CUSTOM HOLISTIC AROMATHERAPY F.A.Q.
WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS AND CARRIER OILS?
~ Essential Oils: Aromatic organic chemical compounds removed from plants by various methods of distillation and extraction. They are flammable, volatile (evaporate at room temperature) and do not mix with water, but mix with oils and alcohols. Not every plant contains them and they are what give plants their scents and can be extracted from all parts including seeds, fruit, leaves, roots, flowers and stems / trunks. Aside from a few exceptions that age well with time, essential oils degrade with heat, light and time and are best kept tightly capped in dark glass bottles in cool, dark places.
~ Carrier Oils: Any pure vegetable oil that is used to dilute and safely disperse essential oils onto the body in topical application. Usually cold-pressed and best if organic. Carrier oils can be used to match the individual needs of the person and include everything from Apricot, Avocado, Coconut, Holly, Jojoba, Rosehip, St. John's Wort and many others.
WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY AND AROMATOLOGY?
~ Aromatherapy: The art and science of employing essential oils for holistic well-being and beauty with custom made blends and products and including the use of body work such as massage, facials, cellulite treatments, etc.
~ Aromatology: The art and science of employing essential oils for holistic well-being and beauty with custom made blends and products for personal use and WITHOUT body work being done. This is what I do.
WHAT IS HOLISTIC AROMATHERAPY?
~ Holistic Aromatherapy is an approach of working with essential oils through inhalation and topical use and takes into consideration the ENTIRE INDIVIDUAL (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual and Energetic) when formulating blends, products and uses and does NOT use essential oils internally in any way. It is a way of uniting body, mind and spirit through one of our most primitive senses and propelling us through our own innate ability to bring healing and balance to ourselves and to our lives!
WHAT ARE THE METHODS OF APPLICATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS IN HOLISTIC AROMATHERAPY AND AROMATOLOGY?
~ The methods of essential oil application in Holistic Aromatherapy and Aromatology are through topical methods such as diluted in carrier oils and applied to the body; baths and foot baths; indirect inhalation through the use of diffusers, room sprays, etc; and direct inhalation such as through personal inhalers, jewellery, from the bottle or on a tissue. Although there is NO internal use through the ingestion of essential oils in Holistic Aromatherapy, it is a wonderfully effective, balancing and useful way to help bring homeostasis back to our bodies.
WHAT IS A SYNERGY OR SYNERGYSTIC BLENDING?
~ Synergystic Blending is a way of blending and combining essential oils to create a blend (synergy) that is more than the sum of it's parts and creates a more effective combination together than the oils would be individually. Synergistic blending can be done based upon putting together oils with similar chemical make-up, by blending for similar therapeutic properties, by plant part (such as roots, flowers, etc), or by plant family. Not all blend combinations become synergistic. Although they can contain more or less, the most effective synergies contain three - five or occasionally up to seven essential oils.
DOES NATURAL EQUAL SAFE?
~ This is an important and great question and the short answer is NO! Although there are often many advantages to choosing and using more naturally sourced alternatives, assuming that natural choices are automatically without risk is a big mistake. In aromatherapy, essential oils are considered to be powerful natural substances and safety and awareness are of utmost importance. When used properly, natural approaches to life can be a most rewarding and wonderful way to enhance and maintain health and well-being!
IS AROMATHERAPY ALL-NATURAL, VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE?
~ Although all essential oils, all carrier oils and many raw materials ARE plant-based and naturally sourced, SOME aromatherapy materials (such as absolutes and resinoids) are extracted using chemical processes which while considered safe, their use to me does NOT fall into the category of being considered fully "all-natural". Many aromatherapists also work hard to choose only materials from suppliers who offer vegan and cruelty-free materials (as I do) and would certainly NOT test their own products upon any animals (aside from the human ones who love testing out free samples), but if you are in any doubt or don't see it mentioned somewhere, ask first to be certain.
~ Essential Oils: Aromatic organic chemical compounds removed from plants by various methods of distillation and extraction. They are flammable, volatile (evaporate at room temperature) and do not mix with water, but mix with oils and alcohols. Not every plant contains them and they are what give plants their scents and can be extracted from all parts including seeds, fruit, leaves, roots, flowers and stems / trunks. Aside from a few exceptions that age well with time, essential oils degrade with heat, light and time and are best kept tightly capped in dark glass bottles in cool, dark places.
~ Carrier Oils: Any pure vegetable oil that is used to dilute and safely disperse essential oils onto the body in topical application. Usually cold-pressed and best if organic. Carrier oils can be used to match the individual needs of the person and include everything from Apricot, Avocado, Coconut, Holly, Jojoba, Rosehip, St. John's Wort and many others.
WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY AND AROMATOLOGY?
~ Aromatherapy: The art and science of employing essential oils for holistic well-being and beauty with custom made blends and products and including the use of body work such as massage, facials, cellulite treatments, etc.
~ Aromatology: The art and science of employing essential oils for holistic well-being and beauty with custom made blends and products for personal use and WITHOUT body work being done. This is what I do.
WHAT IS HOLISTIC AROMATHERAPY?
~ Holistic Aromatherapy is an approach of working with essential oils through inhalation and topical use and takes into consideration the ENTIRE INDIVIDUAL (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual and Energetic) when formulating blends, products and uses and does NOT use essential oils internally in any way. It is a way of uniting body, mind and spirit through one of our most primitive senses and propelling us through our own innate ability to bring healing and balance to ourselves and to our lives!
WHAT ARE THE METHODS OF APPLICATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS IN HOLISTIC AROMATHERAPY AND AROMATOLOGY?
~ The methods of essential oil application in Holistic Aromatherapy and Aromatology are through topical methods such as diluted in carrier oils and applied to the body; baths and foot baths; indirect inhalation through the use of diffusers, room sprays, etc; and direct inhalation such as through personal inhalers, jewellery, from the bottle or on a tissue. Although there is NO internal use through the ingestion of essential oils in Holistic Aromatherapy, it is a wonderfully effective, balancing and useful way to help bring homeostasis back to our bodies.
WHAT IS A SYNERGY OR SYNERGYSTIC BLENDING?
~ Synergystic Blending is a way of blending and combining essential oils to create a blend (synergy) that is more than the sum of it's parts and creates a more effective combination together than the oils would be individually. Synergistic blending can be done based upon putting together oils with similar chemical make-up, by blending for similar therapeutic properties, by plant part (such as roots, flowers, etc), or by plant family. Not all blend combinations become synergistic. Although they can contain more or less, the most effective synergies contain three - five or occasionally up to seven essential oils.
DOES NATURAL EQUAL SAFE?
~ This is an important and great question and the short answer is NO! Although there are often many advantages to choosing and using more naturally sourced alternatives, assuming that natural choices are automatically without risk is a big mistake. In aromatherapy, essential oils are considered to be powerful natural substances and safety and awareness are of utmost importance. When used properly, natural approaches to life can be a most rewarding and wonderful way to enhance and maintain health and well-being!
IS AROMATHERAPY ALL-NATURAL, VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE?
~ Although all essential oils, all carrier oils and many raw materials ARE plant-based and naturally sourced, SOME aromatherapy materials (such as absolutes and resinoids) are extracted using chemical processes which while considered safe, their use to me does NOT fall into the category of being considered fully "all-natural". Many aromatherapists also work hard to choose only materials from suppliers who offer vegan and cruelty-free materials (as I do) and would certainly NOT test their own products upon any animals (aside from the human ones who love testing out free samples), but if you are in any doubt or don't see it mentioned somewhere, ask first to be certain.
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