Essential oils are plant chemicals extracted from natural botanicals. They disperse into the air at room temperature. They consist of many organic compounds. Essentials generally smell like the botanicals they are derived from.

The sources of essential oils are over 300 flowers, leaves, bark, stems, roots, fruit and resins. One of the most common methods of extracting the essential oil from botanicals is called steam distillation. The essential oil is released by passing steam through the plant material. This causes the oil to evaporate into a collection chamber. Since oil and water do not mix, this process separates the essential oil. Some essential oils are then re-distilled to further purify them.

Citrus fruit peels are expressed to obtain essential oils.

Essential oils are extracted from flowers using solvents. A solvent which combines with the essence in the flower is steam-distilled at just the right temperature to evaporate only the essence. This method also is used to extract oleoresins from some spices.

The oldest and simplest method of extracting oils from plants is the infused oil method. The plant is put in oil or fat and allowed to soak while sitting in the sun. The essence and the oil combine. This process is repeated until the essential oil is totally saturated into the fat or oil.

One of the uses of essential oils is as a medicine. Essential oils should not be taken internally. Pregnant women must avoid contact with pennyroyal, sweet basil, hyssop, myrrh, marjoram, and thyme. They also should be kept out of the reach of children.

Essential oils are best stored in glass bottles and out of sunlight.

Essential oils are usually expensive. Synthetic substitutes are available for most essential oils and smell very similar. If the smell is all that you are seeking from the oil, you will be satisfied with them. However, they do not posses the natural properties of essential oils and therefore are not suitable for Aromatherapy.

If you are interested in essential oils only, be aware that jasmine, rose, and gardenia, to mention only a few, are very expensive. If they are being offered at a low price, then they should not be offered as essential oils, because they are not.