About Aromatherapy Products

Aromatherapy is the practice of using fragrances for psychological and physical well-being. Both the memory of an aroma and the actual chemicals in the fragrances can bring about emotional and physiological changes. Aromatherapy products can either release the aroma into the air to be inhaled or they can be used directly on the body.

History

Early civilizations began using aromatherapy products thousands of years ago. The ancient Egyptians were famous for their use of essential oils in oils, ointments and bath products. Cleopatra, the beautiful Egyptian queen, was known to take baths scented with rose petals, prized today for their exquisite essential oils. According to Julia Lawless, author of "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils," the Chinese used sprigs of juniper to purify Tibetan temples and the early Greeks and Romans borrowed what they learned from the Egyptians to make perfumes and scented oils.

Natural Versus Synthetic

Once the art of distillation was perfected, the essential oils of plants, flowers, fruit, even seeds and bark could be extracted from the aromatic material and used in a number of aromatherapy products. According to Lawless, during the scientific revolution of the early 19th century, chemists were able to finally identify the various constituents of the oils and assign them names. From there, they were able to reproduce some of these chemicals in a laboratory and use the synthetic versions to scent aromatherapy products. For example, chemists can create eucalyptol, the major constituent in eucalyptus essential oil, but according to Lawless, the natural oil contains chemicals that cannot be reproduced. Often, the natural essential oil is more effective than the synthetic blend of its main active constituents.

Benefits

Aromatherapy has three distinct modes of interaction with the human body: pharmacological, physiological and psychological. The pharmacological effect concerns changes that take place when the chemicals in the aroma interact with hormones and enzymes in the bloodstream. The physiological effect deals with the way the oil affects the body's systems. The psychological effect elicits an emotional response from the individual. The psychological response can vary dramatically for each person depending on the emotion the fragrance triggers.
Some pharmacological effects include the ability to stimulate smooth muscles or kill bacteria while physiological effects can range from reducing stress to increasing blood flow to a body part.

Aromatherapy Products

Some popular aromatherapy products on the market today include scented candles; bath salts, oils and bubble bath; lotions and creams; face and body sprays; perfumes, cologne and after-shave; and incense and room sprays. The simplest form of aromatherapy is the diffusion of the oil itself by heating over a heat source, such as a flame or light bulb.

Warnings

Some fragrances can be toxic to humans. According to an article written by chartered biologist Tony Burfield for The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, many essential oils and fragrance oils have not been thoroughly tested and may pose a health risk. Some known toxic oils include pennyroyal, tansy and wormwood. Some synthetic fragrances can cause a headache, allergic reaction or skin reaction.