What are Essential Oils?
A. Essential oils are powerful, natural, volatile liquids obtained from flowers, stems, grasses, fruits, trees, roots and leaves of plants. The part of the plant used depends on the oils being extracted. For instance, Jasmine essential oil is extracted from Jasmine blossoms. Essential oils are the life essence of the organism and are powerful healing agents. By their very nature, essential oils want to disperse and spread their healing vapors to bring well-being and vitality in and around whatever they come into contact with. These precious, complex, liquids are in harmony with people and nature and are truly holistic. In her book, The Complete Book o f Essential Oil & Aromatherapy, Valerie Ann Worwood says…”Manufacturers of cosmetics appreciate their (essential oils) cell-rejuvenating and beautifying properties, while the fragrance industry is more concerned with their delightful aroma and their mood and emotion-enhancing capacities.
Essential oils occur naturally in some plants and are the aroma that one smells. Essential oils are tiny drops, which are found in different parts of the plant. They can be found in flowers, leaves, stems, bark, wood, roots and fruits of plants. For instance squeeze the skin of an orange and you’ll get an aromatic, volatile essential oil. Essential oils are complex chemical compounds containing esters, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, ethers and sesquiterpenes among others. Each of the chemicals contained in an essential oil will impart its own unique properties to that oil. For example lavender essential oil would have analgesic, antidepressant, carminative, rubefacient, stimulant and sudorific properties as some of its major chemical constituents are linalool, linalyl acetate, geraniol and lavandulol. Essential oils are volatile as they evaporate easily, and although called an oil are in fact not oily to the touch and will not leave an oily residue behind if dropped o
• Essential Oils are extracted from different parts of plants such as the roots, stalks, leaves, flowers, resins. • Essential Oils are important because of their antibacterial, anti-microbic and anti-viral properties. They encourage the growth of new vigorous cells, thus they delay the process of aging by eliminating the old cells more rapidly. Their power of rapid healing is very great. • Essential Oils are easily absorbed into the skin and have many beneficial properties for the skin and overall well-being. • The properties of Essential Oils help physically and mentally in improving not only the appearance, but your general well-being.
