How Aromatherapy Works: Essential Oil Secrets From A Professional

I went to donate blood today and had to fill out the form—you know, the one that asks about everything from syphilis to sexual partners! Amongst all the invasive questions, I was stalled, momentarily, by: “Have you ever used any alternative therapies?” While the nurse couldn't clarify the form, she led me to the strange chair that tips you upside down, and said, "I've always wanted to know how aromatherapy works." As an aromatherapist, it made me smile, because the whole of the last two weeks has been spent creating a detailed video to answer precisely that.

I’ve got to say though, it’s not been an easy project.

Sometimes, I’ve thought that it would be easier to just believe in the magic. To settle into the comfort that nature has always got my back and just lean into the idea that plants might be angels that ensure we never feel alone.

And to be honest, sometimes, that’s been a good enough answer for me. But alongside that, of course, is the science.

Before we dive into the science, watch my detailed video for the complete scientific breakdown of how aromatherapy works:

Video:

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What is Aromatherapy? Defining the Practice

Aromatherapy may refer to one of two main definitions:

1. The practice of using essential oils on the body as a complementary therapy.

2. The practice of inhaling scent to affect mood.

The most effective definition, however, is the combination of the two: An aromatherapist uses the concentrated essence of plants on the skin (often in massage oils, creams, and lotions), and as they do so, the scent of the oils also has the power to affect the mind. This process relies on two distinct scientific pathways.

Mechanism 1: How Aromatherapy Works Through Smell

The volatile parts of the oil - the molecules small enough to be lifted as the oil evaporates - are inhaled. There, they land onto the olfactory bulb, which is the direct link to the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system is the primary area for processing emotion, memory, and smell.

Thus, these molecules "speak to the brain" about emotional and cognitive terrain - whether that is to relax, to wake up, or to focus.

As they do this, the brain continually interfaces with the rest of the body to respond to this new emotional state.

For example: "I feel calmer. Let the blood pressure go down," or "I am more focused. Keep me awake and alter the brain waves."

Mechanism 2: The Topical Pathway: Absorption Through the Skin

Essential oils are collections of hundreds of tiny molecules, all varying degrees of smallness. The skin, the largest organ in our body, is semipermeable, covered in tiny pores that allow these molecules into the body.

Once past the surface, the molecules can circulate through the blood to the parts of the body that need them.

In the case of some of these essential oil constituents, they are small enough to even pass through the blood-brain barrier, allowing them to affect the central nervous system directly. This systemic effect, along with localized actions (like anti-inflammatory properties), is why topical application is so powerful.

The Science Behind the Scent: Why Plants Make These Chemicals

I used to be quite incredulous that an essential oil might have antibacterial or insecticidal properties until I learnt exactly what an essential oil is. Then it began to make sense.

When a plant grows, it is necessarily rooted in one place so it cannot run from trouble—it cannot go and fetch water, deal with being waterlogged, or chase off a caterpillar.

So, what the plant does is make chemicals to deal with the situation.

On the most obvious level, it makes chemicals to make its leaves unpalatable, but often it is cleverer than that. It might also make chemicals that affect the hormonal cycle of the pest that munched at it. It not only deals with the immediate threat but essentially messes with its reproductive system, in the hope of avoiding offspring.

Similarly, if there is not enough water at its disposal, it makes chemicals that will help him deal with water shortages too.

Now, the jury is still out as to why a plant’s middle finger to a beetle should have such a profound effect on the human nervous system. But the fact remains that they do.

Magic and Science: A Powerful Combination

While the thought of plant angels watching over us can be a comforting answer, the true power of aromatherapy lies in the verifiable science of its dual action: stimulating the limbic system through smell and engaging the body's systems through topical absorption.

I encourage you to delve deeper into these essential oil secrets—the video above provides a complete, detailed breakdown.