What is an Essential Oil?

Essential Oils

Many ingredients in Neroli Rose products are essential oils—aromatic, volatile liquids distilled from flowers, trees, roots, bushes, shrubs and seeds. These are nature’s chemical defense systems. They protect plants from attacks by animals and ensure their survival.

Essential oils are not greasy and do not clog pores the way vegetable oils do. They have medicinal properties that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses, diminish pain and heal inflamed, dried, scarred or blemished skin. The oils can stimulate nerves and the regeneration of tissue. By penetrating the body at the cellular level, they carry nutrition and oxygen to the cells. Their fragrances stimulate the brain and help balance moods.

The chemical structure of essential oils is similar to that of human cells and tissues. After oils are applied to the skin they travel throughout the body in minutes. An individual oil consists of hundreds of different chemical compounds. The oils are much more concentrated and potent than dried herbs. Because of their complexity, essential oils do not disturb the body’s natural balance. Individual oils can exert many beneficial effects simultaneously. For example, orange oil, which is very high in limonene, has been found to reduce depression, protect the skin from wrinkles, stimulate the circulatory system and combat the growth of tumors. Orange oil has been studied for its cancer-fighting abilities.

History is filled with references to the power of essential oils. Judeo-Christian texts mention their uses and benefits. Ancient Egyptians used them for purification and embalming the dead. During WW II, when modern antibiotics were unavailable, French doctors who relied on essential oils to save the lives of soldiers injured in battle, documented their findings.

The proper cultivation and distillation of essential oils is key to their potency. Neroli Rose uses reputable suppliers who can verify that their oils are either certified organic, wild-crafted or ethically grown—meaning they are grown without herbicides and fertilizers. Our suppliers can also verify that their oils are properly distilled. Aromatherapy, the study and use of essential oils, is well established and regulated in Europe. Numerous scientific and peer-reviewed studies conducted at universities around the world support the growing body of evidence that documents the power and usefulness of essential oils.