Tips for Using Aroma Essential Oils
Aromatherapy has intrigued people for years with its applications for improving health, setting your mind at ease and helping people sleep. It is a good idea to become familiar with each type of essential oil and how it is used and applied before you begin using. These simple tips for using aroma essential oils will give you a good start and help you learn how to purchase and use essential oils safely.
Check the container type before purchasing any essential oils. Essential oils should never be packaged in clear containers or plastic, which degrades the oil. Look for essential oils packaged in amber colored glass bottles.
Buy quality essential oils. Higher quality essential oils should have a therapeutic value on the label. Absolute, hydrosol and fragrance oil are not true essential oils, have no therapeutic value and cost less than true essential oils. Extremely low prices can be an indication of lower quality products, which have been distilled two and three times. Distilling the same plants repeatedly lowers the quality of the oil.
Learn the botanical names for each plant used to make the essential oil. Becoming familiar with the name will make it easier to follow aromatherapy recipes and helps to verify you are looking at the correct essential oil when purchasing or researching.
Test your essential oil for purity. High quality essential oil should be pure versus cheaper products that have been cut with petroleum-based solvents. Place a couple drops of oil on blotting paper. If the essential oil contains petroleum solvents it will leave a residue on the paper after it has evaporated. Pure essential oils do not leave a residue.
- Store essential oils properly and they will last for several years. Wooden storage boxes are ideal for storing essential oils. Make sure the top on each bottle is tightly sealed and store the box in a dark, cool location. Never store essential oils in sunny locations, which can ruin their therapeutic properties.