Beyond perfume: a history of essential oils

Thousands of years ago, people clearly believed essential oils carried a great deal of power, and still today consumers seek out the healing and restorative properties of these fascinating natural products.

In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the importance of the sense of smell to people’s overall level of wellbeing. For many years, fragrances have been linked with an ability to change one’s mood, but there are now scientific studies focusing on the link between smell and memory, concentration, stress, and even spending habits. In fact, in many ways, the approach to smell has now come full circle and we are almost back to a Victorian attitude to smell, without perhaps going so far as to believe powerful stenches bring illnesses with them; but nevertheless there is certainly renewed interest in the properties of fragrance compounds and their deeper activity.   

Renewed interest in essential oils has come about largely as a result of the green/naturals trend which has transformed the personal care industry over the last 20 years. The concept of `essential oils´ benefits hugely in this market as it almost represents ‘concentrated natural power’. People will always be eager to use products containing this type of ingredient, as long as it is safe. And safety with these products, and of course with cosmetic and personal care products in general, is critical. They are very potent, but also extremely useful ingredients when the right type of essential oil is used properly.