Uses of Essential Oils

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Essential oil is one of the natural products that are used by humans for a long time ago. This oil is extracted from various plants which contain a variety of essences that produce difference fragrant. Clarke (2002) defines essential oils as the “volatile product that is extracted by a physical process from single natural plant species and that has an odors and the composition characteristic of an essential oil from that species” (pp. 86-87). Essential oil is extracted by the dry distillation process or wet distillation process. Nowadays, essential oil is commercialized for multiple purposes. The four major uses of essential oil are cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food, and aromatherapy (refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).

The first uses of essential oil are in the cosmetics. The Guidebook for export to Japan (2011) says that cosmetics definitely are “articles with mild action on the human body, which are intended to be applied to the human body through rubbing, sprinkling or other methods, aiming to clean, beautify and increase the attractiveness, alter the appearance or to keep the skin or hair in good condition” (p. 3). Essential oils are traditionally good in penetration into the skin, which enhances their efficacy (Ziosi et al., 2010). According to Clarke (2002), there are a variety of materials suitable to be mixed with the essential oils in producing a cosmetic product like gels, lotions, creams, soaps and shampoos that collectively refer to as cosmetics based and toiletries. This combination fulfills a marketing claim and generates a big business. In 1990, Business Scent Ltd successfully launches the first series of trickle-down product in their ‘Project Eve’ namely soap, shampoo, shower gel and antiperspirant which their orig...

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...for example we also use plant species such as cinnamon, geranium, etc. Cananga for aromatherapy. In fact, Canangan oil of native trees in Java has long been encouraged by the Dutch. According to Weiss (1997), the local oil mixed with coconut oil is used to reduce the problem of skin disease, and as a base in cosmetics and hair care products. Therefore, the sequence-based methods using Canangan oil in aromatherapy in the spa because Canangan oil low in alcohols and esters. Furthermore, not only to attract aromatherapy scent but there are many health benefits such as improving the immune, respiratory and circulatory systems. In addition, incorporates aromatherapy essential oils for different oils can be mixed together in order to increase their energy. Indirectly, aromatherapy is one of the methods that can help a person overcome the stress and pressure (Weiss, 1997).

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