History of Essential Oils

Essential Oils: Where do they come from? Who first used theses precious oils?

Let's go and explore the historical background of essential oils.

Ancient Egypt was the true birthplace of essential oils or "aromatherapy" as we know it today. The Egyptians cultivated plants for their oils and used them for religious,cosmetic as well as medicinal purposes.

Around 3500 BC, China and India were exploring herbs and aromatic plants which would become an integral part of the Indian Aryuvedic medical system. Ancient Greeks also followed Ancient Egyptians. The most well known physician of that time Hippocrates,a firm believer in treating a patient holistically include massage in many of his therapies. But it's only after the 19th century that the Persian alchemist Avicenna invented an alembic (chemical apparatus)allowing the plants to be distilled by steam,

However it's only in 1930 that the term aromatherapy was founded and gained importance with an incident which changed the destiny of essential oils which were previously used only as an aroma for food. The chemist Gattefosse burned accidentally his hand in his laboratory while doing experiment and healed himself by applying lavender essential oil which he had in hand at that time.

From that time, many researchers concerning the therapeutic use of essential oils began.

In 1960's, more extensive research started to study the different ways which can be used to extract the oils.