Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic oils for supportive applications through smell and topical use. The oils used in aromatherapy may come from different parts of plants, including flowers, leaves, roots and woody portions.
The important point is that aromatherapy is not simply about making something smell pleasant. Aroma is part of the experience, but essential oils are selected for particular purposes as well.
Where Do Essential Oils Come From?
Different plants produce aromatic material in different parts.
Peppermint is associated with the leaf. Vetiver comes from the root. Sandalwood comes from the woody part of the plant, while rose oil comes from the flower.
Not every oil obtained from a plant is therefore an essential oil. Some plant oils act mainly as carrier oils, while essential oils are strongly aromatic and concentrated.
How Is Aromatherapy Used?
I primarily use aromatherapy in two ways:
- through inhalation or aroma;
- through topical application to the skin or scalp.
Aromatherapy concepts can also be incorporated into different personal-care formats such as oils, creams, lotions, gels, shampoos, conditioners and bath products.
The final product format depends on what the aromatherapy application is intended to do.
For example, someone who dislikes an oily feel may prefer an aromatherapy product incorporated into a gel rather than a massage oil.
A scalp-focused product may use a completely different base from a facial product.
Why Are Essential Oils Treated Differently From Ordinary Oils?
Essential oils are concentrated.
This is one of the most important concepts to understand before using them.
A small amount can provide a noticeable aroma and influence the character of a much larger product. Because of this concentration, essential oils are not treated like ordinary massage oils and are not simply poured directly onto the skin.
They are normally incorporated into a suitable base.
Are Essential Oils Meant to Be Consumed?
In the aromatherapy approach I teach, essential oils are used externally rather than consumed.
They are used through smell or applied to the skin or scalp after being incorporated appropriately into a product.
Their concentrated nature is precisely why they need to be handled differently from ordinary edible oils or herbal preparations.
Is Aromatherapy Only About Skincare?
No.
The applications discussed include skincare, scalp and haircare, relaxation and fragrance.
Aromatherapy can therefore be approached from different directions.
One person may be interested in an oily-scalp product. Another may want a relaxing massage oil. Someone else may be interested mainly in creating a particular fragrance experience.
The essential oils, base and final product should therefore be selected according to the purpose.
The Practical Takeaway
Aromatherapy becomes easier to understand when you separate three questions:
What do I want the product to do?
What essential oils are appropriate to that purpose?
What base is appropriate for the person and the way the product will be used?
Aromatherapy is not simply about adding a fragrant oil. It is about choosing concentrated aromatic materials deliberately and using them in an appropriate form.
