DIY Zodiac Yoga Mat Spray with Essential Oils
This DIY Yoga Mat Spray is equally powerful and aromatically delightful. Made with rubbing alcohol (or high proof vodka), witch hazel and essential oils. Plus a guide to scents for each Zodiac sign!
Between yoga, strength training, meditation, deep relaxation and online fitness classes I’m on my yoga mat 7 days a week. That’s a whole lot of exposure to my mat surface! So I asked myself: what do I need to do to feel good about rubbing my whole body across a rubber surface regularly?
The answer: an effective clean, a non-toxic formulation and a scent that feels like home.
I whipped up this blend for myself using simple ingredients and Mountain Rose Herbs essential oils. I specifically love their oils because they’re made sustainably in small batches with certified Organic herbs. They offer a vast selection of essential oils. And the price point is amazing because they skip the middle man and work directly with producers.
Below you’ll find my base recipe for the yoga mat cleaning spray I personally use and love.
I make a 16oz batch for home use, then I’ll siphon off a bit into a small bottle with a mister top for on-the-go. This blend doubles as a hand sanitizer too!
Since scent is such a personal experience, I’ve put together a list of scent recommendations for each Zodiac sign below the “base recipe.” I grew up loving astrology (my mom is a hobby astrologer!). So I hope you enjoy the ideas I’ve come up with!
Yoga Mat Cleaning Spray Base Recipe
Time: 2-5 minutes - Makes: 16oz (2 liquid cups)
Ingredients
8 oz rubbing alcohol or vodka / moonshine (minimum 80 proof)
4 oz witch hazel
4 oz distilled water
5 drops essential oil #1
5 drops essential oil #2
10 drops tea tree oil
Method
In your glass bottle, combine all ingredients: alcohol, witch hazel, water, essential oils. Shake before use. Store away from light to preserve quality of essential oils.
To use: After practice spray down your mat, leaving the solution on for 30 seconds and then wiping down with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Notes
Normally I would dilute this mixture as it’s quite strong — however in light of Coronavirus a stronger solution is necessary to kill viruses.
Essential oils #1 and #2 can be whatever you like. I personally like to combine a “top note” scent with a “middle note” or “base note” scent. For example, you could combine rose with frankincense OR lavender with sandalwood. Check out Mountain Rose Herbs guide to combining scents here.
This solution should be used relatively quickly for the essential oils to remain potent. Essential oils degrade in solutions with water. I usually use mine up within 3 weeks.
This is a strong solution designed to disinfect, killing both germs and viruses. You MUST use an alcohol solution with at least 80 proof in order to kill viruses on surfaces.
The alcohol odor lasts for around 30 minutes and fades. I usually spray my mat after use (not before) for this reason.
Zodiac Sign Essential Oil Combos
First off, if you don’t know your Sun sign get a free birth chart from CoStar here. Take note of your moon and rising as well.
Once you know your sun, moon and rising signs, let’s establish the basics.
Your sun sign is your “core self.”
Your rising sign is your “mask” — it’s how people perceive you at first glance. It’s especially pronounced in childhood.
Your moon sign is your emotional self.
Personality traits of your sun sign are modified by all of the other signs (planets) in your natal chart. So no two people are exactly the same.
Aries, Leo, Sagitarrius are fire signs. They’re typically seen as fiery, expressive, energetic, friendly, adventurous and bright.
Virgo, Capricorn, Taurus are earth signs. They’re typically seen as grounded, gentle, sensual, intellectual and ambitious (each in their own ways).
Cancer, Pisces, Scorpio are water signs. They’re typically seen as intuitive, creative, dreamy, sensitive and intense.
Aquarius, Gemini, Libra are air signs. They’re typically seen as forward-thinking, intellectual, inspired, idealistic and romantic.
Theoretically life style factors can either amplify, aggravate or balance core aspects of your natal chart. Today we’re playing with how different essential oils can be balancing for your Sun sign. I’ve chosen essential oils that soothe common struggles for each sign — so we can find a bit more peace on the mat.
For each sign I’ve suggested a PRIMARY essential oil that I’d highly recommend trying out in your Yoga Mat Spray. Plus 2-3 SECONDARY essential oil suggestions that pair nicely with the PRIMARY — both scent-wise and quality-wise.
For your yoga mat spray I’d suggest either choosing to use 10 drops of your primary essential oil OR 5 drops each of two essential oils. Of course, play around to your hearts content! Because this spray is concentrated I’ll usually do even more essential oils, up to 20 drops plus 10 drops tea tree — I like my mat to have an obvious scent once the alcohol has evaporated.
Once you’ve explored the suggestions for your sun sign check out the suggestions for your rising and moon signs. Those aspects of your natal chart might be in need of some aroma-therapeutic love too.
Personally: as a sun Virgo myself I tend to make a mat spray that’s 5-10 drops frankincense, 2 drops rose and 3-5 drops grapefruit. My moon is in Taurus so I’m attracted to sweet, delicious, sensual scents as well like sandalwood , ylang ylang and benzoin resin. My rising is in Pisces so when I’m feeling overstimulated by the world a dash of lavender or myrrh is also soothing to me.
What would you choose, based on your astrological trio (sun, moon, rising)?
Aries • March 21 – April 19
•
Fire • Mars
Primary
PEPPERMINT (cooling, minty, sweet) soothes fiery emotions, energizing and uplifting
Secondary
BLACK PEPPER (warming, fruity, spicy, sharp) promotes stress relief, soothes tight emotions, focuses the mind, stimulates sensory awareness
LEMON (citrus, bright, clean) energizing, uplifts the senses
Taurus • April 20 – May 20
•
Earth • Venus
Primary
SANDALWOOD (dry, sweet, woody) grounding, soothing, relaxing
Secondary
YLANG YLANG (sweet, rich, floral, spicy) promotes cheer and optimism, uplifting, soothing
BENZOIN RESIN (vanilla, warming, woody) - promotes heart-opening, softly sensual
Gemini • May 21 – June 20
•
Air • Mercury
Primary
BASIL (herbaceous, warm, spicy) promotes focus, relieves stress, softens feelings of anxiety, soothes mental fatigue
Secondary
LEMON or LEMONGRASS (citrus, crisp, clean) refreshing, uplifting, promotes positivity
BLACK PEPPER (warming, fruity, spicy, sharp) promotes stress relief, soothes tight emotions, focuses the mind, stimulates sensory awareness
Cancer • June 21 – July 22
•
Water • Moon
Primary
LAVENDER (floral, light, sweet) soothes the senses, calming, softens tension
Secondary
JUNIPER (woody, spicy, crisp) calming and grounding
BLUE CHAMOMILE (fruity, heavy, grounding) comforting, calming, soothes emotional tension
Leo • July 23 – August 22
•
Fire • Sun
Primary
ROSEMARY (herbaceous, resinous) promotes vitality, simultaneously energizing and settling, stimulates intellectual clarity
Secondary
SWEET ORANGE (citrus, sweet, fruity) energizing, comforting, provokes child like joy
BENZOIN RESIN (vanilla, warming, woody) - promotes heart-opening, softly sensual
ROSE (floral, light, sweet) promotes emotional harmony, encourages joy and optimism
Virgo • August 23 – September 22
•
Earth • Mercury
Primary
FRANKINCENSE (spicy, clean, warm) promotes meditative calm, soothes overstimulated souls, boosts confidence
Secondary
GRAPEFRUIT or TANGERINE (citrus, dry, fruity, floral) uplifting, energizing and invigorating
ROSE (floral, light, sweet) promotes emotional harmony, encourages joy and optimism
Libra • September 23 – October 22
•
Air • Venus
Primary
GERANIUM (floral, spicy, rich) calms anxiousness, grounding and mood boosting
Secondary
FRANKINCENSE (spicy, clean, warm) promotes meditative calm, soothes overstimulated souls, boosts confidence
TANGERINE (citrus, sweet, clean) promotes feelings of joy, invigorating, uplifting
BLACK PEPPER (warming, fruity, spicy, sharp) promotes stress relief, soothes tight emotions, focuses the mind, stimulates sensory awareness
Scorpio • October 23 – November 21
•
Water • Pluto
Primary
PATCHOULI (musky, spicy, earthy) grounding, promotes emotional harmony
Secondary
VETIVER (sweet, caramel, woody, smoky) grounding, softens intense emotions
GRAPEFRUIT OR SWEET ORANGE (citrus, fruity, floral) energizing, comforting, provokes child like joy
Sagittarius • November 22 – December 21
•
Fire • Jupiter
Primary
NEROLI (floral, citrus, sweet) promotes well-being, mood elevating, relaxing
Secondary
BERGAMOT (citrus, floral, light) promotes joy, calm and sense of well-being
GERANIUM (floral, spicy, heavy) calms anxiousness, grounding and mood boosting
ROSEMARY (herbaceous, resinous) promotes vitality, simultaneously energizing and settling, stimulates intellectual clarity
Capricorn • December 22 – January 19
•
Earth • Saturn
Primary
BERGAMOT (citrus, floral, light) promotes joy, calm and a sense of well-being
Secondary
CLOVE (very spicy, warm, woody, leather) invigorating, enlivening, warming
JUNIPER (woody, spicy, crisp) calming and grounding
GRAPEFRUIT or TANGERINE (citrus, dry, fruity, floral) uplifting, energizing and invigorating
Aquarius • January 20 – February 18
•
Air • Uranus
Primary
YLANG YLANG (sweet, rich, floral, spicy) promotes cheer and optimism, uplifting, soothing
Secondary
LAVENDER (floral, light, sweet) soothes the senses, calming, softens tension
LEMON (citrus, bright, clean) energizing, uplifts the senses
BLUE CHAMOMILE (floral, heavy, grounding) calms the mind
Pisces • February 19 – March 20
•
Water • Neptune