Essential Oils 101: Beginner’s Guide
Just getting started with essential oils? Class is in session! Use this beginner’s guide to get up to speed and learn the basics of working with essential oils fast.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are natural compounds taken from various parts of a plant, often by cold pressing or steam distillation. It takes a whole lot of the plant to get a measurable amount of oil. For example, a single ounce of orange oil might require over 200 oranges. Conversely, it can take 60,000 roses to make an ounce of rose oil or six pounds of lavender flowers to make an ounce of lavender oil. That also means what you wind up with is a highly concentrated oil that’s usually quite fragrant, containing the “essence” of the plant it’s derived from.
It’s worth noting that not all plants can produce essential oils. Vanilla is one example. Although you can get an oily mixture, known as an “absolute” from vanilla, solvents are required. Furthermore, essential oils and absolutes are different from extracts. A vanilla extract is typically processed by percolating macerated bean pods in alcohol and aging the solution for weeks or months. You might also find “vanilla bean oil” which is typically made from steeping beans in a carrier oil for several weeks. This can make the carrier smell like vanilla even though it’s not a pure mixture. Again, none of these methods results in a true essential oil even though you may see them marketed as such. That in mind, you’ll always want to read the fine print and look for information that relates to the method in which the essential oil you’re purchasing is produced. Don’t rely on the name of the product alone.
What Are the Benefits of Essential Oils?
People associate essential oils with all types of benefits but each one is different. We’ll break down a few of the most common at the end.
How Long Have Essential Oils Been Used?
The use of essential oils can be traced back to 4500 BC in Ancient Egypt. There are records of them being used in Ancient Greece, Rome, and China too. In some cases, they were used to prepare a body for burial, in cosmetics, and as perfumes, though they have been used medicinally through the ages too.
How are Essential Oils Used?
We here at Zenbelle are huge fans of aromatherapy. We recommend placing a few drops of essential oils in an ultrasonic diffuser. Some people use them topically or ingest them but given their potency and the fact that they can potentially interact with medications, we don’t recommend these options.
Are Essential Oils Safe?
Generally speaking, essential oils are safe, but you should become as knowledgeable as possible about them before using them. A good place to start is with or blog “Are Essential Oils Safe?”
What Do I Need to Know Before I Get Started?
What we’ve outlined here is a good start. You should always learn what you can about the specific oil you want to use and details about the manufacturing process of the brand you’re buying prior to purchase. Once you’re familiar with the various oils, their uses, and how your body responds to them, enjoy the journey! Experiment with scent mixes and see how you respond to different aromatherapy treatments at different times of the day.
What Essential Oils Should I Start With?
If you’re building your first aromatherapy kit, we recommend you check out our most popular essential oils and pick up the ones that align with your needs or that have scents which are agreeable to you. You can also check out our pages on aromatherapy for anxiety and essential oils for headaches and migraines if you’re looking for inspiration.
- Eucalyptus - Often used to boost moods and to promote respiratory function.
- Lavender - Typically used as a soothing scent and sleep aid.
- Lemon - Often considered a mood booster, purifier, and respiratory aid.
- Peppermint - Typically used to promote alertness and soothe anxiety or stress.
- Sweet Orange - Often used as a stressbuster and invigorator.
- Tea Tree - Associated with purification and cleansing.
Get High-Quality Aromatherapy Products from Zenbelle
When you’re ready to put together your first kit, head over to the Zenbelle shop. All our essential oils are 100% pure and GC/MS tested for quality, plus are sold at a fraction of the cost of comparable brands.
