Petitgrain oil is one of the three oils obtained from the orange tree, the others are neroli from the flowers and orange from the rind of the fruit.

Petitgrain oil is extracted from the leaves of the tree but was once extracted from the green unripe oranges, when they were still the size of cherries, hence the name Petitgrain or ‘little grains.’

It is widely used in pharmaceutical products and perfumery and is the classic ingredient of eau-de-cologne.
Extraction

Botanical name: Citrus bigardia

Plant origin: Tree, leaves

Extraction method: Distillation

Read more »

Peppermint plants usually grow to about 2 - 3 feet tall. They have tiny purple flowers in whorls and terminal spikes. Dark green, fragrant leaves grow opposite white flowers. Peppermint is native to Europe and Asia, is naturalized to North America, and grows wild in moist, temperate areas. Some varieties are indigenous to South Africa, South America, and Australia.

Peppermint is a very popular ingredient for gum, toothpaste, tea and for cooking too. Peppermint is also very effective to soothe an upset stomach and to aid in digestion. Because it has a calming and numbing effect, it has been used to treat headaches, skin irritations, anxiety associated with depression, nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, and flatulence. It is also an ingredient in chest rubs, used to treat symptoms of the common cold. In test tubes, peppermint kills some types of bacteria and viruses, suggesting it may have antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Botanical name: Mentha piperita

Plant origin: Herb

Extraction method: Distillation

Read more »

Essential oils and carrier oils both play the important roles in aromatherapy. While carriers are often thought of in terms of their reflexology and massage uses, these oils actually posses their own virtues. Instead of thinking of them as merely the method of applying essential oils, we can explore the unique qualities of carrier oils separately with great results. Most likely, your aromatherapy techniques will be enhanced by using your special essential oils with carriers that actually increase their medicinal qualities.

Also, need to remind you here that most of the pure essential oils are not safe if apply directly to skin undiluted, because essential oils are highly concentrate oils. Whenever, you plan to use essential oils, always refer to the safety precaution of aromatherapy essential oils.

To begin with, it is important to remember that fats are essential for human life. Fats, called lipids, are critical for maintaining warmth, providing protection and ensuring healthy cellular function. Although the world of nutrition is engaged in discovering which fats are best for internal health, aromatherapy is concerned with how plant-derived oils deliver health from the outside in. Externally-applied oils help the body maintain vital functions in unique ways through both chemical changes and mechanical assistance.

Read more »

Only nature can produce whole essential oils. Essential oils are tiny droplets contained in glands, glandular hairs, sacs, or veins of different plant parts, like leaves, bark, flowers, stem, roots and fruits. They are the “essence” of the particular plant that giving the plants its unique scent.

There are three principal methods of extracting essential oils from aromatic plants. These are: distillation process; expression process; extraction using volatile solvents; and enfleurage process.

Distillation Process
Distillation process or steam distillation is the most common process method for obtaining essential oils from a plant. The process involve heating and the steam is force into a vat of plant material, where it breaks open and reptures these glands releasing the precious oils, vapor is formed, then cooling the vapor until it becomes liquid. This is when the essential oils are collected.

Distillation is an economical and popular method used in essential oils extraction. However , it still may take hundreds, or even thousands pound of plant parts to distill a single pound of the essential oils. That’s why, some essential oils will vary greatly in their cost.

Read more »

What Is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy means “treatment using scents”. It is a type of alternative medicine using the stimulant of pleasant smell of  volatile plant oils, including essential oils and other aromatic plant compounds. Aromatherapy aimed at improving a person’s health, physically and psychologically.  Many consider this type of treatment as unscientific and unwise thinking, however, scientific evidence of its effectiveness is growing.

The most common ingredient used in Aromatherapy nowadays is the essential oils. Essential oils, the pure essences of a plant, they are aromatic essences extracted from plants, flowers, trees, fruits, bark, grasses and seeds with distinctive therapeutic, psychological, and physiological properties, which improve health and change moods. There are about 150 essential oils. Most of these oils have antiseptic properties; some are antiviral, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antidepressant and expectorant. Other properties of the essential oils which are taken advantage of in aromatherapy are their stimulation, relaxation, digestion improvement, and diuretic properties. To get the maximum benefit from essential oils, it should be made from natural, pure raw materials. Synthetically made oils like perfume do not provide the therapeutic benefits of essential oils.

The essential oils are added to the bath or massaged into the skin, inhaled directly or diffused to scent an entire room. Aromatherapy is used for the relief of pain, care for the skin, alleviate tension and fatigue and invigorate the entire body. it helps to change our mood as well. Just imagine what is your mood when you smell the scent of fresh roses and what how you feel when you smell the garbage dump.

Read more »