Tea & Talk: Aromatherapist Shireen

Christmas is in exactly two weeks, so I thought it would be nice to give myself and of course you, my lovely readers, a pre-Christmas present! Yay! I'm very excited to announce that my wonderful aromatherapy teacher Shireen Calucin has agreed to sit down and share some of her vast knowledge with me.

Shireen is an internationally qualified holistic aromatherapist and tutor specializing in prescriptive blending for skincare, natural perfumery and animal care. She has not only been teaching students like me for over 10 years at the Asia-Pacific Aromatherapy school here in Hong Kong, but also successfully runs her own holistic company that specializes in personal consultations, custom blend aromatherapy products for people and pets as well as private workshops and classes on holistic skincare and natural perfumery. I just love her mission statement: "Earth Girl Creations’ mission is to help promote higher levels of consciousness in the world by providing 100 per cent natural personal care solutions that will promote inner peace and contentment and enhance the physical, emotional and spiritual well being of our clients." Isn't that just beautiful?

Today we talk about her top health tips and what's always in her aromatherapy emergency kit:

1. What are your top 5 tips for staying healthy?

1. Do what you love in terms of exercise. I hate the gyms but love dancing

2. Drink lots of water

3. Enjoy your food

4. Get enough sleep and

5. Surround yourself with positive people


2. What made you become an aromatherapist? 

Through a personal loss and that this is a craft for life in which you can combine plant medicine, natural healing scent, body work, and your own personal experience from your life/work to help others.


3. Your most memorable experience with a client?

There are many but one in which my client had very bad eczema and nothing seemed to ease the itching and scarring. After applying my essential oil blends over a 3 month period the eczema subsided. A whole person approach was needed as skin conditions are a reflection of a person’s inner life.


4. Your favorite oil blend for winter?

Ginger, Cardamon and Mandarin. You have a root oil, a seed oil and a citrus oil which from an energetic approach has a very stabilizing effect on the body especially when blended into a body oil and applied on a regular basis.


5. Your top 5 products you can't live without?

1. My own creations Earth Girl’s – Rose anti-aging face oil and Rose face serum

2. Good coffee

3. Green tea

4. Vitamin C

6. What's always in your aromatherapy emergency kit?

Lavender, Vetiver, Eucalyptus, a small bottle of Arnica oil and Rose hydrosol


7. Your favorite treat or guilty pleasure?

Chocolate in any form, extra sleep and reading in bed


8. What's your single most valued health tip you wish you knew 10 years ago?

Regular acupuncture to boost the immune system, rest when you are tired and learn to say "No" to demands that over-tax your body and spirit. Enjoy solitude and stillness to balance the chaos in life and most importantly love yourself.