Many people don’t appreciate the various uses for essential oils. Essential oils can be used for soaps, perfumes, potpourri, and candles, to flavour foods and drinks, and are also popular in pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy massages, and baths. Essential oils are mainly enjoyed for their relaxation benefits, offering tranquil and stress relief effects that provide natural alternatives to pharmaceutical stress relief drugs.
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Essential oils are available in two types, pure and synthetic. Pure oils are formulated to maintain the essence of the plant from which they are derived. Synthetic oils are known as fragrance oils, and they are designed to be reminiscent of the scent of pure oil. These synthetic products can be used for massages and baths, but because they do not have the proper chemical compounds of pure oils, they are not effective for medicinal purposes.
Pure oils are formulated using four unique processes. Effleurage is a process in which plant material is put on layers of cold fat. Heat and pressure are applied and other plant material is added until the fat has been completed saturated with plant oil. Stream distillation is done by using hot steam on plant material, which encourages the essential oils to evaporate. Droplets are then collected to create the form of the essential oil that can be used by consumers. In the third process, volatile solvents are combined with the plant material, leading to absorption of the essential oils out of the plant material. The last process is known as pressing, which involves pressing plant materials so that the essential oils are squeezed out.
Essential oils are very concentrated, much more so than conventional bath and massage oils. For this reason essential oils require closer attention when handling them, as some can even cause blisters if they touch the skin. Closely following directions is very important, and essential oils should be kept in dark bottles away from sunlight to preserve the chemical composition, as many are sensitive to light.
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