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Essential oils are highly concentrated fragrant plant essences,
which are highly regarded for their many therapeutic powers. These
oils are produced by tiny glands in the petals, seeds, roots, fruit
and bark of many plants and trees, and are then extracted in minute
quantities. This process of extraction is very time consuming and
often costly, involving the use of a distillation process, whereby
the plant essence is vaporized, cooled and separated into water and
essential oil.
Essential oils are odourous and they readily evaporate in the open
air, having a consistency more similar to that of water than of oil.
The majority of essences are clear and almost colourless, although
there are those that vary in colour from yellow to dark red.
Essential oils may also vary in their potency, depending on the time
of day, month and season they are gathered, and also according to
the manufacturing process used. Resins or absolutes are the result
of the oil being dissolved in alcohol or some other substitute, and
although cheaper than the purer oils, these do prove less effective
than the genuine product.
These essences are usually extracted through a process known as
distillation, whereby the plant material is placed in a cylindrical
container and steam passed through it. The essences which have
evaporated together with the water, is then cooled and separated -
essences are not water-soluble. Other methods favoured by some
include that of, using volatile solvents in the extraction process,
whereby the plant material (usually flowers) is soaked in the
solvent until the essence is dissolved in the alcohol. The
separation process then takes place, by a distillation method that
condenses the oil but not the solvent - this being known as an
'absolute'.
USES
Essential oils are used in a variety of ways and to treat a wide
range of complaints. Mostly used in massage treatments, essential
oils can also be added to bath water, inhaled or used as compresses
to reduce inflammation. Inhalation has proved most effective, as it
has an immediate effect on the brain, however, studies have revealed
that massage is just as valuable as the oils penetrate the skin and
are absorbed into the body - acting as an 'internal' remedy.
Many of the oils have antiseptic and antibacterial properties,
making them extremely useful for treating a host of respiratory
complaints and for cleansing wounds and various infections.
Essential oils are said to relieve the symptoms of many illnesses as
well as being valued for their gently stimulating or calming effects
on the mind - often hoping that through a sense of well-being,
illness will be prevented!
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