Aromatherapy is centuries old

Essential oils are everywhere. These potent, fragrant plant extracts have made their way into lotions, household cleaners, massage treatments, and even integrative complementary therapy. Their purported benefits are also wide ranging, from improving sleep and decreasing anxiety, to lowering pain and easing headaches, to taming a queasy stomach and fostering deeper relaxation.

Use all your senses

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the earliest records suggest that essential oils come from ancient India, Persia, and Egypt. However, they’ve been used for centuries by many cultures for various purposes.
Similarly, aromatherapy, or the practice of using aromatic materials, including essential oils, for physiological and physical wellness, has been used for centuries. The oils were called “essential” because they were thought to represent the essence of odor and flavour coming from the plant sources they were derived from.
The French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé is credited with founding the science of aromatherapy in 1928, drawing upon its ancient, global roots. He began analysing the chemical properties of essential oils after witnessing the healing properties of lavender oil when applied to a burn on his hand.
Despite their long history and widespread use, scientists are still trying to understand how essential oils might work to promote health.

Each scent has a unique personality

Ways to Breathe In Essential Oils

One of the most common ways people work with essential oils is by inhaling them via diffuser, dry evaporation, aroma sticks or steam.

Essential Oil Application to the Skin

Another common method of using essential oils is to apply them directly to the skin through a massage, bath, or skincare product. However, it’s important to note that most essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin without being diluted first. Typically, topical essential oils are mixed with a carrier oil like jojoba, castor, or avocado oil to aid absorption, provide additional vitamins, and safeguard your skin against allergic reactions.

Possible Health Benefits of Essential Oils

Essential oils have the ability to affect the brain and travel throughout the body via the bloodstream.

  • Decrease Anxiety
  • Promote and Aid Sleep
  • Relieve Nausea

Just because essential oils come from plants doesn’t mean they’re totally safe. Due to their potency, essential oils can cause irritation when applied to the skin, even if used with a carrier oil. While you can experience an allergic reaction to any essential oil, as each individual’s body chemistry differs from the next, some oils are more likely to cause discomfort. Those oils include:

  • Oregano oil
  • Cinnamon bark oil
  • Jasmine oil
  • Lemongrass oil
  • Ylang-Ylang oil
  • Chamomile oil
  • Bergamot oil

In addition, some essential oils are photosensitive, meaning they react to ultraviolet light and create a reaction. When applied to skin, this reaction can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, causing redness, discolouration, or even blistering. These essential oils are known to interact with the skin when exposed to sunlight:

  • Sweet orange
  • Bitter orange
  • Neroli
  • Orange petitgrain
  • Mandarin
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Grapefruit
  • Bergamot
  • Yuzu
  • Kumquat

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