1. How does aromatherapy work?

The aroma of the essential oils is carried by the olfactory nerves to areas of the brain that regulate hormonal changes and emotional responses. When used for a bath, massaged or inhaled, the oils are either absorbed through the skin or enter the system through the nasal passage and are carried by body fluids to the main body systems.

2. What care should be taken when using essential oils?

One should always remember to keep essential oils away from any inflammable substances. Remember to wash your hands after using essential oils. Please be sure to use only the prescribed amount of drops and not more. Beginners please use low quantities only once a day and slowly step it up.

3. Why are natural essential oils expensive ?

Quality is of utmost importance in aromatherapy and good quality oils demand its price. Certain oils, like Rose and Jasmine require almost 50,000 petals to make a few grams of natural essential oil. Apart from them most of the natural essential oils require large quantities of raw material which are grown world over. Some of these crops are seasonal and rare. The distillation time for therapeutic oils is much longer than in the distillation of the perfume industry. This is reflected in the aroma and price. The soil quality, altitude of growth and other climatic conditions also determine the quality and therefore the price.

4. Can we take essential oils internally?

One should be very careful not to consume oils internally. There are very few oils that can be taken internally. For e.g., A few drops of Peppermint essential oil can be taken with a glass of warm water, to ease stomach ache. But intake of almost all oils should be avoided. Please consult with your aroma therapist before you do so. If you have consumed it wrongly, please rush to a physician.

5. How much minimum time does it take for the aromatherapy treatments to take effect?

This would depend on your symptoms as well as the severity of the same. For aches and pains it should usually take about ½ hr to 1 hr. But for skin conditions or emotional conditions, it can take anywhere between 1 months to 3 months approximately. Again, please remember that it depends on the severity of the condition.

6. What is the approximate amount of oil to be used everyday and how often can we use aromatherapy in a day or in our life?

This is a very critical question. Amount of oil depends on how, when and for what it is used. You can have an aromatic bath twice a day, morning and evening using 6 - 8 drops in each bath. This can be done 3-4 times a week but not more. Always ensure, those who use essential oils everyday, give it a break once in 4 to 5 days. Beginners please use low quantities only once a day and slowly step it up, even when using in a vapouriser, please put few drops in the beginning, use it every alternate day and then step it up. Those who are using with a prescription, use as advised.

7. Who should avoid use of essential oils?

Epileptic persons, women with ovarian or uterine growths or cancer should strictly avoid usage of essential oils. Those who have blood pressure (high and low) and pregnant women should avoid certain oils. People with sensitive skin make sure you conduct a patch test on your skin first (apply oil on a small portion first to check if you get any allergic reaction).

8. What is a synergy? What is the difference between essential oils and synergies?

Certain essential oils, when blended, mutually enhance their respective powers. When such a level of potency is reached, we get what is called as synergy - the right blend of oils. A synergy is a blend that someone creates from various selected essential oils. There are also "extended oils", these are essential oils (or blends) diluted in some sort of carrier oil.

9. How to store essential oils or synergies?

Care should always be taken to store essential oils in dark coloured glass bottles, please ensure that your bottles have droppers. The bottles should be stored in a cool dark place. This is done in order to prevent sunlight from penetrating, as that can change the chemical composition of the essential oils or blends.

10. How to do a patch test ?

Apply a drop or two of the natural essential oil on one section of the skin of your hand. Rub it into your skin and leave. After a few hours check to see if you get any allergic reaction.

11. What happens if you get an allergic reaction?

As mentioned earlier, ensure to take a patch test. Incase you get an allergic reaction, you could apply tea tree essential oil. Or incase of any severe allergy, please visit your dermatologist.

12. How important is quality in essential oils?

Quality is of utmost importance in aromatherapy. The main reason being that is it used for therapeutic purposes. Aromatic plant materials from pesticide-free soil are the best quality! They are known as organic plant material. Care should be taken that you do not use synthetic oils.

13. What are synthetic oils?

There are also oils that have had natural or synthetic chemical components added to them after distillation, to boost the level of certain components that makes the oil more attractive for certain purposes. These are sometimes called reconstituted oils.

14. What are base oils or carrier oils?

Carrier oils in general are used with essential oils because they allow us to use the essential oils on the body itself, decreasing risk of sensitization, irritation and acting as a vehicle that "fixes" the scent of the essential oils too. By 'Fix' we mean that it allows the essential oils to be less volatile, 'hang out longer' so we can enjoy them longer.

15. If we are on allopathy or homeopathy can we use aromatherapy?

Yes, there will be no problem if you make use of essential oils or take the benefit of aromatherapy while on medication of another kind. Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy.