Strands Hair & Skin Treatment Centre

Home

When Strands entered the aromatherapy realm in the mid-1990’s, few people in North America even knew the term. Now everyone’s doing it, but now it’s buyer-beware: there are a lot of so-called experts using essential oils without knowing enough about them or using diluted, cheaply-produced versions of the real thing

At Strands aromatherapy is used in deep conditioning treatments and facials; skin and hair care products. But the key to it all is the individual. Aromatherapy must be tailored to the person: there’s no such thing as one size fits all.

Plus, our essential oils are the best. Lavender from France. Tea tree oil from Australia. Sandalwood from India. We buy oils grown naturally and without pesticides whenever possible.

True essential oils are pure and, as the name suggests, the "essence" of the flower or plant. Which means that by definition they’re going to be expensive; since they’re difficult to make. But, used appropriately, they go a long way. Anyone who sells you a bottle of lavender for five dollars is "watering" it down with a carrier oil.

Strand also carries books on aromatherapy and you can also ask for our own brochure, outlining essential oils and their uses.

Strands stays up-to-date on aromatherapy. Urs attended the 1999 International Aromatherapists and Tutors Association Conference in Toronto. There he hung out with a like-minded aromatherapy practitioners. This group isn’t too keen on some of the outrageous claims being made for aromatherapy. "Sure, there’s a lot of value in it," says Urs, "but it can’t cure everything." As a complementary therapy essential oils help with many conditions and also help to reduce stress, pep you up, or soothe. Some essential oils are anti-bacterial, others can help with skin and scalp problems. Plus, best of all, essential oils are pure, they’re natural, and, usually, they smell good.

AROMATHERAPY TIPS

The Cost
of Essential Oils
Essential oils vary in price for a number of reasons. The cost depends on the particular plant, the extraction method, how widely the plant is grown, how much demand there is for the oil, how much essential oil the plant yields and even whether the plant is organically grown.

Some simple recipes for making everything from bath oils to scented papers.