Ready to discover the diverse power of scent? Suzanne unlocks some of the mysteries of aromatherapy below.
Aromatherapist, author & perfumer
Based in Australia, Suzanne has been an aromatherapist for almost 30 years. She’s written an aromatherapy book, Revelation! Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils, and has spent her life devoted to bodywork, energetic healing and massage.
With perfumes correlating with her book, she says that, as challenging as writing and creating perfumes was the first time around, she’s at it again. She’s currently reformulating her perfumes and has begun a brand-new project.
Blame it on bergamot
Suzanne’s introduction to essential oils took place in the early 1990s. Remembering the experience, Suzanne says, “I bought a bottle of bergamot, and that little bottle of oil hooked me into a way of life.” She immediately started a Diploma of Aromatherapy in Sydney.
Keeping essential oils close
Suzanne has a vaporiser at home and says she simply grabs bottles of oils from her cupboard and leaves them where it’s easy to find them. “I change the combination about once a week,” she says. She also makes body oil blends in 50 ml bottles, which she uses on her face too, as well as aromatherapy creams.
“Essentials are never far from my reach,” says Suzanne. “I always have a roll-on perfume in my bag and love using it in my hair as well as my skin.”
Quintessential combinations
Suzanne says she’s lucky that her massage therapist is also an aromatherapist because this means her treatments involve special blends created just for her. She also highly recommends using essential oils as part of a meditation practice, as long as the scent is not too strong, and loves adding oils to magnesium salt baths.
No room for favourites
We asked Suzanne if she had any favourite essential oils, and she said choosing just one is difficult because there are so many amazing options!
She did admit to having a soft spot for neroli and petitgrain, however, explaining that it reminded her of her grandmother. “Bittersweet citrus oils appeal to me.”
The problem with misinformation
When pressed for advice, Suzanne said that the biggest problem in aromatherapy today is the amount of misinformation online. She’s horrified by how many people are ingesting essential oils and says the only way to root out this kind of false information is to learn about aromatherapy every way you can.
Suzanne also particularly urges everyone who uses, or wants to use, essential oils to make sure they know the difference between fragrant oils and essential oils. Fragrant oils are cheap and synthetic, and educating yourself about quality is key.
Tips for newbies
When we asked Suzanne what advice she had for people just beginning their aromatherapy journey, she advises:
- Take your time.
- Build your essential oil collection up slowly, learning about each new oil before you move on to the next one.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment.
- Try different combinations of oils until you hit on something you like.
- Always have lavender oil! It’s the foundation of aromatherapy and an oil you’ll always use.
- Let your intuition guide you as you process each scent.
- Maintain high safety standards and wash your hands frequently.
She added that no one should ever skip the testing process, especially in the heat of excitement about creating a one-of-a-kind gift for a loved one.
The future looks bright
Suzanne is delighted about the increase in aromatherapy conferences because it proves that practitioners are engaging with one another. She says that conventions like Aromatica, Botanica and those held by the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy are a wonderful showcase.
A bountiful gift
Suzanne feels that essential oils are a gift from nature that can go a long way towards reconnecting with the world around us. They can also form a bridge between our minds and souls and are thus potentially very powerful tools of transformation.
“These wonderful aromatic extracts can also help us improve our intuition and, in turn, facilitate the evolution of humanity,” she says. “Allow the power of scent to show you the way.”
Be inspired by Suzanne
It’s safe to say that essential oils mean a lot to Suzanne Banks. Her ever-growing range of perfumes and her skill in harnessing the benefits of nature are evident in everything she does, and she’s passionate about introducing the world to the power of essential oils.
If Suzanne has inspired you to give essential oils a try, be sure to explore Volant’s range of 100% organic, all-natural products. You can start with the oils Suzanne suggests and go from there. Who knows? In time, you may even end up creating your own perfumes!
