Aromatherapy term is used when talking about the use of essential oils, which are made from different plant materials. Oils can be used on their own or in a blend, mixing different type of essential oils to create a scent. Essential oils are made from different parts of plant material for example bark, resin, grass, leaves or twigs of a tree, berries, seeds, fruits or blossoms.

Most oils are made with two different methods; steam distillation, which is the most common method, extracting the essential oil out of the material by steam or expression, also known as cold pressing, which is mostly used in citrus essential oils when the oil is made from the skin of the fruit or the whole fruit. Some delicate flower oils which are fragile can be made by using a more gentle method of solvent extraction using alcohol and other materials, creating absolute oils.

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Essential oils have both physiological and psychological properties and are a great way to treat the body and mind in a natural, gentle way. When blending oils, it is good to pay attention to the base products as well, whether it is a lotion, oil or balm as they may affect the scent. Essential oils can smell different depending on where they grew and what plant family they belong to. Blending oils in a synergy is an art form and the sense of smell develops with practice.