Aromatherapy is natural, easy to use and healing. Mankind has been using aromatherapy for centuries; for many years before modern medications were available. People from many cultures have revealed astonishing uses for the essential oils. You may think that aromatherapy is only for use in spiritual rites, or for nutcases who avoid modern medicine, but it is not the case.

Even people who consult doctors regularly can get much from aromatherapy. Common and widely available oils are good to keep around the house for health, and tea tree oil is almost certainly the most widespread.

It can be used for soothing skin irritations, fighting acne and skin blemishes and relief for insect bites. There are oils that can help fight off colds and congestion. Peppermint or eucaplyus can be rubbed on your body to help break up chest congestions.

It can be used for massage. Many spas specialize in them, and some lucky people have a partner who gives a good massage. You can augment your massage experience with essential oils, using aromatherapy by either rubbing the oils into your skin, or putting them in a diffuser and breathe in the scents. Never had an aromatherapy massage? Find a local spa that can specialize in this kind of massage and give it a try, it is relaxing for the body and mind.

There are many ways these oils can be used for home remedies. You can put a fee drops in your bath for a soothing touch, or diffuse them in an oil burner for healing fumes. Different oils are useful for different ailments. You can find relief from skin conditions like acne, burns, athlete’s foot, cuts, exzema, herpes and poison ivy. Minor irritating conditions such as earaches, congestion, muscle pains and toothaches are amenable to soothing calming scents.

Find the essential oils that you like best and try them out around the house. Check out the diverse types of diffusers available. Once you get used to it, you will love what this type of therapy can do for your mind, body and spirit.

The term “aromatherapy” is a branch of alternative medicine which claims that the specific “aromas” carried by the essential oils have curative effects. The healing art “aromatherapy” traces back to 4,000 B.C. where the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Persians use to burn herbs and flowers for curative and cosmetic purposes. In ancient Egypt, plant oils were widely used for spiritual relaxation, cosmetics and for embalming and mummification of the dead.

The term “aromatherapy candles” is used loosely in Western societies, because, unlike other cultures, we mainly use “aromatherapy candles” for “aesthetic” qualities vs. healing qualities. We want the calming, soothing aromas to aid in meditation, bathing and relaxing activities.

Natural candles are becoming more popular with the development of natural waxes such as soy wax and palm waxes. There is a greater desire by consumers to go “green” with all natural ingredients in candle making. Using all natural soy wax that is a renewable resource, grown right here in the U.S.A. has gained popularity in the few years, since the development of soy wax in 1998. Soy wax is hydrogenated soybean oil that is non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Combining all natural ingredients, including natural scents, to make an “aromatherapy” candle is highly desirable.

A lot of so called “aromatherapy” candles out on the market today contain paraffin wax (which is a byproduct of the crude oil process) and fragrance oils that are chemically derived. Some major manufacturers have paraffin wax, combined with natural scents. Some have natural waxes combined with chemical derived synthetic scents. My idea of a natural “aromatherapy candle” is one that is all natural. So, what are natural scents? They are essential oils.

Essential oils are volatile parts of plants, trees, fruits and roots that are extracted by various methods: steam distillation, cold-press extraction, chemical solvent extraction and the effleurage method. Essential oils that are “pure” will mostly have their botanical name on the jar, and come in dark colored bottles for protection from sunlight. They should be stored in cool, dark places, and out of reach of children and pets. Other essential oils are blended with carrier oils such as jojoba and are considered “diluted”. Some candle manufacturers sell “essential oils”, but they come in clear plastic containers, and are synthetically derived, or are blended with alcohol or other solvents.

Because of their concentrated nature, pure essential oils can be more expensive than fragrance oils and come in small bottles – drams (1/8 oz), 1/6 oz., etc. They either have a closed lid or a dropper to distribute the essential oils. Price can range from anywhere from $5 to $75 for a fraction of an ounce of pure essential oils.

So, how do you use essential oils in candle making? Good question – and there are many answers to that question, depending on who you talk to. When I originally tried to research this topic a year ago, there was very little information out on the Internet, with candle supply companies, or any e-books I purchased. One year later, there is a wide variety of answers published in articles, candle supply websites, and so-called “candle gurus”. Some experts claim that usage per pound of wax is 1 oz – which is similar to using fragrance oils. Now, 1 oz of pure essential oils can be either incredibly strong or incredibly expensive. Others claim that using as little 3-20 drops/pound of wax.

I personally believe that the aromatherapy candles should use much less essential oils than fragrance oils for two reasons:

1 Style & Taste. When using essential oils in aromatherapy candles, I want a milder, less dominant, natural scent aroma from the essential oils. I don’t want an over-powering Cinnamon Spice fragrance oil aroma that’s going to fill my entire house for days. I want a “natural” candle, because I want a soothing, relaxing, mild, fresh, natural aroma that gives just enough scent to soothe my senses for a beautiful bubble bath, meditation, yoga or Pilates exercises. I don’t want the aroma competing with what I’m trying to achieve – relaxation.

2. Cost. Essential oils are expensive, and cost should be considered when buying and using “pure” essential oils in candle making. First of all one dram (1/8 oz) of 100% pure Peppermint oil (made right here in the U.S.A.) on sale was $5/dram plus shipping. Honestly, do you think you it’s cost effective to use $5 of Peppermint oil in one 8-12 oz. soy candle? I don’t think so, besides, it may be too strong. Fragrance oils (mainly synthetics) can be 10 times less expensive when purchased in bulk. I’ve used blends of essential oils with 1/6 oz. and made three 12 oz. soy candles, and they were perfectly scented. So, it’s the cost/benefit rule you have to apply in determining how much you’re willing to pay to achieve your desired outcome.

Another important consideration in how much essential oils to use in candle making, is using the wax manufacturers guide in how much fragrance/essential oils that the wax will absorb in order to make a safe candle. I primarily use 100% soy waxes for my candle making, and the manufacturers recommendation is to use 3-9% of fragrance oil per pound of soy wax. There are additives which can increase those percentages, but I mainly use 1 oz. of fragrance oil/pound of soy wax, which is approximately 6%. When using essential oils, I use much less than 1%/pound of wax. It all depends on how strong or pure the natural oil is and my taste, of course!

So, with those facts explained, using essential oils is a matter of style, taste and cost. If you are selling your candles, you pass along your costs to the consumer, but hopefully, you can market and price your candles effectively to sell them at a profit. If you are making candles for your own enjoyment, then it’s a matter of what you’re happy with – milder/stronger, and whether cost is a factor for you.

Aromatherapy combines the healing powers of massage and essential oils to heal the body and reinvigorate the soul. Used for over a century, it has been found to help the curing process for a number of ailments.

Often used as part of alternative medicine or holistic health, the body has been found to benefit in many ways from the simple curative qualities of natural elements that go into aromatherapy. The process can be instigated by scent, with aromas inhaled into the body, or by application through the skin, utilising specially formulated oils in a massage. Depending on your ailment and the treatment available, either can be just as effective.

It has been found to help with anything from digestion to circulation issues. Aromatherapy is also highly effective in the management of moods, so is often used by those who suffer clinical depression or are in grief. By soothing and relaxing the body, the scents can transport away negativity and replace it with tranquility.

As with any massage, aromatherapy can also be highly beneficial in maintaining quality skincare and the relaxing of muscles. It is quite often used by sports therapists to help athletes unwind properly and ensure any muscle damage is healed. Equally, the same principle can be used for anybody with stress in their day to day life.

Certain treatments have been found to have a positive effect on insomnia as well. This means that you can relax properly and better enjoy your life, without succumbing to anxiety and sleeplessness.

Of course there are those who are inclined to question the true healing qualities of this and many other holistic practices. However, aromatherapy has been found to work time and time again in the healing of physical and mental pain. Whilst it shouldn’t be used in lieu of prescribed drugs, it can certainly work alongside other methods of healing.

Due to the diversity of products used within aromatherapy, there are an equally broad number of remedies that they are able to provide. From skin conditions such as warts or eczema to respiratory problems such as asthma and flu, aromas and oils can provide an effective relief, if not cure for a full range of everyday problems.

For those who are open to alternative medicines and the healing powers of natural products, aromatherapy is a perfect place to start. Yes, there are preconceptions and even misconceptions around what the actual curative powers are; however, the results that millions of people throughout the world for the last century have enjoyed tend to backup the practitioners’ assertion – aromatherapy is an effective cure for many ailments.

If you are interested in finding the oils to revive your sense and heal your body, do a little research. Aromatherapy products are in plentiful supply, as are expert guides and what best to use for various conditions. Clearly, when you have serious issues you should always consult a doctor and follow any advice provided by them. However, as a way of boosting your body, helping recovery and improving your positive outlook, there are few better things for healing than the natural oils and scents associated with aromatherapy.

So whether you’re pregnant, suffering from stress, have muscle strains or an irritating skin conditions, aromatherapy can provide an effective solution. The chances of causing harm or damage are extremely low and there are none of the side-effects you might come to expect with pharmaceuticals. It is quickly becoming the curative solution of choice for many ailments, so why don’t you give it a try?

Do a quick search on PubMed, and you can find abstracts of over 600 published articles about aromatherapy science in the medical journals. These articles report results of clinical trials and laboratory experiments done by doctors and university-level research scientists at institutions in Japan, the USA, Korea, China, the European Union, and Australia, all subjected to the intense scrutiny of peer review, all designed to answer the question of does aromatherapy really work.

And in 2010, it’s safe to say, aromatherapy really does work. Here are two important findings that explain the astonishing, but credible potency of this ancient healing tool.

1. The way aromatherapy works is through your brain, not through your nose

One of the key findings of aromatherapy science is that aromatherapy works because of what the brain does, not because of what the scent does. Our brains use scent as a way to remember vital experiences.

For instance, most babies are fed formula, and most infant formula contains vanilla. For a huge part of the population, even in adult life the scent of vanilla lets them sleep like a baby.

The downside of this principle is that it can be used in ways to manipulate us to do things that make food companies money but that are not good for our healthy Huge food corporations know how to use aroma to manipulate the human appetite. When certain chemical-based “food” ingredients are added to the food we eat, our brains notice everything about the food to help us find it later.

Suppose as child you are treated to a McDonald’s Happy Meal. The burger bun is a mixture of white flour and high-fructose corn syrup. White flour excites your brain. High-fructose corn syrup overrides the adiponectin hormone that tell your brain you are full and can stop eating.

The French fries, the ketchup, and the ice cream you get later are all packed with this insidious form of sugar-and an ingredient you don’t expect. They are scented with vanilla. Later in life, vanilla can trigger your appetite for happy meals!

But if you happen to know that lemon scent and grapefruit scent cancel out this effect, you can use aromatherapy to help control your appetite. Knowing aromatherapy empowers you to use your nose to help your health, not hurt it. If you know these principles, you can use them to reinforce good habits, not bad.

2. Different scents work in different ways

The fact is, aromatherapists knew this principle a long time before scientists started publishing papers about it. But these findings hold up in scientific testing:

- Lavender relieves pain.
- Lemon increases concentration and recall of verbal information.
- Clover, mint, peppermint (and, oddly enough, tempura batter) smells make it easier to concentrate through loud noise or stormy weather.
- Orange scent is appealing in the morning, but not in the afternoon.
- The odors of “comfort foods” become more appealing when you are mentally active but physically inactive-to kill you appetite for comfort food, just let your mind wander!

Aromatherapy is compatible with science, and aromatherapy really does work. Learning the basics of aromatherapy can open up new avenues of reinforcing healthy habits every day of your life.