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Welcome to the fascinating world of essential oils and aromatherapy diffusers.

In this exploration, we delve into the captivating realm of aromatic essences, unlocking the secrets of how these concentrated plant extracts can elevate our well-being.

From enhancing the ambiance of our living spaces to promoting relaxation and various therapeutic benefits, essential oils and their diffusion play a pivotal role.

Join us on a journey to discover the art and science of aromatherapy diffusers, unraveling the myriad ways they enrich our daily lives.

What are essential oils?

     Known to ancient civilizations and now scientifically recognized, essential oils are powerful natural plant extracts of extraordinary effectiveness in terms of health, beauty, and well-being.

All About Essential Oils: Aromatherapy Diffusers

By combining them, it is possible to develop new aromatic synergies whose virtues and properties meet targeted needs such as, for example, strengthening the immune system, relaxation, stimulation, relief of joint and muscle pain, reduction of the "orange peel" effect, etc...

     The benefits of essential oils can be enjoyed provided that the precautions for use are strictly adhered to. 

     Prefer essential oils from Organic Farming, from wild cultivation in regions far from polluted areas, or from controlled traditional cultivation in unpolluted rural areas. 

     Essential oils are used in compositions to be diffused in the atmosphere, in beauty products (mixed with virgin vegetable oils, vegetable butter, and neutral creams), in massage oils, in the bath, or even in cooking.

What are the essential oils needed to get started in aromatherapy?

     There are a very large number of essential oils on the market and it is often difficult to find your way around, let alone know which ones to buy to build a basic family kit. 

     If you had to choose only five, it would be better to choose tea tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), also called tea tree, lemon essential oil (Citrus limonum), palmarosa essential oil (Cymbopogon Martinii), the essential oil of fine lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Ravintsara essential oil (Cinnamomum camphora L.).

Essential Oils Essentials: Building Your Basic Family Kit with Five Must-Haves

     There are a very large number of essential oils on the market and it is often difficult to find your way around, let alone know which ones to buy to build a basic family kit. 

     If you had to choose only five, it would be better to choose tea tree essential oil (Melaleuca lternifolia), also called tea tree, lemon essential oil (Citrus limonum), palmarosa essential oil (Cymbopogon martinii), the essential oil of fine lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and ravintsara essential oil (Cinnamomum camphora L.):

Tea tree essential oil:

it is anti-fatigue, calming, anti-infectious, broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, healing, tonic, and venous decongestant. 

     Tea tree essential oil is indicated in cases of abscess, skin disease, decay, respiratory comfort, cold with nasal discharge, young skin imperfections (pimples), infection of the oral mucosa (aphta type), skin infection (impetigo type), respiratory infections, sore throat, dandruff, wounds, and lice.

Lemon essential oil:

it is antibacterial, antiseptic, blood thinning, digestive, tonic, liver protector, and anti-nauseant. It is indicated in cases of bloating / excess gas, cold, difficult digestion, flu state, fatigue, overweight, seasickness/motion sickness, and warts.

     Palmarosa essential oil: it is antibacterial and major anti-infectious with broad-spectrum action, antifungal, antiviral. Neurotonic, cardiotonic. Positive. Skin and capillary regenerator. Regulates sebum production, healing, astringent, and moisturizing.

     The essential oil of fine lavender: it is the oil of 1001 virtues! It is, among others, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-infectious, light anticoagulant, fluidifying, decongestant, powerful antispasmodic, muscle relaxant, antidepressant, calming, rebalancing, sedative, hypotensive, cardio-tonic, healing, skin regenerator, insecticide, and vermifuge. 

The essential oil of ravintsara:

it is an antiviral, anti-infectious, antibacterial, anti-pain, antispasmodic, muscle relaxant, expectorant, immune system fortifier, neurotonic, balancing, and positive. It is indicated in cases of nose-throat infections, fever blisters, respiratory comfort, and strengthening of the immune system.

What are the properties of essential oils?

     Essential oils help to treat the small ailments of everyday life. In addition to their curative action, they work preventively by stimulating the immune system so that your body fights more effectively against bacterial and viral infections. Among the best-known properties is the antiseptic property. 

     At a time when microbial germs are becoming more and more resistant, which implies the pharmaceutical industry to find more and more powerful antibiotics (but also more and more destructive of the saprophytic flora responsible for our immunity), essential oils offer a real alternative.

     Their effectiveness is indeed stable over time and the proof is made every day of their great effectiveness, where certain antibiotics now fail.

Harnessing Nature's Defense: Exploring the Antiseptic Powers of Plants and Essential Oils

     In fact, the antiseptic virtues of plants have been known for thousands of years. For example, humans have discovered that certain herbs, such as thyme, savory, or cinnamon, slow down the fermentation of food.

     Today, the antiseptic powers of essential oils are scientifically proven: thyme essential oil in 5% aqueous solution destroys streptococcus in 4 minutes, staphylococcus in 4 to 8 minutes and tuberculosis bacillus in 30 to 60 minutes.

Depending on the type of essential oil, the properties can be (non-exhaustive) :

• Analgesic (relieves pain by a sedative action on the nerves),
• Antibiotic (fight against internal infections),
• Antidepressant (fight against depressive states,
• Antiemetic (relieves nausea and eliminates the urge to vomit),
• Anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation),
• Antispasmodic (prevents and treats spasmodic pain in the intestine and uterus),
• Antiperspirant (reduces perspiration),
• Anti-toxic (acts as an anti-poison),
• Antiviral (inhibits or eliminates viruses),
• Aphrodisiac (increases libido),
• Astringent (tones the tissues),
• Carminative (expels intestinal gas),
• Cholagogue (stimulates biliary secretion),
• Healing (accelerates and improves healing),
• Deodorant (reduces odors),
• Depurative (purifies the blood),

Unveiling Nature's Pharmacy: A Comprehensive Guide to the Diverse Healing Properties of Essential Oils

• Digestive (stimulates and facilitates digestion. Relieves indigestion),
• Diuretic (increases the amount of urine),
• Teacher (stimulates and regulates the rules),
• Expectorant (removes excess mucus from the bronchial tubes),
• Febrifuge (reduces fever),
• Fungicide (prevents and destroys fungal infections),
• Galactagogue (stimulates milk secretion),
• Hepatic (stimulates and tones the liver),
• Hypertensive (increases blood pressure),
• Hypotensive (lowers blood pressure),
• Immunostimulant (strengthens the body's defenses against infections),
• Nervous (tones the nervous system),
• Sedative (reduces stress and calms the nervous system),
• Stimulant (increases energy and accelerates glandular secretions -the release of adrenalin-),
• Stomachic (stimulates gastric digestion),
• Styptic (interrupts or reduces external bleeding),
• Sweaty (increases perspiration),
• Tonic (tones the body or a specific organ),
• Uterine (tones the uterus),
• Vasoconstrictor (contracts small blood vessels),
• Vasodilator (dilates small blood vessels),
• Vulnerable (accelerates healing).

How do essential oils work?

     For them to take effect, essential oils must penetrate the body (friction/massage, inhalation, absorption). Then, it is thanks to the blood circulation that they reach the areas to be treated. 

     When diffused in the atmosphere, aromas also send olfactory signals to the limbic system of the brain that can stimulate "emotions". In doing so, the limbic system orders the production of immune substances and hormones.

What do the terms 100% pure and natural and H.E.B.D. mean?

Our Essential Oils are 100% pure and natural, Botanically and Biochemically Defined (H.E.B.D.) :

• An essential oil should be by definition 100% pure and natural. This mention is however brought to guarantee that the essential oil does not contain any other substance than the one coming from the plant. That it is unmodified or diluted, not deteriorated, rectified or reconstituted.

• Each essential oil comes from a clearly identified botanical variety. It is also called chemotype essential oil.

• The extraction methods used are steam distillation or cold expression for citrus fruits. 

How are essential oils extracted?

     The most commonly used process is steam distillation. The principle is simple: steam is injected into a vat (still) filled with the plant from which the essential oil is to be extracted. By circulating through the plants, the steam takes care of its active ingredients. 

     The steam thus enriched is directed into a refrigerated pipe and, on contact with the cold, forms droplets that are collected in a container. 

     The liquid that forms allows the essential oil to appear on its surface (which is less dense than water). All that is left to do is to take it out. 

     The rest of the liquid will be used to create floral water (hydrolat). The other technique, used for citrus fruits (Bergamot, Orange, Lemon, Yuzu...), consists in pressing their peel mechanically and coldly. New technology is CO2 extraction.

What are the different uses of essential oils?

Diffusion

Thanks to an electric diffuser, the essential oil releases micro-particles of essential oil into the ambient air. 

     In addition to their therapeutic actions, essential oils diffused into the atmosphere eliminate unpleasant odors (tobacco, cooking...), revitalize the ambient air, and bring negative ions. 

     Perfume burners can also be used but, by heating the essential oils, they greatly reduce their active ingredients.

Ingestion:

The ingestion of essential oils is reserved for people who are familiar with essential oils. They must always be strongly diluted before adding them as an aroma to a dish or being able to ingest them as a supplement.

     Also, it is imperative to respect the prescription given to you by your doctor or therapist if the ingestion is for therapeutic use. 

     Only essential oils of "food" quality can be ingested. Often you can perfectly replace the ingestion of essential oils by a cutaneous application. 

     Make sure that your prescriber is well-qualified before ingesting essential oils unnecessarily! The cases where the ingestion of essential oils is required are rare.

Culinary Aromatics: A Guide to Safely Using Essential Oils in Flavoring Dishes

     Some people use essential oils to flavor their dishes. But as they are very concentrated, it is important to know how to choose them and to respect their dilution rate which must be important depending on the oils. 

     In general, you should never exceed 3 drops of essential oils per adult per dose and limit your intake to 3 times a day. Essential oils should never be absorbed directly.

They must always be diluted beforehand:

- one drop on a spoonful of honey, well mixed (!) to let it melt in the mouth, on a neutral Arom'Pastille when the essential oil allows it. To integrate them into a dish, you can dilute them in a fat (cream, oil) before adding them at the end of the preparation. Essential oils should never be heated.

You can also add honey with the essential oil or the solution made with Solub-HE in herbal tea or hot but not boiling water.

Wet inhalation:

It consists of breathing water vapor loaded with a few drops of essential oil (no more than 10 drops). 

     If you do not have an inhaler (which you can buy in pharmacies), you can simply lean over a bowl of hot water with a towel on your head to breathe in as much steam as possible. Do not exceed 15 minutes per inhalation.

The bath:

As essential oils are not soluble in water, they must be mixed with an emulsifier before pouring them into the bath. 

     Depending on the essential oil, you can use milk powder (2 to 3 tablespoons), seaweed powder (1 to 2 tablespoons), liquid soap or neutral base shampoo (1 tablespoon), Solub-HE or vegetable oil (1 to 2 tablespoons), or make bath salts with Epsom salt or the Dead Sea salt. 

Caution:

To add essential oils to bath salts, they must first be diluted in vegetable oil. Be particularly careful with irritating essential oils.

     Do not exceed the dose of 10 drops per bath and do not stay for more than 20 minutes. Add your aromatic preparation just before you slip into the water.

Friction/massage:

Applied to the skin, the essential oils penetrate the tissues and irrigate the body with blood. One can thus privilege the venous passages like the wrist or the fold of the elbow. 

     In general, essential oils should always be diluted before applying them to the skin. Exceptions exist for lavender essential oil or tea tree. 

     It is advisable to mix them beforehand with vegetable oil (jojoba, macadamia, rosehip, argan, coconut, wheat germ, sweet almond, olive, apricot kernel...).

How to store essential oils?

     Essential oils can be kept for several years. Some even tend to improve with time (except for essential oils extracted from citrus peel, which do not keep for more than 2 years).

     Close the bottles tightly after use because the aromas evaporate into the atmosphere. 

     Avoid laying the bottles down so that the essential oils are not in too prolonged contact with the plastic dropper (the oils have a corrosive action on the plastic). Place your bottles in a cool, dark place.

     Even though all our bottles are fitted with a child-resistant cap, they should always be kept out of reach!

Precautions of use for essential oils

     Essential oils are very rich in active ingredients and extremely powerful. They must be handled with care and used in moderation.

     Scrupulously respect the recommended dosages and methods of use, which may differ according to the uses indicated by your doctor/aromatherapist and which must be appropriate to your condition and situation.

     Do not administer essential oils to a child under 7 years of age (or even older for some essential oils) without the prior advice of a doctor.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding:

It is recommended not to use essential oils during pregnancy without medical advice. 

     Some essential oils may have an abortifacient or milk-cutting effect.

     Do not use essential oils in people with a history of epilepsy or convulsions, people who are hypersensitive to essential oils, asthmatics, and people with allergies. Never inject essential oils intravenously or into muscles.

Allergy:

It is advisable to perform an allergy test before using essential oil. To do this, apply a drop of essential oil (mixed with a drop of vegetable oil) to the crease of the elbow. If there is no reaction after 24 hours, you can use this essential oil. 

Respiratory allergies, Asthma:

The use of essential oils in atmospheric diffusion is contra-indicated (unless medical advice is given).

Sun:

Avoid all exposure to sunlight and UV rays in the hours following the application or intake of a photosensitizing essential oil (Angelique seed, Bergamot, Lemon, Lime, Khella German Chamomile, Tarragon).

Accidental absorption:

Ingest (and, if possible, induce vomiting) pure vegetable oil (1 to 3 tablespoons, olive, sunflower, etc). Never give water to drink! Essential oils are not water-soluble. Call the Poison Control Centre No. available at http://www.centres-antipoison.net/.

     Never apply essential oil near or on the eyes, ear, nose, and anogenital mucous membranes.

Accidental ocular projection:

Wipe the eye with cotton wool largely soaked in pure vegetable oil or spread one or more drops of vegetable oil on the eyeball. If necessary, repeat this operation several times. Do not clean with water!

     Essential oils are not water-soluble (do not dissolve in water). If you pour them into a bath or dish, they float on the surface and can cause skin irritation or burns. Always dilute them well beforehand (e.g. in a neutral liquid soap, vegetable oil, honey, glycerine, liquid cream, Solub-HE).

     Avoid contact of pure essential oils with the skin. Some are dermo-caustic. Used pure, they can irritate or burn the skin (e.g. Cinnamon, Wintergreen, Clove, Oregano, Thyme, Savory). The essential oil of mint has a cooling effect when applied to the skin. Do not use it in a bath!

     Consultation with a doctor is absolutely necessary in cases of serious illness or in case of prolonged use.

Conservation:

Legally the shelf life of essential oils is fixed at 5 years. However, be aware that some essences keep longer and even improve over time. 

     Essential oils extracted from the citrus peel are to be used within 2 years for skin applications or in a bath but can be used after this date for diffusion.

     Close the bottles tightly after use as the aromas and active ingredients evaporate into the atmosphere.

     Avoid laying the bottles down so that the essential oils are not in too prolonged contact with the plastic dropper (the oils have a corrosive action on the plastic). Place your bottles in a cool, dark place.

     Keep them out of the reach of children.