Magical Essential Oils

"Fragrance played a large part in days gone by. An attempt was early made for sanitation in home and community by the protective measures of strewn, burning, and inhaling aromatic herbs. Pleasing odors had beneficial effects and vile odors would ward off evil."

Rosetta E. Clarkson, Magic Gardens

Aromatherapists use a variety of aromatic substances to facilitate healing, reduce stress, and promote a sense of well-being in their clients. Aromatherapists may employ essential oils along with aromatic fresh or dried plant material into their healing practices.

Essential Oils
Essential oils are the volatile aromatic oils of plants, leaves, and flowers. Essential oils are very potent and usually need to be diluted before being used. Never use an essential oil in its undiluted state unless otherwise noted as they may cause skin irritation if used directly on the skin.

Do not confuse essential oils with fragrance oils. Essential oils are 100% pure plant oils with no added ingredients. Fragrance oils are blends of synthetic compounds to be used for aromatic purposes only. Essential oils can be used both for medicinal and aromatic purposes. The fragrance oils are only used to scent items such as potpourris, candles and soaps.

It is beyond the scope of most herbalists and gardeners to make their own essential oils as large quantities of raw plant material are required to produce even a tiny amount of oil. High quality essential oils can be purchased at health food stores and select grocery stores. Most grocery stores and health food stores sell the oils in ¼ ounce or ½ ounce size bottles.

One of my herbal supply catalogs lists over 50 essential oils in their current catalog. Most of them are available in ¼ ounce, ½ ounce, 1 ounce, 4 ounce, 8 ounce and 16 ounce bottles. Essential oils are very concentrated, a little goes a long way. Unless you are contemplating opening your own store I would not recommend buying anything larger than a ¼ ounce or ½ ounce bottle of essential oil at a time.