What are essential oils?

They smell nice and look like an oil. But is an essential oil actually an oil? No, despite what the name suggests, they are not. What are essential oils?

Powerful, concentrated ingredients

Essential oils are very powerful, concentrated components of plants, trees or flowers. These parts consist of a complex composition of organic compounds such as monoterpenes, aldehydes and esters. They can occur in all parts of the plant: from the root and leaves to the fruits and blossoms. Despite this fact, the extent to which these parts occur is low. On average, a plant, tree or flower contains no more than 1% essential oil. Of course there are exceptions. The clove has a concentration of more than 10%!

Air from heaven

Can essential oils provide a heavenly experience? If you want to believe the literal translation, yes. The word 'ethereal' is derived from the Greek word aither and means air of heaven. This is also often referred to as essential oil. This wording is in turn derived from the English word essence. This name refers to the essence of the oil that is stored in the smell and taste. If we look at the definition of the Dutch word essence , we will also find a number of appropriate explanations. In addition to infusion, aroma and elixir, essence also means the essential or the essential. Other names used for essential oils are aromatic and volatile oils.

The function of essential oils for plants

These natural plant substances are of great importance for the survival of plants, trees and flowers. It is not without reason that they are described as life energy. Based on essential oils, plants can initiate movements: for example, attracting insects for pollination, but also repelling harmful bacteria, fungi and herbivores. Essential oils in a plant also play a role in communication with other plants. For example, pine trees can emit monoterpenes. These encourage other trees to prepare for an attack. In addition, essential oils are used by plants to regenerate damaged tissue, strengthen the immune system and in competition with other plants.

How it is won

Typically, essential oils are extracted via steam distillation, cold pressing or via solvent extraction. Steam distillation is the most commonly used technique and is often used, for example, with peppermint and lavender. In this case, the plant material comes into contact with steam, which draws the volatile oils from the plant material and then evaporates. That vapor is then cooled and the essential oil is separated from the water. These methods are not suitable for all plant materials. For example, if you want to extract oils from the peel of a lemon or orange, cold pressing is often used. Delicate flowers require a different method. They cannot withstand too much pressure or too high temperatures. That is why a solvent such as alcohol is often used here.

The usefulness of essential oil for humans

The potential of essential oil on our humanity is great. They cannot only influence our taste and smell sensation. They also have a medicinal effect on our body, mind and soul. For this reason they are also used in aromatherapy.Aromatherapy stands for the use of essential oils in healthcare. For example, an essential oil such as lavender can help with anxiety, rosemary essential oil can give you energy, eucalyptus opens the airways and geranium softens the skin. Because of the effect (and smell) that essential oil can have on our skin, it is also often used in cosmetics. In addition, it is also very effective in combating micro-organisms and is therefore used in cleaning products.

How essential oil is applied

Broadly speaking, there are two common ways to reap the benefits of essential oils. You do this firstly through the smell, by inhaling the oil. This can be done, for example, by bringing the bottle of essential oil directly to your nose or putting a few drops on a handkerchief. You can also choose to evaporate the oil via an oil burner or diffuser. In this case, the oil is dispersed into the air of a room. Because you breathe it in, you also benefit from the healing powers.

Option two is to let your skin absorb the oil. In this case it is advisable to work with a dilution. This means that you mix a few drops of essential oil with an odorless base oil such as jojoba or almond oil. For example, you can use this method to make a balm that provides relief from insect bites. We also see that essential oils are also used in the bath and shower to create a relaxing ambiance. When using, always take the high concentration of essential oils into account. These can cause irritation or trigger an allergic reaction. Caution is therefore advised when used, especially in therapeutic contexts.

The importance of organic oils

If you choose organic essential oils, you choose high quality and purity. Only then can you fully experience the power of essential oil. These oils usually contain more active ingredients, which increases the therapeutic benefits and contributes to effectiveness. In addition, by choosing organic you contribute to a healthier world. This way of farming is more likely to promote biodiversity and help maintain soil health and water quality. Moreover, in this way you often support small farmers and sustainable approaches that respect nature. This contributes to fair trade and supports local communities.

Why choose Pure Eden®

With our line of essential oil from Pure Eden® we have a line of essential oils that are organically extracted. Purity is of paramount importance to this brand. This means that the oils consist purely of a high-quality extraction of the relevant plant material.

• 100% Organic
• Pure & pure
• Vegan & not tested on animals

Pure Eden® essential oils can be found online exclusively at Green Vitality. Be inspired by the power of these natural oils and bring a moment of peace and balance into your daily life!

View the essential oils of Pure Eden® in our webshop.