Wildorchid apothecary’s blog

Going Back to the basics

Aromatherapy

the art and science of using  volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being.

THE EXTRACTION PROCESS 

 The method chosen is dependent on the plant itself and the desired end product.

When a plant is delicate , like rose petals, then it is subject to quick deterioration and needs to be harvested and processed quickly. Sometimes a few hours of wilting after harvesting are allowed to take place as part of the process. On the other hand, hardier plants, like seeds and roots, can be stored and harvested at a later point in time.

some of the processes used today:

­- Steam distillation is the most used process in modern extraction. The process involves placing the plant material into a still and allowing pressurized steam to pass through the plant material.

The steamed heat makes the drops of plant oil burst and evaporate. The vapor and the steam rise out the top of the still and locate in a water-cooled pipe and are condensed back to liquid form. The oil begins to separate from the water and, of course, floats on top of the water. It is believed that this process retains the aromatic healing properties in the most advantageous manner.

­- Essential oils used in massage are often extracted by maceration. Maceration creates an “infused oil” and not so much an essential oil. The plant soaks in vegetable oils and then is heated and strained out of the oil.

­- Cold pressing as an extraction method has its drawbacks. The oils are taken from the rinds of citrus fruits, which has been separated from the fruit. The rinds are ground or chopped and then pressed to remove the oil. The result is a watery mixture that the oil eventually will separate from if given the right amount of time. The drawback is that a cold pressed product often has a short shelf life - about six months.

­- Solvent extraction is used in combination with distillation. A hydrocarbon solvent is put in with the plant material and dissolves the essential oil. The resulting solution is then filtered and put through a distillation process that concentrates the oil to produce a resin, or resinoid. The remaining substance is a combination of wax and essential oil and is called “concrete”.

The oil is then extracted by using pure alcohol. The alcohol eventually evaporates and leaves the oil behind. The drawback is that solvents leave residue that could cause problems to the immune system if used in a therapeutic situation.

            Goddess Garden

                           Going back to the Basic

I try once a week to get some beauty time

i love to  fill the bathtub with  bath salts is a combination of Dead sea salt from  , Epsom salts excellent to relieves the tension and pain on muscles and a very soothing blend of therapeutic grade organic essential oils, goddess garden milk and honey  the base is actually soy milk which i adore is awesome for dry,sensitive itchy skin( mild enough for skin eczema), honey the naturally it hydrate moisturize,sooth and renew, light some candles sometimes i even get a book and just travel to far away lands .

is my version of a Turkish bath lol

after like 15 minutes i get on the shower with really cold water

and I'm just ready to go to bed .

some of the ingredients come from very exotic lands

like:

* Dead sea salts Israel,

*Therapeutic grade organic  essential oils

Geranium Egypt:can be used to help in the treatment of acne, bruises, burns, cuts, dermatitis, eczema, hemorrhoids, lice, as a mosquito repellant, ringworm, ulcers, poor circulation, PMS, menopausal problems, stress and neuralgia.

                                              Lavender     France: antiseptic, alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments and problems, such as easing depression, soothing sunburn and calming and toning the skin.

                                             Chamomille Oregon :relaxing tense muscles stress, anxiety and exhaustionas an anti-inflammatory ,tired eyes and ecxema.  

 When I'm not being lazy i use the body scrub from the same line  in the shower it live the skin soft and vibrant like silk ( i dont even need lotion after )strong enough for the body ,bikini line,and mild enough the i get to used in my face :-)