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What exactly are essential oils?
Essential oils are what give a plant its scent. Simply stated, if a plant has a scent then it contains essential oils. Special scent glands in each plant produce the oil for one of two reasons: attraction or defense. A plant’s scent can prepare it for pollination while at the same time defending it from destructive insects, animals or other damaging forces. These oils also act as a natural waterproofer and sealant for the plant’s wounds and increase the plant’s resistance to disease. Essential oils can be extracted from plants through either cold pressing, steam distillation or solvent extraction. Once extracted we are left with an intoxicatingly fragrant, pure plant oil that has in itself the ability to enhance our lives in a multitude of ways.
The People-Plant Connection
In as much as essential oils are crucial to the survival of the plant, their value to humans is worthy of great recognition. For centuries essential oils have been used to treat a plethora of physical and emotional conditions in a pleasantly fragrant way. Here are some of the more valuable medicinal properties possessed by essential oils:
- Kill bacterial, fungal, and viral infections
- Assist in the healing of wounds (lavender and tea tree)
- Reduce inflammation
- Regulate hormones
- Tone and moisturize the skin
- Stimulate the immune system
- Repel bugs (clove, tea tree, lemongrass, peppermint, geranium)
- Aid blood circulation and digestion
- Decrease sinus and lung congestion
- Boost the mood and lift spirits
Natural Born Germ Killers
The molecular composition and medicinal compounds found in essential oils make them especially useful in killing an assortment of germs, harmful bacteria and viral infections. Eucalyptus oil, for example, has been shown to kill 70% of staphylococcus bacteria by simply being diffused into the air of an affected room.
Many other essential oils are strongly anti-bacterial as well simply because their molecular composition includes natural alcohols and other bacterial fighting components. Among these oils are:
-lavender
-bergamot
-lemon
-eucalyptus
-tea tree
-pine
-peppermint
-cinnamon
-clove
-rosemary
-sweet orange
-juniperberry
-geranium
-ginger
-palmarosa
-patchouli
-petitgrain
How do we know they really do all these things?
If you ask a chemist this question he or she will point out the individual compounds that are contained in each oil. Essential oils contain certain molecular components which give the oil its unique scent, properties, and therapeutic uses. These natural molecular components are:
Acids – acids are moisturizing to the skin, can kill bacterial and viral infections, and reduce inflammation
Alcohols – alcohols are skin toners, destroy bacterial and viral infections and are generally considered safe to use.
Aldehydes – Aldehydes produce a mild sedative effect when inhaled, can reduce inflammation, and destroy bacterial infections. Many citrus oils are considered fall into this category.
Coumarins – Coumarins are blood thinners and uplifting when inhaled, but can be irritating to the skin. A fe examples of coumarins are bergamot, lemon, and other citris oils.
Esters – Esters are highly fragrant and typically very relaxing when inhaled. They can also kill fungal infections and relieve muscle spasms. Some essential oils that contain esters are: bergamot, clary sage, geranium, lavender, ylang ylang.
Ester oxides – Rosemary, tea tree, and eucalyptus oils are considered ester oxides. These types of oils are mentally stimulating, have a camphorous scent and relieve lung congestion.
Hydrocarbons – these oils tend to be mentally stimulating, reduce bacterial infections, inflammation, and intestinal gas. Hydrocarbons are among the most common types of chemical components found in essential oils. Some essential oils that fall into this category are: ginger, grapefruit, lemon, orange, patchouli, and pine
Ketones – Rosemary and sage are ketones. These oils can thin out lung and bronchial congestion and and promote wound healing.
Phenols – These oils are powerfully antibacterial and include clove, basil, oregano and thyme. They are mentally stimulating when inhaled but can be irriatating to the skin and should be used in small amounts.
Skin Deep...
The molecular weight of essential oils is so small that they can effortlessly pass through your skin. This is especially helpful if they’re being used to treat physical ailments. To understand better how essential oils can be absorbed by your body via your skin rub a tiny drop of lavender onto your cheek. Within minutes you will be able to taste the lavender inside your mouth. Similarly, bergamot and lemon can be smelled on the breath 40-60 minutes after being rubbed onto the skin.
Oils and Espresso...
Why is it a tired body can be instantly re-energized by just the scent of a strong cup of coffee? Because each time your nose comes in contact with a scent, it sends a message to a processing center in your brain called the lymbic system. The lymbic system has an intimate relationship with both your hypothalmus and pituitary glands. These "master glands" regulate an impressive assortment of automatic body functions, including appetite, digestion, memory, body temperature, heartbeat and even...shhhh!...sexual arousal. This is why aromatherapy is so wonderful. It's actually beneficial to smell nice things. The right scent can improve our mood, reduce stress, give us energy, help us relax, and even spice up our love life.
The Not-So-Oily Oil...
Although essential oils are technically classified as oils, they are not necessarily oily in consistency. While some heavier oils like patchouli and cinnamon may seem a bit greasy, most essential oils feel more like water. Truly pure essential oils generally feel thin and seem to dissipate quickly when rubbed between the fingers. Likewise, they’ll usually leave no oily residue behind when purity tested on paper or a cloth.
Cheap Knock-Offs and Designer Dummies...
Don't be confused - not all "oils" are created equal. Just as Gucci handbags don't come from the trunk of a car, pure essential oils don't come from men in white lab coats. Produced only by mother nature herself, think of essential oils as the real Gucci handbags of the fragrance world. Synthetic fragrance oils, perfume oils, "essences" "fragrant oils", and the like- try as they might - can never duplicate the pure, true, intoxicating scents manufactured by nature. Furthermore, the synthetic nature of fragrance oils are powerless when it comes to influencing our lymbic systems and the host of body functions it's connected to. And they can be downright harmful to your health. See NOVO Green.
The NOVO No-Spin Zone...
You've scoured the web in search of the perfect lavender oil only to find them ranging in price from $5 to $40 for one tiny little bottle. So what's with the huge variance in price and why is everyone insisting that "our oils are the best therapeutic grade essential oils available to mankind"? Well, we can't say for sure what they're bottling over there or if they're twisting a solid gold cap onto the bottle when they're through (more likely they're hiking up the prices to pay their muli-level marketing down line), but we can tell you this: our essential oils are top quality, uncut, unadulterated, therapeutic grade oils and we don't need to charge a fortune for them. No golden cap here. No down line either.
Still not sure a less expensive oil can be just as high quality? Consider this: Aromatherapist Jane Buckle, R.N. conducted an experiment using two different grades of lavender essential oil with patients recovering from heart surgery. The goal was to help them relax during the recovery time, thereby facilitating the healing process. Interestingly, the less expensive lavender oil (lavandin) proved to be the most effective.
From the plant to the bottle...
Water or Steam Distillation: Let’s use lavender as an example. The plant is suspended over boiling water in a closed container so that the steam can rise through it. The oils from the lavender plant piggyback onto the steam and are carried up through a long tube that’s surrounded by cold water. The cold water creates a rapid cooling effect on the steam, quickly converting it back into water. Since water and oil do not mix, the lavender oil will separate from the steam at this point and end up in a collection vial.
Cold Expression: This method is typically used to extract citrus oils from the peels and seeds of the fruit whitch are usually left over from citrus juice manufacturing processes.
Solvent extraction: This method is used when a plant’s essential oil would be destroyed or altered during the steam or water distillation process. During solvent extraction, the plant is dissolved in a liquid solvent that pulls the oils from the plant. The solvent and essential oils are then separated. This is an expensive process that is typically reserved for more precious oils like jasmine and vanilla
Carbon Dioxide: This is a newer method that involves the us or carbon dioxide gas to extract the oil. Only the most expensive oils are extracted using this method.
Can’t I just make my own?
Well….yes and no. You could always purchase a home distiller but you would need a tremendous amount (think bucketfuls) of fresh, healthy plant matter to produce just a single ounce of essential oil.
Are your essential oils organic?
All of our essential oils are 100% pure, natural, uncut, undiluted, and of therapeutic grade. They are free of chemicals and pesticides. Although NOVO oils are of premium quality, they are not certified organic. Our essential oils come from ethical producers around the world. Their facilities are regularly visited and tested by reliable third party laboratories. Additionally, a Gas Chromatograph Machine is used to further guarantee the therapeutic quality of the oils produced by these distilleries.
No eating or drinking allowed...
Although our esssential oils are pure, and in many cases even considered food-safe, NOVO does NOT recommend the ingestion of essential oils under any circumstances. Essential oils are highly concentrated and can cause serious damage if used internally without the necessary expertise required in administering it.
Dilute first...
Many essential oils can cause irritation to the skin. They should always be mixed in a carrier oil before being applied to the skin. Only Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils should be applied directly to the skin.
Oils while expecting...
Certain essentials oils are considered too powerful for use during pregnancy as they may stimulate the production of certain hormones. Please consult your physician before using any essential oil during pregnancy. Some essential oils to refrain from using throughout pregancy include: Ajowan, Basil, Camphor, Cederwood, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress, Fennel, Hyssop, Juniper Berry, Marjoram, Rose Geranium, Rosemary and Thyme.
Overexposed...
If an oil is defined as phototoxic, that means when applied to the skin prior to sun exposure, it can increase skin's sensitivity to sunlight. Oils that should be avoided approximately six hours before prolonged exposure to sunlight include bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, orange and mandarin.
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