Essential oils are substances which are very concentrated, fragrant and volatile derived from aromatic plants that contain aroma micro-pockets which have been synthesized by the sun.
They are traditionally extracted by steam distillation from: leaves, flowers, berries, barks, seeds, roots and rhizomes. Citrus fruits are expressed by a cold pressure of the peels (Purists talk about "essence" and not about "essential oil"). They are insoluble in water but dissolve easily in alcohol and vegetable oils. They are often colourless or yellow, but have a variety of shades (from a greenish yellow to a red-brown, even a midnight blue for matricia chamomilla, green lagoon for tansy or red for scented wintergreen).
Each Essential Oil contains numerous biochemical compounds (active principles) which are grouped together into various large families such as: Acids - Esters - Phenols - Monoterpenes - Oxides - Sesquiterpenes ...
This biochemical complexity provides each of the oils with a wide register of applications.
Read about all the details in our lists of essential oils |
