Plants have essential oils in their flowers, seeds, stems, leaves and bark. For plants, essential oils offer protection, repel insects and regulate important plant functions. For people, the concentrated, volatile oils extracted from plants are used in healing, massage, aromatherapy, cleaning products and air fresheners. Extraction of essential oils requires special equipment and a great deal of raw plant material to produce even small quantities of pure essential oil.
History
For centuries, people used essential oils from plants and trees. Fragrant essential oils became perfumes for both men and women. Essential oils also found their way into religious ceremonies and in medical treatments by the Indians and Chinese as early as the second century B.C. In medieval times, people believed essential oils removed negative spirits and disease. Modern uses of essential oils include massage, aromatherapy and natural healing.
Production/Extraction
The most common method to extract essential oils requires water or steam distillation. Examples of essential oils commonly extracted through distillation are peppermint, lavender and eucalyptus. Other methods to make essential oils include expression, also called cold pressing, to extract oils from citrus fruit peelings, nuts and seeds. Some plant materials, especially flowers, require more delicate processing than distillation or expression to extract their essential oil. To extract oils from flowers, a solvent such as ethyl alcohol is used. During a second distillation, the alcohol is removed from the extracted essential oil.
Purchase and Storage
Because some manufacturers offer diluted or chemically created oils, a wary consumer should carefully read bottle labels for ingredients and processing information. Essential oils are expensive, and those that are challenging to extract will be significantly more costly. For example, lavender oil is relatively plentiful and inexpensive; jasmine, or rose absolute, is many times higher in cost. All essential oils should be packaged in small, dark glass containers and stored away from heat or light.
Uses
Essential oils work wonders in aromatherapy by improving relaxation and enhancing sensory experience. Some essential oils, such as eucalyptus, are inhaled to treat sinus congestion and others such as rosemary and ginger are used in compresses to treat sore muscles. Essential oils added to shampoos and conditioners improve the hair's shine (rosemary, chamomile, lemon) or treat dandruff (sage, patchouli, and ylang-ylang).
Safety
Essential oils are for external use only. They should be kept out of the reach of children, and women who are pregnant should use caution. Protect your eyes when working with essential oils and wash your hands before and after using them. Some essential oils such as citrus oils increase your skin's sensitivity to sunlight. Because individuals have unique reactions to essential oils, it is best to check for adverse reactions on a small skin area before applying to the entire body or using for a bath or cleaning product. Beware of medical claims about the effectiveness of essential oils in treating health-related conditions. Always check with a qualified practitioner before considering essential oils for treatment.
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