aromatherapy

 

Essential oils in aromatherapy

Essential oils are the heart and soul of aromatherapy. Whether they are candles, light fixtures, potpourri, or cloth, essential oils provide the scent that aromatherapy uses to ease pain and relax the body.

Essential oils come from plants. These oils are extracted from the various parts of the plants including the bark, the branches, the leaves, roots, the fruits, the buds, the resin, the twigs and even its fruit peels. That is how abundant these oils are in the environment. This is perhaps why potpourri, which come from dried parts of trees, have scents of their own.
Some plants have essential oils only in one part. Examples of these are the rose and the jasmine whose essential oils can be found in their leaves. Some have essential oils in various parts. Some even have different oils in different parts. An example of this is the orange tree which can produce different oils from its different parts.

Because they are naturally extracted, a real natural oil will be very concentrated. You only need a drop in order to fill up the room with the aromatic scent. However, there are pseudo-essential oils that are made from a combination of essential oils and fragrant oils. Fragrant oils are oils that are synthetically-made through chemicals. These are produced by copying the scents of different essential oils. In fact, fragrant oils are the basis for a lot of colognes and perfumes on the market.

Although essential oils and synthetic fragrant oils have the same scent, thanks to science. Each kind elicit different reactions from people. Chemicals from the fragrant oils are often irritating when concentrated. Some can even elicit a slight headache. Essential oils on the other hand can ease muscle pains and relieve stress as well promote wellbeing. This has been proven in so many studies. Essential oils are also naturally concentrated and just a few drops is enough to fill up a large room.

One thing to remember though when buying essential oils for aromatherapy is to make sure that you have the quality oils in your hands. You see, although they are all natural, some have better effects on people. Among the factors that affect the quality of the essential oil is the plant source, the method of harvest and the method of extraction. How it is made and what chemicals are put into it before or after the harvest can also affect its quality. For instance, spraying pesticides can lower the quality.