|
| Absolute |
Products, not strictly
essential oils, obtained through chemical solvent extraction. |
| Adaptogenic |
The ability of an oil, or
other substance, to benefit in seemingly contradictory ways, yet exerting an
influence to return the body to its natural state of health. For example,
lavender is known to be able to relax the body and mind and is helpful with
insomnia, yet lavender is also uplifting and refreshing to a mind that is
depressed and lethargic. This ability to interact with the body to assist in the
most meaningful and healthful way is an indication of their intelligence and
value to mankind. |
| Adulteration |
Due to the high cost of many
Essential Oils, the practice of adulteration is tempting for some manufacturers
as an effort to either reduce their prices or increase their profits. It is
impossible for a 1/2 oz of Jasmine to cost less than $10 unless it has been
adulterated or diluted in some way. Melissa is another commonly adulterated
oil. |
| Alternative
Therapy |
Complementary medicinal
disciplines that typically use natural, rather than chemical,
approaches. |
| Analgesic |
Relieves or reduces
pain |
| Antibacterial |
Alleviates
bacteria |
| Antidepressant |
Something that helps
alleviate depression |
| Anti-fungal |
Alleviates
fungus |
| Anti-inflammatory |
Alleviates
inflammation |
Antiseptic
|
Destroys and prevents the
growth of microbes |
| Anti-spasmodic |
Eases spasms and
convulsions |
| Antiviral |
Inhibits the growth of
virus |
| Aphrodisiac |
Many Essential Oils, either
through their pleasurable aroma, or their affect on the hormonal/physical
system, increase sexual desire. These oils are commonly referred to as
aphrodisiacs. Some of the better-known aphrodisiacs are Jasmine, YlangYlang,
Clary Sage, Sandalwood and Patchouli. Some of the less known aphrodisiacs
include Black Pepper, Coriander, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Champa. |
| Aromatherapy |
The art and science of using
pure essential oils extracted from natural botanicals to relax, balance and
rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit. |
| Aromatherapy
Benefit |
The emotional or physical
effect evoked by aromatic essential oils. Examples include balancing,
energizing, rejuvenating, cleansing, deodorizing and purifying. |
| Astringent |
Causes contraction of
tissues |
| Ayurvedic |
The ancient Hindu art of
medicine and of prolonging life. |
| Base
Notes |
These are the most tenacious
aromatic components that are among the last to evaporate. They provide depth and
resonance to an essential oil blend and are much less volatile than their "top"
or "middle" note counterparts. Aromatic base notes are the ones that you can
still smell on your skin several hours after they were first applied.
Therapeutically, they are the deepest workers, helping with longer-term ailments
of a more chronic nature. They're rich and sensual and should be use in small
quantities -- generally, 5 percent of the total blend - to avoid overpowering
the other scents. |
| Botanical
Name |
The Latin name given to a
species of plant to clearly distinguish it from other plants that share the same
common name. A botanical name is composed of the genus followed by the species.
Examples: Roman Chamomile's botanical name is Anthemis nobilis. German
chamomile's botanical name is Matricaria chamomilla. |
| Carcinogen
(Carcinogenic) |
Known to be cancer
causing. |
| Carrier
Oil |
A vegetable oil base in
which essential oils are diluted to create massage blends and body care
products. They "carry" the essential oil onto the skin. Examples include sweet
almond, apricot kernel, jojoba and grapeseed. The carrier oils themselves can be
selected for their therapeutic benefits. Avoid Mineral and Petroleum based
oils. |
| Certified
Organic Farming |
Cultivation without the use
of artificial herbicides, fertilizers or pesticides. Certification by an
independent third party ensures the plants are grown, harvested, transported and
processed in ways that protect their integrity. |
| Cineol |
A fairly common component in
many different Essential Oils. It is characterized by the penetrating, often
cool, aroma reminiscent of vaporizing rubs. Oils with a high cineol component
are useful for respiratory complaints, such as coughing, catarhh and congestion.
Eucalyptus oil is among the most common of cineol-type oils, yet there are many
others, such as Niaouli, extra, Cajeput and Ravensara that are very high in
cineol. |
| Cold
Pressed Oils |
Vegetable Carrier Oils are
extracted by pressing the seeds to release their oil. Sometimes the process of
"expressing" the oil from the peels of citrus fruit is also called "cold
pressing." |
| Comedogenic |
Acne
promoting |
| Common
Name |
The "everyday" name given to
a plant. Examples: Bay, Chamomile, Cedar, Orange, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus. Each
of these examples has multiple different species with different properties, yet
the species go by the same common name. Because of the possible confusion
between common names referring to different species, it is important that the
botanical name is utilized for clarity. When purchasing essential oils, be sure
you refer to the botanical name. If the vendor does not supply the botanical
name, ask for it. Be leery if they don't know. |
| Decongestant |
An agent that relieves mucus
and congestion |
| Deodorizing |
An agent which corrects or
removes unpleasant odors |
| Detoxifying |
To remove toxins from the
body |
| Diffuser |
An aromatherapy accessory
used to gently disperse essential oils into the air. |
| Diffusion |
The volatilization, or
evaporation, of the aromatic components of an oil into the atmosphere through
the use of accessories such as ceramic diffuser lamps, electric diffusers and
unglazed porous clay diffusers. |
| Dilution |
Essential Oils are not
usually recommended to be used "neat" (undiluted) on the skin; therefore, they
need to be diluted in an appropriate "carrier." The carriers are often vegetable
oils, but may also be alcohol, as in the case of Eau de Colognes or Eau de
Toilette. If labeled correctly, diluted Essential Oils are not to be considered
"adulterated" |
| Disinfectant |
Prevents and combats the
spread of germs |
| Distillate |
A product of distillation.
For example, lavender oil is the distillate of the fresh, blooming lavender
plant. |
| Distillation |
A method of deriving an
essential oil from plants using evaporation and subsequent condensation of a
liquid (water) through the plant material. |
| Enfleurage |
Age-old method of extracting
essential oils using odorless fats and oils to absorb the oil from the plant
material. |
| Essential
Oil |
A highly concentrated,
volatile liquid that is derived from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or
other elements of a plant. Information on specific essential oils can be found
in the Essential Oil Profile Chart. |
| Expression |
Method of obtaining
essential oil from plant material, such as citrus fruit peel. The complete oil
is physically forced from the plant material. Also known as cold press
extraction. |
| Expectorant |
Promoting the clearing of
congestion from the sinus and chest area. Essential Oils with a high cineol
content, ie. eucalyptus, niaouli, ravensara and cajeput, have expectorant
qualities. Also balsamic wood oils, such as cedar, fir and even sandalwood have
this quality. Oils with this property are an excellent alternative to
petroleum-based salves. |
| Extraction
Method |
The method by which
essential oils are separated from the plant. Common extraction methods include
distillation, expression and solvent extraction. |
| Fixative |
An oil that is able to slow
the evaporation of the more volatile oils. Fixative oils are usually base notes
in a blend and perform the valuable function of creating a longer lasting,
harmonious aroma. |
| Floral
Water |
Sometimes known as a
hydrosol or distillate water is the water that remains after distilling an
essential oil. |
| Fragrance |
Aroma. Products labeled as
fragrances are not pure essential oils. They are derived by synthetic
means. |
| Herbal,
Herbalism |
Pertaining to natural
botanicals and living plants. |
| Holistic-oriented |
A natural approach to
healing outside Western medicine conventions. |
| Homeopathy |
Therapy using plant, animal
and mineral substances in dilutions to overcome illness by stimulating the
body's natural immunity. |
| Humectant |
A product which helps the
skin retain moisture. The problem with humectants, including propylene glycol
and glycerin is that; although they are most effective when you are in areas
with high humidity, if you are going to be in an extremely low humidity
atmosphere, such as in an airplane or even a dry room, they can actually take
moisture from your skin. Here's why: Humectants are on the search for moisture
that can be absorbed from the environment. If the environment is so drying that
there is no moisture to be had, they till get it from the next best source -
your skin. When this happens, the ingredient, which is supposed to help your
skin retain moisture, instead does the opposite. (Brumberg) |
| Hydrosol |
Sometimes known as a floral
water or distillate water is the water that remains after distilling an
essential oil. |
| Insoluble |
Unable to be dissolved in a
liquid such as water. |
| Infusion |
The process of soaking plant
material in a carrier oil to release the soluble constituents into the carrier
oil. |
| Neat |
Undiluted |
| Middle
Notes |
Warm, heady, and mellow.
They provide the body of a blend. Oils with strong middle notes generally make
up the bulk of your formulation and, generally, they're found in the floral
scents. Middle notes are neither the first, nor the last to evaporate. An
example of a middle note Essential Oil is Lavender. |
| Mutagenic |
Changes the genetic code,
which are the building blocks of cells. |
| Olfactory
Sense |
Your sense of smell. This
process begins when aromatic molecules stimulate the receptors within the nose
and a signal is sent through the olfactory bulb, which is located between the
eyes above the nose, then on to the limbic system. It is through our nose that
our Central Nervous System actually has direct contact with the external
environment. Certain aromas, particularly chemical and synthetic, can give us a
headache in that area. This happens when the olfactory bulb is over stimulated
and attempts to block those aromatic impulses from reaching our limbic system.
Since the olfactory cells are constantly regenerating, our sense of smell can
become either more acute, or more deadened, depending in large part to the
environments our noses are in! After many years of smelling Pure Essential Oils,
the sense of smell becomes very trained and is able to distinguish subtleties
that many people simply cannot smell. |
| Potpourri |
A fragrant mixture of dried
herbs and flowers. Usually scented with synthetic fragrance
oils. |
| Properties,
Chemical |
Characteristics of essential
oils based on their chemical constituents. |
| Rosacea |
A common skin disorder with
characteristics including redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead and the
presence of small visible blood vessels on the face. |
| Sedative |
A calming
agent. |
| Sebaceous
Glands |
Present in the dermis. Open
to the surface at pores located in the epidermis. Produces sebum
(oil). |
| Sebum |
The oily substance produced
by the sebaceous glands which function to lubricate the skin and seal moisture
into the cells. The level of sebum production determines whether your skin is
normal, dry or oily. |
| Single
Note |
A pure, 100% natural
essential oil from a single plant: no additives; no
adulterations. |
| Soluble |
Able to be dissolved in a
liquid such as water. |
| Stimulant |
Improves physical and
mental energy. |
| Synergistic |
A characteristic in which
the total effect is more effective than the individual parts. |
| Synergistic
Blend |
A combination of multiple
essential oils that produce a completely new aroma with a different therapeutic
effect. |
| Synthetic |
An artificially produced
substance designed to imitate that which occurs naturally. |
| Top
Notes |
The most volatile aromatic
molecules that evaporate quickly. They are the ones that you smell first and do
no last as long as the middle and base notes. Therapeutically they are fast
acting and help relieve short term, more acute problems. Since they do tend to
evaporate so quickly, they are often combined with a fixative that slows their
release into the air. |
| Toxic |
Poisonous, either short-term
or long-term. |
| Toxicity |
Much of the information
regarding the toxicity of Essential Oils is passed along from research that may
or may not have been done with Essential Oils themselves. However, with the lack
of better information, it is probably wise to exercise caution with oils that
are considered toxic. The affects of toxicity from Essential Oils are of a
longer term nature and do not manifest themselves immediately. Our bodies have
the natural ability to rid itself of toxins, yet if a toxin is repeatedly
brought into the body it can break down our natural systems and cause a build-up
of any harmful substance. To be safe, only use toxic oils sparingly and do not
use them continuously over long periods of time. |
| Viscosity |
A common term used to
describe the thickness or thinness of a liquid. There is a precise measuring
scale employed to rate an oil's viscosity; however, it will probably suffice to
know that the higher the viscosity of an oil, the more liquid it is. Water is a
high viscosity liquid, as opposed to molasses, which is very low
viscosity. |
| Volatile |
The characteristic of an
Essential Oil to evaporate. The more volatile an oil is, the more quickly it
will evaporate. |
| Wild |
Growing spontaneously in
nature, not cultivated. | |
Canadian