Aromatherapy Basics

We often hear the term aromatherapy everywhere nowadays, but do we know what is it about? Do we know how it is made, the functions and how it is beneficial to us? This article will try to explain the basics of aromatherapy, how to use it effectively in our daily life and to choose which one are suitable for us.

Let me start with the word aromatherapy. The word can be split into 2; aroma which means smell or fragrance and therapy which means healing. Joined together the word aromatherapy means healing using the sense of smell. But there is more to the word than just using the power of smell to heal our body. Many define aromatherapy as the practice of using volatile plan oils including essential oils for psychological and personal well being.

Now to the next question; What are essential oils?

Essential oils are pure essence of a plant. Almost every plant in this world can be made into essential oil. The more common ones are like lavender essential oil which helps relaxation. There are hundreds of essential oils which are documented and each provide a natural healing effect. Now just imagine a bottle of 10ml lavender essential oil…how many lavender plants are needed to harvest, squeeze and eventually fill up 10ml. That is why pure essential oil are quite expensive.

Be Careful…and Beautiful 

Now be very careful with artificial or misleading labels which tries to pass off as essential oil. Fragrance oils are not essential oils, natural perfumes are not essential oils and neither are sweet smelling oils. Perfumes and fragrance oils contains chemicals and alcohol and certainly do not provide therapeutic healing.

Always look for the labels that provide 100% natural ingredients.

I hope this gives you a basic understanding of aromatherapy and essential oils. If you are interested in more, please click on the link belows. Please note all the links will be opened in a new window so please off your pop up blocker.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer – a very good movie showing how perfume and essential oils are made. Contains graphic scenes and nudity.

Contains Profiles of essential oils and how aromatherapy products are made.

100% Natural Aromatherapy Soaps

Please read my next few articles on how to use aromatherapy products more effectively and the benefits and power of essential oils.