Essential oils are the essence of distiled aromatic plants, usualy obtained by steam distilation.
Aromatic plants produce fragrant essences in secretory cells, using nutrients from the soil and water, light and warmth
from the sun in a process called photosynthesis. These naturally occuring plant essences attract beneficial insects, such as bees, to help pollination and deter less friendly insects that would otherwise eat or damage the plant.
In many aromatic plants the secretory cells are near the surface, located in flowers and leaves.
Essential oils are very concentrated and powerful, and are greatly diluted before use. In a massage oil, for example, the dilution of essential oil in base oil is around 2 or possibly 3%. Essential oils are only rarely used undiluted, and in very specific instances. They are also highly volatile and evaporate quickly when exposed to the air, so they are best kept in airtight, dak glass bottles.
How are essential oils used?
There are several different ways of using essential oils including aromatherapy( the main ‘tool of trade’ for an aromatherapist) or at home for different purposes such as bath, steam inhalation, hot and cold compresses, blending them into face creams and body lotions, using them in hair care and as room fragrances and personal pefumes.
Perhaps the most common way to use them at home is by adding a few drops to a bath.However, there is far more to this than simply choosing a bottle of essential oil at random and adding a few drops to your bath water!
You can use essential oils for beauty, moods and emotions, massage, healing and as a meditation aid. Knowing how and what blends to use is important in order to get the result you are looking for… this will be explained in more details in the next categories.
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