| These pure essential oils - also called aromatherapy | | | | only kind of oil used for this purpose. |
| oils - are best derived from organic sources | | | | When it comes to aromatherapy however, it is the |
| whenever possible. The reason is that these plants | | | | scent that is the most important. These oils are called |
| are raised under very strict conditions, free of | | | | "essential" in that they have distinctive scents or |
| petroleum-based fertilizers and chemical pesticides | | | | smells. These oils are what give certain flowering |
| that work their way into virtually all parts of the plant | | | | plants, such as roses and carnations, their pleasant |
| - and ultimately, into essential oils. Although the rules | | | | smells. |
| and regulations regarding what can be sold as | | | | How are Aromatherapy Essential Oils Made? |
| "organic" vary from one country to another, in | | | | There are three basic ways in which these oils are |
| general farmers who raise plants for use in organic | | | | extracted: |
| essential oils must keep very careful documentation | | | | 1. Distillation: the substance is boiled, causing the |
| of their procedures as well as submit to yearly | | | | various biochemical substances to separate and |
| inspections and audits. This is your guarantee of the | | | | allowing them to be collected |
| best quality when it comes to essential oils. | | | | 2. Expression: the plant, its pedals, leaves or seeds |
| What Exactly Are Essential Oils? | | | | are crushed (this is how olive and sesame oils are |
| Aromatherapy essential oils are the "hydrophobic" (i.e., | | | | produced) |
| oily) liquid extracts from plants that contains aromatic | | | | 3. Solvent Extraction: biochemical compounds are |
| compounds. Most all plants have such oils; one that | | | | separated by using some other type of liquid. |
| you've probably consumed the last time you ate at | | | | Uses of Aromatherapy Oils |
| an Italian or Greek restaurant is olive oil; sesame oil is | | | | Essential oils have been used for centuries for many |
| used extensively in Asian cuisine. However, the | | | | different reasons, ranging from medicinal to |
| aroma of these particular pure essential oils is very | | | | supernatural. An example is the use of such oils in |
| mild, and of little use in aromatherapy. It is worth | | | | incense that is burned during the ceremonies of many |
| noting however that olive oil has been used as body | | | | religious faiths. There are claims that certain oils used |
| oil in the Mediterranean for several thousand years. | | | | in aromatherapy actually have curative properties, |
| When wealthy Romans bathed, it was a common | | | | however these have not been proven scientifically. |
| custom after exiting the baths to have their bodies | | | | However, there is no harm in using essential oils |
| oiled and scraped by slaves; olive oil was virtually the | | | | simply for the sensual pleasure of their scent. |