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Glossary of aromatherapy terms Amrita's glossary of aromatherapy terms and aromatherapy definitions is organized in alphabetical order. Click on any of the links below. |
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Blending refers to science of creating right combination and proportion of the essential oils that will help with a particular emotional or physical condition. Naturally it's important to create a therapeutic blend that has a pleasing aroma.
When blending, it's important to select oils based not only on their properties and characteristics, but also taking into consideration contraindications and safety issues that might affect other aspects of your health. For example, Basil Holy blends with Rosemary given normal conditions. However, Rosemary is contraindicated in pregnancy. That's why we always recommend consulting a professional unless you know what you are doing. |
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Refers to aroma properties of an essential oil and it's effects on a sense of smell.
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Lavender, Cedarwood, and Eucalyptus are examples of the common names of plants used to create essential oils. However, there are different varieties of each of these plants. To differentiate these varieties, the botanical name(also referred to as the Latin name) is used to tell them apart. For example, two different oils are referred to as Eucalyptus, however, they might come from different plants, and have different therapeutic properties. Therefore, botanical name is needed to distinguish between these two plants. In case of eucalyptus two botanical names could be Eucalyptus Globulus or Eucalyptus Radiata.
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Refers to what we at Amrita Essentials beleive is the best source of that particular essential oil. This information is based on: climate and soil conditions needed to grow best therapeutic grade essential oil.
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The three main methods of extracting the essential oils are: expression, distillation and extraction with volatile solvents.
Cold pressing (expression) refers to oils obtained through pressing and grinding fruit or seeds with the use of heavy granite millstones or modern stainless steel presses, which are found in large commercial operations. Although pressing and grinding produces heat through friction, the temperature must not rise above 120ºF for any oil to be considered cold pressed. Cold pressed oils retain all of their flavor, aroma, and nutritional value.
Steam distillation is the most common method of extracting essential oils. Many old-time distillers favor this method for most oils, and say that none of the newer methods produces better quality oils.
Steam distillation is done in a still. Fresh, or sometimes dried, botanical material is placed in the plant chamber of the still, and pressurized steam is generated in a separate chamber and circulated through the plant material. The heat of the steam forces the tiny intercellular pockets that hold the essential oils to open and release them. The temperature of the steam must be high enough to open the pouches, yet not so high that it destroys the plants or fractures or burns the essential oils.
As they are released, the tiny droplets of essential oil evaporate and, together with the steam molecules, travel through a tube into the still's condensation chamber. As the steam cools,it condenses into water. The essential oil forms a film on the surface of the water. To separate the essential oil from the water, the film is then decanted or skimmed off the top.
The remaining water, a byproduct of distillation , is called floral water, distillate, or hydrosol. It retains many of the therapeutic properties of the plant, making it valuable in skin care for facial mists and toners. In certain situations, floral water may be preferable to pure essential oil, such as when treating a sensitive individual or a child, or when a more diluted treatment is required.
Another method of extraction used on delicate plants is solvent extraction, which yields a higher amount of essential oil at a lower cost. In this process, a chemical solvent such as hexane is used to saturate the plant material and pull out the aromatic compounds. This renders a substance called a concrete. The concrete can then be dissolved in alcohol to remove the solvent. When the alcohol evaporates, an absolute remains.
Although more cost-efficient than enfleurage, solvent extraction has disadvantages. Residues of the solvent may remain in the absolute and can cause side effects. While absolutes or concretes may be fine for fragrances or perfumes, they are not especially desirable for skin care applications.
Some trees, such as Benzoin, Frankincense, and Myrrh, exude aromatic 'tears', or sap that is too thick to use easily in aromatherapy. In these cases, a resin or essential oil can be extracted from the tears with alcohol or a solvent such as hexane. This renders a resin or an essential oil that is easier to use. However, only those oils or resin extracted with alcohol should be used for aromatherapy purposes.
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Based on properties and characteristics of an oil, gives you more specific information on how it affects body, mind and spirit.
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Refers to how tenaciously the scent of an essential oil lingers. "Top notes" relative to other notes, usually dissappear faster, and "base note" lasting the longest. Adding a small amount of a middle note will make a top note last longer. Rounding the blend off with just a single drop or so of a base note anchors it more. Normally speaking, the lower notes will dominate a blend, if used in equal amounts.
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Essential oils come from various parts of plants - the seeds, bark, leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruit. Essential Oils carry all their therapeutic properties only when extracted from the specified part of the plant.
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The actions of the essential oils which are supported by reliable scientific evidence.
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Safety is of fundamental importance to the practice of aromatherapy. The factors that need to be considered to ensure the safe use of essential oils include:
a) Quality of the Essential Oils being used
b) Packaging and labeling
c) Chemical composition of essential oils
e) Identifying Essential Oil hazards.
In our safety data notes, however, we mostly refer to "e" or identifying essential oil hazards.
Essential oils are safe to use, pleasurable and very beneficial as long as a few common sense precautions are followed:
Avoid contact with eyes or mucus membranes
Essential oils can sting when they get in the eyes or on mucus membranes. Rinse the affected area with a plain vegetable oil.
Internal Use
The International Federation of Aromatherapists strongly discourages the internal use of essential oils. They are highly concentrated substances that can damage the delicate lining of the digestive tract. Some essential oils are toxic when taken internally. Essential oils should only be ingested under the direct supervision of a professional aromatherapist.
Contraindications
People who have epilepsy or high blood pressure, pregnant women, infants and children all have special considerations in the use of essential oils. This information is available in the charts in the back of this booklet and also in the individual description of each oil. Please check the safety consideration for each oil before using it at home.
Dilution
Essential oils are very concentrated. They should always be diluted for use on the skin. With the exception of Tea Tree and Lavender, they should only be used directly on the skin under the supervision of a trained aromatherapist.
Sensitive Skin
Some oils can be skin irritants. Read the safety notes in the description of the oil or in the chart at the back of this booklet. To check for sensitivity to an oil, put a few drops, undiluted, on the inside of the wrist, cover with a bandage, and check the skin in two hours.
Phototoxicity
Some oils, particularly citrus oils, accelerate skin pigmentation when used on the skin before exposure to sunlight. When using Bergamot, Orange, Lemon and Angelica on the skin, wait at least six hours before exposing to sunlight. Storage
Essential oils are volatile. They can be damaged by exposure to heat, oxygen and sunlight. A good quality oil comes in a dark bottle, either brown or cobalt blue. After use, the cap should be securely fastened and it should be stored in a cool, dry place, out of reach of children. Many essential oils come with a plastic dropper insert in the bottle. This allows only one drop at a time from the bottle, making blending more accurate, preventing spills, and inhibiting ingestion by a child. When properly cared for, most essential oils have a shelf life of two to five years. Citrus oils oxidize easily so they have a much shorter shelf life; about six months. The test of freshness in an essential oil is its smell.
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Because essential oils evaporate easily they can be dispersed or diffused, into the air. Diffuse essential oils to create a mood, to kill air born germs and viruses, to treat colds and coughs, to fall asleep at night, or to increase clear thinking and memory at work or in the classroom. Diffusion is a safe way to treat children because only a very small quantity of oil actually reaches the body. It is not necessary to diffuse essential oils all day. Seven minutes is the optimum amount of time. After that the nervous system adapts so that awareness of the scent is lost. How often the oils are diffused will depend on the effect desired. To create an atmosphere, once may be enough, to treat an illness 4 or 5 times a day may be needed.
The Nebulizing Diffuser is the best way to disperse essential oils into the air. It does not change the chemistry of the oil by heating it or exposing it to plastic or metal parts. The nebulizing diffuser has a small, aquarium style pump that uses air to disperse the oil, and a glass nebulizer designed to break up the particles to a fine mist that will stay airborne a long time. The nebulizer also ionizes the oil particles, making them more therapeutic.
Other Ways to Diffuse Oils include ceramic and metal pots with a flame underneath, electric aroma balls or plug-in dashboard diffusers, children's vaporizers, humidifiers, a pot of boiling water on the stove, a few drops on a hanky to hold.
Essential oils are often used in massage and skin care. There is evidence that oils applied to the skin enter the bloodstream. Whether the effect will be calming and cooling, warming and invigorating, toning to the uterus or tonic to the liver depends upon the chemistry of each oil. The synergy of chemical constituents that nature provides is a grace and a blessing that the modern science of medicine, with its emphasis on reproducing single chemicals, has not been able to duplicate.
Aromatherapy combines very easily and beneficially with any kind of massage. In fact, massage is the most direct method to use aromatherapy for the treatment of acute manifestations of imbalance. Massage is particularly good to treat all stress- related imbalances. Many massage therapists in the United States and abroad have found the healing therapy of touch enhanced by the addition of essential oils. Some massage schools offer classes in aromatherapy. Many books on aromatherapy include massage techniques. A massage can be relaxing and soothing, stimulating, or romantic and intimate, depending on the oils chosen, and the kind of massage technique used.
Choose a single oil or make a blend that suits the condition and temperament of the person receiving the massage. Essential oils should always be diluted in carrier oil for massage:
Carrier Oils are fatty oils made from vegetables and nuts. They are chemically different than essential oils, consisting of almost 100% triglycerides. Generally safe to consume, they are mild to use directly on the skin. Some carrier oils are:
• Sweet Almond - a light, penetrating oil, good for dry skin. Expeller-pressed.
• White Grapeseed - inexpensive, non-irritating for most skin, even allergic types. Solvent extracted.
• Avocado - very nourishing and penetrating, can be added to Sweet Almond to increase its ability to penetrate the skin and to moisturize.
• Jojoba - not really an oil, but a wax that has the consistency of oil at room temperature. Excellent for all skin types, expecially good for scalp massage. Makes a good perfume base, because it does not spoil.
• Olive - easy to obtain, inexpensive, very nourishing to dry skin, but it has a smell of its own.
Dilution
The proper dilution can vary greatly, depending on the degree of sensitivity. The following guidelines should be adjusted to suit each individual:
• Adults - As a general rule, essential oils should be used in a 2% dilution. That means about 40 to 80 drops to a 4 oz.bottle of carrier oil, or about 10 drops to a tablespoon of oil.
• Babies - Only the very mildest oils should be used.
Up to 6 months, use only Lavender or Chamomile Roman. 1-2 drops in 10 ml or 2 tsp of carrier oil.
6 - 12 months, Chamomile Roman, Rose or Lavender, 1 - 2 drops in 2 tsp of carrier oil.
• Children - Use the oils that are safe for babies and,
1 -6 years, use Neroli, Orange, Tea Tree, 2 - 3 drops of oil to 2 tsp of carrier oil.
7 - 12 years, same as for an adult, but use 4 drops to a tablespoon of oil.
An aromatherapy bath is a treat that can be sensual, relaxing, purifying, invigorating or just fun. Since essential oils do not dissolve in water, it is best to add five to ten drops to a cup of milk, vinegar, oatmeal, honey or liquid soap. The essential oil evaporates quickly, so add it when the tub is full.
A hot aromatic foot bath can ward off a cold, relieve stress and exhaustion or treat specific foot complaints. Add 5 drops to a large basin of water. Soak and relax for 10 minutes.
Compresses are useful in treating local problems, like boils, insect bites, headaches, menstrual cramps or sprains. You will need a natural fiber cloth, and a container for water to fit the size of the injury. For an infected finger just a cupful of water is needed. Choose a compress over local massage whenever hot or cold treatment seems to be appropriate.
Fill the container with water. Use hot water for muscular aches and pains, arthritis, infections or menstrual cramps. Use cold water for sprains, migraines or bruises. For a finger sized compress, add 2 drops of oil to 1\4 cup of water or to cover a larger area use 8 drops of oil to 2 cups of water. Agitate well to disperse the oil, lower the cloth slowly into the basin, lightly squeeze out any excess water and lay it on the problem area. Leave on for at least an hour. A cold compress can have a bag of crushed ice placed on top; a warm compress can be wrapped with warm fabric like wool.
Inhalation of essential oils is systemic absorption by way of the nasal mucosa and lungs. Inhalation can be used for a variety of purposes. The air quality in your workspace or home can be cleansed and disinfected via essential oils. Inhalation can give you relief from upper respiratory congestion or reduce the effects of stress. It is by inhalation that essential oils can influence moods or emotions and relax or stimulate. But not all essential oils can be used for inhalation. Some are too caustic to the tender tissues of the nasal passages and lungs. This route of application is contraindicated for asthmatics and those with respiratory allergies. Inhaling through the nose is for the sinuses and emotions. Inhalation through the mouth is for the benefit of the lungs. Inhalation is easily accomplished through the use of steam, a diffuser, spritzing, a humidifier, or sniffing a tissue.
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