Aroma Therpay

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds from plants for the purpose of affecting a person's mood or health.

Important Terms: 

Essential oils: Fragrant oils extracted from plants chiefly through steam distillation (e.g. eucalyptus oil) or expression (grapefruit oil). However, the term is also occasionally used to describe fragrant oils extracted from plant material by any solvent extraction.

Absolutes: Fragrant oils extracted primarily from flowers or delicate plant tissues through solvent or supercritical fluid extraction (e.g. rose absolute). The term is also used to describe oils extracted from fragrant butters, concretes, and enfleurage pommades using ethanol.

Herbal distillates or hydrosols: The by-products of the distillation process (e.g. rosewater). There are many herbs that make herbal distillates and they have culinary uses, medicinal uses and skin care uses. Common herbal distillates are rose, lemon balm and chamomile.

Infusions: Aqueous extracts of various plant material (e.g. infusion of chamomile)

Carrier oils: Typically oily plant base that dilute essential oils for use on the skin (e.g. sweet almond oil)

Popular Aroma's

Basil is used in perfumery for its clear, sweet and mildly spicy aroma. In aromatherapy, it is used for sharpening concentration, for its uplifting effect on depression, and to relieve headaches and migraines. Basil oil should be avoided during pregnancy.

Bergamot is one of the most popular oils in perfumery. It is an excellent insect repellent and may be helpful for both the urinary tract and for the digestive tract. It is useful for skin conditions linked to stress, such as cold sores and chicken pox, especially when combined with eucalyptus oil. Bergamot is a flavoring agent in Earl Grey tea.

Black pepper has a sharp and spicy aroma. Common uses include stimulating the circulation and for muscular aches and pains. Skin application is useful for bruises, since it stimulates the circulation.

Citronella oil, obtained from a relative of lemongrass, is used as an insect repellent and in perfumery.  

Eucalyptus oil is often used in combination with peppermint to provide relief for the airways in case of cold or flu.

Geranium oil is used as a diuretic.

 Jasmine is used as an aphrodisiac.

Lavender oil is used as to soothe minor cuts and burns, to calm and relax, for insomnia and to soothe headaches and migraines.

Lemon oil is uplifting and anti-stress/anti-depressant.

 Rose is used as an aphrodisiac.

Sandalwood oil is used as an aphrodisiac. .

Yarrow oil is used to reduce joint inflammation and relieve cold symptoms.

Ylang-ylang oil is used as an aphrodisiac.