Using Essential Oils With Aromatherapy Soy Candles

Aromatherapy soy candles are actually a very recent invention. Scented candles and aromatherapy have existed since just about as long as we can trace, since the beginning of civilization, but soy candles have been around for less than 20 years. Only recently did the two meet to create the aromatherapy soy candle. Aromatherapy soy candles - exactly what are they? If you break down the word aromatherapy, the meaning is simply, therapy using aroma. In practical terms, aromatherapy involves the use of oils derived from plants known as essential oils. When the aroma from these oils is inhaled, the body and mind are affected in particular ways. Aromatherapy soy candles are simply a combination of soy candles and aromatherapy. Soy wax is infused with essential oils. Usually jar candles are used since soy pillar candles do not contain 100% pure soy wax. When the jar candle is lit, the soy wax and essential oils are heated and the fragrance is diffused into the air. The effects on the body take place when the aroma in inhaled. Do aromatherapy soy candles really work? It can be argued that if aromatherapy was not effective, it would not have been used by many cultures over thousands of years. Clearly, the use of aromatherapy has proven effective many individuals. Only recently has western medicine come to accept the validity of aromatherapy. Fragrances that are naturally derived from certain plants, flowers and woods are used in aromatherapy. A perfume scented candle might be considered therapeutic in some ways, but the perfume used is artificially created to only mimic the smells that are naturally created by essential oils. The body knows the difference and is thought to react much more positively to natural, essential oil fragrances. When you light a standard scented candle, you almost immediately begin to smell the aroma being released by the fragrance or perfume that is infused with the candle wax. If you are used to the strong, pungent fragrances associated with modern day scented candles, it may take you a while to smell the aroma being released by an aromatherapy soy candle. The differences between an aroma artificially produced by a perfume and an aroma naturally produced by essential oils are profound. Perfume scents are therapeutic in that they can trigger memory receptors and thus affect mood. However, essential oils work on this level as well as a much deeper level. It is not necessarily the scent from essential oils that is therapeutic. It is now believed that the chemicals in these oils have a measurable effect on the physical body. It is best to use soy wax when using essential oils for a few reasons. Firstly, it burns cleanly and does not adversely affect the fragrance of the essential oils. It also burns cooler which allows the fragrance to be dispersed more slowly and more evenly, moreover, the oils aren't heated up to the point where the essential oils are damaged. This can happen with paraffin since it burns hotter and produces carbon based soot when burned. When using an aromatherapy soy candle, it is recommended that you find a quiet place to sit and inhale the aroma for a minimum of a half hour. This will give the essential oils enough time to interact with your body.