Aromatherapy is an alternative to traditional medicine which uses unstable liquid plant resources known by the term “essential oils” and other scented mixtures from ingredients from plants for the function of enhancing the mood of the person or their state of health. Recent expert evidence has shown a number of known health issues will benefit from aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy is a general term that references a range of traditions that make use of essential oils often combined with other unconventional medical practices and spiritual ideologies. The most practical use of these products includes massaging products, medicine, or any topical purpose that incorporates the use of true, pure essential oils in their products.

What are Aromatherapy Oils?

Essential oils used in aromatherapy are different in chemical mix from other herbal products. Aromatherapy uses pure, natural, unmodified aromatic essences, (essential oils) and hydrosols (colloidal suspensions) that come from botanical material. These substances can have a broad range of therapeutic effects and actions on the body.

Many of us have already used these oils in our normal daily lives. Many toothpastes as well as mouth washes contain these oils, as do many special care products and perfumes. There are some baked goods that are made using essential oils. Aromatherapy involves the therapeutic usage of these oils for health purposes.

Aromatherapy implements the use of essences gleaned from plants, as it’s a botanical treatment, or plant remedy. Homeopathic treatments, herbal mixtures, and flower treatments are also examples of botanical therapeutics.

How are Aromatherapy Oils Used?

Aromatherapy oils can be useful in many different ways. They are handy to use and most aromatherapy applications only need the use of only a very small amount of oil.

Topical Application
Aromatherapy oils can be applied topically in the form of massage, alcohol rub, salt rub and compresses. In each case the essential oil must be combined with a “carrier oil” in a specific dilution ratio to aid application. Sweet almond, grape seed, and olive oils are all suitable carrier oils. Aromatherapy oils can also be added to bath salts, oils, or milk, and poured into a footbath or a bathtub.

Inhalation
Examples of inhalation methods using essential oils include diffusion using a nebulizer to spray a fine mist into the air, steam inhalation of vapors from oils put into hot water, or directly inhaling by adding drops of aromatherapy oils onto a tissue or cotton ball for inhalation, or by rubbing a couple of drops between the palms, and cupping over the nose and mouth.

Internal Use of Essential Oils
Using oils orally can be safe and effectual, but should only be done by those who have detailed knowledge of essential oils, or under the direction of an experienced Aromatherapist. Some very common oils like Eucalyptus are particularly toxic when taken internally.

Care and Safe Use of Aromatherapy Oils

There are some safety issues when handling and using aromatherapy oils because they are very concentrated so they can irritate the skin when used if not diluted with carrier oil. Many of these essential oils have chemical compounds that are sensitizers, which means that they will cause reactions to the skin following repeated use.

While some believe the intake of some essential oils to be beneficial, aromatherapy professionals do not propose self prescription due to the high toxic nature of some oils. Adulterated oils may also pose problems depending on the type of substance used.

Pure essential oils are natural products and are preservative and additive free, so storing and handling these products correctly is essential. A few of them can also be quite dangerous if not handled correctly. Basic procedures should therefore be taken in order to make sure of the safety issues and also the value of the oils in storage. Some aromatherapy oils are also highly flammable.

Observing these points will ensure the safe and pleasurable enjoyment of aromatherapy oils.

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Typically these oils are breathed in or taken orally, and the therapeutic constituents offered by these oils are carried around the entire body where they will deliver their beneficial healing powers.

Aromatherapy Massage Oils

There are many methods in which aromatherapy is implemented, but massage is by far one of the most common and most popular. In aromatherapy massage, the essential oils are usually mixed with a certain carrier oil, such as sweet almond or apricot kernel, and are used to soothe and relax the person.

The aromatherapy massage oils that are used here have a significant impact, as they greatly affect your mood, entering through the olfactory system and affecting the nervous systems. They can help to energize, enlighten, ease, alleviate stress, and even speed up healing. There are literally hundreds of different aromatherapy massage oils to choose from and each offers their own characteristics and effects.

Remember that these massages are used to trigger the healing process of the body and work by stimulating the lymph fluid and blood circulation of the body. You will need to talk to your massage therapist and discuss with them what sort of effects you are looking for so that they can determine the proper aromatherapy massage oils to use in your case.

Also keep in mind that you can purchase some of these aromatherapy massage oils to bring home with you after your massage so you can use them in your foot bath, body and facial masks, or most commonly through inhalation. Steam inhalations with these oils can be used to treat colds and other respiratory disorders.

For this you simply need to take a bowl of hot water, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and then a place a towel on your head and bend over the bowl so that the towel is covering the entire outside of the bowl. This way all of the steam that is produced from the hot water will be drifting up to your face and you will be inhaling it and receiving the benefits of the oils.

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Since these oils are extracted using natural procedure, these are known as organic aromatherapy oils. These oils are used for a wide variety of options such as bathing scents, perfumes, or massage oils. Additionally, these can be used to cure wounded areas as well. Organic aromatherapy oils are absolutely synthetic chemical free, so these can be used without any possible fear of adverse reaction with health. Let us explore some interesting facts about the healing effects of organic aromatherapy oils.

Emotional Enhancement

The use of organic aromatherapy oils can effectively enhance an individual’s emotional health. It helps in calming down the individual, while improving the emotional perspective towards the world. Blessed with natural ingredients, organic aromatherapy oils are an excellent option to relax your mind. In addition, the application of organic aromatherapy oils can effectively boost up your energy level. This is because aromatherapy focuses on treating the cause of the problems, not the mere symptoms.

Great Massage Oils

When you use organic aromatherapy oils all over your body, you can enjoy the enigmatic effect in your mind and body. These great oils can offer you the best result if you use them during massage therapy. Organic aromatherapy oils have their own healing benefits. Used either individually or in combination, these oils can produce desired effect on an individual. Since these oils are so pure and natural, they can penetrate through the skin very easily. However, you must have an in-depth knowledge of the beneficial effects of the aromatic oils before using.

An Important Note

As because the effects of the oils greatly vary depending on their source, so it is really important to select the appropriate aromatic oils in order to enjoy the desired benefits. Various carrier oils can produce different effects. Olive oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, grape seed oil are commonly used as carrier oils. Although very rare, some aromatic oils may cause irritation over your skin. There might be some fragrances that can make you feel upset. However, you need to choose these essential oils wisely for enhancing the quality of your life and psychological state.

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Aromatherapy Essential Oils

Aromatherapy essential oils are the basis of the entire aromatherapy practice, and are favored especially over true oils because they are lighter than water and because they have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory purposes. These oils help in a number of ways, and they work to protect the human body against bacterial and viral infections, cleansing breaks in its tissue and delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells.

These aromatherapy essential oils are highly complex substances, and they are made up of literally thousands of different natural chemicals. Even different varieties of the same oil can have widely different therapeutic actions. It really all depends on their chemistry, and in what manner they are being used.

Of all the aromatherapy essential oils that can be used, a few of the most popular include lavender, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, ylang ylang, geranium, and rosemary. The essential oil of lavender is particularly common because it has such a sweet scent and calming effect. It is one of the most basic oils used in aromatherapy massage and can even be used in sedative mixtures.

Ylang ylang is another essential oil that is highly recognized, particularly for its heavy, sweet scent and sedating effect.

It is important that anyone using aromatherapy essential oils understand about their differences and about how to properly use them in order to get the effect that they are looking for. One of the easiest ways to get started using essential oils is to put them in bathwater. You want to first test for skin sensitivity by doing a patch test, in other words putting a bit of the diluted oil on the bend of your elbow and waiting a day or so to see if a rash develops. This is important because some of the essential oils are quite potent and may affect the skin especially if it is sensitive or allergy prone skin.

Then you simply add three to eight drops of the essential oil of your choice into your bathwater, just before you get in, and then soak in this for at least ten minutes.

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Aromatherapy Carrier Oils

There are also aromatherapy carrier oils, which are basically oils that are used in conjunction with the essential oils and which are what helps to release the effects of the oils. Before any essential oils can be used in aromatherapy they must be diluted in a carrier because they are too powerful to use on their own.

This is where the aromatherapy carrier oils come into play, and they are better than creams and other carriers because they are so versatile. They play a major role in the practice of aromatherapy in general, and a much more significant role than most people realize. Aromatherapy carrier oils contain vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, and they are highly effective in treating an array of conditions.

They are known as base oils because they do not evaporate, and they are largely derived from nuts and seeds. There are a few exceptions to this generalization however and anyone who is allergic to peanuts for instance should be aware that they do have other options here.

Choosing Your Carrier Oils

When it comes to choosing aromatherapy carrier oils there are a few things in particular you are going to want to remember. First keep in mind that choosing a carrier oil is basically the exact same as choosing an essential oil, in that you want to choose one that is going to offer the effects that you are looking for.

Lavender for instance is great for soothing and relaxation purposes, while jojoba and rosehip oils deliver outstanding results in facial treatments. Sweet almond and peach oils are very versatile and can be used for a number of applications, and can actually be used for both massage and facial treatments as well. This is not true about all essential oils as some are too heavy and not absorbed easily enough.

The practice of aromatherapy is one that is now widely loved around the world and which can offer great healing properties. There is also a great versatility to the practice as you can implement aromatherapy through inhalation, massage, or even facial masks, just to name a few of the many options.

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The Bath

The easiest and most luxurious way of suing your essential oils is in the bath or added to a footbath.  Run the bath first, and then put the essential oils in the water after it is full.  Swirl the water around for a mix, then slip in and soak.  Use no more than 6 or 7 drops of essential oil in your bath or footbath; otherwise it might be too strong for your skin.  Stay in the tub or footbath for at least ten minutes to get the goodness of the oils sink into your body.

Massage Oils

Another fun way to use your aromatherapy oils is with massage, whether just for one body part or all over.  You want the ratio of straight essential oil to carrier oil to be 1 to 10.  So, if you have 10 ml of carrier oil, use no more than 1ml of aromatherapy oil.  It is best to keep a separate bowl to do the mixing of massage oils.  Of course, you can also buy already mixed massage oils.  Make sure your hands are warm or at least body temperature before you put them on the one getting massaged.

Compresses

Never underestimate the power of a hot or a cold compress.  Cold compresses are good for sprains, strains, headaches bruises.  Hot compresses are good for rheumatism, abscesses, toothache and earaches.  Select a clean cloth or towel.  Fill a shallow bowl with the desired temperature of water.  Put in three or four drops of the selected aromatherapy oil.  Then put the cloth in, let it soak, wring out the excess water and place on the area that hurts.  Wrap it with a flexible bandage or plastic wrap to keep it in place.  Replace when needed.

With all of these uses, you need to also use common sense with your uncommon scents.  Don’t substitute these uses for a doctor’s advice.  buy an aromatherapy book or check out a website to discover the medicinal properties of each essential oil.

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Ninety Different Varieties

Today, there are many different types of essential oils available on the market and which have diverse uses though one that is quite commonly found and used is aromatherapy essential oil of which there is ninety different varieties to choose from, and so you can expect to get many different benefits as well. You can also categorize different aromatherapy essential oils and the great part about using them is that there is no risk of any associated side effects while the benefits are certainly very tangible.

However, before using aromatherapy essential oils are sure to realize that they are often very concentrated and they should only be used according to directions from a qualified aromatherapist, and always makes sure that children cannot ever lay their hands on them. Also, be aware that not all aromatherapy essential oils mix well with one another and for your recipe makes sure to use the right amounts of aromatherapy essential oils and only as is recommended.

Of all the different aromatherapy essential oils that you may use, the commonest ones are those that can make you emotionally stable and which help you achieve the proper mental state of being. Nevertheless, do not consider aromatherapy essential oil as being a permanent solution to your mental problems and though you will get relief from fatigue, stress and also feel calmer; these may only be temporary improvements.

Also, some aromatherapy essential oils should not be used because of their potency and if they must be used it should only be done under the guidance of an expert aromatherapist, and examples of such aromatherapy essential oils are Melilotus, Ajowan, Mugwort, Bitter Almond and Sweet Birch as well as Calamus, Worm Wood, Worm Seed, and also Jaborandi and because these oils are readily available on the market, you need to be extra careful before using them.

It is also not a good idea to use aromatherapy essential oil directly on the skin since they may rarely also cause rashes to break out and also remember that they are very inflammable as well.

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Most people have their own personnel experiences to relate to how a specific smell brings back a sensory memory.  Maybe it’s the lavender perfume grandma use to wear or the warm inviting smell of baking cookies.  Aromatherapy uses this same effect to help with many health issues. Certain aromatherapy scents can trigger reactions within the body, causing the body to become relaxed, alert, and even help with pain management.

Aromatherapy Scents And Their Use

Essential oils are used alone or in combination with each other to create specific scents to be used for a variety of reasons.  Scientists have conducted studies by using aromatherapy scents on mice to evaluate if there is a response.  It was noticed that certain scents like, lavender and sandalwood helped calm agitated mice. 

Aromatherapy scents are useful and they cover a wide array of conditions. For example Clary Sage, that contains a scent that has a warm, soothing smell, can help with conditions like muscular aches and pains, asthma, throat infections and colic among others.  Eucalyptus is used for rheumatoid arthritis, colds, and flu and skin conditions.  Geranium is one of the aromatherapy scents that have a soothing, relaxing scent; another is, Petitgrain. 

Both of these aromatherapy scents help with skin problems including acne, bruises, broken capillaries and many more.   Lavender is one of the aromatherapy scents with the widest range of usefulness.  It can be used in nervous disorders, depression, shock, skin problems, insect bites, sprains, asthma, sunburns, flu and many more.  Additional useful scents include Jasmine, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Tea Tree and Ylang Ylang.  There are more, but these aromatherapy scents are some of the most important basic scents needed.

Historically, aromatherapy scents have been successfully used to help cure ailments, induce relaxation, and assist patients become healthier in body and spirit.  Today, certain aromatherapy scents are being used in commercial application.  Studies have shown that when a Lavender scent was gently used with senior patients, they began having less difficulty falling asleep, and many stopped needing sleeping pills.  Japanese research has concluded that when certain scents, Lavender, Jasmine and Lemon, mistakes in keyboard typing were dramatically reduced.  The Lemon scent caused the biggest drop in mistakes, they went down 54%.  Discovering the mind, body and scent connection can lead towards a new path in wellness.

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For The Bath

Lavender essential oils are known to have relaxing properties as well as antiseptic properties; as a bath oil, it makes for a wonderfully fragrant tub to kick back and distress in.  But oils for aromatherapy are potent, so you don’t need very much!  About 10 drops in the water will give you a well-scented bath that won’t invite skin irritation.  If you have particularly sensitive skin, try adding those 10 drops to a carrier oil, which is a neutral oil such as jojoba oil, which will give you a less concentrated solution that you place in the water, making mixing easier.

For Illness

Peppermint oil for aromatherapy has stimulating properties, with its brisk, almost cold feel when the scent tickles your nose.  When you’ve got a bad cold, though, you can use it as an expectorant, clearing out passages that are clogged with mucus.  One way of doing this is by mixing three drops in a bowl of warm or cool water, soaking a cloth in that water, then wringing it out before application.  You can also make a body lotion that will help when applied to the skin by adding about 50 drops per 16 ounces of unscented body lotion.  Stir to combine and apply.

Without Use On The Body

Even in diluted amounts, you may decide that you don’t want to use oils for aromatherapy where they’ll be in contact with your body.  In this case, you should use an aromatherapy diffuser in order to get aromatherapy oils to your nose.  A diffuser is a device that works through electricity or using a candle to provide heat energy.  When aromatherapy oils are heated, they evaporate, adding the scent to the air. 

So, you can use a candle diffuser to scent your bathroom while you’re in the bath with no problems, or you can use an electric diffuser as you sleep to help bring a little relief to your clogged sinuses as you sleep by adding a little peppermint oil.  But whether you choose to use diluted oils that come in contact with your skin or using a diffuser for the hands-off approach, you can enjoy the benefits of using aromatherapy oils at home.

Photo by Jenny Rollo

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What Are They?

Just as in all people, all plants contain some amount of oils, whether large or small. These oils are often what help to carry fragrances in plants, but occur in very small amounts. It’s through the process of distilling that allows companies to gather larger amounts of essential oils as well as concentrate them so that they’re more potent. Essential oils for aromatherapy are usually found in the beauty department of stores, or with therapy products, sold in small bottles.

The Danger

The problem lies in this concentrated form, which can result in scents or sensations so intense that they can be painful. For instance peppermint oil, which in diluted amounts has a fresh smell and a pleasant, cool, tingling sensation when applied to the skin for essential oils for aromatherapy, can be so intense that it feels like your skin is burning if the essential oil were to be applied directly to the skin. Also, essential oils can be toxic when ingested, so they should be used in a diffuser, which transfers scents to the air, or on the skin only. When you want to use essential oils for aromatherapy with skin contact, that’s where carrier oils come in.

Using Carrier Oils

A common practice in massage is to use oil to reduce friction and make the massage more comfortable, and some masseurs use essential oils for aromatherapy at this time. But as we’ve already discussed, essential oils can be uncomfortable when applied directly to the skin. Carrier oils are usually nothing more complex than vegetable oils, which are fairly neutral in composition and can generally be used on skin without problems.

The way to use them with essential oils for aromatherapy in a massage is to add one or two drops of essential oils to a larger amount of carrier oil, at least 8 ounces. This won’t dilute the scent of the essential oils too much, but will keep them from being uncomfortable. With this precaution, essential oils for aromatherapy are a great idea, whether you use it to put the scents in your home or as part of a relaxing massage.

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