Essential Oils

Essential oils are also known as “herbal essences” or “fragrances”.  In nature, plants produce a variety of essential oils. These aromatic substances are deposited in different parts of the plant. Apart from defending the plants against enemies such as bacteria and fungi, they also attract insects and regulate the plants’ water balance protecting them from heat and cold. The role of essential oils in interplant communication through fine substances hasn't been scientifically confirmed yet.

In aromatherapy, essential oils are highly concentrated natural substances obtained from plants through steam distillation, cold pressing or chemical extraction. A single plant may contain from 70 to 600 different active substances – this is the uniqueness of aromatherapy.

Essential oil yield differs highly from plant to plant, which also explains the price differences among the various oils. Rose, neroli (orange blossom), magnolia, jasmine and melissa officinalis (lemon balm) are some of the most expensive, but aromatherapy is unimaginable without them. Between 3,500 and 5,000 kg rose blossoms must be gathered to produce one litre of rose oil. However, 2-3 drops of this oil are usually enough for 30 ml basis cream or fat oil when mixed with other essential oils. Contrary to the so-called fat oils, which in aromatherapy are known as basic oils (e.g. almond oil), essential oils are volatile. Therefore, they are precious substances to be kept in well closed containers after use.