Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essentia

well-being.

What is Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy, or essential oils therapy, is using a plant’s aroma-prod

ailments. Essential oils are taken from a plant’s flowers, leaves, stalks, b
with another substance (such as oil, alcohol, or a lotion) and then place
inhaled. You can also massage the oils into the skin or pour them into yo
originated in Europe and has been practiced there since the early 1900s.

Practitioners of aromatherapy believe that the fragrances in the oils provi

when inhaled which stimulates the part of the brain that controls memory a
History of Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of volatile plant oils,
including essential oils for psychological and physical
well-being. Although the term aromatherapy was not
used until the 20th century, the foundations of
aromatherapy date back thousands of years. The use
of essential oils in particular date back nearly one
thousand years.

• Chinese - May have been one of the first cultures

to use aromatic plants for well-being i.e. Burning
incense to promote harmony and balance.

• Egyptians – Invented a rudimentary distillation

machine that allowed for the crude extraction of
cedarwood oil e.g. Oils of cedarwood, clove,
cinnamon, nutmeg and myrrh were used to
embalm the dead.
• 13th Century - The pharmaceutical industry was
born. This event encourages great distillation of
essential oils.

• 14th Century - The Black Death hits and killed

millions of people. It is believed that some
perfumers may have avoided the plague by their
constant contact with the natural aromatics.

• 15th Century – A growth in the amount of books on

herbs and their properties begins. Paracelcus, an
alchemist, medical doctor and radical thinker is
credited with coining the term Essence and his
studies radically challenged the nature of alchemy
and he focused upon plants as medicines.

• 16th Century – One could begin purchasing oils at

an “apothecary” and many more essential oils were
introduced

• 16th and 17th Centuries–Perfume making began

being considered an art form.

• 19th Century-An important time scientifically as

major constituents of essential oils became isolated.
 • 20th Century- The knowledge of separating the
constituents of essential oils was used to create
synthetic chemicals and drugs. Gattefossé is
credited for coining the term aromatherapy in 1928
within an article where he supports the use of
essential oils in their whole form without breaking
them down into their primary constituents.

Benefits of Aromatherapy

Inhalation

Essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs offer both
psychological and physical benefits. Not only does the
aroma of the natural essentiall oil stimulate the brain to
trigger a reaction, but when inhaled into the lungs, the
natural constituents (naturally occurring chemicals) can
supply therapeutic benefit.
Nebulizing Diffuser

A nebulizing diffuser works the same way a perfume

atomizer works. A jet of air blowing across a small tube
creates a vacuum that pulls a liquid at the bottom of the
tube to the top of the tube. The air flow blowing across
the surface of the oil at the top of the tube blows the oil
away in a fine spray or mist. With a constant air supply
source, this type of diffusion can quickly put a large
amount of oil into the air. Because this type of diffusion
works to put the whole oil into the air in the form of tiny
droplets, it is often considered the best type of diffusion.

Ultrasonic Diffusers

Like nebulizing diffusers, ultrasonic diffusers also create

a fine mist, but the method by which this is
accomplished is much different. An ultrasonic diffuser
utilizes electronic frequencies to cause a small disk
under the surface of a liquid (usually water) to vibrate at
a very fast rate. These ultrasonic vibrations break the
essential oil into tiny micro particles, dispersing the oil in
a fine mist. These tiny particles are more easily
absorbed by the lungs for a greater therapeutic effect on
the body, mind, and spirit.

While this type of diffusion creates a lovely mist that

helps to humidify the air and features the gentle sound
of trickling water, only a small fraction of the mist is
actually essential oil. For those who desire only a small
amount of oil to be diffused in a room, this type of
diffuser not only works well but can be very beautiful as
well.
Oils Used In Aromatherapy

Essential Oils

An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile ar

also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea, or simply as the “oil o

Types of Essential Oils

• Basil Oil
• Lavender Oil
• Rosemary Oil
• Frankincense Oil
• Cedarwood Oil
• Thyme Oil
• Citronella Oil
• Lemongrass Oil
• Geranium Oil
• Chamomile Oil
• Peppermint Oil
• Cardamom Oil

Carrier Oils
Carrier oil, also known as base oil or vegetable oil is
derived from the fatty portion of a plant, usually from the
seeds, kernels or the nuts, and is used to dilute
essential oils and absolutes before they are applied to
the skin in massage and aromatherapy. They are so
named because they carry the essential oil onto the
skin.

Types of Carrier Oils

• Sweet Almond Oil

• Aloe Vera Oil
• Grape Seed Oil
• Hazelnut Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Walnut Oil
Heat Diffusers

Like evaporative diffusers, heat diffusers also cause the essential oils t
instead of blowing airto accomplish diffusion. While some heat diffuse
smells, the best heat diffusers will only use very low levels of heat that p
important because high levels of heat can actually alter the chemical con

Although heat diffusers do share the same drawback of any diffuser t

very economical and totally silent method of putting the oil’s aroma into t
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