Aromatherapy

Archive for September, 2008

Aromatherapy is a science that utilizes essential oils. These oils are extracted from various leaves, herbs, plants, flowers, trees, etc. The process to accomplish this extraction is through a distilling process. The ingredients utilized are transformed into an oil which then can be diffused into the air or applied to the body through a massage. The application of the oil helps to alleviate many mental and physical discomforts.

Many essential oils can be purchased. However, if you enjoy learning a new hobby and wish to be creative then an instruction on how to make essential oils may prove to be beneficial. When learning how to make essential oils it is important to follow a number of steps. These steps include the gathering of the product, the various ingredients and supplies needed, and the creation steps to be followed.

Ingredients

An instruction on how to make essential oils begins with the gathering of the ingredients. These ingredients can be flowers or herbs that may be found in a typical garden. Or, the ingredients may be purchased from flower shops or the local grocery store.

In addition to the actual herb or flower selected to make the essential oil there is another ingredient required. That additional ingredient as part of the process on how to make essential oils includes the use of a carrier oil. A carrier oil is the neutral oil that is needed to embody the aroma from the flower or herb. A carrier oil can be grape seed oil, almond oil, wheat germ oil, etc.

Ingredients And Supplies

An instruction step on how to make essential oils also includes the gathering of the proper ingredients and supplies. Ingredients include a half cup of carrier oil along with the flowers or herbs that you have selected to make the essential oil. If flowers are chosen they should be tightly packed into the measuring container. When herbs are used, the quantity should be measured at a quarter of a cup. Eventually, to make a sufficient supply of the essential oil, a total quantity of 4 cups of cut flowers or 1 cup of herbs will be required.

In addition to the ingredients required, there are certain supplies that will help facilitate the process on how to make essential oils. Those supplies include plastic bags that can be ziplocked, a pounding device such as a hammer or wooden kitchen mallet, two glass jars that are wide at the mouth, a funnel, cheesecloth, and a container to put the essential oil in. This container should be dark in color such as the cobalt blue or amber colored bottle.

Preparation Steps
 
The final and probably most important step in learning how to make essential oils is the preparation process. This preparation process begins with the placing of the flowers or herbs into the plastic bag. This bag should be tapped lightly with the wooden mallet or hammer. Once this step has been accomplished transfer the contents of the plastic bag to the large jar and pour in the oil. Shake the jar to ensure that the ingredients are saturated with the carrier oil. The liquid should be then strained over the second bottle using the cheesecloth. Once accomplished those ingredients should be discarded.

This process should be repeated over the next three days utilizing the same process and the same quantities of herbs or flowers. Once the entire process is complete transfer the essential oil into the darkened glass containers.

Honey myrtle essential oil is obtained from the marsh honey myrtle which has the scientific name of melaleuca teretifolia. This tree is typically found in the rain forested regions of Australia, and is indigenous to the region. This tree is quite small and only grows to a height of about twenty feet. The honey myrtle is a cousin of the trees known as paperbarks.

The aroma of honey myrtle essential oil is slightly sweet and citrus like which makes it quite hard to differentiate from the lemon myrtle essential oil. The lemon myrtle essential oil has a more lemony scent with some spicy elements. The official term used to describe the aroma of the honey myrtle essential oil is citral. Citral is the smell typically associated with lemongrass and is a combination of neral and geranial compounds. Both essential oils are used in similar ways.

Use In Deodorizing

Honey myrtle essential oil may be used to help brighten up the aroma of your abode. Traditionally used in aromatherapy burners, honey myrtle essential oil is now also available in a body and home spray as well. Essential oil sprays are typically much less intense smelling than the oil product itself. In a spray, several oils may be combined and are suspended typically in the hydrosol. Hydrosol is a byproduct of the distillation process used to extract the essential oil.

Honey myrtle essential oil is produced using a steam distillation process that starts with elements of the marsh honey myrtle tree. As essential oils are mostly insoluble in water they are easily separated out and collected as the vapors condense. The remaining distilled water has traces of the honey myrtle essential oil, as a very small amount will dissolve or remain suspended in solution. This remaining liquid is called the hydrosol. As the concentrations of oils in this liquid are very small they can be very gentle and soothing on the skin. The hydrosol is used in similar ways to flower water which is a byproduct from the making of perfumes.

Use As An Antibacterial Agent

Herbalists and other medicinal botanists believe that honey myrtle essential oil has some uses as an antibacterial agent. Indeed scientific studies have shown that essential oils can be very effective when topically applied; however, they may be toxic if actually consumed in the same concentrations. In the concentrated form this may be found to be correct, however, the honey myrtle essential oil hydrosol is itself subject to contamination, as it is a fresh product with a mild PH and should be kept refrigerated or it will break down.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what the history of essential oil is? If you are not into history or interested in such things as this, then you probably have never given any thought to this. However for those who are interested in learning more about this topic, take some time to read through this article to hear what the history of essential oil is.

A Look Back In Time: The History Of Essential Oil

The history of essential oil reaches back throughout time to the period of ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt. In fact, it reaches throughout the Middle and Far East as well. The common feature here is the essence of the plant. These plants had to have an identifiable aroma, flavor or other characteristic that people found to be of practical use.

Throughout the history of essential oil these essential oils were used as perfume, food flavoring, deodorant, a pharmaceutical or as an embalming antiseptic. In order to create these things, plant material had to be steeped in a fatty oil or wine, which acted as a solvent to establish the desired flavor or aroma that these people wanted to have.

The History Of Essential Oil Timeline

The impure and diluted extracts are oftentimes used as oils or creams. These things were introduced into Europe. However, the history of essential oil ended there for a while. Until specialized craftsmen started to work on these essential oils again. This happened in the 12th century when the English Guild of Pepperers and the French court perfumers began working with essential oils. In the 1300s Spain and France began distilling so that more concentrated essences of the oils could be enjoyed. Over time the distillation process was improved upon. Then in 1430 the first publication about essential oils was written, entitled “The Book of Nurture.”

By 1550 there were some specific trends obvious. First, France was producing spiked lavender oil, which was used as a trading commodity. Secondly, flavors and aromas were being expressed from an increasing number of new sources. Third, pharmacists, chemists, and physicians began studying the physical, chemical and medicinal properties of these oils.

A Look At Essential Oils Today

There are now numerous essential oils and products available today. In fact, there are both international markets and industries that only deal with essential oils. This is all thanks to the technology of the 20th century. The technology allows chemicals to be separated and used as a building block to introduce particular flavors and aromas into a product.

There are so many kinds of essential oil out there that it’s hard to keep track of them. It becomes like trying to identify the herbs and flowers that a lot of the essential oils are made out of. Helichrysum essential oil is one of the more uncommon aromatherapy oils, mainly because it is one of the more expensive oils. But should you get a hold of it, a little goes a long way, as it is a strong scent (a “base note”) and is quite versatile.

Everlasting, Immortelle

Helichrysum essential oil is known under several names, including “everlasting” and “immortelle”. It is an herb with upturned fans of usually bright yellow daisy-like flowers. Helichrysum essential oil is steam distilled from the fresh flowers and flowering tops. It takes a LOT of flowers to make even one ounce of helichrysum essential oil, which is one reason for the expense. The herb’s home is in Corsica, Croatia, France, Italy and Serbia, where it is still grown today. There are many varieties in the helichrysum family, so you want to be sure you get the essential oil that is for aromatherapy. The two Latin names of these species are Helichrysum angustifolium and
Helichrysum italicum. All reputable essential oils sold will have clear labels including the Latin names. The helicrysum essential oil is rather thin in consistency and usually a bright yellow.

Busy, Busy

Helichrysum essential oil has a variety of medicinal properties. It is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-microbial, carmative (settles digestion), cicatrizant (assists the body in making scars), diuretic, calms nerves, gives the liver a tonic and helps the body get rid of mucus.

Still, remember more is not better and it’s not for everyone. To give yourself a safe patch test, blend a drop of pure helichrysum essential oil with a carrier oil like olive or jojoba, then dot one place on your arm. Leave it on for twenty four hours. If that patch doesn’t bother you and looks the same as it did before the patch test, you are not allergic to helichrysum essential oil.

Some of the most popular uses are:
Used in massage oil blends to detoxify the body and reduce cellulite. You need a brisk massage and to drink plenty of water.
Used in a cold compress for bruises and sore arthritic joints.
Good for meditation, especially if you are feeling alone and unloved
A drop can help clean minor scratches, cuts or sores

Rosehip seed oil has become widely recognized as an
effective skin and beauty care agent in the last decade,
with great interest surrounding its scientifically-validated
beauty-enhancing effects. The oil has been heralded as a
miracle cure for skin, useful for a great myriad of
conditions, from premature aging and sun damage to scarring
and other damage. What is this wonderful red liquid, where
does it come from, how does it work, and most importantly,
can it work for you?

Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seed within the fruit
of the wild thorny rose bush. Native to Chile, the plant is
now cultivated elsewhere in South America with many
countries producing the oil. Also found under the name ‘Rosa
Mosqueta’, the oil has been used by native people for
hundreds of years, but only recently became known to the
rest of the world.

The oil can be solvent extracted or cold-pressed, though
pressing is the optimal method, as there is no chance of
chemical traces being left in the final product. The
cold-pressed oil is the most natural; the oil has an
exceptionally high essential fatty acid content (‘essential’
meaning the body cannot make it on it’s own from other
oils), and is considered quite delecate. Rosehip seed oil
should be kept in a cool place, perhaps even under
refrigeration, away from light, and should be used within
one year of storage.

Rosehip seed oil is an excellent source of natural vitamin E
and natural vitamin A, or ‘trans-retinoic acid’. Retinoic
acid, the acid derivative of vitamin A, is the active
ingredient found in Retin-A or Tretinoin. Retin-A (a
pharmaceutical preparation) has been heralded as a wrinkle
cure because of its ability to increase skin cell
proliferation – or speed the time it takes for your skin to
regenerate. In fact, rosehip seed oil has been extensively
studied for many of the same actions attributed to Retin-A,
and has been shown effective without side effects (like
over-drying and peeling – though unlike Retin-A, it should
not be used to treat acne).

The first major study on rosehip seed oil was performed in
1983 by a team of researchers at the University of Santiago,
Chile. The study’s participants included individuals with
diverse forms of skin damage: deep wrinkles and other
premature aging, UV damage, radiation damage, acne scarring,
burn scarring, dermatitis, and other problems of this type.
Rosehip seed oil was shown to have significant, noticeable
effects in regenerating the skin, reducing wrinkles and
scars, and helping the skin to regain its natural color and
tone.

Another later study was conducted on women ages 25-35 with
extensive premature aging of their skin. Again, rosehip seed
oil significantly reduced the appearance of wrinkles and sun
spots after daily application for four months. Research has
continued on the oil, with one study noting: “On some skin
troubles like superficial wrinkles, chestnut spots and
ephelides, good results have been obtained. After 16 weeks
of treatment, wrinkles and spots become imperceptible.” The
oil has been used to successfully treat a long list of skin
related conditions, including: age spots, wrinkles and
premature aging, sun damage, scars from acne, burns, and
surgery, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, hyper-pigmentation,
brittle nails, and even dry and damaged hair.

In addition to its skin healing effects, rosehip seed oil is
also a perfect moisturizer due to it’s high content of
essential fatty acids (EFAs). The oil penetrates the skin
quickly and does not leave the skin feeling greasy or oily.

As for daily use of rosehip seed oil, it is considered
extremely gentle and can be applied undiluted to the skin.
It may also be blended with other oils like jojoba and sweet
almond, and will still have wonderful effects at 10% of the
total concentration. Further, rosehip seed oil makes an
excellent carrier oil for aromatherapy – blends with
essential oils having skin regenerative and soothing
properties are highly recommended.

For improvement of scarring, a simple blend of 20 drops of
Helichrysum Italicum per 1 ounce of rosehip seed oil,
applied daily to the area, can be helpful. Helichrysum is
known for its content of regenerative ‘ketones’. For a more
luxurious beauty blend, try the following in 4 ounces of
rosehip seed: 5 drops Helichrysum 5 drops Lavender 3 drops
Sandalwood 3 drops Neroli 3 drops Carrot Seed 3 drops
Geranium 2 drops Roman Chamomile 2 drops Jasmine 1 drop
Palmarosa 1 drop Ylang Ylang. Even simply the Helichrysum
and Lavender will go a long way – Lavender oil is very
gentle, and is also known to have regenerative properties.

So, whether using rosehip seed oil for healing your skin, or
simply giving it a little nourishment, you will almost
certainly be happy with the results. This luscious oil, with
its broad range of positive effects, is sure to take a
prominent place in your natural beauty botanical collection.