Everything You Need to Know About Essential Oils

Q: What are essential oils? How do they work?

A: Essential oils are the most volatile, concentrated aspects of aromatic plants. As products of plant metabolism, essential oils mediate between the plant and its environment. They are stored in various parts of the plant: roots (ginger), fruit (lemon), flowers (ylang ylang), heartwood (sandalwood), and leaves (rosemary). Essential oils are extracted solely through a distillation process (water/steam/vapor). Citrus oils can be obtained via the expression (pressing) of their peels, but another method is called supercritical Carbon Dioxide extraction. In this more sophisticated technology, CO2 as both liquid and gas extracts the aromatic compounds. Some aromatics, like Jasmine are termed absolutes and are extracted either via enfleurage (plants macerated in fat) or solvent extraction.

Biochemically active, essential oils contain sometimes hundreds of chemical constituents that contribute to their aromatic profile as well as their physiological benefits. For example, one of the main chemical constituents of Lavender, linalool, contributes to the nervine nature of this tremendously versatile and calming oil. From an alchemical perspective, aromatics represent the spirit, or the “quintessence” of the plant. Their energetic nature offers us a profound ability to open, access, and actualize our…