Essential Oil Education - class #1

So, I thought that I would post some little informational "classes" to help you understand some neat things about essential oils.

Let's start with the basics.

Essential oils are derived from the plant carrying the distinctive scent or essence of the plant, using different techniques. The most popular being steam distilled. Steam distillation happens when the part of the plant (ex. flower petals, rhizome, roots, stem, etc. ) is placed into water and heated to release the oils of the plant to the surface of the water. The remaining water that is left over is filtered and used as a hydrolat or more commonly called, hydrosol.

There are many rare and expensive essential oils. Rose Otto is heavenly until you see the price tag! It takes about 30 rose petals to get 1 drop of rose oil. One ounce is about $400.00 or more depending on the country of origin.

Therapeutic grade essential oils are not greasy. The common misconception is that because they are oils they will be greasy or oily. They can be oily when a carrier oil is added and some essential oils do have oils added so check the label before purchasing. Essential oils are actually beneficial for people with greasy skin and hair.

Essential oils are not to be confused with synthetic fragrance oils. Some fragrances simply cannot be mimicked through essential oils. If you want a certain scent, you may need to use fragrance oils to ac hive it. Most over the counter products that we buy are scented with fragrance oils or perfumes. Individuals with sensitive skin can find them to be harsh on their skin but they are OK for most of us. However, I choose to use essential oils because I feel that we don't need any more added chemicals in our lives and on our skin.

More to come...