Did you know essential oils….
- are extremely concentrated volatile extracts from plants
- are the most potent form of botanic energy
- are extracted from leaves, fruit, bark, roots, seeds, resin, and flowers
- part of the plant’s immune system. It has been shown that plants actually produce more essence when under stress.
- act as an immune system stimulant for people
- are comprised of various constituents (aromatic molecules or phytochemicals)
- are comprised of Vitamins, Hormones and Antiseptics
- can be simple oils and complex oils. Simple oils may have two or three constituents while others like Rose and Lavender have hundreds!
- may be absorbed through the skin
- may be absorbed into our blood stream and remain in our body 12-24 hours. (During this time these oils are circulated to the tissues and then passed out via our lymphatic system.)
- are highly concentrated. They are 75-100 times stronger than dried herbs. (This is why effectiveness is achieved by measuring in drops.)
- are extracted from plants by:
o Distillation
o Cold Pressing
o Absolute through effleurage
o Absolute through chemical solvent - are very expensive!
- are NOT oily. Those with oily skin will NOT find any oiliness with essential oils
- can be blended to create synergies. Meaning that the combined effect of the oils is more powerful than that of the individual oil
- can be classified in t four (4) categories for the physiological effect on the skin:
o Energizing – increasing blood flow to the skin
o Calming – decreasing irritation and redness
o Fortifying – strengthening and feeding the skin
o Correcting – exhibit a specific action on a skin condition
(Often times essential oils will have multiple effects on the skin and fall into many of these categories.) - are volatile and each oil has a volatility rate. (This explains why some oils have a longer effect. It takes some oils longer to pass from a liquid to a gaseous state then others do. This does not effect their topical effectiveness but will greatly effect how something smells over time.)
- must always be treated with respect! These oils are very powerful and when used incorrectly can be toxic. Some side effects include nausea, skin irritations, headaches, etc.
- are the essences of the plant. They represent the odoriferous constituents of plants.
