It’s hard to imagine that thousands of years ago, humans looked at the solid leaves of a lavender plant and thought, "You know, I’ll bet there is some way to transform this plant into a fragrant oil". Fast forward to the present, add in some modern technology, and now, essential oils are a huge industry and gaining in popularity all the time.
‘Essential’ oil contains the ‘essence’ of a plant; the essence of a plant is what gives it its aroma; hence, essential oils are the basis for the discipline of aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic plant oils to improve mental, physical, and emotional well-being. The plants used in aromatherapy are generally thought to have medicinal properties that are absorbed by the body through your skin or your olfactory system.
Various types of essential oils contain certain compounds, such as esters, ketones and phenols, which give each oil its specific fragrance and therapeutic properties. (1)</sup)
How Essential Oils Are Made
Essential oils are created via a process of steam distillation of the leaves and other parts of a plant in water, which results in a highly concentrated adaptation of the natural oils found in plants.
Though there are many options for organic, high-quality oils on the market, you do not do you need to purchase essential oils from a manufacturer. If you are a DIYer, they can be made at home, even if you’re not well-versed in technology. The Internet contains a plethora of essential oil “recipes” as well as handy videos. The equipment that you will need varies. Besides extracting plant parts, some methods require the purchase of a distiller, while others can be made in the crockpot with distilled water.
Examples of Essential Oils
There are seemingly endless varieties of essential oils that derive from plants found in all corners of the globe and which have a plethora of uses.
Some are exotic sounding, such as Angelica Seed essential oil, which is derived from the Angelica Archangelica plant. Angelica and similarly rare oils will set you back a fair amount of money, such as St. John’s Wort essential oil, Sandalwood, Frangipani, and, perhaps one of the most expensive, Champaca, derived from a subtropical magnolia flower
Some of the trendier, less expensive essential oils are:
- Frankincense, derived from the Boswellia tree that grows in the Arabian Peninsula and northeastern Africa. It is somewhat neutral, with a woody and earthy scent, and it combines well with other oils. It is often used to speed up healing wounds and scars. Did you know Frankincense was used to preserve skin for mummies way back when? And preserve skin, it did, so Frankincense can be used in all anti-wrinkle serums. Also, Frankincense, when inhaled, can help a person remember and thus heal childhood emotional wounds. Another use for Frankincense, either inhaled or rubbed into the lung area, is to ease breathing difficulties.
- Hyssop is a wonderful addition to your essential oil medicine chest; it is a wonderful essential oil for most respiratory concerns. Hyssop helps relieve wheezing (bronchospasm) and when added in combination with Frankincense, it makes a powerful respiratory aid. Hyssop will loosen mucus, thus helps as an expectorant. Hyssop is very safe for ages 2 years and up.
- Lemon, refreshing citrusy oil that is distilled from the rind of the lemon and is often used for household cleaning. Lemon essential oil, when diffused into the air, acts as an air decontaminate. If someone in the household is sneezing and coughing due to a cold or flu, lemon has antimicrobial aspects that can help neutralize bacteria and viruses thus helps to stop the rest of the household from breathing in these contagions. Lemon, as well as all citrus essential oils, when diffused into your home environment, will create a ‘happy’ sense of well-being in the home.
- Tea Tree Oil, derived from the Melaleuca Alternifolia tree, native to Australia, has an almost medicinal smell and is used for skincare, to help heal wounds and to keep the sinuses clear. Parents of elementary school children know that tea tree oil is often a primary ingredient in a lice treatment regimen. Tea Tree Oil, like lavender, can be applied directly to the skin without a carrier oil.
- Ravensara is one of the most potent antiviral essential oils. Ravensara, especially when combined with citrus, Eucalyptus, and Lavender, makes for the most potent formula to combat the flu or any sort of respiratory virus. This is best used as an inhaled modality either in a diffuser or inhaled as steam, a towel draped overhead, from a bowl. Ravensara is definitely one of the must-haves to keep as an arsenal for the flu and cold season.
- Rosemary Verbenone, one of my personal favorites, has the aroma closest in comparison to the rosemary shrub. This specific type of rosemary essential oil is classified as gentle, thus it can be used in skincare. Rosemary Verbenone has cellular regenerative attributes, and it can be applied to the face in a carrier to relieve oily skin and acne. Rosemary can also be added to shampoo and/or applied to the scalp as an after-shampoo dandruff remedy, as well as a stimulator for new hair growth. Rosemary Verbenone is also safe as an after-flea bath application for dogs; simply pour a pot of blended rosemary and water over your dog’s coat and let air dry. Rosemary also is a fat emulsifier, hence sprigs of rosemary are often cooked with lamb dishes. Rosemary also supports your liver and gallbladder. I just love the aroma of Rosemary Verbenone EO and diffuse it often in my home blended with lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint; this is my ‘happy blend’.
Some lesser-known, but equally intriguing, essential oils include:
- Catnip
- Galbanum
- Manuka
- Neroli
- Ravensara
- Tansy
- Tuberose
- Ylang Ylang.
Ways to Use Them
Essential oils can be used in a number of ways. Because essential oils are so concentrated, often they are diffused before topical application. You might choose to put oil in a dropper bottle or even in a spray bottle; they also can be added to a bath, mixed in with lotions, or to dryer sheets.
Essential oils are generally not for ingesting, though sometimes they can be breathed in via steam inhalation. Before using or inhaling or applying any essential oil, the best thing to do is to do some research; there are many interesting ideas for an application that can be found online.
Benefits of Essential Oils
There are many therapeutic aromatherapy oils on the market that are designed to address different conditions:
- Take lavender, one of the most aromatic and versatile plants around. For centuries, lavender oil has been used for its calming effects as well as to target many other conditions, such as headache relief.
- For sunburn or poison ivy, direct application of lavender oil, or adding drops of lavender oil to a bath, is thought to provide relief.
- Lavender can also be used for diaper rash, insomnia, eczema, even dandruff, among a host of many other issues.
The scientific community is still studying the uses and benefits of essential oils. A recent study at James Cook University in Australia reported that scientists have discovered a way to apply tea tree oil to coat medical devices to help fight bacterial infections (2) while another study reported that orange essential oil may help improve markers of stress and fear and is being considered for assuaging PTDS symptoms. (3) Scientific research exploring the antibacterial effects of essential oils is ongoing.(4)
Reference Links
1 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/aromatherapy-pdq/#section/_4 2 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180607100945.htm) 3 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170424141354.htm- 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3873673/
