Essential oils are elixirs extracted from different parts of a plant such as the roots, leaves, flowers, stems and fruits. They are made using various methods including steaming and cold-pressing to capture the compound that creates this unique and highly concentrated liquid. This is where the name essential comes from as each bottle of essential oil represents the “essence” of the plant.
Also called volatile oil, each extracted fluid presents a distinct and active chemical profile with specific properties and purposes.
Four reasons why we love essential oils
- The new quality of sleep:
Essential oils have a unique soothing effect on the mind. Their scent can help the mind come to a calmer place and induce sleep to ensure you are well-rested and ready for the next day.
- The relief from stress and anxiety:
When emotions are running high, the mind can take a while to come back down and analyse the situation calmly. Thanks to their potent scent, essential oils can cut through the storm of thoughts, trigger hormones and lower stress levels.
- The positive effect on your mood:
What we smell has a direct effect on the mind. As we will see how it affects our response in this article, essential oils bring delicate and pleasant aromas into our lives which in turn lightens up our mood.
- The boost of energy:
Another amazing attribute of essential oils is their ability to make you feel energised, refreshed and ready to seize the day.
The practice of aromatherapy
A simple definition of aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for its therapeutic properties. There are many ways you can experiment with the practice of aromatherapy:
- Diffused around the house to unlock the different therapeutic benefits of the essential oils: you can create as many blends as moments in your day!
- Diluted in water to spray around the house and on fabric such as beddings.
- Used topically, applying essential oil once diluted in a carrier oil to the skin.
- Integrated to your daily routine and for instance added to the bathwater to create a relaxing moment or to your morning shower to benefit from their exhilarating properties.
