While the term aromatherapy may not have been coined until 1910, essential oils were being used for their healing properties long before then. There’s a reason essential oils have been around as long as they have (read: they work), and if you’re not already incorporating them into your treatments, it’s time to do so. Not only will they have health and skin benefits for your guests, but they can also increase traffic to your business while improving AOV.
Choose Your Path
Generally, there are two main ways to incorporate essential oils into professional treatments: topically or through inhalation.
If you plan to use essential oils topically, you must recognize that they are undiluted plant extracts that carry concentrated herbal properties. They are strong, and some can be harmful if they’re not used with care. Most essential oils must be diluted with carriers to achieve concentrations safe for topical application. Popular carrier oils include sweet almond, olive, jojoba, sunflower, safflower, grape seed and evening primrose oils.
As a beginner, I started my own personal practice with diffusion and inhalation. Diffusion is a method of releasing different plant-based scents into the air. When inhaled through the nose, the molecules of the essential oil molecules are decoded by the olfactory bulb, the element in the front of the brain that then sends information to other parts of the brain.
Emma Froelich-Shea, president of Naturopathica Holistic Health, has 20+ years of beauty industry success. A proven leader and innovator, she has led the brand’s repositioning and repackaging, and directed more than 27 new product launches since 2018. Froelich-Shea also led the opening of Naturopathica’s flagship Spa on Madison Avenue, as well as the complete renovation of its original East Hampton spa location.
