www.womanthismonth.com May 2016 48 Aromatherapy is becoming increasingly popular for its beneficial effects on your overall wellbeing. Essential oils, the pure essence of a plant, have been found to provide both psychological and physical benefits when used correctly and safely. The profile of aromatherapy details more than 90 essential oils. Absolutes (highly aromatic liquids extracted from plants), CO2s (oils extracted by the carbon dioxide method) and hydrosols (aromatic water that remains after producing an essential oil via steam or water distillation) are also commonly utilised. Although all these components are distilled by different methods, the term essential oil is sometimes used as a blanket term to include all natural, aromatic, volatile and plant oils. In addition to essential oils, aromatherapy encourages the use of other complementary natural ingredients including cold pressed vegetable oils, jojoba (a liquid wax), hydrosols, herbs, milk powders, sea salts, sugars (an exfoliant), clays and muds. Products that include synthetic ingredients are frowned upon in holistic aromatherapy. It is important to note that perfume oils, also known as fragrance oils (and usually listed as ‘fragrance’ on an ingredient label), are not the same as essential oils. Fragrance oils and perfume oils contain synthetic chemicals and do not provide the therapeutic benefits of essential oils. be blended for a specific therapeutic application. The ones that are carefully blended with a specific therapeutic purpose in mind may be referred to as an essential oil synergy. A synergistic essential oil blend is considered to be greater in total action than each oil working independently. AROMATHERAPY PRODUCTS Not all ready-made products labelled with the word aromatherapy are pure and natural. Products that contain artificial ingredients do not provide true aromatherapy benefits. At worst, they provide no benefit or are harmful. At best, they provide only a fraction of the benefit that natural products supply. Joz Salon & Spa uses true aromatherapy products by looking at the ingredient label to ensure that the product does not contain fragrance oils or chemical components. “By asking our customers more about the therapy and listening to how they respond, we have a better idea about the quality,” says a salon spokesperson. Call 17 369-133, 17 756-449 or 16 031-120 for more information. THE BENEFIT OF AN AROMA: INHALING ESSENTIAL OILS Essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs offer both psychological and physical benefits. Not only does the aroma of the natural essential oil stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, but, when inhaled into the lungs, the naturally occurring chemicals can supply therapeutic benefit. Diffusing eucalyptus essential oil to help ease congestion is a prominent example. If not done correctly and safely, however, the use of essential oils can have severe consequences. THE BENEFIT OF PHYSICAL APPLICATION Essential oils that are applied to the skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The constituents of essential oils can aid in health, beauty and hygiene conditions. Since essential oils are so powerful and concentrated, they should never be applied to the skin in their undiluted form. To apply essential oils to the skin, they are typically diluted into a carrier such as a cold pressed vegetable oil, also known as carrier oil, including sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil and grape seed oil. ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS Essential oils can be blended together to create appealing and complex aromas. They can also Aromatherapy is the practice of using volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being. Discover the benefits of this widely-used application. JOZ SALON & SPA BENEFITS OF AROMATHERAPY showcase
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