Essential Oils - Aromatherapy Kits, Essential Oil Blends & Diffusers

Essential oils are plant extracts obtained through distillation or mechanical pressing. As the name suggests, they capture the essence of the plant — its fragrance — in oil form. Single-note essential oils come from only one type of plant, whereas essential oil blends are a mix of single-note oils that share a common theme, like relaxation, detox, or headache relief, to name a few.

Essential oils are the building blocks of aromatherapy, a holistic approach to promoting health and well-being by using aromatic materials. Each essential oil has different beneficial properties that recommend it for additional therapies, like massage or acupuncture therapy. Some of the most popular essential oils due to their health benefits and client response are lavender for stress relief, chamomile for relaxation, jasmine to fight depression, sandalwood for enhanced focus, and tea tree as an immunity booster. In addition to these, eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils are heavily used during the cold season as they greatly help with nasal congestion, frankincense and cedarwood can improve sleep, while bergamot and rosemary essential oils improve positive feelings and are often used as mood-lifters.

When applied to the skin before inserting acupuncture needles, essential oils can enhance their action. This way, aromatherapy pairs with acupressure to create a multi-sensory healing experience, Aroma Acupoint Therapy (AAT). Each acupuncture point can be paired with several essential oils, depending on the desired effect. Not all essential oils are suitable for skin use, but you can safely benefit from their therapeutic properties with the help of an aromatherapy diffuser kit.

When used in an oil diffuser, to help calm the spirit (shen) during an acupuncture session, the most popular essential oils are chamomile, lavender, frankincense, sandalwood, rose, and ylang-ylang. When rubbed on the skin before needle insertion, the most commonly used essential oils are lavender, bergamot, rosemary, chamomile, and eucalyptus. Make sure to check the aromatherapy guide chart for pairing suggestions and safety precautions, and keep in mind that essential oils require dilution before being applied to the skin.

The absolute basics of an aromatherapy kit are an essential oil diffuser and a selection of 100% pure essential oils. You can further expand your aromatherapy range with essential oil burners, incense, salt lamps, and soy candles with essential oil, and you can add a few drops of essential oil in non-scented massage lotions. If you want to apply essential oils on acupressure points, you will also need cotton swabs. Bath bombs and infused bath salts can come in handy too as they make an excellent gift for your clients when the session ends.

Most essential oils are suitable for use in diffusers, but in the end, it all comes down to each individual's sensitivities, allergies, and medical conditions. Make sure to ask your clients about these before diffusing a certain essential oil or using it on their skin — either incorporated in a massage lotion or as part of an Aroma Acupoint Therapy session.

While essential oils do not expire, they do have a shelf life and can go bad, as in losing some of their therapeutic properties. Once you open a bottle of essential oil, an oxidation process begins and this eventually transforms the oil. This shelf life is not the same for all essential oils and it all boils down to the ingredient list and the storage conditions. It is usually marked on the packaging and varies between one year for volatile citrus scents and six years for sandalwood and patchouli. You can keep your essential oils good for longer by storing them at room temperature in dark glass bottles, away from direct sunlight.