Swapping coffee for a Blends with Benefits roll-on
For the first time in my adult life, I have a schedule that makes it impossible to fit a nap into my day when the inevitable mid-afternoon slump hits. Coffee will always be my number one bae but, well…I just don’t have time to pee every ten minutes anymore, so I’ve had to cut down on the dark roast ventis and find other ways to get a jolt of energy come 3 pm.
One thing that helps refresh my tired mind is the Saje Peppermint Halo roll-on. I’ve been a little obsessed with essential oils lately, and when the Canadian company Blends with Benefits got in touch to see if I wanted to try one of their essential oil roll-ons, I opted for the very promising Awake* blend.
So, is it better than a dark roast venti?
The Blends: Made with Love in Canada
Blends with Benefits offers six essential oil blends that target common concerns: Awake, Energy, Detox, Pain Relief, Stress Release, and Sleep Well. They’re not groundbreaking blends by any means, but I think there’s something to be said for playing it safe and mastering the basics, especially as an independent company. The packaging is simple and sleek, like the ingredients Blends with Benefits use.
The founders travel the world to work with small, family-owned businesses to craft the best, purest blends possible. They’re involved in each and every step of the process, and the company even performs its own chemical analysis of the oils to ensure purity for each production run. The blends themselves are crafted and bottled in Vancouver, using packaging sourced from North America, and they’re made with 100% pure wildcrafted and organic oils. They’re also free from fillers, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances and they’re not tested on animals.
Blends with Benefits currently only sells 10ml travel-friendly roll-ons that retail for $29 each, but they’ll soon be offering all six of their blends in 30ml dropper bottles, and they’re also set to expand their range of products to include face and body oils.
The Benefits: Blends with Benefits Awake Roll-On
Awake is a blend of peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, cajeput, lavender, and vetiver in a jojoba oil base. It refreshes the body and the mind with its cooling sensation and soothing scent. And if this mix seems familiar, it’s because these are the exact same oils found in Saje’s best-selling blend Peppermint Halo.
Though the Blends with Benefits Awake blend uses the same oils as Peppermint Halo, the end result is quite different. Peppermint Halo has a much stronger scent and gives more of a tingling sensation on the skin, and that makes it the perfect remedy to treat nausea and headaches.
The problem with Saje’s blend is that it’s so strong that it burns the eyeballs. By comparison, Awake has a lighter scent and only the slightest cooling feeling on the skin, though it’s still long-lasting. It gives a little boost of energy when you’re feeling tired or sluggish, without making the entire office tear up. Awake is not as overpowering as Pep Halo, so I don’t think I’d reach for this blend if I was feeling sick, but as a way to regain focus for a short period of time, it works better than the Saje version — and it won’t blind you.
Blends with Benefits vs. Saje
The Blends with Benefits roll-ons retail for a few dollars more than the Saje versions, so the big question is…why not splurge on products from a well-known Canadian brand that offers more options? It really comes down to what you’re looking for in an essential oil blend. The Saje blends are slightly stronger and great for treating physical symptoms, while the Blends with Benefits Awake roll-on (I can’t speak for the other blends) is smoother and better suited to day to day use, especially when you just want to get through the afternoon without another cup of coffee.
