Essential Oils
Essential oils are basically plant extracts. They're made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil. In addition to creating scent, essential oils perform other functions in plants, too.
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain.
Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin.
What Are Essential Oils Good For?
Johns Hopkins found that certain essential oils could kill a type of Lyme bacteria better than antibiotics. Human clinical trials are mixed.
Using Essential Oils Safely?
The quality of essential oils on the market varies greatly, from pure essential oils to those diluted with less expensive ingredients. And because there's no regulation, the label may not even list everything that's in the bottle you're buying. That's why essential oils should not be ingested.
Johns Hopkins advises against using essential oil diffusers, small household appliances that create scented vapor. Diffusion in a public area or household with multiple members can affect people differently. For example, peppermint is often recommended for headaches. But if you use it around a child who's less than 30 months old, the child can become agitated. It could have a negative effect. Someone with fast heartbeat may react adversely to peppermint.
Ways to use essential oils safely:
Aromatherapy accessories: Necklaces, bracelets and key chains made with absorbent materials you apply essential oils to and sniff throughout the day.
Body oil: A mixture of essential oils with a carrier oil such as olive, jojoba or coconut oil that can be massaged into skin. Because essential oils are concentrated, they can cause irritation. Avoid using them full-strength on skin.
Aroma stick: Also called an essential oil inhaler, these portable plastic sticks have an absorbent wick that soaks up essential oil. They come with a cover to keep the scent under wraps until you're ready.
A small number of people may experience irritation or allergic reactions to certain essential oils. You're more likely to have a bad reaction if you have atopic dermatitis or a history of reactions to topical products. You can experience a reaction to any essential oil, but some are more likely to be problematic: Oregano, Cinnamon bark, Jasmine, Lemongrass, Ylang-ylang, Chamomile and Bergamot oil.
Pure essential oils are potent, diluting them in a carrier oil is the best way to avoid a bad reaction when applying them directly to the skin. If you get a red, itchy rash or hives after applying essential oils, see a doctor. You may be having an allergic reaction. It is best to do a small test area with any new oil or combination.
Which Essential Oils Are Best?
There are dozens of essential oils, all with different fragrances and chemical makeups. Which essential oils are best depends on what symptoms you're looking to ease or fragrances you prefer. Some of the most popular essential oils include:
How to find quality essential oils
The most important thing to consider when shopping for essential oils is product quality. Figuring out which oils are the best is challenging, since there is no government agency in the U.S. that provides a grading system or certification for essential oils.
Unfortunately, there are lots of products online or in stores that aren't harvested correctly or may have something in them that isn't listed on the label.
Tips to help you shop for pure essential oils:
Look at the label: It should include the Latin name of the plant, information on purity or other ingredients added to it, and the country in which the plant was grown.
Evaluate the company: Purchase products from a well-known and reputable aromatherapy company that's been around for several years. Our preference is Snow Lotus, though there are other quality companies.
Choose dark-colored, glass containers: pure essential oils are highly concentrated. They can dissolve plastic bottles over time, tainting the oil. Most companies package essential oils in small brown or blue glass bottles to protect the quality. Brown is best.
Avoid "fragrance oils": Fragrance or perfume oils are made from essential oils combined with chemicals or entirely from chemicals. They're not suitable for aromatherapy — instead, look for bottles that contain a single essential oil in its purest form (100% essential oil with no other fillers).
Compare prices: Essential oils range in price, depending on how involved harvesting and production are. Within a line, there should be a wide variety of prices — rose absolute or sandalwood oils will be more expensive, while sweet orange oil will be on the less expensive end. If you find a rock-bottom price for an expensive essential oil, it probably isn't pure.
Essential oils can lift your mood and make you feel good with just a whiff of their fragrance. For some people they may even help alleviate the symptoms of various conditions.