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| What is Aromatherapy and How Does it Work in Skin Care? Aromatherapy is a form of alternative and complimentary medicine based on the use of concentrated "essential" oils found in different parts of the plant, such as the flowers, twigs, leaves and bark, or in the rind of fruit. For example, in roses it is found in the flowers, in basil it is in the leaves, in sandalwood in the wood, and so on. Essential oils have medicinal properties that assist the plant itself with infection control, humidity control, hormonal effects, wound healing, attracting or repelling insects, birds, and animals, and more. Essential oils are complex chemical mixtures (up to 300 different chemical constituents in one essential oil) and have healing properties that we can all benefit from for various concerns. Many people are aware of at least one thing about aromatherapy, and that is that there are benefits to be had by smelling a pure essential oil. When you expose yourself to aroma molecules from essential oils, olfactory receptor cells are stimulated and the impulse is transmitted to the emotional center of the brain, or "limbic system". The limbic system is connected to areas of the brain linked to memory, breathing, and blood circulation, as well as the endocrine glands which regulate hormone levels in the body. The properties of the oil, the fragrance and its effects, determine stimulation of these systems. The term "aromatherapy" can be confusing, however, since the actual practice of aromatherapy often involves applications that go beyond just one's ability to inhale and smell aroma. Essential oils can be used topically in a carrier (you must deposit essential oils into a vegetable oil, a lotion, etc. otherwise your skin could become irritated) , so essential oils are not only inhaled, but absorbed through the skin as well. They penetrate the tissues and find their way into the bloodstream where they are transported to the systems of the body. A high quality therapeutic grade essential oil will enter the bloodstream within 2 minutes of topical application. Specifically for skin care, certain therapeutic grade pure essential oils can act on skin tissue to promote healing in wounds and reduce scarring, help reduce inflammation, tighten pores, help sluggish skin, etc. They can significantly influence dry or oily skin conditions both superficially (the skin becomes nice to touch) and (apparently) by penetrating the dermal layer to alter and balance the sebum (natural oil) production in the skin. |