Aromatherapy is a branch of herbal medicine that uses the essential oils found in plants for their healing or medicinal properties. Fragrant, concentrated oils from parts of plants, such as their flowers, fruit, stalks, roots, and bark, are used for the purpose of improving a person's health and well-being.

Although its name suggests that it is primarily a form of aroma or smell therapy, the essential oils are, in fact, intended mainly to be absorbed into the body via the skin, through massage, and the lungs, through inhalation. Aromatherapy is widely used to reduce stress, as well as to rejuvenate and detoxify the body. It is also used to treat a wide variety of other conditions.

There are several things to be concerned about when using essential oils, in addition to the purity of the oils themselves. Some individuals experience a skin reaction (dermatitis) to certain oils when...