A Bit of Information About
Essential Oils

Essential oils are the all-natural aromatic extracts from a variety of aromatic plant material including grasses, leaves, flowers, needles, twigs, peels of fruit, seeds, bark and roots.  For example, in roses essential oils are found in the flowers, in basil it is in the leaves, in sandalwood in the wood, and so on.  Essential oils are used in aromatherapy, are extremely concentrated, and very, very fragrant.

Although synthetic fragrances or "nature identical" oils are available at a much lower cost, you must use only natural plant essential oils to achieve the botanical benefits .  Synthetic fragrance oils offer only scent.   It is like the difference between drinking pure orange juice and orange flavored water.  Both can provide an orange flavor, but only the natural orange juice can provide the nutrition as well.

• At Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft we have done painstaking research whenever essential oils are added to our products to insure proper dilution and blending proportions.
• There are many wonderful essential oils but YOU MUST do your research.
• You should NEVER apply essential oils directly to your skin without doing your research. Essential oils are very strong and many can be skin irritants if not used correctly.
• Essential oils are very concentrated substances and are for external use only. 
• Keep all essential oils out of the reach of children and pets. 
• Store essential oils in a dark glass bottle and out of the sun.
• Check with a professional Aromatherapist, Doctor or reference manual when using pure essential oils during pregnancy.

Where Do You Get Information?

I have acquired all of my information through books, internet research, and talking with experts.  Since there are so many reference books available, I would suggest going to a bookstore, skimming through books on essential oils and choosing one that seems to fits your needs.

One book I use often and highly recommend for the beginner is:
The Essential Oils Book: Creating Personal Blends for Mind & Body
by Colleen K. Dodt (March 1996)
It is available in bookstores for $14.95.  I bought a used copy at amazon.com for about $8.00

I was looking for a simple straightforward book with information and recipes to get me started with essential oils..  Colleen Dodt is an herbalist and shows readers how to include homemade scents in their lives.  This book has an introduction on precautions of using essential oils, and then goes into descriptions and uses of many essential oils.  What I especially like about this book is that all of her recipes contain common essential oils.  Other books I have read have oils that are either extremely expensive or hard to obtain. 

There are dozens of easy-to-create aromatic recipes.  I especially enjoy the recipes for aromatic baths.  There are also recipes for hair rinses, dryer scenting, floor cleaning solutions, and even simmering oils for cold therapy.

If you are interested in other ways in which to include natural essential oils in your life
here is a list of 50 Ways to Use Essential Oils,from the Scented Thymes newsletter, published
by Janell Squires & Jeanne Rose. Plus some other recipes!

Where Do You Buy Essential Oils?

You can purchase small amounts of essential oils at herb shops and organic grocery stores.  But they can be very pricey.  For example a 1/3 ounce bottle of Rosemary at an organic food mart can cost as much as $6.95.  Take some time to peruse the internet and do some cost comparisons.  Just be sure you are getting pure botanical essential oils.

Some notes from Colleen Dodt's book on buying essential oils.

• If a store or website is selling all of their essential oils for the same price "this is a clear tip-off that you are not dealing with pure essential oils."  The price of essential oils is based on their availability and ease of extraction.  Pure rose essential oil can cost over $150.00 for a mere 1/2 ounce, while pure orange essential oil may cost $12.00 for 8 ounces.
• Pure essential oils will always be packaged in dark, glass bottles because sunlight causes essential oils to break down and essential oils are so potent they will dissolve plastic.

 Essential Oils Often Used In Hair Care

Basil: Oily hair … promotes growth

Please Note: Pure essential oils have been used for centuries and their folklore and uses have been passed down through generations.  At Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft we have done painstaking research whenever essential oils are added to our products to insure proper dilution and blending proportions.  We do not recommend the use of these oils as substitute for medical care.  Always consult with your doctor before changing any medications or healing practices.  The information provided has been collected from other sources to inform you about the possible benefits of essential oils.

Click link to read disclaimer concerning health information.