An essential oil is a liquid and aromatic extract generally obtained by steam distillation from a plant, and which concentrates its volatile active ingredients. It represents the quintessence of the plant, in concentrate form, rich in a very wide variety of active substances identified very precisely by chromatographic analysis.

How to obtain an essential oil?

Both methodses traditional d Obtaining an essential oil are cold expression (for citrus peels) and steam distillation, which is suitable for most plants and consists of circulating water vapor through the plant mass to release the essences contained in the small glandular pockets and collect them, after condensation, in the form of essential oil.

Three things to note about essential oils:

• We’re talking about essential oil and yet… it contains absolutely no fatty acids!
• Citrus zests (sweet orange, lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, etc.) produce “essential oils” often called “essences”, obtained by cold grating pockets of essence dotting the fresh zest. However, citrus zest can be distilled, which makes it possible to obtain essential oils almost free of phototoxic molecules.
• The yield of an aromatic plant in essential oil is often very low, which explains its price, depending on that.

What are the properties of essential oils?

What can essential oils be used for? Almost everything, thanks to their tremendous diversity and their recognized effectiveness… We know more than 10,000 different aromatic components of essential oils. Which explains why their therapeutic arsenal is extremely varied and developed. And that essential oils can relieve throat and stomach aches, skin or urinary conditions, sleep or bowel problems… and many more! And if an essential oil, depending on its main component, has a “flagship” activity, it always also presents others.

Essential oils, how do they work?

For them to take effect, essential oils must penetrate the body (friction/massage, inhalation, absorption). Then, it is thanks to the blood circulation that they reach the sites to be treated. When diffused in the atmosphere, aromas also send olfactory signals to the limbic system of the brain capable of stimulating “emotions”. In doing so, the limbic system directs the production of immune substances and hormones.