Understanding Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is an ancient holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to improve physical and emotional health and well-being.

The History of Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy has been used by cultures around the world for thousands of years, dating as far back as 4000 bc. Ancient texts from China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, and the Mediterranean describe various procedures and rituals using plant oils to make medicinal and religious ointments, balms, and oils.

The term "aromatherapy" was coined by René-Maurice Gattefossé in 1935. Gattefossé was a chemist from Lyon, France who discovered the healing benefits of lavender after treating a burn on his body with lavender oil. The French chemist published a book called Gattefossé’s Aromatherapy in 1937, which is still in use today.

Gattefossé was not the first French scientist to explore the benefits of plant oils. In the 1880s, Charles Chamberland, a biologist and assistant to Louis Pasteur experimented using clove, oregano, and cinnamon essential oils against anthrax, a potentially fatal bacterial infection. And even earlier in the fifth century BC, Hippocrates is said to have treated patients with aromatic vapors.

Natural scents and their aromatherapeutic benefits

In creating Dubois Beauty, Denise Dubois carefully crafted products with potent natural ingredients with skincare and aromatherapeutic benefits. Discover the aromatherapeutic and skincare benefits of: 

• Lavender - calming, reduces minor skin irritation and reduces blemishes (find it in our Marula Bloom Cleansing Oil)
• Clary Sage - calms the mind and helps reduce stress (find it in our AHA Cleansing Milk)
• Chamomile - calming and soothing (find it in our VITAL A Serum)
• Eucalyptus - relieves cold symptoms, reduces skin irritations, increases clarity (find it in our Clarifying Charcoal Cleanser)
• Sandalwood - uplifts moods, boosts memory and concentration (find it in our Renew Buffing Cream)
• Ylang Ylang - stimulates oil production in skin, alleviates anxiety and boosts mood (find it in our Clear Saratoga Minerals Mist)