Cristina, who traveled to France to take a course in clinical aromatherapy, described the practice as a complimentary therapy that can be used along with medication, but not as a medication replacement.
An important factor in aromatherapy is the chemistry behind the oils used. In chemical aromatherapy, Cristina said, oils are blended for a specific effect. However, when doing this, there are certain factors to keep in mind.
"For customers, they want to know, 'Does it smell good?,' " she said. "Sometimes, it can't, but there are things that support the body's health for a healthier immune system."
Also important is whether or not the product can be used on skin.
"If it can be put on the skin, 'quenchers' are usually put in to make it more skin-friendly," Cristina said.
A practice called "complex blending" is performed by those who have taken an advanced course in aromatherapy, she said.
The most popular aromatherapy products are bath soaks, bath and shower gel, and spritzers, Cristina said. Candles are popular but beneficial only at certain times.
"Spritzers are small enough to fit in your pocket and are readily usable," she said. "It's something you can pull out, have a quick whiff of it and you can be put in another place.
"Candles are good if you're going to be in the environment for a long time, but if you're not and you travel a lot, a spritzer is better. People usually choose their own personal method of aromatherapy," she added.
While Brandy Henderson (junior-public relations) would be willing to use an aromatherapy spray, she will not use candles. "I wouldn't be able to try it because I live in a dorm and they don't allow candles," she said.
Liz Fulcher, director of aromatherapy studies at Mt. Nittany Institute of Natural Health, 301 Shiloh Road, and another of the state's directors for NAHA, has a wellness center in Selinsgrove where she does aromatherapy and massage therapy, aromatherapy consultations. She also owns a line of essential oils in addition to teaching throughout the United States.
Fulcher, who said she is one of only about 100 registered aromatherapists in the United States, first began to learn about aromatherapy in Rome, where she lived for 12 years.
"When my son was one hour old, he had an aromatherapy massage, she said. "I had never heard of essential oils or aromatherapy, but it was amazing the effect it had on the babies who were massaged with chamomile oil."
"I then went down to every city, every special herb store, bought oils and used them to treat my family for various problems. I did it for a couple of years and didn't even realize I was practicing aromatherapy," she said.
When Fulcher came back to the United States in 1996, she studied the chemistry of oils at Purdue University.
"I wanted to know why they worked," she said. "I began to use them in massage practice and my clients asked, 'Can you sell us these oils?' I didn't want to sell them originally, but that's how I developed my line of oils."
Every blend Fulcher has designed has come from someone's need for help.
"My son, a senior in high school, played soccer and started spraining his ankle all the time," she said. "I created a blend that was anti-inflammatory and helps with healing. It was so successful that I started selling it to people for headache relief, people with muscle and joint problems, and arthritis."
Personally, Fulcher's favorite scent is clary sage. However, she finds tea tree very useful.
"It comes from a flower but doesn't smell sweet," she said. "It smells like tea. But if I were on a desert island, I would want tea tree because of how many different things it'll do."
"Don't make me choose!" she exclaimed.
Lou Ann Funk, an aromatherapy teacher at Central Pennsylvania School of Massage, 336 S. Fraser St., said the most popular aromatherapy treatment is adding essential oil to base oils, "and using candles every once in a while, but not very often."
"We have a de-stress blend which is very relaxing," she said. "It's lavender, chamomile and other things mixed together."
There are a variety of different scents already made up, she said.
"Clients can pick what scent they'd like to use and it's massaged right into the body."
Funk said tea tree is usually used for healing and cleansing and jasmine has a more sensual scent. Sometimes, citrus is used, as well.
"On occasion, some people like citrus scents which are very stimulating," she said.
While many use aromatherapy directly for its benefits on the mind and body, it has been used indirectly for other reasons, as well.
"In the '60s and '70s, they used patchouli to clear up the smell of...well, certain things," Funk said. "Basically, it's a masking odor that's kind of earthy and woodsy.
"My students say it smells like dirty hippies," she added with a laugh.
Something smells fishy
Unfortunately, most products available to consumers do not constitute use for aromatherapy, Fulcher said.
"Most essential oils are very expensive," she said. "But it's cheap to produce it in a lab so it smells like the real thing. They can put it in hand creams and soaps and call it aromatherapy, but it's the aroma without the therapy. It's not enough to go with something because it smells good," she said.
For example, Fulcher said, any apple, berry or peach scent that boasts aromatherapy benefits is false. "Only fruits in the citrus family have real effects. The rind is the source of it."
Kathy Doyle (senior-psychology) uses fruit to energize herself.
"If I'm tired before I go for a run, I'll squeeze an orange rind and dab a little under my eyes and behind my ears to wake me up," she said.
Doyle also uses aromatherapy when she wants to feel calm, as well.
"A lot of times when it's really late at night or I'm stressed, I'll use a lavender candle or something that's meant to relax you," she said. "I also use chamomile scents."
While lavender and tea tree are some of the most popular aromas, they can be dangerous, Cristina said.
"Since they're the most common and everyone is familiar with it, it's used so much," she said. "Any oil overused can cause an allergic reaction that's similar to the one you get with a bee sting."
If people keep using these products, the reactions can get worse and worse, she said.
Cristina warns that overusing oils can be harmful to a practitioner or a consumer.
"A massage therapist that uses lavender or tea tree all day long can develop rashes on their hands or forearms," she said. "And in the past, no one was sensitive to tea tree. Now, there are more on-the-shelf products with tea tree and more and more people are sensitive to it because they keep putting it in products."
"If people are sensitive to a product, they can just use another product that does the same thing and has the same benefits," she said.
There are a lot of safety concerns with essential oils because they are comprised of a powerful chemistry, Fulcher said.
"You shouldn't use them if you're pregnant," she said. "Some are also dangerous for being out in the sun. They're toxic. It can be in a body lotion, and if you use it, you can get a bad sunburn."
Despite adverse health effects, Fulcher said some stores do not sell essential oils responsibly.
"Selling something in a store where people want to buy things just because they smell good is dangerous," she said. "There should be a label on the bottle, not the package. And how many people throw out the box as soon as they open it?"
Cristina said she makes sure to include a list of an oil's ingredients to her customers.
"I'm a supplier of essential oils that have been tested at Delaware State University," she said. "I provide a chemical profile of each product along with it for the safety of the customers and for those practicing chemical aromatherapy."
Scents and sensibility
Cristina does not recommend overusing aromatherapy.
"I don't advocate scenting everything," she said. "I only recommend it for the health wellness and balance, or the holistic effect."
She said she has witnessed the benefits of aromatherapy firsthand. "I've seen incredible results with shingles and mood disorders, but it's not for serious psychological conditions."
"You may need an oil for mild depression to make you more cheerful," Cristina said. "But I don't recommend it for more than a week or two. Also, you shouldn't use it if you already feel mentally balanced."
Cristina said aromatherapy truly works. "There's a lot of research to back it up."
And while aromatherapy is a true practice, Cristina said she does not approve of fragrancing.
"In Europe, they are banning fragrances from baby products," she said. "Their bodies are so yet to be grown and developed. They've found it taxes the immune system and liver."
Fulcher said when used safely aromatherapy can help everyone from young children to adults.
"Everyone can benefit, but you need to get a good book and reliable source of essential oils because there's a lot out there that's adulterated," she said. "You need to know which is fake and which is the real thing."
Liz Fulcher said all of this:
Basal: "Basal is good for late-night studying, also."
Citrus: "This time of year, the citrus family is popular. Lemon, orange, tangerine, and grapefruit are all very cheering. As weather changes, they're super oils to use. In my massage practice, very often I'll put lemon in the massage oil.
Clary sage: "Clary sage is good for hormonal problems, like P.M.S or menopause."
Lavender: "Lavender is another really good one. It's safe to use right on the skin. A lot of oils aren't because they're so highly concentrated. If you have a stress headache or want to calm hyperactive children, lavender works. It's a good all-around one to own."
Peppermint: "Peppermint is good year round. It opens up the head because of the menthol in oil. It opens up the head if you're congested and it keeps you awake so it's good for students doing late night studying or for driving long distances."
Tea tree: "This time of year, the number one [scent] is tea tree. It's a tree that grows in Australia. It is highly antiseptic and safe to use for children. It seems to have a particular affinity for the respiratory system. For those with sinus problems, it's good to buy a bottle. You get a lot for your money--it's so cheap. It's also anti-fungal. You can use it for toenail fungus and athlete's foot."
