You might be surprised, but the so-called essential oils are not oily to the touch at all. Most of them are clear, but some come in amber or yellowish color, such as orange and lemon grass essential oils.

Essential oils are distilled, usually by steam or water, from various parts of the source plant such as leaves, stems, petals, roots and other parts. They are highly concentrated and contain no artificial fragrances. When applied to the skin or inhaled, the composition and scent of these oils can provide many physical and psychological benefits.

They are often sold in small bottles and can greatly vary in price, depending on the rarity of the plant, the amount of oil produced by the plant and other standards. Because they are in pure form, essential oils are often diluted with carrier oils prior to usage.

Carrier Oils

Since essential oils are very much concentrated and may cause severe irritations and other reactions in some people, carrier oils are used to dilute them. Carrier oils are derived from the fatty portions of the plant, such as the seeds, nuts and kernels. Sometimes called vegetable oils, each one of them carries different therapeutic benefits, depending on what is being sought.

Carrier oils got scents of their own, although they may not be as strong as those from essential oils. Some of the natural lotions, body creams, massage oils, bath oils and other skin care products are made from carrier or vegetable oils. The choice of carrier oils where essential oils are added to can make a difference in the properties, effects, color, scent and shelf life of the final product.

Fragrance Oils

While essential oils are natural because they are made of the distilled essences of the plants where they came from, fragrance oils, on the other hand, are artificial scents – they contain artificial substances and are diluted with carrier oils. You might have also encountered items like perfume oils or potpourri oils, but they are basically just the same as fragrance oils, considering how they were made.

Unfortunately, fragrance oils do not carry the same therapeutic benefits offered by essential oils. Many scented cosmetics, candles, skin-care products like lotions and soaps, and others only contain fragrance oils or other synthetically-made fragrances. You have to read the labels carefully if you intend to use only natural ingredients in achieving relaxation and holistic caring.

Infused Oils

Infused oils are simply carrier oils infused with herbs. They are especially intended for certain plants that simply do not have much essential oils in them, or when it is virtually impossible to find essential oils extracted from those plants.

The good thing about using infused oils in aromatherapy than just plain carrier oils is that the combined therapeutic benefits of the carrier oils and the herbs infused into them are achieved. Infused oils are generally oily to the touch, depending on the consistency of the carrier oils used.

Unlike essential oils, infused oils can go rancid over time, just like carrier oils.

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Essential Oils. Essential Oils are volatile parts of aromatic plants extracted by steam distillation or expression. Essential Oils uses includes massage, bath, candles, inhales, room and body perfume, hair shampoo, facial and skin care etc. Essential Oils properties cover a wide range of natural healing, relaxing and uplifting attributes.
Essential oil is the volatile part of leaves, roots, cortex, seeds and fruits of various flowers, plants and trees. Aromatherapists consider the essential oils as the powerful soul of plants, because they come from the vital parts of agrarian plants, herbs and scented flowers and thus they have unique therapeutic properties.
The plants, in order to conserve their most volatile substances, should be picked at a specific hour of the day and in a specific season of the year. The essential oils are produced with special techniques of infusion, expression and distillation and are excreted from special glands and pores of the plants. In general, the lower the distillation temperature and pressure the better the essential oils. They are usually colourless and should be stored in a cool, dry place tightly stoppered in glass containers.
Being liquid, essential oils are often adulterated with cheaper substances such as synthetic ingredients, alcohols and vegetable oils. Inexperienced users cannot detect the difference because they cannot test the quality of the oil by themselves. The best thing an inexperienced user can do is to seek for a reliable supplier. The most trustworthy suppliers are the ones who deal mainly with aromatherapy essential oils designated only for therapeutic use and not for cosmetics.

Nowadays, aromatherapy essential oils are used for inhalations, massage, compresses, cosmetics, candles, bathing, spraying, etc. Many alternative therapists consider essential oils as the best way to look and feel well, to enjoy great health and vitality and to reduce stress.
The essential oils can be used separately or in combination and before applied must be diluted with water or vegetable oil such as almond, walnut, laurel and sesame oil. Moreover, people suffering from allergies, high blood pressure, epilepsy, etc. and women during pregnancy should consult an aromatherapist before using any essential oil.