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Sarah Wayt What are Carrier Oils? Most essential oils for home use need to be diluted. There is a while range of products that can act as suitable ‘carriers’ – mediums in which to dilute the essential oils. Usually the carrier is a vegetable oil, and it’s sometimes called a ‘base oil’. In many shops you can … Read moreAromatherapy: Choosing your Carrier Oil
Essential oils are beneficial to your health, but as concentrated plant essences they should be handled with care and used in small doses. If you have sensitive skin, check the contraindications before using oils, especially on children and people with skin conditions such as eczema. Allergy sufferers are generally more prone to intolerance, so do … Read moreAromatherapy: Essential Oils to Use with Caution
Essential oils are sold in dark glass bottles. One reason for this is that they evaporate readily – if they are not sealed tightly you will end up with an empty container. The other very important reason is that the oils are easily damaged by bright light and exposure to high temperatures, which is why … Read moreAromatherapy: Storing Your Oils
In the food industry the debate for and against organic products continues unabated as consumer concerns about the quality of the food that they eat continues to rise. This concern is spreading to other industries such as the cosmetics one, under which essential oils are licensed. The question that is being raised is whether you … Read moreAromatherapy: Understanding Quality Control
If essential oils are only absorbed in trace amounts can they really be said to work? The answer can only be found in the results. In the UK there are two ways to administer essential oils (inhalation and dermal), but do these methods have any therapeutic effects on internal body systems? Aromatherapy is a holistic … Read moreAromatherapy: Understanding How Oils Work
Extracting essential oils from plants is a delicate process and many techniques are used to treat different plants according to their type and fragrance. Two methods involve using steam. Distillation with steam allows oils that would otherwise be broken down by plant enzymes to be distilled and impurities removed. Percolation uses steam from above to … Read moreAromatherapy: Methods of Extracting Oils
Fragrant Benefits Vaporising essential oils in your home or workplace not only creates an enchanting ambience, but oils such as eucalyptus, tea tree, pine, cypress and rosemary also have powerful germicidal properties capable of destroying airborne bacteria. When inhaled, these same oils have a medicinal effect and generally support the body’s immune defences. Additionally, oils … Read moreAromatherapy: Tools of the Trade
Many say aromatherapy began in Ancient Egypt, as far back as 3000BC, where aromatics were a part of daily life. Herbs and spices were used in the home for cooking, cleansing and healing, and Egypt’s perfumers were well aware of the power of scent to intoxicate the spirits. But the roots of aromatherapy grow back … Read moreAromatherapy: Understanding the Ancient Roots
A single essential oil can contain several hundred different chemicals that together are responsible for its individual character, aroma and therapeutic action. The relative amount of each chemical in an oil can be a guide to its effect. Monoterpenes, for example, are stimulating, and esters are sedative, so oils rich in these chemicals have these … Read moreAromatherapy: Essential Oil Active Ingredients
Aromatherapy is the most popular and fastest-growing branch of complementary medicine in the world. Not only is it relaxing, but researchers and medical professionals increasingly recognise its therapeutic value. You can find out simply and pleasurably just how beneficial aromatherapy can be by adding a few drops of lavender oil to the next bath that … Read moreAromatherapy: The Basics and the Benefits