the Safe Use of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy

History & Lore Aromatherapy is the art of using pure essential oils for health & healing. Believed to have been first practiced by ancient Egyptians, the use of oils and aromatic woods traveled through out the middle east & onto Asia through the trade route. Traditionally extracted through oil infusion and Effleurage, the steam distillation method which is still used today was created which proved to be much more beneficial for extraction. The term Aromatherapy was first conined by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse who was a French chemist working in the perfume industry in 1928. At that time essential oils were used for perfumes instead of fragrance oils. After burning his hand badly in an explosion at his lab, Gattefosse plunged it into the first container of cold liquid he could find. This just happend to be Lavender essential oil. After a few days, his hand was almost completely healed much to his surprise. After that experience Gattefosse spent the rest of his life looking into the healing effects of essential oils. Other people who had major roles in forming the future of Aromatherapy include Jean Valnet and Madame Marguerite Maury.

Basic Essential Oils To Have On Hand There are hundreds of essential oils available. The key is finding ones that will be of the most use to you. Some oils are used for their aromatic qualities, while others have wonderful healing powers that are enhanced by combining them with other oils for a Synergistic effect. Here is a list of oils that will come in most handy.

LAVENDER: Lavandula angustifolia Good for burns, skin problems, depression, insomnia, PMS, shock & more.

ROMAN CHAMOMILE: Chamaemelum nobile Great for skin problems, joint pain, headaches, stress & more.

NEROLI: Citrus aurantium var. amara Works well on stress reduction, skin scars/mature skin, depression, poor circulation & more.

TEA TREE: Medaleuca alternifolia Works great skin conditions as it is Anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, fungicidal. Also helps with colds, flu, fevers & more. Wonderful for disinfecting your home naturally!

CLARY SAGE: Salvia sclarea Depression is one of the biggest uses for this oil. Also helps headaches, high blood pressure & more.

Make sure you look for "pure" essential Aromatherapy oils. Steamed distilled is the best as they do not contain traces of chemicals like solvent extractions. Some companies now offer wild crafted & organic oils. Never use fragrance oils in place of essential oils. They are synthetic & only mimic the aroma not the healing qualities. If you find that a line of oils you are looking at is all the same prices think twice about buying any. Real essential Aromatherapy oils are priced differently because some botanicals yield a lower amount of oil.