Aromatherapy Bath Oil
Aromatherapy is the practice of using
volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and
physical well-being. Essential oils are the pure “essence” of plants
extracted from their leaves, twigs, flowers, barks, roots, and even
rids of their fruits. Used for nearly 6,000 thousand years,
aromatherapy is said to connote several therapeutic benefits and is
associated with branches of alternative medicine as herbology and
holistic healing.
In aromatherapy, several types of
plant oils are used to help promote your health and general
well-being. The effects of each type of oil may vary according to
their therapeutic properties. In this article, you will learn more
about aromatherapy bath oils and what it means to use one of them.
Aromatherapy Bath Oils – Essential
Oils
Essential oils are perhaps the
commonest type of aromatherapy bath oils used. They are liquid
substances that are generally extracted from the leaves, stems,
flowers, bark, roots, or other parts of a plant. The process of
extraction may be done through distillation using steam or water.
Contrary to its name, essential oils
are not really “oily” when you feel them. Most of them are clear
although some may be amber or yellow in color, like the aromatherapy
bath oil called patchouli, orange, or lemongrass.
This type of aromatherapy bath oil is
highly concentrated so just a few drops can be very potent.
Essential oils give new meaning to the phrase “a little goes a long
way.”
Aromatherapy Bath Oils – Absolutes
Like all other aromatherapy bath
oils, absolutes are highly aromatic liquids extracted from plants.
But, unlike essential oils, absolutes are extracted not by mere
distillation of the plant parts. The manner of extracting absolutes
is far more complicated than that. It requires the use of chemical
solvents that are later removed during the final stages of
production.
Aromatherapy Bath Oils – CO2s
CO2, if you remember your chemistry
lessons, is the chemical formula for carbon dioxide. Aromatherapy
bath oils may be derived from plants through the carbon dioxide
method wherein pressure is applied until carbon dioxide becomes
liquid. The liquefied form of carbon dioxide is then used as a
solvent to extract from the natural plant matter its aromatherapy
bath oil content.
Aromatherapy Bath Oils – Carrier Oils
This type of aromatherapy bath oils
is also referred to as base oils. Carrier oils are made almost
purely of vegetable oils and they are used to dilute essential oils,
CO2s, and absolutes, hence its name “carrier.” This type of
aromatherapy bath oil is applied to the skin.
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Aromatherapy
