ESSENTIAL OILS
What Are Essential Oils?
An essential oil is a liquid that is generally distilled (most frequently by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other elements of a plant. Essential oils, contrary to the use of the word "oil" are not really oily-feeling at all. Most essential oils are clear, but some oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass are amber or yellow in color. Essential oils are highly concentrated and a little goes a long way.
Essential oils are not the same as perfume or fragrance oils. Where essential oils are derived from the true plants, perfume oils are artificially created fragrances or contain artificial substances and do not offer the therapeutic benefits that essential oils offer
Example of Essential Oils
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Lavender Essential Oil
Botanical Name: Lavendula officinalis
Aromatic Description: Fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous, slightly fruity.
Possible Uses: Acne, allergies, anxiety, asthma, athlete's foot, bruises, burns, chicken pox, colic, cuts, cystitis, depression, dermatitis, dysmenorrhea, earache, flatulence, headache, hypertension, insect bites, insect repellant, itching, labor pains, migrane, oily skin, rheumatism, scabies, scars, sores, sprains, strains, stress, stretch marks, vertigo, whooping cough.
Frankincense Essential Oil (Olibanum)
Botanical Name: Boswellia carterii
Aromatic Description: Fresh, woody, balsamic, slightly spicy and fruity.
Possible Uses: Anxiety, asthma, bronchitis, extreme coughing, scars, stress, stretch marks.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Botanical Name: Mentha piperita
Aromatic Description: Minty, reminiscent of peppermint candies, but more concentrated. More fragrant than spearmint.
Possible Uses: Asthma, colic, exhaustion, fever, flatulence, headache, nausea, scabies, sinusitis, vertigo.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis
Aromatic Description: Fresh, herbaceous, sweet, slightly medicinal.
Possible Uses: Aching muscles, arthritis, dandruff, dull skin, exhaustion, gout, hair care, muscle cramping, neuralgia, poor circulation, rheumatism.
Important Note: The information provided in the Oil Profiles area is for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
General Safety Information: Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and give children only the gentlest oils at extremely low doses. It is safest to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children. A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an oil that you've never used before
