A Look Inside the Essential Oil Industry
Millennials are savvy shoppers and consumers. With the extensive information available online and through social media, people are armed with facts and knowledge when making choices about everything—what to eat, how to take care of themselves, and what beauty products to use. They recognize that beauty and personal care products available to consumers on the market are loosely regulated. They’ve shunned chemical laden products and turned to alternatives like essential oils.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are the volatile aromatic compounds found in various parts of a plant—roots, flowers, bark, stems or seeds. They have a distinctive scent. Their purpose for a plant is to help protect and/or pollinate it. Why are they volatile? Because they quickly change from a solid or liquid state to a gas state. This makes them ideal for use in aromatherapy, using an essential oil diffuser or other application.
How are Essential Oils Produced?
To extract the oils from the plant, they are generally distilled by using steam. The raw plant material is placed in a distilling apparatus over water. When the water is heated, the steam vaporizes the aromatic compounds in the plant material. These vaporized compounds flow through a coil in the distilling apparatus and condense back into liquid, which is harvested. Other forms of extraction include cold pressing, resin tapping, solvent extraction, and absolute oil extraction. These additional methods are used when distillation isn’t the most effective method for that plant material.
The Benefits of Using Essential Oils
Essential Oils have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. They can be used for aromatherapy, household cleaning products, and personal beauty care. How do people use these oils? There are so many ways. For household cleaning, lemon oil or tea tree oil diluted with water makes a natural disinfectant. Drop cinnamon oil into an essential oil diffuser and its antimicrobial properties can clear the air in any room. Essential oils are also used to eliminate pests, kill mold, freshen the bathroom and clean the dishes.
Many utilize essential oils for health benefits and relaxation. Lavender oil, used in an essential oil diffuser, aids in a better night’s sleep. Eucalyptus oil in a bowl of warm water soothes aching feet. Rosehip oil helps boost your mood. Add an essential oil to your beauty regimen by making a natural perfume or body spray with your favorite scent. Use them to whiten teeth, reduce stretch marks and wrinkles, and tone your skin. Learn more oil uses and recipes here.
The Impact of Essential Oils on the Lifestyle Industry
According to a recent report by Grand View Research, Inc., the essential oil market will reach USD 13.94 billion by 2024.With the increased demand by consumers to purchase natural products over synthetic ones, essential oils are now used as key ingredients in myriad products. The growth trend shows no signs of slowing down. Essential Oils have been incorporated into the food and beverage industry, medical industry, spa and relaxation, and the lifestyle industry.
Of the many essential oil options, orange oil has emerged as most in demand, generating USD 1,356.2 million in 2015. Other oils in high demand are lemon, lime, citronella, peppermint and eucalyptus. The spa and relaxation sector accounted for 29% of the market share, due in part to the increasing popularity of aromatherapy. Placing a few drops of a favorite oil in an essential oil diffuser for aromatherapy purposes, has many health benefits.
Why choose essential oils over other products?
Because they’re extracted directly from plant materials and are of the purest form. These oils are used for anti-aging, hair care, oral care, body care, and spiritual life balance. They don’t contain any of the harsh chemicals or concerns associated with synthetic products. Considering how badly the beauty and cosmetic industries are regulated, using products infused with essential oil is a safe and healthy alternative.
Making the Transition from Chemical to Natural Products
If you haven’t made the transition from chemical products to natural ones, it’s time to do so. You can start this transition slowly, evaluate the products you currently use and slowly replace them with essential oil products. Be mindful when you shop, and you’ll soon find that you’ve replaced your health and beauty regimen with a much safer and healthier supply of products.