The term Aromatherapy was first used in the 1920’s by the French Chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse and refers to the use of aromatic compounds found in plants called essential oils, to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing. The history of aromatherapy itself goes back many thousands of years. Aromatic compounds are complex naturally occurring chemicals and the very essence of the plant. Essential oils can be sourced from the leaves, bark, flowers, seeds or roots of the plant.

Essential oils are powerful natural ingredients and should be handled with care. They should always be applied to the skin diluted in a carrier oil, there are also other ways to enjoy their benefits including diffusing in the home.

Essential oils are used in many skincare and body care products, not only for their amazing natural scents but also for their individual properties, for example, lavender is often used for its calming properties or tea tree for its anti-bacterial properties. Using skincare with essential oils can be a lovely way to incorporate aromatherapy into your everyday routine.

At Flower and Spice we are passionate about producing skincare that is beneficial, efficacious and pleasurable to use. Our Midnight Beauty Rich revitalising serum  contains precious rose absolute, a soothing and nurturing essential oil to calm the mind before bed. Rose has traditionally been associated with balancing emotions and restoring balance. To make the most of roses precious benefits, inhale deeply before applying the serum and take a moment to calm the mind.

Rose is one of the most luxurious essential oils available and it takes approximately four kilograms of rose petals to produce a gram of rose essential oil. Alongside its wonderful properties, this makes rose highly desirable and valuable. Synthetic versions of rose have been developed, but none seem to be able to emulate roses stunning natural properties. Roses don’t just give us the aromatic essential oil, but also other beneficial skincare ingredients such as rose hydrosol and rosehip seed oil.

Using well formulated skincare with beautiful scents and textures helps to create a unique daily moment to relax and take care of yourself. In many cases, it is very hard for synthetics to replicate the unique benefits of natural ingredients and in the case of aromatherapy, synthetic fragrances that can often be added to skincare simply can’t offer the same the benefits to mind and body. This is one of the many is why we prefer to use essential oils and not the cheaper fragrance oils found in many products.

If you are interested in the benefits of aromatherapy and more ways to incorporate it into your daily routines, we recommend you reading one of the many books that has been written for beginners. Robert Tisserand, an expert in the field has written several books that are an excellent starting point.