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Aromatherapy Essential Oil
Essential oil plays an important part in Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy Essential Oils have earned a very strong reputation as important ingredients in highly prized perfumes and cosmetics. Their aromas has brought influential reactions to the general health of the human body. What is essential oil ? Essential oil is a liquid volatile aromatic compound, extracted from plants cell. The cell located in specitic parts of the plants such as flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, wood, bark, or peel. For example Sandalwood , its aromatic cells is in the bark , rose in the petal. There is not one part of the plant that does not produce or store the essence. Sometimes the same plant can hold different essences. The perfect example of this phenomenon is the orange tree. Orange essential oil is derived from the fruit, Petitgrain is extracted from the leaves, and Neroli from the blossom. They all offer very different characteristics and healing properties. Not all Oils are Created Equal. The quality of an aromatherapy essential oil is determined by the quality and value of its chemical composition, which is influenced by a number of factors:
Aromatherapy Essential oils can be extract in these methods : steam distillation, cold-pressed extraction, or solvent extraction. Steam Distillation: Pure aromatherapy essential oils are most commonly extracted from plants through the process of steam distillation .Steam distillation is a highly respected method because there is no contact with any contaminants, thus allowing a perfect opportunity for therapeutic purposes. The process works like this: The plant is first placed into the vessel. Next steam is added and passed through the plant. The heat from the steam helps to open the pockets of the plant that contain the plant's aromatic molecules or oils. Once open, the plant releases these aromatic molecules and in this state, the fragrant molecules are able to rise along with the steam. The vapors carrying these molecules travel within a closed system towards the cooling device. Cold water is used to cool the vapors. As they cool, they condense and transform into a liquid state. The liquid is collected in a container and as with any type of oil/water mixture, it separates. The essential oils float towards the top while the water settles below. The aromatic water is called "hydrosol," or floral water. Cold-Pressing: This form of expression extraction is also used to extract essential oils from the citrus family. Mechanical pressure is used to force the oils out. The oils extracted in juice form and contain water, but this water will evaporate, leaving just the essential oils. The downside of using this extraction method is that the cold pressed oils spoil more quickly than those extracted using other methods. That's why, to eliminate waste, it's important to purchase these essential oils in small quantities. Solvent Extraction Some plant material cannot tolerate the heated forms of extraction such as steam distillation. High heat damages these plants and once damaged, their essential oils too are damaged and are no longer able to be extracted. This method is used for these plants such as Jasmine, Rose, Neroli (orange blossom), Tuberose, and even Oak Moss.. Solvents such as ether, ethanol, methanol, hexane, alcohol and petroleum are used . The problem with using solvents to extract essential oils is that most of the time, residual solvents or impurities remain in the end product. Because they're impure, those true to aromatherapy refuse to use them. The process works like this : Plant material is first washed in a bath of hydrocarbon solvents. This process dissolves the necessary plant materials including the aromatic molecules, waxy matter and pigment . The dissolved matter mixes in with the solvent. The solvent mixture is then filtered and distilled using low pressure. After distillation and further processing, either a resin or a concentrated concrete remain. Additional processing using alcohol helps extract the essential oils. Final product is called absolute. With solvent extraction, residual solvents remain and their presence can cause problems if used by individuals with allergies or sensitive skin. That's another reason why essential oils extracted using solvents are used in the manufacturing of perfumes and fragrances, not in aromatherapy or skin care products. It takes 50 pounds of eucalyptus, 150 pounds of lavender, 500 pounds of rosemary, 1,000 pounds of jasmine and over 2,000 pounds of rose to make a single pound of essential oil! The price of each essential oil is directly related to the amount of plant material needed for distillation.
Notting the aroma
As the art of natural perfumery developed, aromas were categorized as notes which related to their smells and rates of evaporation. Each aroma was tagged to be either of Top, Middle or Base Note quality. Top Notes Aromatherapy Essential Oils classified as Top Notes evaporate rapidly, sometimes within 20 minutes. Their aromas are usually sharp, fruity and vibrant and help to motivate, stimulate, awaken the body and create a greater sense of concentration. Top Note Essential Oils affect the body physically by assisting in the cleansing, detoxifying and stimulation of the body systems. Some examples are:bergamot, lemon, orange, peppermint, chamomile, lime, lemongrass, marjoram, bay and neroli. Middle Notes Aromatherapy Essential Oils classified as Middle Notes evaporate at a lesser rate, usually over 1 hour. Their aromas can be described as either floral, herbaceous and evergreen and are considered more rounded and balanced in odor. They are often referred to as the ‘heart’ notes helping to anchor the active ‘Top’ Notes. Middle Notes bring balance and equilibrium to the body and the senses. Middle Note Essential Oils are used to regulate the body where over activity or under activity is evident. They are often antiseptic and anti-inflammatory in their nature. Some examples are : rosewood, lavender, rose, geranium, ylang-ylang, clary sage, jasmine, ginger, hyacinth, pine and thyme. Base Notes Aromatherapy Essential Oils classified as Base Notes evaporate much more slowly over several hours. They have the aromatic profiles of being earthy, sweet, woody or richly balsamic. Deeply relaxing and pacifying, they deliver a sense of peace and tranquility. Base note Essential Oils are used to assist the body when hyperreactive symptoms are present. They can also be deeply sedative in their actions and are most useful when a soothing and calming effect is needed. Some examples are patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, clove, cedarwood, vanilla, and nutmeg. Most Aromatherapy formulations utilise the benefits of all three notes in order to achieve a very ‘balanced’ blend. However, it is quite acceptable to make up blends using only one or two of the notes. The combination that you use will often depend on the purpose of the blend you are creating and what its desired effects will be.
Safety Guide when using aromatherapy
Cooking with Essential Oils.
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