Another term bandied about is "therapeutic grade" but in a country where aromatherapy is unregulated, this classification means anything the seller wants. Similarly, "pure" means whatever the seller says it does, so is of little use to the buyer.

Oils should be in brown or dark colored glass bottles when purchased. This prevents the oil's deterioration from light exposure or it becoming contaminated from the breakdown of plastic. Likewise, the bottle should not have a rubber eyedropper on top since the oil might disintegrate the rubber and become altered.

Chemicals from a plastic container might simply leach into the oil. In December 2007, a Canadian retailer removed polycarbonate plastic water bottles and food containers from grocery shelves. The fear was bisphenol A would leach from the plastic into the water or food. Bisphenol A's original use was going to be as a synthetic estrogen. Instead it was decided to use it in bottles and as a liner in canned foods. Tests indicate bisphenol A can potentially cause cancer and reproductive problems in animals. As of this writing, manufacturers are holding fast and attempts to get bisphenol A banned have mostly been defeated. This is another reason to stay away from plastic bottles whenever possible including when buying essential oils.

Some vendors attempt to get into the aromatherapy market by selling items that are not (or not entirely) essential oils. Products marked "fragrant oil," "perfume oil," or "aromatherapy oil" may suggest additives. Sometimes essential oils are diluted with vegetable oil; if a couple of drops on paper leave an oily stain, this is probably the case.

Port wine from 1860 can still be enjoyed today. Essential oils don't last that long, with citrus oils being the first to go in a matter of months. Thus if there's any suggestion the essential oil for sale has been on the shelf for a while, it might be well to choose another vendor.

Once purchased, essential oils should be stored away from heat, light, or moisture. Avoid touching the inside of the lid or bottle when using to avoid contamination. Keep bottles tightly shut and inaccessible to children.

The scent can be administered

through the air generally (diffusion)

by inhaling directly

by topical application (through bath, massage or cosmetics )

or through application to a body orifice (such as the mouth)

A candle can be lit for five minutes and, after extinguishing, a drop of essential oil added to the melted wax.

Commercial diffusers include lamp rings, clay pot diffusers, candle diffusers and electric heat diffusers. In all of these, there is a place to put drops of essential oil while the heat carries the scent into the room or area. The electric heat diffuser also uses a fan to circulate the scent. One problem with heat-based diffusion is that the heat may change the properties of the oil, lessening its effect. Another is that essential oils are flammable, therefore, care must be taken that they are not exposed to flame.

One diffusion device which does not use heat is the fan diffuser. The drops are placed on a tray or pad and the fan diffuses the scent through the room. Heat is not a factor so the effect is not compromised.

Or fill a one ounce glass spray bottle with purified or distilled water and add 10-15 drops of essential oil. Shake well before misting over the client's body. This preparation will last 1-2 weeks. Remember that sunlight can deteriorate the oils, making it is best if the mister is made of brown or dark colored glass.

A small unit called a nebulizer claims to disassemble the essential oil into molecules and spread these throughout the room. The name "nebulizer" may be somewhat misleading. A medical nebulizer has the patient use a mask or mouthpiece to inhale the mist; the aromatherapy nebulizer sends the mist to a whole room. The two machines are different and use of the same name does not imply that the aromatherapy version has the same (or any) status in the medical profession as does the other kind.

Diffusion is an easy addition to a massage. But the use of aromatherapy in the massage setting requires a couple of caveats. The therapist cannot diagnose, according to NCBTMB (Standard of Practice I:1 "be knowledgeable of his/her scope of practice and practice only within these limitations"). Also the US Food and Drug Administration prohibits the therapist from making any claim as to the effectiveness of aromatherapy. So if a client comes in, complaining of a medical issue, the therapist cannot say, "Ah, that is ----- and I have an essential oil that will cure it."

On the other hand, the therapist cannot administer aromatherapy without the client's consent. The NCBTMB's Standards of Practice require the therapist to "obtain voluntary and informed consent from the client prior to initiating the session" (Standard I:i) and to "accurately and truthfully inform the public of services provided" (Standard IV:d).

One shop addresses these concerns by simply saying the massage includes aromatherapy. This avoids making any claims about effectiveness and informs the client what is going on. Presumably the client has the choice to ask that aromatherapy not be included.

The therapist using aromatherapy will probably need to ask more questions of a client than for simply a massage. There are a number of conditions where aromatherapy is contraindicated (see Chapter 5), such as asthma, epilepsy, allergies, high blood pressure, or varicose veins. Aromatherapy should not be used immediately after surgery or while breastfeeding.

Additionally, the therapist will want to warn the client (before the session begins) that aromatherapy may cause drowsiness. The super-cautious therapist may want to put these disclosures on an intake form the client signs.

The second technique of aromatherapy is direct inhalation. This can be as simple as putting three to four drops of an essential oil onto a tissue near the nose and breathing it in. Or two cups of water can be boiled and poured into a bowl. Up to ten drops of essential oil are added to the water and the aroma is breathed from twelve inches away.

One site suggests direct inhalation by placing a drop of essential oil in cupped hands. Generally, full strenth essential oils are not placed directly on the skin. A carrier oil (discussed later in this chapter) is usually used.

Direct inhalation may not be very useful in the massage setting unless one is practicing as an aromatherapist as opposed to being a massage therapist using aromatherapy. Because the essential oil is so close to the nose, the therapist will have to maintain especial care as to the client's reaction. Two other aromatherapy techniques (diffusion and massage) can occur in tandem with the massage and perhaps are less distracting to the therapist.

The third technique for aromatherapy is topical application, such as massage. Marguerite Maury is credited with being the first to use massage in applying essential oils (see Chapter 2 for details).

Since essential oils are too strong to be placed on the skin, a carrier oil is necessary. This is a plant base (usually oily) that dilutes the essential oil so the oil can be placed on the skin. An example of a carrier oil is sweet almond oil. The carrier oil also provides lubrication to allow the essential oil to disperse evenly on the skin. Up to twenty drops of an essential oil are added to one ounce of the carrier oil. Care should be taken to keep this mixture out of the eyes. Carrier oils commonly around the house are olive oil and unrefined sunflower oil.

The fourth technique is the oral/rectal/vaginal use of aromatherapy. This is done in Germany and France (sometimes by medical professionals) and in the United Kingdom. Since the massage therapist without colonics licensing or certification is generally prohibited from touching the rectum by most jurisdictions and one of the standards state ("not touch the genitalia" Standard VI:d), the only application of the fourth technique in the massage setting is oral.

Oral administration of essential oils is best left to medical professionals (oral doses require a prescription in European countries.) Swallowing them is listed as a caution in Chapter 5. If applying essential oils directly to the skin is discouraged, swallowing them does not make much sense. There are practitioners who insist there are essential oils which are safe to swallow. It is probably a high risk venture for the massage therapist.

Particular essential oils have been certified kosher by an Orthodox Jewish rabbi. If the therapist has Jewish clientele and kosher is a concern, check with the supplier.

One source reports using aromatherapy topically and through diffusion for dogs. A wounded cat was treated topically (using a poultice). A naturopath cautions aromatherapy has caused severe dermatitis in pets.

Aromatherapy through scent was used to calm a Siberian tiger at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Kent, England in 2004. Oral and topical aromatherapy were used on a wounded horse. A seven year old female orangutan, depressed by the death of her mother, was successfully treated with aromatherapy, although the technique used is not reported. A school for animal aromatherapy was founded in England in 1995.

An animal may not be able to signal concern as easily as an adult human. Thus, the therapist practicing pet massage who wants to incorporate aromatherapy should have more in depth training than one adding the skill to a human practice where problems are more easily recognizable.

Essential oils can be blended, or combined, to achieve a therapeutic purpose. In the beginning, the therapist should limit blending to 25 total drops. The container with the blended oils should be labeled (which may be required by local ordinance) and the proportions noted in a notebook, so the effect can be duplicated if required later.

While, as discussed earlier in this chapter, a therapist cannot diagnose nor claim any particular effectiveness for an essential oil, the oils are commonly held to have certain properties, some of which are described here.

There is not enough room to go into each oil in depth and a therapist should do additional research before utilizing an oil in a particular situation. Especially look for any circumstances where this oil should not be used (in addition to the general contraindications given in the next chapter.) Also, there may be a preferred technique (out of the four described above) for administering an oil to achieve a specified result (massage may be more effective than inhalation when using oil "A" for purpose "B.").

Acne: cajeput, lavender, tea tree

Aging skin: franklin, neroli, rose

Allergies: chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, melissa

Alopecia: rosemary, thyme

Anger: basil, bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, rose, rosemary, ylang-ylang

Antibacterial: cinnamon, clove, lime, rosemary, tea tree oil

Antifungal: clove, juniper, lavender, tea tree oil, thyme

Anti-inflammatory: bay leaf, black cumin, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, sage

Antiviral: ginger, hyssop, lemongrass, peppermint, sandalwood, tea tree oil, thyme

Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety): angelica, basil, bergamot, black pepper, Borneo camphor, cajeput, camphor, cardamom seed, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, fennel, frankincense, garlic, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, melissa, meroli, myrrh, neroli, nutmeg, onion, orange, palma rosa, patchouli, peppermint, pine, Roman camomile, rose, rose otto, rosemary, rosewood, sage, sandalwood, sweet marjoram, tea tree, thyme, ylang ylang

Apathy: basil, grapefruit, peppermint

Arthritis: benzoin, camphor, chamomile, cypress, eucalyptus, ginger, hyssop, juniper, lavender, rosemary

Asthma: (some sources say aromatherapy is contraindicated for people with asthma) clary sage, frankincense, lavender

Athlete's foot: geranium, tea tree

Back pain: birch, black pepper, clary sage, ginger, lavender, marjoram, rosemary

Blackheads: eucalyptus, lavender

Boils: lavender, tea tree

Bronchitis: cedarwood, lavender, peppermint

Bruises: lavender

Burns: lavender

Candida: patchouli, tea tree

Catarrh: cedarwood, eucalyptus, ginger

Cellulite: geranium, lemon, juniper

Chilblains: black pepper, chamomile, lavender

Childbirth: clary sage, jasmine, lavender

Chronic fatigue syndrome: basil, bergamot, geranium, lavender, peppermint, thyme

Circulation: geranium

Colds and flu: basil, eucalyptus, tea tree

Cold sores: bergamot, tea tree

Combination skin: chamomile, lavender, ylang ylang

Concentration: basil

Constipation: basil, marjoram, rosemary

Corns: lemon

Dandruff: lavender, lemongrass, rosemary

Depression: basil, bergamot, camphor, cedarwood, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, melissa, myrrh, neroh, neroli, orange, patchouli, rose, rosemary, sage chamomile, sandalwood, spruce, vetiver, ylang-ylang

Dry skin: lavender, rose, sandalwood

Dyspepsia: peppermint

Earache: chamomile, lavender

Eczema: chamomile, geranium, lavender

Endometriosis: chamomile, jasmine, lavender, neroli, rose

Exhaustion: geranium, lavender, rosemary

Feet: peppermint

Fibromyalgia: basil, black pepper, elemi, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender, myrrh, neroli, peppermint, pine, tea tree

Flatulence: basil, fennel, rosemary

Gingivitis: geranium, lemon, tea tree

Grief, bereavement: frankincense, hyssop, lavender, marjoram, neroli, rose

Hay fever: juniper, lavender, lemon

Headaches: basil, chamomile, lavender, peppermint

Hemorrhoids: cypress, frankincense, myrrh

Immune system: lavender, lemon, tea tree

Indigestion: chamomile, fennel, peppermint

Infertility, women: clary sage, lavender, rosemary, tea tree

Influenza: eucalyptus, ginger, peppermint

Insect bites: chamomile, lavender, tea tree

Insecurity: frankincense, sandalwood

Insomnia: basil, benzoin, chamomile, geranium, German chamomile, jasmine, lavender, mandarin, marjoram, melissa, neroli, petitgrain, Roman chamomile, rose, sandalwood, sweet marjoram, thyme, ylang-ylang

Irritability: chamomile, lavender, neroli

Irritable bowel: chamomile

Loneliness: marjoram

Low self-esteem: sandalwood, ylang ylang

Menopause: basil, benzoin, bergamot, camphor, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, geranium, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, neroh, neroli, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, thyme, ylang-ylang

Menstruation: basil, clary, jasmine, juniper, lavender, melissa, peppermint, rose

Mental fatigue: lavender, peppermint, rosemary

Migraines: basil, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, marjoram, melissa, peppermint, rosemary, sweet marjoram

Mouth ulcers: geranium, lemon, tea tree

Muscle aches: black pepper, ginger, marjoram

Nausea: fennel, ginger, peppermint

Nervous exhaustion: basil, cinnamon, citronella, coriander, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, lavender, lemon grass, nutmeg, peppermint, rosemary, ylang-ylang

Nervous tension: basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, palmarosa, rosemary, vetiver, ylang-ylang

Neuralgia: cajeput, geranium, ginger

Palpitations: chamomile, clary sage, lavender

Panic attack: frankincense, lavender, neroli, ylang ylang

Periods, heavy: cypress

Periods, irregular: chamomile, clary sage, lavender

Periods, painful: chamomile, clary sage, rosemary

Periods, scant: clary sage, juniper, rose

PMS: clary sage, geranium, lavender

Poor memory: rosemary

Post-natal depression: bergamot, chamomile, neroli

Psoriasis: bergamot, cedarwood, geranium

Rheumatism: chamomile, lavender, rosemary

Sadness: bergamot, neroli

Scarring: lavender, neroli

Sciatica: chamomile, eucalyptus, rose

Sharpen, stimulate mind: rosemary

Shingles: bergamot, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, lemon, peppermint, tea tree

Sinusitis: bergamot, eucalyptus, peppermint

Skin, Mature: frankincense, geranium, rose

Skin, Normal: chamomile, lavender, rose

Skin, Oily: cedarwood, lemon, rosemary

Skin, Sensitive: chamomile, lavender, rose

Sore throat: lavender, lemon, tea tree

Sprains: chamomile, lavender, rosemary

Stress--Anxiolytic

Stretch marks: lavender, neroli

Sunburn: chamomile, lavender

Tinnitus: basil

Toothache: clove, peppermint

Vaginal thrush: bergamot, lavender, rose

Varicose veins: (some sources say aromatherapy is contraindicated for people with varicose veins) chamomile, cypress, myrrh, rosemary

Warts: lemon, patchouli, tea tree

Wrinkles: frankincense, neroli

For the therapist wanting to get a foot wet in aromatherapy, there are several "super" essential oils--ones which are said to have a wide variety of uses. Lavender, for example, is listed in 50% of the conditions above. Chamomile (29%) and rosemary (23%) are also multi-taskers. So a relatively inexpensive way to experiment with aromatherapy would be to buy an oil which has multiple applications and test it out.

If you have acne, allergies, anger, anxiety, arthritis, back pain, blackheads, boils, bronchitis, bruises, burns, chilblains, childbirth, chronic fatigue syndrome, dandruff, depression, dry skin, earache, eczema, endometriosis, exhaustion, fibromyalgia, fungus, grief, hay fever, headache, insect bite, insomnia, irregular period, irritability, menopause, mental fatigue, migraine, nervous exhaustion, nervous tension, palpitations, panic attack, PMS, rheumatism, scarring, sensitive skin, shingles, sore throat, sprain, stretch marks, sunburn or vaginal thrush:

Place 4 drops of lavender essential oil onto a tissue. Hold the tissue close to your nose and inhale. Or else take one ounce of olive oil or unrefined sunflower oil. Add 20 drops of lavender essential oil. Massage into the affected area.

Does the problem improve given a reasonable period of time?

Essentials oil should be bought in dark glass containers and stored away from heat, light or moisture.

There are 4 techniques to apply aromatherapy: diffusion, inhalation, topically and through an orifice.