Essential oils are plant extracts made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. They are used in aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine that employs plant extracts to support health and well-being. Some of the most popular essential oils include lavender oil, which is often used to help relieve stress and anxiety and promote good sleep, and lemongrass oil, which has a strong, lemon-like aroma and is known for its purifying, stimulating, and cleansing benefits.
Positive aspects of essential oils include their ability to provide therapeutic benefits when inhaled. When the scent molecules in essential oils are inhaled, they travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain. Initial studies have shown that the smell of some essential oils can work alongside traditional therapy to treat anxiety and stress.
Negative aspects of essential oils include the fact that they are highly concentrated and can dissolve plastic bottles over time, tainting the oil. Additionally, some synthetic fragrance oils can be composed of as many as 80 chemical ingredients, so these are the fragrance oils to be wary of if you have any skin or fragrance sensitivities.
When purchasing essential oils, it is important to evaluate the company and purchase products from a well-known and reputable aromatherapy company thats been around for several years. It is also important to choose dark-colored, glass containers to protect the quality of the oil. To ensure high-quality oils, look for oils that contain only aromatic plant compounds, without additives or synthetic oils, and choose a chemical-free essential oil that has been changed the least by the extraction process.
Example of ingredients of an essential oil product: Jullyhouse Dầu Gội Tinh Dầu Bưởi contains Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citrus Grandis Extract, and fragrance.
