For someone with year-round allergies, August is my worst month. Between the corn pollinating and the hot, dry days alternating with muggy, oppressively hot days, this year has been worst than most. I rely a lot on essential oils and teas to help control my allergies, as I’ve found many OTC and prescription medicines don’t work for me. All the ones they advertise on TV…I’d be better off grabbing a roll of smarties and chowing down. Cheaper and at least I’d get a sugar buzz. Even the pseudophedrine-based medicines, which in my state are kept behind pharmacy counters only work from a placebo-effect for me. So I rely more and more on my neti pot, essential oils and teas.

The good news is that not only do these things help, but that they’re cheaper than medicine and they make me feel like a million bucks. One of the things I love to do is sprinkle a few drops of essential oils in the back of my shower, then step in and enjoy a spa-like experience. My favorites are a mix of lavender and tea tree oils, which not only smell yummy, but also have the added effect of helping pain (lavender) and being anti-viral and anti-bacterial (tea tree oil). My inhaler, a mix of peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus oil, is never far away either. (It’s basically a lip balm that’s designed to be inhaled, or used just below the nostrils so you can smell the essential oils.)

But in the shower we’re presented with an array of fragrances designed for our every need. Want a pick-me-up in the morning? Try a citrus oil blend.

A floral blend, such as gardenia or rose can give you a sensual, luxurious feeling. And for those of us with sinus problems, in addition to the lavender and tea tree oil blend which I enjoy, you could try a peppermint or spearamint oil. Eucalyptus also works well.

Just a few drops will do, so a bottle of oil will last a long time. And your every day shower will turn into an extraordinary experience.