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Glossary
of Aromatherapy Terms
Essential
Oils in Living Plants: end product or by product of plant
metabolism, stored in cellular pockets within the plant. The
essential oil in the plant protects it from predators and allows
communication between plants .1
Aromatherapy:
1. a form of healing based on the interaction of the chemical
constituents in essential oils which interacts with the body’s
chemistry in a direct manner, which in turn affects specific organs
or systems as a whole.
2. A
term created in 1928 by French Chemist Gattefosse. He is credited
with the first use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes
lavender for burns and scar reduction. 1
Essential
Oil: “A product made by distillation with either water or steam
or by mechanical processing of citrus rinds or by dry distillation of
natural materials. Following the distillation, the essential oil is
physically separated from the water phase.” Defined by the ISO
(International Organization for Standardization) Vocabulary of
Natural Materials (ISO/DIS 9235.23)
Healing:
definition: v. healed, heal·ing,
heals
v. tr.
To restore to
health or soundness; cure. See Synonyms at cure.
To set right; repair: healed
the rift between us.
To restore (a person) to
spiritual wholeness.
v. intr.
To become whole and
sound; return to health. 3
Aura:
An invisible breath, emanation, or radiation. 3
Aura
Photography: A method of demonstrating visually the results
of information produced after collection of thermal information and
processing which indicate the energetic radiations of a person's
vibrational fields.
Bodyworker/Massage
Therapist: A trained and licensed professional, who provides
services to help another to a state of wellness, wholeness.
Energy
Healer: A person who works with the energetic vibrations of
things –plants, rocks, fire, universal energy to create
opportunities for someone else to experience well being.
Types
of Essential Oils
Wild
crafted: Oils produced from plants which grow in the wild not
subject to farming conditions.
Organic:
Oils which are produced from plants which are grown in
fields certified organic associations in the state or country in
which they are grown.
Certified:
in condition in which the essential oils are brought to a central
certifying agency by local growers, the oils which are purchased may
be certified by the governmental agency as pure and unadulterated
oils
Sustainability:
Process of growing and harvesting which focuses on the renew nature
of the resource, not simply on the production and harvesting.
Aromatherapy
Blending Notes: Fragrance descriptors used when combining
essential oils in a blend
Base
notes: The “deep” notes, often of the rooty plants which
give a full body to the blend.
Middle
notes: Hold the place in the blend, balances the base and
high notes.
High
notes: Bring the sense of liveliness, lightness to the
blend.
Base
ingredients: When formulating aromatherapy products, the
products which are included in addition to the essential oils
Natural:
Defines essential oil which is produced from a living plant
and contains all the constituent of the plant, necessary for
therapeutic use.
Natural
Identical: A term used in perfumery and flavoring industries
to denote a synthetic. These would not be acceptable for use
therapeutically as trace elements of the plant, and thus balance of
chemical constituents is lacking and the vital “life force” of
the oils of natural origin is not present.
Chemistry
of Essential Oils: Compounds which are found within essential
oils. Commonly composed of two primary groups: 1. hydrocarbons (
terpenes) 2. Oxygenated compounds (esters, aldehydes, ketones,
alcohols, phenols, and oxides. The chemical constituency determines
the properties the oils have.
Chemical
composition: the individual chemicals which are found within
a plants essential oil
Properties
of essential oils:
A
classification system which defines the physical and psychological
effect the essential oil will have on a body. Most essential oils
have multiple properties. (I.e. few essential oils do not possess an
anti-bacterial property.)
Safety
Data: Information presented for consideration of safe use
with regards to toxicity levels, phototoxicity, dermal irritation and
sensitization.
Contraindications:
A set of guidelines based on an essential oils chemical
constituents. Indicate when not to use oil with which physical
condition Guidelines enhance user safety by providing information as
to when not use an essential oil based on the expected action the oil
will produce.
Factors
Affecting Essential Oil Quality: Cultivation, harvesting,
methods of preparing plants for distillation, type of equipment,
length and heat of distillation process.
Cutting:
a slang term for adulterating an essential oil, further diluting it
or altering it so that it is able to be represented as a higher grade
product
Distillation:
to extract the naturally occurring essential oils in living plants
Methods
of Distillation:
Steam
Distillation: the oldest form of essential oil extraction,
practiced in many cultures. The oil volatile components of the plant
are separated from the steam/water.
Carbon
Dioxide Extraction – A modern method which produces
essential oils through lower temperatures and contact only with the
carbon dioxide gas under very high pressure. Very high degree of
purity in the resulting essential oil. An expensive processing
approach.
Phytonic
Process Extraction – The distillation process which yields
the lowest temperature and most gentle processing.
Flourohydrocarbons are used in this process.
Methods
of Standardization in Essential Oils
Standardization
Manuals
USP
(United States Pharmacopia): Pharmaceutical manual which
establishes minimum standards for naturally occurring or
synthetically produced substances providing pharmaceutical grading
criteria.
FDA
(Federal Drug Administration): The US governmental agency
which regulates consumer safety through strict product testing and
labeling guidelines. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) provides
guidelines and policies for cosmetics, including fragrances and over
the counter drugs.
Credits
1. The
Encyclopedia of Essential Oils; Julia Lawless, Barnes and Nobles
Books, 1995
2.
Advanced Aromatherapy; K. Schnaubelt, Healing Arts Press,
Rochester, VT. 1995
3.
www.dictionary.com
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