Aromatherapy Origins

For those that are familiar with the history of aromatherapy treatments and practices, the term was developed in the 1920’s by a French scientist named Rene Maurice Gattefossee, when he experimented with disease treatments using essential oils.

Of course, many would argue that the practices behind aromatherapy have been used in a number of cultures and it is a fact that herbal incense has been used for centuries as a way to balance mind, body and spirit, as a part of aromatherapy that is still used today.

• Be careful when buying these products, because of the recent United States herbal incense ban, which outlawed many products containing hazardous chemicals and ingredients.

When you consider that the main focus of the science called “aromatherapy” was originally the practice of applying oils to cure disease and not focused on stress-relieving scents, then the definition of the scientific part of aromatherapy takes on a different meaning.

• As it has originated into today’s form, it has become inclusive of a number of different methods, including healing salves, herbal teas and herbal incense, bath oils and soaps and a number of candles and perfumes or cosmetics. It has also involved the healing powers of plants that benefit the mind and spirit, in addition to disease treatment.

If you consider the natural healing qualities and ingredients included in aromatherapy, alternative medicine practices believe that to get the full effects of using aromatherapy, it needs to be a daily practice that includes the use of the healing properties of these natural fruits, spices, seeds, plants and barks.

• For example, a true aromatherapy enthusiast would not only use herbal incense or bath oils occasionally, but the shampoos, soaps, body lotions, teas, healing natural salves and air diffusers are meant to constantly surround you with the benefits of these healing and natural properties and meant to be used continuously.

For those that have followed the original scientific discovery of aromatherapy, there were aromatherapy kits that included natural products to treat specific ailments.

In the beginning, the origins of these aromatherapy kits included fairly common ingredients, including grapefruit, coconut and lavender or rose oils.

• Essential oils originally referred to the method of extraction where oil extraction depended on the plant, fruit, seed, bark or leaves.
• There were some types of oils that were also called absolutes or infusions, where other ingredients had to be added to extract the oils from these various natural ingredients.

You can find many aromatherapy kits geared towards one specific form of treatment, for example, relaxation and stress relief.

• Other essential oils might have other purposes, such as relief from muscle aches through various massage oils and herbal teas or herbal salves, for example.
• The general idea behind the original science of aromatherapy dictated that the total treatment for a condition focused on spreading the applicable healing aromas in the air, wearing them on the skin and hair and even the carpet would receive treatment through odor diffusers to create the soothing aura of a particular aromatherapy remedy.

Of course, when you consider that true aromatherapy enthusiasts still believe in these healing powers, many of them do incorporate the natural herbal and plant remedies on a daily basis as part of their relief from ailments that bother them.

• It is the same principle of the beneficial ingredients that can be found in essential oils and aromatherapy products today and many can treat their ailments affordable and safely at home with aromatherapy.
• Start out and buy some legal herbal incense products, then start enjoying the benefits of aromatherapy!