Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the practice of using plant materials including essential oils, carrier oils, hydrosols extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being. Aromatherapists, who specialize in the practice of aromatherapy, utilize blends of therapeutic essential oils that can be issued through topical application, massage, inhalation or water immersion to stimulate a desired response.
Topical Application: Essential oils that are applied to the skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The constituents of essential oils can aid in health, beauty and hygiene conditions. Since essential oils are so powerful and concentrated, they should never be applied directly onto the skin but diluted into a carrier oil before application.
Inhalation: Essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs offer both psychological and physical benefits. Not only does the aroma of the natural essential oil stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, but when inhaled into the lungs, the natural constituents can supply therapeutic benefit.
Aromatherapy also encourages the use of natural ingredients such as cold pressed vegetable oils, hydrosols, herbs, milk powders, beeswax, sea salts, sugars, clays and muds to help improving general well-being.
It is important to note that perfume oils also known as fragrance oils or aroma oils are not the same as essential oils. Fragrance, aroma and perfume oils contain synthetic chemicals and do not provide the therapeutic benefits of essential oils. Products that include synthetic ingredients are frowned upon in holistic aromatherapy.