Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the art and science of using oils extracted from aromatic plants to enhance health and beauty.

At Aviva Holistics we only use pure essential oils that are extracted from flowers, herbs, spices, woods and fibres. Each essential oil affects a different aspect of a person’s health. Apart from the physical benefits, essential oils can also have subtle effects on the emotions.

As each person’s requirements are different each client receives a personalised blend of oils following an in-depth consultation.

This personalised blend may then be used to create a range of bathroom products, including shower gel, bath foam and bath oil.

The Ancient Egyptians are said to have used plant essences and resins in their cosmetics and medicines. They also used these plant derivatives in their preservation of the dead. Archaeologists have found jars of frankincense and styrax in tombs dating back over 5000 years. Hippocrates, the Greek philosopher who lived around 2500 years ago, and on whose research modern medicine is based, wrote about the uses of plant extracts in medicine.

The Romans also understood the benefits of plants and their essences. Due to the size of their empire, they were able to investigate the uses of a wide range of plants. These became a major part of their culture. They were incorporated into the daily life of the Romans through their use in the public baths. The Chinese and Indian cultures also have a long history of using plants and their extracts in their medicines.

It was as a result of the Crusades that the Northern Europeans heard about the benefits of plants and their extracts in medicines. They then began to investigate the uses of their local plants. By the Middle Ages, people wore various different combinations of herbs to protect themselves from diseases. The apothecaries and perfumers were thought to be immune from the Great Plague.

A French chemist who worked in the perfume industry, René Maurice Gattefossé, was the first person to use the term aromatherapy. One day, whilst working in his lab, he burnt his hand. Gattefossé automatically plunged his hand into the nearest liquid to cool it down. He looked down and discovered it was lavender. Later he noticed that his hand healed quickly and did not scar.

During the First World War, Gattefossé used essential oils on soldiers’ wounds and he noticed that they healed quicker and more cleanly. After the war, he went on to research the therapeutic properties of essential oils. In 1928 he published a paper in which he introduced the phrase aromathérapie. Dr Jean Valent continued this research and went to use the oils on the wounds of soldiers during the Second World War.

Marguerite Maury, an Austrian biochemist, brought aromatherapy to Britain in the 1940s. During her research, Maury discovered that the essential oils were easily absorbed into the skin. She then used this discovery to develop a massage treatment. At first, aromatherapy was used solely as a beauty therapy, but Robert Tisserand later developed the treatments as a clinical therapy.