Recently the term essential oils may be heard explaining anything from laundry detergent to natural cures of health conditions which range from acne to easing cancer symptoms. But what exactly are these oils and where do they come from? Just their very name alone leads us to think we need them -- they are essential.

An essential oil is a liquid that's extracted from just about any portion of a plant -- root, stem, leaf, bark, etc. by distillation. They're derived from a real plant and therefore are not artificially made. They aren't the same thing as oil that has been perfumed or has had a fragrance combined with it.

Essential oils are highly concentrated so they are often seen in tiny bottles. The essential oil is typically mixed with a "carrier oil" to dilute it. Carrier oils are veggie oils such grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, organic olive oil, and cranberry seed oil. It is the carrier oil that "carries" the essential oil into your skin. It is because of the carrier oil that the essential oil feels and seems oily.

Perhaps the most common method to make use of an essential oil is to apply it to the skin. Many aroma therapists will use it as massage oil. An additional method to use an essential oil is via inhalation. Some ways to safely inhale essential oils are by adding a few drops to a warm bath or a heated up pan of water. Other tools used for dispersing essential oils in aromatherapy are an oil burner, diffuser or vaporizer. Adding water and some drops of the preferred essential oil is likely to scent an entire area.

A brief history of using these oils as therapies could be traced back for hundreds of years. They'd become less popular as a lot more pharmaceutical remedies became available. Even so, during the last few decades aromatherapy has become more popular and mainstream. People are now seeking this alternative medicine to treat their emotional, mental and physical needs.

When buying essential oils, prices and quality can vary greatly. The quality of an essential oil is very important when using it for therapeutic purposes. Bad plant quality, adding chemicals, or even the oil sitting for too long can significantly lower its effectiveness. Several essential oils may be priced high based on how rare the plant it is derived from is or because of conditions related to the country it is indigenous to.

There are several risks to essential oils that are worth noting. Many essential oils aren't recommended for use throughout pregnancy. They should also always be diluted when they are applied to the skin. Some individuals may have specific sensitivities to essential oils as well as allergic reactions. Before making use of any essential oil for the first time it's always recommended to do a spot test on a small area of skin.

Essential oils have infiltrated our lives regardless of whether we actively seek them or not. They've been used for thousands of years to assist in depression, promote hair growth, and alleviate congestion to name but a few. Even if we don't search for essential oils for aromatherapy we do enjoy their scents to freshen our homes and laundry.