Essential Oils & Aromatherapy Uses

Some of the oils available include:
View our aromatherapy range

• Essential oils: Fragrant oils extracted from plants chiefly through distillation (e.g. eucalyptus oil) or expression (grapefruit
  oil). However, the term is also occasionally used to describe fragrant
  oils extracted from plant material by any solvent extraction.
• Absolutes: Fragrant oils extracted primarily from flowers or delicate plant tissues through solvent or supercritical fluid extraction (e.g. rose
  absolute). The term is also used to describe oils extracted from
  fragrant butters, concretes, and enfleurage pommades using ethanol.
• Phytoncides: Various volatile organic compounds from plants that kill microbes. Many terpene-based fragrant oils and sulfuric compounds from plants in the genus "Allium" are Phytoncides, though the latter are likely less commonly used in aromatherapy due to their disagreeable odors.
• Herbal distillates or hydrosols: The aqueous by-products of the distillation process (e.g. rosewater). There are many herbs that make herbal distillates and they have culinary uses, medicinal uses and skin care uses. Common herbal distillates are rose, lemon balm and chamomile.
• Infusions: Aqueous extracts of various plant material (e.g. infusion of chamomile)
• Carrier oils: Typically oily plant base triacylglycerides that dilute essential oils for use on the skin (e.g. sweet almond oil)
  

Oils and their Uses

• Basil is used in perfumery for its clear, sweet and mildly spicy aroma. In aromatherapy, it is used for sharpening concentration, for its uplifting effect on depression, and to relieve headaches and migraines. Basil oil has many chemotypes and some are known to be emmenagogues and should be avoided during pregnancy.
• Bergamot is one of the most popular oils in perfumery. It is an excellent insect
  repellent and may be helpful for both the urinary tract and for the
  digestive tract. It is useful for skin conditions linked to stress,
  such as cold sores and chicken pox, especially when combined with eucalyptus oil. Bergamot is a flavoring agent in Earl Grey tea. But cold-pressed Bergamot oil contains bergaptene, a strong photosensitizer when applied to the skin, so only distilled or 'bergaptene-free' types can be topically used.
• Black pepper
  has a sharp and spicy aroma. Common uses include stimulating the
  circulation and for muscular aches and pains. Skin application is
  useful for bruises, since it stimulates the circulation.
• Citronella oil, obtained from a relative of lemongrass, is used as an insect repellant and in perfumery.
• Tea tree oil and many other essential oils have topical (external) antimicrobial (i.e. antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, or antiparasitic) activity and are used as antiseptics and disinfectants.
• Eucalyptus oil is often used in combination with Mint to provide relief for the airways in case of cold or flu.
• Sandalwood oil
• Thyme oil
• Clove oil is a topical analgesic, especially useful in dentistry. It is also used an antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, and antiemetic.
• Lavender oil is used as an antiseptic, to soothe minor cuts and burns, to calm and relax, and to soothe headaches and migraines.
• Yarrow oil is used to reduce joint inflammation and relieve cold and influenza symptoms.
• Jasmine, Rose, Sandalwood and Ylang-ylang oil are used as aphrodisiacs.
• Lemon oil is uplifting and anti-stress/anti-depressant. In a Japanese study, lemon essential oil in vapour form has been found to reduce stress in mice.
  

View our aromatherapy range