Part 1 | Your Basic Care Kit: Intro into the Art of Aromatherapy

Customers usually ask me, “What essential oils do you recommend?” And while I state that I’m in no way entitled to “recommend” anything, I nevertheless like to point out those oils I’ve researched to be the most commonly used and those aromatherapy practitioners rely on the most. Welcome to Part 1 of the “Your Basic Care Kit” Series, a guide to Aromatherapy and some of the essential oils I incorporate into my soap recipes.


Today, I’ll be giving you a brief Intro into what is known as Aromatherapy. And on subsequent “Your Basic Care Kit” Series posts, I’ll go over the most popular EOs.


What is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the practice of using volatile plant oils (including EOs) and other natural ingredients (like cold-pressed vegetable oils, jojoba, herbs, clays, and muds) to promote/enhance our psychological and physical well-being.


How Long Has Aromatherapy Been Around? The foundations of Aromatherapy date back thousands of years: The Chinese may have been one of the first cultures to use aromatic plants for well-being; they would burn incense to help create harmony and balance. Later, the Egyptians used oils of cedarwood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and myrrh to embalm the dead and for other spiritual, medicinal, fragrant and cosmetic use. The Greeks also recognized the medicinal and aromatic benefits of plants. For instance, Hippocrates (commonly called the “father of medicine”) practiced fumigations for both aromatic and medicinal benefit. Then during the 13th century, the pharmaceutical industry was born in the Roman Empire. And from then on, the industry has been flourishing into what it is today.


Aren’t EOs Just Like Perfumes? No: Perfume oils (AKA “fragrance oils,” or what collectively are referred to as “fragrance” on ingredient labels) are not the same as EOs. The former contain synthetic chemicals and do not provide the therapeutic benefits of essential oils. Also, EOs are extracted from trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, and flowers most commonly through steam distillation.


What’s the Most Basic Advantage of Using EOs Medicinally and Cosmetically? Simply put, it’s the fact that they enter and leave the body leaving NO toxins behind. EOs are gaining popularity and with good reason. Some of the products that incorporate them include body oils, lotions, hair rinses, and sprays. More over, individuals also benefit tremendously when they inhale the oil themselves (either by steam, directly from the bottle, or from a tissue).


Hope that gave you more information into the art of aromatherapy and stay tuned for more updates on other EOs. As always, thanks for stopping by and don’t hesitate in commenting or contacting me if you have questions.