Pure Essential Oil Glossary – OilyPod
There is so much terminology that relates to essential oils, and it can be difficult to find decent definitions. So for that, we decided to create a definitive Essential Oil Glossary to help clear up any confusion. You’ll also find links to more in-depth explanations and product examples. This is your one-stop-shop to learn what it means when we use words like, “Chemotype” and, “Estrogenic”. Enjoy!
Absolute
Absolutes are similar to essential oils but are more costly to produce and create oils whose fragrances are closer to that of the original plant. To create an absolute, we use a solvent like alcohol to extract the beneficial oil instead of steam distillation. This method is for delicate plant material that’s difficult to distill. A couple of absolutely fantastic examples of absolutes are Rose and Jasmine.
Aromatherapy
Originating in the ancient societies of Egypt, China, and India, aromatherapy has been practiced for thousands of years. Also known as essential oil therapy, it’s a holistic approach to promoting health and well-being. This is the practice that uses aromatic essential oils to improve the body, mind, and spirit. It’s kind of our thing.
Blend
A blend, or synergy, is simply a mixture of essential oils, carefully crafted by our aromatherapists to use in a diffuser or diluted in a carrier and applied to your skin.
Botanical name
This can also be referred to as the “scientific name”. A botanical name is written in Latin and identifies the genus and the specific species of a plant. The first word is the genus, that is, the larger group the plant belongs to, and the second word is the species. The botanical name for Bergamot, for instance, is Citrus bergamia.
The Master Gardener Program has an incredibly informative break-down of botanical names here.
Carcinogenic
When not diluted properly, essential oils have the potential to be dangerous. They can have what’s called “systemic toxicity” leading to cytotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. Some essential oils have naturally occurring chemical constituents that, when used or taken in large doses, have the potential to cause or induce cancer. Some of these constituents include safrole, methyl chavicol, and methyl eugenol. This is one of many reasons why proper dilutions are important when using essential oils.
Carrier Oil
Essential oils aren’t supposed to be applied directly to the skin undiluted because they can cause rashes, burns, and more dangerous side-effects. That’s why carrier oils are so important — they carry the oils safely so that you can use them topically. A carrier oil is derived from the fatty portion of a plant, usually from seeds, nuts, or kernels. Each one has its own therapeutic properties that can enhance the benefits of the essential oils that you dilute in them.
- A Deep Dive Into Carrier Oils
- Carrier Oil Selections
Chemotype
A chemotype is a way of saying that the same plant can have different types of chemicals. Most essential oils don’t have different chemotypes, but when they do, it’s important to note because the chemotype determines their therapeutic properties. These variations usually occur when the same plant is grown in different environments. Thyme, for instance, has six chemotypes that have different effects on the body and mind. We currently sell two variations: Thyme Thymol, and Thyme Linalool. “Thymol” and “Linalool” are their chemotypes.
- Importance of the Latin Name
Cold-pressed
Also known as “expression” or “mechanical separation,” cold-pressing is a way to extract essential oils without using heat. As the name suggests, the aromatic parts of plants (peels and rinds, for instance) are punctured and pressed without heat to squeeze out the essential oils. Centrifugal forces are used to separate and capture the oils after pressing.
Common Name
Common names are layman’s terms for our essential oils and the plants they are extracted from. It would be difficult to have to say, “Tanacetum annuum” every time we wanted to talk about Blue Tansy. Imagine using Latin names for our DIY videos: “Mix Juniperus communis (Juniper Berry) with Elettaria Cardamomum (Cardamom) and Vetiveria zizanioides (Vetiver) . . .” That doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it?
Constituent
Constituents are individual parts of a whole. Caffeine is a chemical constituent in coffee, for instance. Each essential oil is packed full of diverse constituents that lend different fragrances and therapeutic benefits to the whole. If you’re looking for an oil that can help you relax before bed, for example, you might want one that has a high level of the constituent Linalool (Thyme, Basil, Lavindin, etc. ). Our GC/MS reports show all of the constituents (above 1%) provided by our essential oils.
CO2 Extraction
CO2 extracts are still essential oils, just collected in a different way. This extraction method uses liquid carbon dioxide as a solvent to remove the oil from plant material. Through CO2 extraction, precious oils are collected at a much lower temperature, meaning that less oil (and it’s beneficial properties) are lost in the process. The fragrances of CO2 extracts are more like the scent of the actual plants that the oils are taken from.
- CO2 Extracts: What’s all the Buzz About?
Diffuser
Most diffusers on the market are ultrasonic. It’s a simple technology with a cool name that uses electronic frequencies to vibrate a small disk at the bottom of the diffuser. By vibrating, the disk produces a fine mist that makes your essential oils airborne so that you can fill any space with their fragrances and benefits.
- How to Use an Essential Oil Diffuser
- Plant Therapy’s Diffusers
Dilution
A dilution of 1% would mean that out of every 100 drops in a carrier, one drop would be an essential oil. Essential oils are composed of hundreds, if not thousands, of different chemicals that make up the overall oil. It’s these different chemical constituents that give the essential oils their “magic powers”, but also what makes them potentially dangerous. We dilute essential oils because applying them undiluted can lead to adverse reactions.
- Why Can’t I Apply Essential Oils Undiluted
Emulsifier
We all learned in grade school that water and oil don’t mix. So how can you enjoy essential oils in your bath, or in cleaning sprays, and hand soaps? For that, you need an emulsifier. The molecules in an emulsifier have two portions: one is attracted to water and the other is attracted to oil. The end result is that emulsifiers act as a sort of glue between the oil and water molecules keeping them bound together. Otherwise, your oils would just sit on top of the water and never mix.
- What Is an Emulsifier and Why Do I Need It?
Essential Oil
Essential oils capture the “essence” of a plant through distillation or mechanical pressing. Essentially, these oils are concentrated extracts that retain, or magnify the fragrance and effect of their source. Oils from different plants or different parts of the same plant can have very different chemical compositions, which changes the smell, absorption, and effect on the body and mind.
- Essential Oils 101
Essence
We pull essences from the pulp or the peel of citrus fruits. During the final phase of juice production, volatile oils float to the top of the concentrate. We collect and distill those oils to create an essence. Their scent is generally more intense than their essential oil cousins.
- Isolates, Essential Oils, Essences
Estrogenic
Estrogen is a naturally occurring hormone and isn’t a bad thing, but your body needs to have a healthy balance. Too much or too little can be problematic. In basic terms, something that is estrogenic can mimic or enhance the body’s level of estrogen. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, estrogenic oils should be avoided because your levels are already high, and adding to that can have detrimental effects. If you have certain conditions such as endometriosis, or estrogen-sensitive cancer, you should also steer clear of estrogenic essential oils.
- Essential Oils and Women’s Health
GC/MS
The “GC” stands for Gas Chromatography and the “MS” means Mass Spectrometry. Essentially, these two methods of measurement and analysis separate, identify, and quantify the individual constituents in each batch of our essential oils. This process is incredibly important for quality control, as it helps us ensure that our products contain no synthetic substances, contaminants, or adulterants.
- GCMS Testing and Why it’s Important
Hydrosol
With steam distillation, steam passes through the plant matter and takes the oils from the plant. The oil-laden steam travels into a condensing tube and the essential oil is siphoned off to leave a gentle, aromatic hydrosol. Plant Therapy currently offers seven different organic hydrosols: Roman Chamomile, Helichrysum, Lavender, Melissa, Peppermint, Rose, and Tea Tree.
- Ask Our Experts: Hydrosols
Infusion
An infusion is the introduction of a new element or quality into something else. When you add dandelions, herbs, or other plant material to a carrier oil and let it sit for a few weeks, an infusion will be the result (not to be confused with essential oil-carrier oil blends).
- What is a Carrier Oil Infusion?
Ingestion
When it comes to ingestion (using essential oils internally), Plant Therapy’s policy is to avoid it. Without careful administration and supervision, ingesting essential oils can cause serious damage. Unless you’re directed by a medical doctor who is also a clinical aromatherapist, we don’t recommend using essential oils internally. Examples of ingestion include adding essential oils to beverages or capsules that are intended to be swallowed.
- Where We Stand on Controversial Topics
Isolate
We extract isolates from essential oils solely for their aromatic qualities. They are single chemical components, or constituents, that reside within the oils. To capture an isolate, a process called “fractional distillation” repeatedly heats the essential oils to different boiling points and separates the vapors.
- Isolates: What you Need to Know
KidSafe
Designed for children but effective for all, our first-of-its-kind KidSafe line features essential oil blends and singles that target specific childhood issues. These oils are available as 100% pure and undiluted oils, or in pre-diluted roll-on bottles. As parents ourselves, we wanted to create oils that could help support the immune system, clear congestion, soothe excitable young minds, or help them focus. If you want to share the benefits of essential oils with your little ones, there is simply no comparable product on the market. The KidSafe label means that it’s safe for children ages two and up.
- KidSafe: What It Means
- Essential Oils with Infants and Toddlers
Natural fragrance
If you start looking at the ingredients in perfumes, body sprays, soaps, and cleaning products, you’ll notice the words “fragrance” or “perfume.” This term can really mean a whole cocktail of synthetic ingredients. But with the term “natural fragrance,” you can be sure the ingredients are physically obtained from plants using distillation, expression, or extraction. There is absolutely nothing synthetic about these fragrances.
Therapeutic Properties
When we talk about essential oils, we’re usually talking about their aromatic properties (how they smell) or their therapeutic properties (how they interact with the body). When a product has “therapeutic properties,” it means that it contains constituents that are used to treat specific diseases. For example, Eucalyptus Globulus is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, so we would say it has a therapeutic property that supports muscle and joint health.
Conclusion
We hope this Essential Oil Glossary has been helpful and is something you can refer back to when continuing your essential education. Our blogs and our educational downloads are always here too if you’re in need of more in-depth descriptions.
Source: https://oilypod.my/blogs/articles-guides/essential-oil-glossary
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