What Is Essential Oils?
Essential oils are so complex and magical that no one really knows what they are. Romantics and enthusiasts say they are the life force of a plant, similar to the human spirit. Researchers say they are a mixture of organic compounds, such as ketones, terpenes, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, and hundreds of other molecules, many too small or complex to classify under a microscope. What they do, rather than what they are, is much easier to understand. Because the molecules of essential oils are so minute and so quick to evaporate, they penetrate human skin and enter the bloodstream and organs, before eventually being excreted. Scientists have found that the same oils gather in the same parts of the body time and time again, within a few hours of being massaged into skin. This is what makes them unique and so therapeutic, since very few things can actually penetrate human skin. The fact that essential oils have healing properties is beyond doubt. Today, scientists studying botanicals find
