What is Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy, makes scents!

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils from plants for the purpose of healing. There are numerous ways that you can use essential oils. Some of the most popular approaches are inhalation, massaging essential oils into the skin, and mixing them with face creams and body lotions.

By applying essential oils properly, you’ll experience a great alternative treatment for stress, fatigue, insomnia and many other health problems. Aromatherapy is also well known for improving mood and providing wonderful healing scents that promote general wellness and wellbeing.

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are oils extracted from various flowers, plants, herbs, and other botanical elements.
Each different oil has therapeutic value and each extract has its own yield of active ingredients, which determines what it is going to be used for and/or its healing properties.

For example, certain essential oils are used to enhance relaxation, and reduce stress, others can help alleviate nausea and boost energy, and there are even oils that can be used as antiseptics and in household cleaners.

Aromatherapy History

Although aromatherapy seems like it’s becoming more popular with each passing year, the use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes dates back to 6,000 years ago. The ancient Romans, Indians, Chinese, Greeks, and Egyptians all used them for hygienic, therapeutic, ritualistic, and spiritual purposes.

More than 2,500 years ago, Hippocrates noted that aromatic baths had a significant impact on the overall well-being of an individual. During the early 19th century, essential oils started being present in western medicine practices, while later on in the century, both German and French medical professors started using them to fight infected wounds.

However, it was not until 1928 that the actual science of aromatherapy was born. The discovery was made by a French chemist named René-Maurice Gattefossé when there was an explosion in his laboratory, and he had suffered a burn on his hand. In an attempt to heal it quickly, he applied lavender oil on his skin, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it worked.

Afterwards, Gattefossé started reading about how certain essential oils were used to treat wounds, burns, gangrene, and skin infections during World War I. By the 1950s, a lot beauticians, doctors, and massage therapists started recommending aromatherapy. However, it didn’t become that popular until the 1980s.

Nowadays, the use of therapeutic grade essential oils is commonplace. In addition, there are numerous candles, beauty products, and lotions sold as ‘aromatherapy’ in a number of stores. Note that these products won’t actually help you the way therapeutic grade essential oils will, because they mostly contain synthetic fragrances.