Essential oils, the fragrant, concentrated liquids extracted from the flowers, leaves, roots, bark, and fruit of an aromatic plant, are the main ingredients in aromatherapy treatments. Each oil has a unique scent as well as constituents that can treat many different conditions. Using a high quality oil is essential to achieving maximum healing benefits from your aromatherapy treatments.

Huge quantities of plants are needed for viable amounts of oil: 200 kg (sage, lavandin) - 500 kg (immortelle) of fresh flowers,  to produce 1 kg (2 1/4 lb) of essential oils. This is what makes the essential oils so expensive, and why some producers are turning to more economical methods of extraction using volatile solvents and thereby cutting into the heart of the therapy. As oils extracted this way are in effect adulterated and not the pure essential oils, they should not be used for aromatherapy.

Aroma means scent, and therapy means treatment. Aromatherapy, then, is the use of the fragrant parts of aromatic plants to improve your health and general well being. First, of course, aromatherapy offers pure enjoyment. Aromatherapy has many other benefits, too. Inhaling the appropriate fragrance can reduce stress, lift a depression, hasten a good night's sleep, soothe your soul, or give you more energy. .Massaging aromatic oils into your skin is another way to benefit from aromatherapy. That's because essential oils, the compounds responsible for a plant's fragrance, offer a multitude of healing benefits in addition to their individual scents.Other home uses of essential oils are steam inhalations, hot and cold compresses and room fragrances.