Aromatherapy: History of Aromatherapy, Aromatherapy Benefits

Aromatherapy Information

Aromatherapy has an interesting history behind its origin. The word 'Aromatherapy' was coined in the 1920s by a French chemist named Rene Maurice Gattefosse, who devoted his life to researching the healing properties of essential oils.In an accident in his perfume laboratory, he lit his arm on fire and thrust it into the nearest cold liquid, which happened to be a vat of lavender oil. Much to his amazement, the burn quickly healed without a scar. And the science of aromatherapy was thus born. Aromatherapy, commonly associated with complementary and alternative medicine, is the use of volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds from plants, to affect someone's mood or health. In recent years, it has gained in popularity due to continuing research and increasing acceptability.

What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are liquids that are generally distilled (usually by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other elements of a plant. Essential oils, in spite of being called so, seldom resemble oils and are not 'oily'. Most essential oils are clear. However, some oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass have an amber or yellow color. Essential oilscontain the true essence of the plant it was derived from.These oils are highly concentrated and pure in nature, and just a few drops suffice in most cases. It is necessary to remember that essential oils are not the same as perfume or fragrance oils. Rather these oils are natural extracts that are derived from plants, whereas perfume oils are artificially created fragrances and do not offer the therapeutic benefits that essential oils do.

Some Essential Oils Explained

The most well-known essential oil is probably Rose oil, also known as Rosa Damascena. The steam-distilled variant of this oil, known as rose 'otto' or 'attar of roses', is usually dark olive-green in color and forms white crystals at normal room temperature which disappear when the oil is gently warmed. Some of the other popular essential oils include.


The Sweet Almond oil, which is considered an all-purpose oil
The Apricot Kernel oil which is helpful in massage blends
Avocado, Olive, Sesame and Macadamia Nut oil
The Evening Primrose oil, an excellent choice for treating many skin conditions
Cocoa Butter, which is suitable for use in lotions and creams
Hazelnut oil, packed with goodness for oily skin
Jojoba oil or wax, with its very long shelf-life
Peanut oil, which is good for massage blends and arthritis

Benefits of Aromatherapy Types of Products

The chemical composition and aroma of essential oils can provide valuable psychological and physical therapeutic benefits. These aromatherapy benefits are usually achieved through methods including inhalation and application of the diluted oil to the skin. The oils are diluted with a carrier oil (sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, grape-seed oil) and then this blend is applied to the skin for absorption. Careful inhalation of the oils can also provide therapeutic benefit as the oil molecules enter the lungs and are absorbed into the bloodstream. Some essential oils can even get rid of warts.

A guide to Buying Essential Oils and Aromatherapy Products

Essential oils can vary greatly in quality and price. Various factors that can affect the quality and price of the oil include the rarity of the plant, the country and conditions that the plant was grown in, quality standards of the distiller, and how much oil is produced by the plant. Essential oilscan often be purchased as blends of several essential oils. The advantage if it is a blend of pure essential oils is that, you can save from having to buy every essential oil individually. The disadvantage is that, you have no control over the blend because you are not mixing yourself, nor can you reliably mix the blend with other oils. The choice is yours.