What is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is a natural health therapy
that involves the therapeutic use of essential oils that are
extracted from plants. Essential oils are volatile, aromatic
substances that contribute to the aroma or smell of plants.
Essential oils are derived from natural single botanical sources
that include flowers, herbs, spices, seeds, fruit peels,
berries, roots, resins, wood, leaves and branches from around
the world. Essential oils are extracted using a variety of
different methods, but the primary method of extraction is steam
distillation. Steam from boiling water is exposed to the plant
material thereby separating the essential oil from its water-
soluble constituents by the process of condensation and
distillation. The water portion is known as a hydrosol, the
fat/lipid/oil soluble portions are known as essential oils.
Essential oils are different from fixed carrier oils like olive
oil but have an oily quality. The origins of aromatherapy date
back centuries. The use of plants and herbs