Think holistic beauty and the name of Blossom Kochhar would be at the forefront. A pioneer in popularising aromatherapy in India, the chairperson of Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies tells us how to thrive under pressure, and her go-to hacks to stay fresh all the time.

How to keep relaxed and rejuvenated?

The secret to stay fresh and energised throughout the day is aromatherapy and developing a positive attitude in life.

Aromatherapy can pep you up on a slow moving day. In aromatherapy, essential oils are absorbed into the body either through skin massage, bath or inhalation through the nose and these oils work to improve your health and mood. Oils such as lavender are known for reducing anxiety and stress that a person faces in day-to-day life.  

How important is sleep to staying healthy?

Sleep is a vital part of every person’s daily routine and is essential for relaxation. When you sleep, your body and brain re-energise cells, helping in recharging the whole body.

It helps in improving concentration level and in improving overall health. The optimal amount of sleep that an adult needs to function properly is between seven to eight hours. But that doesn’t suit me. I sleep for six-and-a-half to seven hours daily in order to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

How are aromatherapy, a good night’s sleep, and bath rituals connected?

All these are connected as one of their common results is that they energise, refresh and rejuvenate a person. They help to create your perfect restful and calming space.

With good quality of sleep, it’s easier to manage stress in all areas of your life as it makes you feel relaxed. Aromatherapy can lift your mood on a lethargic and dull day. From anxiety to poor sleep, aromatherapy helps in improving health problems as well. Since a refreshing bath ritual is a combination of water and aromatherapy, it can help in uplifting the mind and body.

What’s your everyday ritual to stay fresh?  

Personally, I religiously follow all of these. I believe that lemon or jasmine when used for a bath improves mood, overcomes stress and balances hormones. I follow a very simple yet effective bath ritual and start by wetting my feet first.

For the morning bath regimen, I use jasmine, lemon or rosemary essential oil. It wakes me up well and peps up the mood. For an evening bath, I use lavender oil and salt in the water as it cleanses and makes me feel good. I also use a body scrub instead of soap as it helps in making the skin smooth besides uplifting the mood.

Which essential oils aid in sleeping well? And the oils which are on your bath shelf?

Sleeping well is very essential and I would never want to compromise on a good night’s sleep. Some of the oils recommended for a sound sleep are lavender, enrol, orange blossom, and sandalwood as they have a soothing and calming effect on the mind and body and also prevent and treat stress-related depression.

Yes, I use them quite often to get away from my hectic work life. Some of my favourite oils that are there on my bath shelf include lavender, ylang ylang and jasmine. Lavender oil has anxiety reducing effects and improves sleep quality. Ylang ylang recharges your body, energises it, and helps in fighting fatigue and lethargy. And jasmine oil is a natural remedy for improving depression and reducing anxiety. It also boosts concentration and calms the skin.

Some of your go-to essential oils

* Ylang ylang as it enhances the feel-good factor and promotes relaxation. It is also helpful for people suffering from insomnia and fatigue.

* Lemon as it is known for its refreshing properties in summer. Citrus is a good remedy for rejuvenating tired looking skin thus restoring the lustre of dull skin.

* Orange as it is known for its citrus refreshing properties in winter. Orange essential oil helps and increases the energy and mood.

These oils can be used in bath water, a diffuser or even as a perfume.

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Author(s)

  • Founded in 2016 by Arianna Huffington, Thrive Global is the world’s largest well-being media platform. Since its launch in October 2018, Thrive Global India has received over 40 million visitors. Our media platform Our focus is on well-being and productivity, emphasising real experiences and unique storytelling. Through articles, videos, and podcasts featuring business leaders, scientists, athletes, entertainers and new role models of success, we add a new dimension to the global conversation of wellness. Our stories discuss daily challenges, people’s personal journeys of how they thrive, and recommend solutions to bring purpose and wonder into our worlds. We realise that the struggles of our everyday life—stress, burnout, exhaustion, apathy, technological addiction—can be intimidatingly broad and numerous. And it’s only through lived and shared experiences of people, combined with expert data and science-based solutions, that we can achieve actual, dramatic results that help us live and work well. Our enterprise solutions There is a pervasive belief that burnout is the price we must pay for success, but research has shown it is a delusion. As a matter of fact, by prioritising our well-being, we pave way for a healthier, productive life with enhanced efficiency, decision making and creativity. Through our assessments, corporate workshops, digital engagement solutions and more, we bring to you science-backed well-being and performance-enhancing strategies, proven to help individuals and teams thrive.