The History of Essential Oils & Massage
Aromatic herbs have been the domain of perfumers,
alchemists, physicians, chemists, priests, royalty
and gods since ancient times. Detailed Babylonian
import orders (c.1800B.C.) for a variety of
aromatics including cypress, cedarwood and myrrh
were inscribed on clay tablets. One of Egypt’s more
lavish Pharaohs, Ramses III, once offered 246
measures and 86 bundles of cinnamon, and 3,036 logs
on another occasion, for a petition to one of his
Deities. The act of distillation was being practised
in ancient Turkey, Persia and India and stills were
being used in the foothills of the Himalayas as far
back as 3,000 BC. In more recent times, Elizabeth I
would surely have used aromatics in her annual bath
which she proudly had, ‘whether she needed to or
no’. (sic)
The Romans gained their knowledge from the Greeks
and the Greeks learned from the Egyptians who had
been preparing aromatic infusions for more than
5,000 years. The Egyptians held scents in high
regard and utilised them in medicine, food
preservation, cosmetics, cooking and religion. The
earliest recorded recipe for deodorant can be found
in the Papyrus Ebers of 1,500 BC and there are
recorded incidents of essences being used in the
treatment of manias, depression and nervous
disorders. The principles of aromatherapy even
played a part in the building of towns when a town
commissioned by Akhenaton, who is probably more
famous for his marriage to Nefertiti, was built with
large spaces for the burning of herbs to keep the
air germ free.
As Egypt grew strong, it’s rulers imported exotic
scents as a sign of economic and political might.
They imported frankincense, sandalwood, myrrh and
cinnamon as tribute from conquered peoples and with
trading partners, these treasures were sometimes
exchanged for gold. Perfumery was closely linked
with religion and each God and Goddess was allotted
a fragrance. Statues were anointed with secret
formulations made by Priests and used for such a
variety of times as prayer, healing, war and love.
In Babylon, perfumed mortar was used to build
temples and in India, temples were built of
sandalwood to maintain an aromatic atmosphere. This
link with aromatics and the spirit was also fostered
by the Greeks who prized scents so highly because
they were a direct gift from the Gods. Their
afterworld was Elysium and the air was eternally
sweet with the smell of perfumed rivers.
The Greeks visited the Nile Valley, which came to be
known as the Cradle of Medicine, in 500B.C. and upon
returning to their homeland, established a medical
school on the Island of Cos. Here, the combined
knowledge of Greek and Egyptian experience was
indexed and classified and a variety of influential
works served to promote and further the uses for
aromatic substances. The school’s most famous
graduate, Hippocrates, recommended a daily bath and
massage with essential oils as the basis for a sound
health regime. Another Greek physician, Megallus,
formulated an aromatic remedy to which he gave the
subtle name Megaleon. To make it, cinnamon,
myrrh and charred frankincense were soaked in ‘Oil
of Balanos’ and it quickly gained fame for healing
wounds and reducing inflammation. Wine-based oils
were popularly used for anointing the forehead with
perfumed unguents. Perfumes were also inhaled to
heal specific complaints. Quince or white violet
eased stomach discomfort, grape-leaf cleared the
head and rose helped headaches.
Dioscordes wrote a treatus with references to over
500 medicinal plants called De Materia Medica
which was later translated into a variety of
languages and went on to influence the Roman
herbalist Galen (c.30A.D.) who wrote the Western
world’s standard medical reference for more than
1,500 years. Concerning Odours was a treatus
on scent written by Theophrastus in which he
discussed how aromatics were processed and linked to
thought and emotions.
There is no doubt, however, that the hedonistic and
inspired Romans took the use of scents to new
heights. In Nero’s palace, silver spice-filled pipes
perfumed the guests as they were entertained.
Perfumed earthenware cups were especially popular
and over 1,000 fragrant watering spots were
scattered around the city. Aromatics were to become
so popular, that a special edict was declared in
30A.D. that forbade the personal use of exotic
scents as the supplies for use on ritual altars were
growing scarce. Later, when the seat of learning
moved east from Rome to Constantinople, perfumed
arts maintained their popularity.
It is thought that the Arabs were the first to
distil ethyl alcohol from fermented sugar. This
provided a solvent other than oils and waxes for
infusions, and such popular luxuries as floral
waters followed. Much of the demand for these
products was from export markets. Ibn Sina, a
Persian physician more commonly referred to as
Avicenna, was the author of over 100 books, some of
which were influential in Europe until the sixteenth
century. In the 10th century AD, he improved the
process of distillation when he introduced an
extended cooling pipe to the still. This addition
allowed the plant and steam molecules to cool faster
so more solvent could be made. Many new medicines
and ointments were brought from the east during the
Crusades and many of today’s surviving herbals,
whose contents included recipes for the use and
manufacture of essential oils, were written during
the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.
Essential oils are usually extracted by steam
distillation. The oil giving part of the plant is
placed inside a stainless steel vat and extreme
pressure from the steam around the vat breaks down
the plant material and releases the essential oil
from the plant cells. When cooled, the oils separate
naturally from the water. The residual water is used
for cosmetics or skin care and is known as ‘floral
water’. Aromatic waters were popular for centuries
and even used by the Bible’s chaste Susannah of
Babylon, who bathed in orange floral water. The
height of their popularity in sixteenth century
France saw many varieties, including Carmelite Water
made by Carmelite nuns and containing Melissa,
promoted for their health benefits. Aromatic plants
were becoming an popular part of European life and
monasteries were increasingly known to cultivate
medicinal herbs.
During the The Plague of the 14th century, over
eighty million people across Europe died within the
space of a few years. Again aromatics were turned to
for help. Frankincense and pine scented candles and
garlands of aromatic herbs were burned in European
streets to cover the stench of death and help
disinfect the air..Later during the sixteenth
century Bubonic Plague, doctors walked the streets
wearing huge hats with large ‘beaks’ attached.
Aromatic herbs were placed in the ‘beaks’ to purify
the air for breathing and long open-ended canes also
filled with herbs were carried. They waved the canes
in front of them as they walked for extra security.
Aroma and health were firmly linked as perfumed air
was deemed not only pleasurable, but antiseptic.
Fifteenth century physician and alchemist Paracelsus
said alchemy’s role was developing medicines and
extracts from healing plants. He believed
distillation released the most desirable part of the
plant and by 1700, essential oils were utilised in
mainstream medicine. The advent of chemistry and
chemical synthesis, however, saw their steady
decline. It wasn’t until the beginning of the
twentieth century that aromatics regained their lost
favour. The history of modern aromatherapy is a
short one, but this history is inextricably woven
into the more general history of plants and their
extracts, compounds and essential oils.
The quality of essential oils relies on the growing
conditions of the plant, soil, weather conditions
and the timing of harvest. All influence the
fragrance, colour and potency. This century’s noted
aromatherapist and physician, Dr. Jean Valnet,
observed they must be dried and preserved skilfully
to keep their power intact and used with
discrimination. Through scientific research and
analysis he helped to substantiate the reputed
benefits of essential oils .
Essential oils can be distinguished from fatty oils
because they can be volatised by heat and will
evaporate. Fatty oils will stain paper permanently,
but the stain is temporary with essential oils.
Essences are soluble in alcohol, ether and fixed
oils. They are not soluble in water, even though
they donate some of their scent to their aqueous
surrounds. Their boiling points are varied and reach
between 160° C and 240° C. Many of their secrets
have been discovered in the last century, there is
still much to learn and Dr. Taylor of the University
of Austin, Texas mused that more new compounds of
essences are presented to the world’s chemists than
they could possibly analyse in a thousand years.
The rigidity of nineteenth century science turned
its back on naturally derived substances in favour
of those born in the laboratory. It was thought
better to synthesise the active therapeutic
properties of a plant to provide not only a uniform
standard, but a cheaper cost as well. When
synthesised, however, these products can be toxic to
some and not as powerful as the originals they
emulate. M. Huerre in 1919 was to clearly state:
"It is not enough to place side by side the
principal chemical elements which analysis shows to
be present in a particular vegetable essence, in
order to obtain a product which, therapeutically
speaking, is as active as that of the natural
essence."
The term ‘aromatherapie’ was first coined by the
French biochemist Reneé-Maurice Gattefossé in 1937.
He is thought to have become an advocate after
burning his arm during a laboratory experiment. Upon
burning his arm, he plunged it into the nearest tub
of cold liquid. The tub was full of lavender oil,
and not only did he find relief from the pain, but
the wound healed at an astonishing rate and
Gattefossé went on to study the properties of
essences for the rest of his life. He theorised that
essential oils can be passed from the skin to the
body’s internal organs because the skin is connected
to the brain and nervous system. He also classified
the various effects of essential oils on the
digestive system, the metabolism, the nervous system
and the endocrine glands.
In the late 1950s, Marguerite Maury began studying
essential oils and how they could be used to
penetrate the skin for the maintenance of health and
beauty. She also developed the methods of massage
aromatherapists still use today. For much of this
century, aromatherapy has been the domain of the
beauty industry while remaining an outcast in the
medical community. It is only recently that oils
have once again been selected to meet the needs of
the individual for healing. Until recently,
beauticians were given a pre-packaged mixture by the
oil manufacturers, and had no part in the mixing of
the oils or their potency.
Each essential oil has a localised action. For
example, the supnarenal glands are stimulated by
savory, the central nervous system by lavender,
thyme and aspic, the intestines are treated by
cinnamon, cloves and rosemary, the lungs by niaouli,
eucalyptus and pine and the urinary stem by juniper
and sandalwood. Oils act as natural balancers, or
adaptogens, which will instigate reactions in the
body so a state of homeostasis is achieved.
Adaptogens are interesting because they are
swingers. Hyssop acts to normalise either high or
low blood pressure, peppermint is both relaxant and
stimulant depending on the dosage and what it’s
mixed with, and lemon will act on the autonomic
nervous system as either a tonic or sedative,
depending on what is required.
Essential oils usually enter the body through the
nose and the skin and leave the body in the same way
as other things we excrete - through the skin,
breath, faeces and urine. Upon inhalation, tiny
particles are taken to the roof of the nose and up
behind the eyes. This is where the olfactory system
is, and where we register emotions, sexual feelings,
memory and learning. The olfactory system is
attached to the limbic system which links the left
and right brain and the voluntary and involuntary
nervous centres. Cilia around the olfactory bulbs
transmit ‘messages’ which are encoded and sent
around the body. Through massage, oils are absorbed
through the skin. Although it is recognised that
essential oils can affect the lipids of a cell
membrane, hormone levels and inhibit bacterial
growth, no-one seems to know just exactly how they
work.
When the combination is more than the sum of the
parts, this is a synergistic effect. Synergistic
blends contain two or more oils mixed in such a way
as to produce a chemical compound different to the
component parts. They are powerful acting and direct
and contain a vibrancy not otherwise attainable with
just one oil. Proportions should be correct,
however, and it is sometimes important to mix more
than needed because a component part diluted in
carrier oil may be only 0.001 of the whole, but that
thousandth is vital to the whole.
Aromatherapy is a complementary natural therapy. It
embraces the notion of life force, whole organic
food, good air and healthy lifestyle. Massage oils,
poultices, steam inhalations, sitz, hand, body and
foot baths, gargles and room sprays are the most
common methods of administration. Aromatherapy
incorporates yin and yang, reflexology, shiatsu,
pressure points, vibrational healing, colour
therapy, crystals and meditation. It is a universal
and abundant therapy that revitalises the mind, body
and spirit.
Essential oils are categorised by species, chemical
constituents and effect. They are divided into three
‘notes’ - top, middle and base - in a similar way to
the ingredients of perfume. Top notes are uplifting
and refreshing, middle notes affect body systems and
the general metabolism and base notes are sedating.
They are mixed with a variety of carrier oils for
massage, each with its own additional therapeutic
value. The general rules are as follows:
Minimum-maximum drops of essential oil Into
millilitres of base oil
0-1 drop 1
2-5 drops 5
4-10 drops 10
6-15 drops 15
8-20 drops 20 5 ml = 1 teaspoon
10-25 drops 25 10 ml = 1 dessertspoon
12-30 drops 30 15 ml = 1 tablespoon
Like any therapeutic tool, essential oils must be
used with caution and respect. Basil, clary sage,
juniper, rosemary, marjoram, fennel, clove bud,
cypress, peppermint, cedarwood and lemongrass should
be avoided during pregnancy because they may induce
menstruation or have diuretic properties which would
deplete fluid in the foetal sac. The citrus oils can
cause skin photosenstisation to the sun’s
ultraviolet rays and exposure to the sun should be
restricted for no less than four hours after using
such oils. People with high blood pressure,
epilepsy, neural disorders or kidney disease need to
be especially careful as oils like cypress,
rosemary, jumiper and black pepper as they may
aggravate their conditions. Oils should never be
used undiluted on the skin and never contact the
eyes or sensitive parts of the body as they can
cause redness and burning. An unfortunate friend of
mine once went crazy with a bottle of orange oil in
the bath and suffered mild burns on her legs. If a
stinging sensation, inflammation or burning does
occur, apply a lot of carrier oil immediately. This
will help to disperse the essential oils.
Aromatherapy has been involved in a marketing frenzy
in the last couple of years. The therapeutic value
of essential oils have extended from beauty lotions,
bath oils and soaps to aromatic colour therapy,
insect repellents, house cleaners and ready made
bath and vaporiser treatments. Essential oils are
available just about everywhere.
It wasn’t until the middle of last year that I
really began to understand just how powerful
essential oils could be. A particularly nasty bout
of cystitis last year left me huddled up, crying my
eyes out and in so much pain I was unable to leave
the house. I felt I had no choice but to test out my
essential oils once and for all because I wanted
relief A.S.A.P. I had lavender sitz baths every time
I went to the bathroom, drank an awful lot of water
and rubbed 1 drop of sandalwood mixed in a teaspoon
of sweet almond oil four times daily on my kidneys
for ten days. The effects were profound. Not only
did the incredible pain cease within a few hours,
but it was almost as though the oils were comforting
my body. With antibiotics I had felt almost a
‘push-me-pull-you’ bodily reaction that can best be
described as feeling like my body was at war. I was
comforted on both the physiological and emotional
levels and have used essential oils to treat myself
ever since.
I think essential oils are one of nature’s most
generous gifts. They soothe and heal and can take
away a furrowed brow consumed with worry. Essential
oils make us healthy, beautiful, strong and calm.
Table 1. Carrier Oils
|
Name |
Colour |
Contains |
Uses |
Base Oil |
|
Sweet Almond Oil
(from the kernel) |
very pale yellow |
glucosides, minerals, vitamins, rich in
protein |
good for all skin types, helps relieve
itching, soreness, dryness and inflammation |
can be used as a base oil, 100 per cent |
|
Apricot Kernel Oil
(from the kernel) |
pale yellow |
minerals and vitamins |
all skins, especially prematurely aged,
sensitive, inflamed and dry |
can be used as a base oil, 100 per cent |
|
Avocado Pear Oil
(from the fruit) |
dark green |
vitamins, protein, lecithin, fatty acids |
all skins, especially dry and dehydrated,
eczema |
use as an addition to a base oil, 10 per
cent dilution |
|
Borage Seed Oil
(from the seeds) |
pale yellow |
gamma linolenic acid, vitamins, minerals |
PMT, multiple sclerosis, menopausal
problems, heart disease, psoriasis and
eczema,prematurely aged skin |
use a 10 per cent dilution |
|
Carrot Oil
(an essential oil in its own right, but
often used in bases) |
orange |
vitamins, minerals, beta-carotin |
premature ageing, itching, dryness,
psoriasis and eczema, reduces scarring |
use a 10 per cent dilution - DO NOT use
undiluted on skin |
|
Corn Oil |
pale yellow |
protein, vitamins, minerals |
soothing on all skins |
can be used 100 per cent |
|
Evening Primrose Oil |
pale yellow |
gamma linolenic acid, vitamins, minerals |
PMT, multiple sclerosis, menopausal
problems, heart disease, psoriasis and
eczema |
use as 10 per cent |
|
Grapeseed Oil |
almost colourless, pale green |
vitamins, minerals, protein |
all skins |
can be used as 100 per cent |
|
Hazelnut Oil
(from the kernel) |
yellow |
vitamins, minerals, protein |
has slight astringent action, suitable for
all skins |
can be used 100 per cent |
|
Jojoba Oil
(from the bean) |
yellow |
is actually a wax, rather than an oil that
mimics collagen, vitamins, minerals, protein |
inflamed skins, psoriasis, eczema, acne,
hair care, all skin types, highly
penetrative |
use a 10 per cent dilution |
|
Olive Oil |
green |
vitamins, minerals, protein |
rheumatic conditions, hair care, cosmetics,
soothing |
use a 10 per cent dilution |
|
Peanut Oil
(Arachis Nut) |
pale yellow |
vitamins, minerals, protein |
all skin types |
can be used 100 per cent |
|
Safflower Oil |
pale yellow |
vitamins, minerals, protein |
all skin types |
can be used 100 per cent |
|
Sesame Oil |
dark yellow |
vitamins, minerals, protein, lecithin, amino
acids |
psoriasis, eczema, rheumatism, arthritis,
all skin types |
use a 10 per cent dilution |
|
Soya Bean Oil |
pale yellow |
vitamin, minerals, protein |
all skin types |
can be used 100 per cent |
|
Sunflower Oil |
pale yellow |
vitamins, minerals |
all skin types |
can be used 100 per cent |
|
Wheatgerm Oil |
yellow/orange |
vitamins, minerals, protein |
eczema, psoriasis, prematurely aged skin,
all skin types |
use a 10 per cent dilution |
Table 2. The Top Ten Essentials
|
Oils |
Applications |
|
Lavender
Middle note
Distilled from flowers |
Harmonising and balancing in the body.
Relaxes, soothes, calms, relieves
irritability, nervous tension, mild anxiety
and stress. Soothes muscular aches, pains,
bites and stings, anti-fungal,
anti-bacterial, insect repellent and aids in
the pain of burns by direct application. |
|
Tea Tree
Top/middle note
Distilled from leaves and twigs
|
Nervous debility, shock, colds, influenza,
bronchitis, airborne infections, immuno-stimulant,
dandruff, cuts and abrasions.
Warning: may occasionally irritate the skin,
use with lavender to soften its effect. |
|
Spearmint
Top/middle note
Distilled from leaves |
Heat-stroke, shock, general fatigue,
nervousness, colds, chills, airborne
infections, vomiting, nausea, colic,
hangover, travel sickness, oral hygiene, pre
and aprés sport.
Warning: avoid during pregnancy or in
conjunction with homeopathic remedies, don’t
use on small children,babies, sensitive skin
or late at night. |
|
Chamomile (Roman)
Middle note
Distilled from flowers |
Restlessness, irritability, anger,
resentment, insomnia, headaches, migraine,
spasmodic coughs and wheezes, rheumatism,
allergic reactions, colic, urinary system
tonic, stomach cramps, toning and cleansing.
Warning: do not use in early pregnancy. |
|
Eucalyptus (Radiata)
Top note
Distilled from leaves |
Aerial antiseptic, colds, fevers, diarrhoea,
joint stiffness, rheumatism, anti-fungal, ,
kidney complaints.
Warning: do not use on small children, or in
conjunction with a homeopathic remedy. |
|
Geranium
Distilled from leaves
Middle note |
Anxiety, tension, restlessness, liver tonic,
PMT, heavy periods, menopause, urinary and
vaginal infections, burns, nosebleed, insect
repellent, deodorant, mouthwash, eczema,
oedema, haemorrhoids and acne.
Warning: there is a very slight risk of
allergic reaction in some sensitive people. |
|
Rosemary Moroccan or Tunisian
Distilled from leaves
Middle note |
Depression, confusion, fatigue, general
debility, bronchitis, sinusitis, liver
tonic, hangover, rheumatic aches and pains,
gout, fluid retention, hair and scalp tonic
and cleansing.
Warning:do not use in pregnancy or if
epileptic or suffering high blood pressure. |
|
Sandalwood West Australian
Distilled from bark
Middle note |
Relieves sleeplessness, nervous tension,
stress, sore throat, laryngitis, hair and
skin tonic, antiseptic,anti-spasmodic and
bronchitis, lumbago, sciatica, nausea and
egocentric behaviour. |
|
Lemon Cold Pressed
Distilled from rind of fruit
Top note |
Stimulating, aerial disinfectant, hangover,
gout, rheumatism, cramp, acne, chilblains,
fatigue, general debility and listlessness.
Warning: do not sunbathe or use an
ultra-violet lamp for at least 24 hours
after applying to the skin. Avoid sunlight
for four hours after using as lemon is
photosensitive. |
|
Clove Bud
Distilled from dried, unopened buds
Middle note |
Soothing and warming, relieves mouth and gum
infections, toothache, nervous tension,
warts and calluses, strong antiseptic,
analgesic and anti-bacterial.
Warning:avoid during pregnancy. |
The above oils have been chosen as they are readily
available, affordable and versatile in the treatment
of common ailments. Essential oil blends can be used
for everything from relaxation and health, to beauty
and emotional pick-me-ups. It is important to have
the correct balance of oils because if too much is
used can actually have the opposite effect to what
is desired. For example, even lavender which is one
of the safest and most relaxing oils, can leave you
feeling strung out and anything but calm, if too
much is used. Always seek a professional for medical
advice. |
