/2026

Not long to go to this months Aromagroups .
Suitable for complete beginners, all that’s needed is a curiosity about using essential oils for wellbeing.
2 dates to choose from

Weds 17th 7-9pm Barnard Castle

Saturday 20th 10-12am Spennymoor

All sessions £20 to include your blend you will create.

Please message to book 🌺🌸🙏

14/06/2026

Very interesting study ❤️♥️

A preclinical study evaluated whether bergamot EO could protect against heavy-metal (cadmium, mercury, and lead) induced toxicity caused by oxidative stress in brain cells. Testing bergamot EO on human brain cells in a lab setting showed that the oil reduced damage and the harmful effects of all three heavy metals, with the most pronounced effects seen against cadmium neurotoxicity. This suggests that bergamot EO might be useful in preventing or reducing the brain damage caused by heavy metals (including oxidative stress, which plays a significant role in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease), particularly cadmium.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12024135/

07/06/2026

For those of you that regularly attend my monthly aromatherapy groups, you will hear me mention essential oil constituents, and what we can expect from them, and how this affects how we use them eg furanocuramins are phototoxic, putting up a red flag to using essential oils that contain these on our skin, and then going out in the sun !

We measure the constituents of an essential oil using GCMS, to ensure we have a good quality essential oil.

Explained below from Tisserand Institute:

“GCMS (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) is how we measure the type and amount of constituents in an essential oil. This is where you find out how much of it is linalool, or pinene for example.

A company that doesn't provide this analysis is a red flag. At the worst, they could be trying to hide an adulterated oil. However even with a high quality oil, the GCMS results are useful to the consumer because each batch of essential oil is not identical. Growing conditions, processing, etc all affect the composition from batch to batch, and that different composition can have an effect on the safety as well as the therapuetic effects of the essential oil. So a company showing their GCMS results is doing more than just proving the purity of their product but is also giving you vital information for how to use that oil.”

06/06/2026

Love this account from Johnathon Hinde of Oshadi

Interested in essential oils and travel, join me at one of my June Aromaclubs - see events 🌺🌸🙏

“A story about catching a flight

Last summer I was at an airport approaching the top of an escalator when I was almost knocked off my feet by a woman rushing to catch a flight. It turned out that she had misheard the announcement and thought the flight was about to close. We joined up with her in the next queue and it became obvious that she was in some distress, hyperventilating and on the verge of a panic attack. I offered her an essential oil which I had handy (high altitude organic Lavender as it turned out) and suggested she rub a couple of drops in her hands and inhale deeply. That seemed to calm her down and we went our separate ways. On the flight she happened to be sitting a few rows behind us and we connected again. She told me that she was autistic, and subject to anxiety, but had been astounded by how quickly and completely the Lavender had calmed her down.

This story illustrates that simply smelling an essential oil can be a really quick and simple way to reduce anxiety. This is true for general anxiety, and also for that experienced before a specific event such as a dental appointment or an exam. The most commonly researched oils are Lavender, Orange, Rose, and Bergamot, all of which bring relief, but this doesn't mean they are the only oils to use.

The oils can be diffused in a room as appropriate, or they can be actively sniffed from a personal inhaler stick. It is also possible to obtain (non-transdermal) patches which stick to the skin which emit a small amount of aroma to a very localised area over a period of time. You could even make one by simply attaching a cotton pad with essential oils to your lapel. In a crisis situation, as per the story above, then a quick intense hit will have a good effect, but low doses with intermittent diffusion are recommended for general long-term anxiety.”

05/06/2026

I am grateful to be IFA trained, registered and insured. Much of my CPD is with world recognised experts from Australia, America and Europe.
I endeavour to bring this though in the regular Aromatherapy groups and workshops i regularly run.
🌸🙏🌸

Looking for a qualified aromatherapist you can trust? 🌿

The IFA is part of the PSA Accredited Registers programme — helping you find practitioners who meet independently assessed standards of training, safety, and professionalism.

Whether you’re seeking support for relaxation, wellbeing, or complementary care, you can search our public register to find a verified aromatherapist near you.

🔎 Find a registered practitioner here:
https://ifaroma.org/en_GB/home/public_employers/search-psa-accredited-register

04/06/2026

I was guided to share this today, we are all unique, and have our own paths to follow.
I trust whoever needs to see this will find it. ♥️
I’m also guided to suggest geranium essential oil.
Have a beautiful day all 🌸🌺🙏

03/06/2026

If your going to areas where mosquitoes are rife, you may want to consider trying these blends 🌸🌺☀️