When it comes to interior décor, no self-respecting home would be complete without one or more essential oil diffusers throughout the house. While they are trendy and often some of the nicest pieces gracing fireplace mantles and tables in several rooms, essential oil diffusers help to keep the air smelling clean and free from odors arising from cooking and even from pets. Have you ever wondered just why they’ve become so trendy, especially among health-conscious consumers? Actually, it’s because they serve more than one purpose. Here are some of the health benefits many people swear by.
Essential Oil Diffusers and Your Health
First – A Quick Look at Trendy Essential Oil Diffusers
In recent years, essential oil diffusers have become quite popular to the point where you can find them in almost any big box store, but quality and craftsmanship are clearly lacking. Not only are they cheaply made but they also aren’t as effective as top shelf diffusers that were designed with function in mind as well as style. The purpose of an essential oil diffuser is to release fragrances into the air so that anyone entering the room receives a healthy dose of whatever fragrance is in use.
There are top name designers like Tom Dixon, on the other hand, who see more than just function in these amazingly beneficial devices. Yes, they are devices in that they actually do something. They are designed to break down the molecules within an essential oil so that they can be more easily dispersed into the air. However, Tom Dixon also understands that they need to be showcased at the same time. Besides being functional, they should be a focal point of décor, and that’s just what each and every one of his essential oil diffusers are made to do. If you are looking at high end yet functional décor, you might want to look at this designer’s offerings.
A Long History of Essential Oil Aroma Therapy
Although the term “aromatherapy” wasn’t coined until 1935 by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist, the practice of using aroma for medicinal purposes dates back at least 3500 years to ancient India, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt and China. Gattefosse claims to have healed a serious burn with lavender essential oil.
In fact, 95 years prior to that in 1830, the study of essential oils came into being in Grasse, France. As a leading center of distillation and perfume makers, this is where they first noticed healthy benefits inherent in certain essential oils they used in their fragrances. Louis Pasteur, himself, expressed an interest in the science/study of aromatherapy, so there is a strong foundation in the use of essential oils to promote better health of body, mind and spirit.
Some of the Most Commonly Sought-After Benefits of Essential Oils
While there are many essential oils in use today, some of the more commonly recognized ones are easily obtainable at almost any health store as well as online. The reason for their popularity is the benefits they are said to provide. Among the most common healthful benefits, consumers believe they offer:
- Relief from stress and anxiety
- Mood elevation
- Reduction in inflammation
- Joint pain reduction with the release of certain hormones
- Better breathing by opening airways
- Healthier skin
- Muscle tension relief
- Better circulation
- Better sleep
These are benefits associated with aromatherapy. However, some people also use essential oils as a topical application on the skin. It is said that the purpose of applying the essential oil to the skin is to keep the aroma with you as you move throughout your day rather than any actual medicinal effects on the body.
Fact or Fiction?
If you are wondering whether or not essential oils and aromatherapy actually offer any of those benefits, it is clear to see that there are literally millions of people around the world who truly believe they are getting the desired results. Lavender is a good example of one essential oil that is so commonly used as an ingredient, there must be some truth to the matter. It is often used in bath oils and body creams, especially for nighttime relief and even children’s bubble bath often has lavender as a main ingredient.
Whether or not you, personally, subscribe to the efficacy of essential oils in aromatherapy, there is no getting away from the fact that essential oil diffusers are among the bestselling pieces of décor today. Trendy diffusers like those designed by Tom Dixon are widely sought after and often seen as a statement of status. They do serve a purpose because they diffuse amazing fragrances into the air of your home but the diffuser itself is a literal work of art. There’s nothing quite like knowing that you have impeccable taste in the trendiest and most useful décor of the day.
