Aromatherapy for You & Me
From a medical standpoint the term aromatherapy is “the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essential oils to promote physical and psychological well-being that is sometimes used in combination with massage and other therapeutic techniques as part sense of smell, and treatment reminds of therapy. So simply put the term Aromatherapy means the use of precious essential oils to treat one’s mind, body and soul with scent. The word “Aroma” refers to the naturally occurring scent of the essential oils and the word “Therapy” refers to the physical, psychological, and spiritual treatment imparted from essential oils.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are highly concentrated, potent oils that are extracted from plants, trees, seeds, shrubs, flowers, fruit peels and leaves. Essential oils are found in special secretory glands of living plants. The aromatic oils are formed and stored in organs of a plant as a by-product or because of its metabolism. Each essential oil has its very own blueprint that is totally unique. The combination of the plants exclusive design, the energy of the sun, soil, air and water gives each its own individual perfume and beneficial healing properties contained in the living essential oil of the plant. The same species of plant can produce an essential oil with different chemical components depending on whether it was grown in dry or damp earth, at high or low altitude, or even in hot or cold climates.
According to the International Organization for Standardization, essential oils are a “product made by distillation with either water or steam or by mechanical processing of citrus rinds or by dry distillation of natural materials. Following the distillation, the essential oil is physically separated from the water phase.” The term “oil” in reference to essential oils can sometimes be misleading. Essential oils are not actually oily in the vein of vegetable oils that are expressed from nuts and seeds. Essential oils are not oily at all, in fact, most essential oils are actually very light and appear watery. Most essential oils have a low viscosity and only a small handful of them have a high viscosity (i.e. sandalwood).
Worldwide there thousands of essential oils on the market today but only about are 300 commonly used. Essential oils are the most concentrated form of any botanical. It takes an average of about one pound of any given plant to create one drop of essential oil.
Some essential oils require much more than a pound of product per drop. It takes about 1.3 lbs or 125 rose buds to produce one drop of rose absolute. Essential oils provide a concentrated dose of nature’s vast pharmacological active ingredients in a single drop of oil. One hundred percent pure unadulterated essential oils are distinguished by an extraordinary diversity of substances that only nature could produce.
Some Favorites Essential Oils and how they help the skin~
Lavender Essential Oil~ Helps treat many skin conditions including dermatitis, eczema, infections, rashes, pimples, black heads and acne. It can be used as an antiseptic, analgesic, antispasmodic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, anti-infectious, antitoxin, anti-parasitic and restorative. It is good for all skin types and helps balance skin tone.
Also good for treating burns, psoriasis, scars, thread veins, and epidermis as it soothes and regenerates cells. Overall it stimulates cleansing and detoxifying. This oil has a nice fresh, floral, light, powdery, and sweet, scent.
Tea Tree Essential Oil~ Has many beneficial healing properties for the skin including the healing of acne, rashes and dermatitis. It is Anti-infectious, antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic. Also helps with regeneration of scar tissue and reduces swelling. Tea Tree has a very intense and
medicinal scent.
Peppermint Essential Oil~ Has great skin benefits. It is an antiseptic, antibiotic and anti-infectious. It is a skin stimulant, tonic, antiviral and helps cool which closes pores. Smells just like a candy cane.
Lemon Essential Oil~ Used as a general tonic to treat infections. It also helps balance skin, treat acne, boils and warts and even Increases shine and growth of hair and nails. It is a wonderful antibiotic, astringent, antiseptic, and calmative. Is good for oily complexions, hair and skin blemishes and is known to strengthen epidermis function,
aids in epidermal circulation, gland stimulant and purification. Also stimulates connective tissue, elastin and collagen and can even lighten skin pigment all with a light lemony citrus scent.
Sweet Orange Essential Oil~ Helps eliminate toxins and can be used as an antiseptic, disinfectant and general body tonic. It has a calming effect on the skin and is good for many minor skin conditions like dull, oily, puffy and wrinkly skin. It can help strengthens the epidermis, increase circulation and cell hydration, supports cell regeneration. Smells like a freshly squeezed orange.
