Confession: I went over my friends house and she was telling me how her hair had been really brittle lately. I know I'd read before that you can put raw egg in your hair as a conditioner to make your hair soft and shiny.  So after shampooing, we cracked two eggs, mixed them around with our fingers to break up the yolks, and let them sit in her hair for a while. Then we rinsed them out. The egg treatment didn't help though. Turns out, her water pressure was low and that's what was causing her brittle hair.

Sept. and Oct. are pomegranate, apple, and pumpkin season in the South. I love to smell these fresh aromas during the season because they remind me of the time of year when we get cooler temperatures and the upcoming holidays.

Aromatherapy works on the premise that scents can be linked to memories, and memories can trigger emotions.  For instance, the smell of candy apples might remind you of going trick-or-treating.  If trick-or-treating is a good memory for you (dressing up in costumes, getting sacks of candy, sharing with friends), then that scent eventually leads to you having happy and upbeat feelings. 

Well, according to Medicinenet.com, the way your house smells can affect your emotions. If your home smells nice, it can bring about a positive effect on your mood. To bring the scents of the season into your home, you could make a table scape of fresh apples, gourds,   and pomegranates.  You could also bake delicious and aromatic treats using apples, pumpkins, pomegranates and such.  I like to burn candles that have pleasant fragrances. The scent from candles is just enough to waft through my home and create a very welcoming and warming environment. If you're wary of burning candles because you have curious pets or children, then you can try  Gold Canyon's pod warmers. They create the same effect, but without the flame and come in seasonal scents including: apple orchard, autumn walk, and cobbler on the porch.  The warmer is about $30 and the pods are about $6 each. 

Here are a few scents and the benefit they are said to have (from Aura Cacia) :

Allspice Berry - The oil has a warm, spicy-sweet aroma. It is used in spicy or masculine scents. It combines well with orange, ginger, patchouli and all of the spice oils including cinnamon, cassia and clove. Aromatherapy benefits: warming, cheering, comforting, nurturing

Cedarwood, Red- Red cedarwood essential oil actually comes from a type of juniper known as Juniperus virginiana, whose common name is eastern red cedar. The balsamic-woody aroma of cedarwood oil evokes a feeling of inner strength and centeredness. It is quite useful in times of emotional stress and anxiety to overcome feelings of powerlessness.

Cinnamon Bark - Also known as Ceylon cinnamon, this is the true cinnamon of world commerce. Its aroma is similar to cassia, or Chinese cinnamon. The aroma of Ceylon cinnamon is preferred to cassia for perfume where it gives a warm, floral-enhancing effect. Cinnamon oil blends well with oriental-woody notes and is often combined with frankincense. It is a skin irritant and should be handled with care. Aromatherapy benefits: comforting, warming.

Nutmeg - Nutmeg oil is distilled from whole, dried nutmegs that have been cut into small particles and pressed to remove the fixed oil, also known as nutmeg butter. The oil has the characteristic aromatic, volatile, oily-spicy fragrance of whole nutmegs. Nutmeg oil is a component in men's fragrances and spicy perfumes. Aromatherapy benefits: rejuvenating, uplifting, energizing.

Peppermint - Peppermint has a powerful, sweet, menthol aroma which, when inhaled undiluted, can make the eyes water and the sinuses tingle. Aromatherapy benefits: vitalizing, refreshing, cooling