
Are you ready to experience an evolved approach to essential oils? Aromatherapy has long been celebrated for its wellness benefits. Now, it’s reaching new heights. With its rise in popularity, the internet is overflowing with information. Influencers, oil brands and scientific studies are all weighing in. How much of it is really true? While some advice is helpful, much of it creates confusion and spreads myths. Let’s clear away that confusion and discover how essential oils can truly enhance your spa and wellness practice.
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Are you ready to experience an evolved approach to essential oils? Aromatherapy has long been celebrated for its wellness benefits. Now, it’s reaching new heights. With its rise in popularity, the internet is overflowing with information. Influencers, oil brands and scientific studies are all weighing in. How much of it is really true? While some advice is helpful, much of it creates confusion and spreads myths. Let’s clear away that confusion and discover how essential oils can truly enhance your spa and wellness practice.
Erasing Essential Oil Quality Myths
To understand quality, ignore the marketing term “therapeutic grade.” For instance, a synthetic sandalwood compound is proven for wound-healing. Essential oils diluted, or adulterated, with natural compounds still retain known properties. Synthetic and adulterated oils could be considered therapeutic grade. What they lack are the true holistic benefits of authentic essential oils.
There isn't a "best" oil brand. Many sellers offer high quality oils from skilled distillers. Smaller producers are generally the best sources. Artful and small scale distillers are able to provide closer detail and care. This is similar to the superior wine vintner who is only able to produce limited case amounts. Understanding quality requires knowing your oil’s production. Many larger brands need enormous supply, which often limits therapeutic complexity. Learning about your oils’ source can reveal much about their quality. It all comes down to trusting your supplier.
Gas Chromatography (GC) Testing for Quality
Many companies say their oils are GC-tested. This test helps find synthetic additions and adulteration, but doesn’t necessarily prove a better quality. The quality of the oil goes much deeper than a test can provide. GC testing shows composition. This test can reveal therapeutic potential. To gauge therapeutic potential, you must be capable of understanding the analysis.
The Science of Olfaction
Understanding the science of smell enhances the effective use of essential oils. Olfactory responses relieve stress and regulate emotions. Lesser known is "scent-bonding," where every memory and emotion is linked to scent. Encountering scents again can bring up bonded memories and emotions. Often, this response is subtle. It may also evoke a vivid memory or anxiety. For instance, a student once showed anxiety in response to rose oil. Typically, rose has a calming effect.
When used purposefully, scent becomes a powerful tool for wellness. It can influence behavior, moderate bad habits and support emotional well-being. Scent bonding may also be used to create a signature scent branding. This therapeutic approach can increase client retention and boost retail sales.
Related: 6 Essential Oils for Emotional Resilience
The Holistic Essential Oil Triad
Essential oils aren’t just a set of compounds with lab-proven effects. These oils are complex mixtures of many compounds working in synergy. Chemistry and scientific studies offer guidance for expected results. This is more expansive when considering the holistic nature of essential oils. There are numerous factors that influence their therapeutic effectiveness. These include sense of smell, physical reactions and energetic properties.
I created the Holistic Essential Oil Triad to guide therapeutic oil use. The triad has three parts:
- Olfactory: Results come through the science of smell, primarily impacting emotions. Inhalation of oils also induces physical responses. Smelling oils affects the central nervous system and autonomic nervous function. Scent also influences heart rate, muscular responses and digestion.
- Pharmacology: Oil compounds interact with cell receptors to produce biological responses. This action, similar to pharmaceuticals, helps us understand many of the healing results of essential oils.
- Metaphysical: This includes chakra balancing, energy work and spiritual uses. This category encompasses effects beyond scientific explanation.
This trio is simultaneously at work every time you use an essential oil. Become aware of this and master its use. Awareness of this triad is invaluable in therapeutic essential oil selection and application.
Holistic Action of Essential Oils
When using essential oils, the triad creates a powerful, synergistic response. For instance, a blend with jasmine, sandalwood, lavender, and Cape chamomile works on multiple levels. This combination provides skin-healing effects while calming the nervous system. Through the olfactory response, jasmine triggers oxytocin release, which uplifts emotions and promotes skin health. The energetic response also aligns chakras, creating a sense of harmony.
Essential oils often address complex causes, not just symptoms. Their intricate chemistry targets multiple layers of wellness. This makes essential oils ideal for holistic care. They can treat causes even when unrecognized. The triad approach—olfactory, pharmacological and energetic—lets oils work on multiple levels.
Experience and Explore Your Essential Oils
This presentation shows that essential oils possess an often-unexplained depth. It’s essential to learn, experiment and cultivate a relationship with each oil. Explore their potential to truly transform your wellness practice. An example essential oil formula may support understanding of the concepts presented.
We’ll use a dull, irritated skin complexion as an example. A holistic analysis would include stress levels, diet, sleep habits and environment. This analysis reveals moderate stress levels, with periodic “fight or flight” responses. Sleep patterns are mostly regular, with occasional disturbances. The diet is moderately healthy. Blue light exposure from mobile devices and sunlight may also contribute to free radical damage. Based on this analysis, the following formula could be beneficial:
- 3 drops Virginia Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana): Supports parasympathetic activity to relieve stress and control the fight-or-flight response through both olfactory and pharmacological responses. Cedarwood helps reduce inflammation and enhances emotional stability via the 3rd chakra.
- 6 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Eases nervous tension, reduces fight-or-flight, and aids skin repair through olfactory and pharmacological responses. Energetically, lavender promotes clarity via third eye stimulation.
- 3 drops Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata): Provides a euphoric scent with a feel-good (GABAergic) emotional response. Ylang Ylang alleviates anxiety and energetically supports balanced communication. It will reduce inflammation and promote skin restoration through cell-receptor interaction.
This formula also offers antioxidant protection against UV and blue light damage while supporting restful sleep. Mix this 2% concentration of essential oils in a 30 ml. bottle with organic jojoba or sunflower seed oil as a carrier for additional antioxidant benefits. There are several other carriers and extracts that could be therapeutically beneficial. While not a complete evaluation, this provides enough guidance to begin your exploration.
References:
- Tarumi, W., & Shinohara, K. (2020). The effects of essential oil on salivary oxytocin concentration in postmenopausal women. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Published online March 11, 2020.
- Zhang, K., & Yao, L. (2018). The anxiolytic effect of Juniperus virginiana L. essential oil and determination of its active constituents. Physiology & Behavior, 189, 50-58.
- Hartley, N., & McLachlan, C. S. (2022). Aromas influencing the GABAergic system. Molecules, 27(8), 2414.
Jimm Harrison is a trailblazer in essential oils and plant-based wellness. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in aromatherapy formulation and scent branding. Jimm’s approach integrates nature healing with holistic systems for wellness and beauty. He has taught at institutes like Bastyr University and authored three books. Learn more and get a free consultation at jimmharrison.com or contact [email protected].