Your feet takes a pounding everyday (especially in those killer heels), so set aside some time and pamper them this long weekend. 

• Fill a large bucket with hot water.
• Mix 1 tbsp of cold pressed coconut oil with 5 tbsp epsom salt and 3 drops of your favourite essential oil. I would personally recommend spearmint or a fine lavender.
• Add oil and salt mix to the hot water.  Flower petals, dried herbs and citrus peel  optional.
• Now lean back in your favourite chair with a book  or watch some telly while you soak your feet for at least 15 minutes. 

Magnesium in epsom salt is detoxifying and helps you relax, coconut oil softens the skin and eucalyptus is utterly refreshing! After you're done soaking, towel your feet dry and apply a nourishing foot cream or balm. 

Genuine Floral Water do not have the same aroma as the essential oil with which they are produced because the concentrate of molecules are "water-loving" (hence naturally dissolved) instead of "fat-loving". Floral Water also tend to have a relatively short shelf life of up to a year when they are pure and do not contain preservatives. It is therefore pointless to stock up. The best way to use Floral Water is to spray it as a facial mist. If the content turns cloudy, throw it away as bacteria are growing in it.

Most commercial Floral Hydrosols contain preservatives, palm glycerin, acetone (yes, the same stuff in your nail polish remover) and alcohol (even in small amount and you can't smell it). There are also expensive Floral Hydrosols and Face Mist advertised for skin care but made up of entirely water with a little essential oil added to it along with a dispersal agent such as clay, talc or magnesium, then coloured or filtered with chemical solvent for clarity. Artificial fragrances are often in order to create an aroma similar to the essential oil from the same flower or plant. 

It is terribly important to be vigilant and read labels carefully. Always look out for the Latin botanical name, country of origin and presence or absence of preservatives and foreign additives. 

Here are 5 ways to tell if an essential oil is pure. This does not include resins (frankincense, amyris) and absolutes (rose, jasmine, carnation).
 
1.  NO GREASE FEELING ON THE SKIN
Pure essential oil gets absorbed within a minute when applied onto the skin. To test, rub a drop of essential oil between your thumb and index finger, if it leaves a greasy film behind, you know it has been mixed.
 
2. NO STAIN, DISAPPEAR ON A SHEET OF WHITE PAPER
100% pure essential oil are naturally volatile and will evaporate, leaving no greasy stain, no residue.
 
3. DOES NOT DISSOLVE IN WATER
Unless the essential oil has been produced cheaply for cosmetic purposes, pure essential oil will not float on top of water. The liquid in a plastic bottle you are buying for your air purifier is also mixed with chemicals. If you are running an aromatherapy bath, mix your essential oils with Epsom salt or a cup of milk and dispense gradually into running water.
 
4. NO STRANGE ODOUR
The essential oil that you've bought should not smell funky or alcoholic. Ethyl alcohol is very commonly used and often the reason why some of us get a headache with a whiff of fragrance (especially perfume). Essential oil that are diluted (knowingly and unknowingly) with base oil gone rancid will also produce an "off" smell.
 
5. FRAGRANCE OILS ARE NOT ESSENTIAL OILS
When shopping for essential oil, note that fragrance oil, aromatherapy oil, aroma essence and perfume oil are not pure essential oil. They are usually a combination of essential oils and chemicals or entirely chemicals. Be wary of essential oil sold in plastic or clear glass bottles.
 
Ultimately, it is important to use an essential oil that is pure, natural and wholesome. You should not have to play guinea pigs to unethical merchants. Avoid buying essential oils from businesses that do not provide the botanical Latin name (which in the case of lavender, will tell you which part of the plant the oil is distilled from), country of origin or method of extraction. Now that you are suitably informed, are you ready to put your essential oils to the test?