Aromatherapy: What’s in the Smell? Oil Volatility
Volatility meaning how fast evaporates.
In the science of aromatherapy, there is a scale of volatility or in other words how fast oil evaporates. This is measured and called top note, middle note and base note. The top (lightest) note is the most volatile on a scale through the middle note to the least volatile (heaviest) at the base note.
Aromatic Qualities Rooty: grounding, stabilizing, calming, sustaining Woody: centering, steadying, strengthening, empowering Fruity: reviving, mellowing, harmonizing, cheering Minty: stimulating, energizing, enlivening, vitalizing Floral: relaxing, sensualizing, nurturing, uplifting Spicy: invigorating, warming, comforting, motivating Citrus: refreshing, cooling, awaking, enlivening Resinous: settling, quieting, consoling, transcending Camphoraceuos: stimulating, revitalizing, dispersing, renewing Herbaceous: clarifying, pacifying regulating, balancing
Extraction Methods Steam Distillation: Plant material is loaded
into a cooking chamber where steam is passed through it. During distillation fragrant plants exposed to boiling water or steam release their essential oils through evaporation.
As we move towards a fully integrated holistic counseling & wellness center we wanted to share with you the wonderful and healing power of aromatherapy. This pamphlet has been designed to give you a very basic understanding of aromatherapy. If we are diffusing an essential oil in the office, the name of the oil, and it’s attributes will be posted. You can use your pamphlet to better understand those attributes. You will also notice an affirmation next to the essential oil, which you can use while waiting to see your therapist.
Expressed Oils: are pressed from the rind of fruits, such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, and mandarin. Solvent-Extraction/Absolutes: use of oil
soluble solvents involves submerging the plant material and agitating with the solvent which dissolves the volatile oils. Then the solvent is removed through evaporation under pressure resulting a sticky, soft wax called concrete. Similar to solvent extraction with the use of grain alcohol extraction of a concrete, which is the solid waxy residue derived from the extraction of a plant material like flower petals. The concrete is mixed with leaving essential oils diluted in alcohol. The last step is to remove the alcohol by vacuum distilling the mixture.
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