by Sharon Falsetto

Created on: July 19, 2008   Last Updated: January 06, 2009

Skincare with natural products: aromatherapy

Today, the word natural' is applied to virtually anything from cosmetics to food, even clothes, as we seek out the au naturel'. Skin care is no exception. Organic, herbal extracts and natural made products have never been more popular. Aromatherapy has been used in skin care for centuries but it is only now we are beginning to see a return of it to mainstream' consumerism. However, not everything is as it seems and, you may not know it, but that natural' product you use in the belief that it is pure' and natural' may not be all that you think it is.

Historical use of aromatherapy in skincare

True' aromatherapy skincare began thousands of years ago. The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used some form of aromatherapy' in their every day lives. Fragrant herbs were used in daily rituals. Papyrus manuscripts have been found which record the use of various plants, herbs, oils and perfumes. Fast forward through history, and it can be seen that the Greeks and Romans were avid users of all things natural' in their daily lives too. In fact, the Romans were famous for using lavender (lavandula angustifolia) whilst bathing, which is carried through to today's bathing habits, lavender (lavandula angustifolia) being a frequent ingredient in almost every commercially produced bath product (although rarely is it true' lavender oil in a mass produced product but a synthetic hybrid, i.e. chemically formulated). Rose (rosa damascena) was another popular ingredient of the Roman's daily rituals.

The ancient city of Pompeii lay undisturbed, from 79 A.D. until the 1700's, under the volcanic ash and lava of the eruption of Vesuvius, thus preserving centuries of secrets'. In the course of the excavations, it was discovered that Pompeiians actually used a variety of plants and flowers, which were abundant in gardens and the surrounding countryside, in similar ways in which we do today. Common names such as rose (rosa damascena), fennel (foeniculum vulgare), myrrh (commiphora myrrha), lily (lilium), laurel (laurus nobilis) and myrtle (myrtus communis), amongst others, were in common usage in beauty products. Ancient Pompeiian women had similar beauty' regimes to the modern woman of today.

Marie Antoinette of France (1755 1793) is famous for her extravagant lifestyle of riches, dresses and scents. Her perfumer, Jean-Louis Fargeon, was one of her most loyal confidants, as was the case with many ladies and their perfumers of this time. However, Marie

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