catalogue

Pure Essential Oils...

Why Essential?
Pure essential oils are the 100% natural essence of plant matter. Each essence has an incredibly complex chemical structure which gives each species its unique characteristic scent and properties.
These essences are found in highly specialised glands within the flowers, seeds, fruit, leaves, bark or roots of plants and can be extracted by steam distillation or expression to produce pure essential oils.

All essential oils are non-greasy, because unlike vegetable oils they contain no fat.
Most essential oils are colourless and have the consistency of water. Those which are coloured include Mandarin (orange) and Lemon (yellow). Some such as Sandalwood and Rose are more viscous and the bottle may require warming in the hand before becoming pourable.

How Do They Work?
Pure essential oils exist in plants for a variety of reasons.
For example, some act to protect the plant against infection and disease or to help heal damaged tissue whilst others attract particular insects or repel others. These selfsame properties along with many others can be utilised in Aromatherapy to help maintain our own well-being.

What Is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is quite simply a therapy which involves applying aromatic plant oils to the body in order to:

optimise a healthy mind & body
enrich the experience of body massage
aid relaxation or enhance our mood
care for the skin & hair
fragrance the home or workplace

The most popular methods of application include aromatic baths, massage after dilution in a carrier oil, inhalation, compress and vaporization.
For further details see our section on essential oil use and our usage chart.

Essential oils are chosen for their particular properties and can be used alone or up to three oils can be blended together either to enhance their effects or simply to create a pleasing scent.

How Do Essential Oils Work?
Pure essential oils can work in three ways:

Firstly when used in inhalations or vaporization, the airborne aromatic oil molecules are picked up by nerves in the nose which has a direct effect upon the emotional centre of the brain before being inhaled into the lungs
Secondly by absorbtion through the skin and into the body through bathing or massage
Thirdly essential oils can be applied externally in topical skin applications such as a compress, cream, face mask or soap etc.

In each application the oils are transported via the blood throughout the body and will start to do their work wherever they are needed.

Why The Widely Differing Prices?
Different plants yield varying quantities of oil which accounts for the considerable difference in price between, for example, a citrus oil which is found in such profusion in the peel of the fruit, and Rose oil which requires 60,000 rose petals to produce 1oz. of oil!
Although some essential oils may seem expensive, a 10ml bottle contains about 200 drops of essential oil which is sufficient for up to 40 aromatic baths or 65 massages - great value for money!

How Should I Store My Essential Oils?
Always store your oils in their original bottles away from heat and direct sunlight with the tops firmly closed.
Once opened, the shelf life of most pure essential oils is one year. Keeping the oils in the fridge will prolong their life.

* Precautions To Take When Using Essential Oils *

Never take essential oils internally!!
Always use as directed and do not exceed the stated amount.
Avoid contact with the eyes and mucus membranes.
Keep out of the reach of children & pets!!
With the exception of Lavender & Tea Tree, do not use essential oils undiluted on the skin.
If pregnant, suffering from epilepsy or high blood pressure seek professional advice before use.
If you should suffer a reaction to an essential oil stop using immediately.
Do not use essential oils on children under 5 years except under professional advice. For children under 12 years and the elderly, halve the stated amount.
To avoid any risk of toxicity, alternate the use of different oils. Do not use any one oil for longer than 2 weeks. Wait 1 week before recommencing treatment.

SAFETY DATA for each individual oil can be found along with its description and price in the essential oils section of the catalogue.