Essential oils – essentials to know

Only a handful of raw materials used in cosmetic products have a comparably long tradition as essential oils. The earliest evidence of the use of these aromatic extracts dates from 3000–2500 B.C. Egypt, China and India were the first cultures to appreciate essential oils for their cosmetic, medical, spiritual, aromatic and therapeutic value. Unlike the fatty or solid oils produced by plants, which are composed of glycerol and fatty acids, essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile compounds such as terpenes (mono- and sesquiterpenes) phenols and alcohols.