What Are Essential Oils Used For and Do They Really Work?

Personally I first learned about essential oils while I was running on a treadmill and flipping through TV channels and landed on a show called "The Nose Knows".

In it an aromatherapist created blends to help solve people's problems naturally and aromatically.

I was intrigued. And also confused.

The star of the show -- a female aromatherapist, probably famous but being a newbie I had no idea, would create aromatic concoctions that would make peoples lives better.

And the show sent me on a journey to understand these mysterious essential oils and how they could make people's lives better.

For better or worse I joined an MLM essential oil company and also signed up for an aromatherapy certification course -- because I wanted to learn more about the science behind how essential oils work.

I've long ago dropped the MLM because it was way overpriced and too focused on selling, selling, selling essential oils -- but have embraced aromatherapy education for myself, my family, and my business.

So let's get started in addressing the question what are essential oils used for...

First off let's define what an essential oil is. Essential oils are aromatic compounds distilled or expressed from plant parts (fruits, flowers, leaves, roots, resins, bark, wood, etc.).

Some plants essences are able to be captured through these processes, others aren't. That's why you can't find an essential oil for every plant -- say for example pineapple or apricot.

So what are these essential oils used for?

As an aromatherapist I can use essential oils therapeutically to support wellness and as a cosmetic formulator I can use essential oils to fragrance a product (and secretly sneak in benefits without making any claims unless I use a supplier that has clinical data to support their product).

When people ask me if essential oils "work" I tell them this -- if you drink a beer or wine you'll feel relaxed because of the ethanol, if you drink a coffee or tea you'll feel invigorated because of the caffeine, These are plant derived compounds that affect us.

Likewise the aromatic compounds found in essential oils affect us. So aromatherapists harness the chemistry, energetics, and alchemy of essential oils to help support wellness.

In cosmetic chemistry essential oils can be used to fragrance a product but making any claims requires clinical evidence.

As an aromatherapist and cosmetic formulator I incorporate essential oils into many of my products -- both for therapeutic and aromatic reasons.

Personally I much prefer the natural aroma of essential oils and naturally derived fragrance oils to synthetic fragrance oils.

Nature has created some beautiful fragrances and personally I enjoy using them.

So in a nutshell how are essential oils used?

To heal and perfume. As they have been for eons.

Aromatic blessings,

Tricia