Understanding Essential Oils for Beginners

Understanding Essential Oils for Beginners
Olga Miltsova/Shutterstock
|Updated:

Since the beginning of human history, essential oils have been an important part of cultural rituals—medicinally, recreationally, and even religiously.

Anyone can enjoy the benefits of essential oils, as long as you first take the time to learn about what they can do for your health, and what they can’t. No matter what your goals are for using essential oils, this guide will help get you started.

What Are They?

Put simply, essential oils are substances found in plants that contain highly concentrated aromas. Unlike “true” oils, like olive oil, essential oils are far lighter and tend to vaporize when exposed to air.

A good way to understand essential oils is to think of them as the blood of plants. Like blood, essential oils seal cuts and trigger immune responses in plants when they’re damaged. These oils are so essential for vitality that without them, plants would die.

An entire plant might yield only a drop or two of essential oil once distilled, which is why producing even a small amount of oil can be costly.
Lydia Noyes
Lydia Noyes
Author