The Difference Between Flower Essences and Essential Oils
Developing a deeper knowledge about today’s repertoire of modern healing methods can be a bit of a learning curve. It makes sense for someone new to herbal medicine to confuse flower essences and essential oils or assume that they are the same thing. After all, they do both have some striking similarities, but it is important to understand the difference between flower essences and essential oils.
They both provide a healthy element, they both can be used in various ways on the human body, and they both come from nature. While they have some obvious comparisons, they are not the same at all. They are harvested differently, made from different components, and have different medicinal qualities.
The Basics
Underneath it all, flower essences come from flowers and water. It is created by steeping flowers in water with exposure to the sun. After this, it is filtered, which creates flower essences. It is created naturally by harnessing the vibrational life force of the wildflowers and filtering it through water several times over. There are no physical substances used in flower essence; just its vibrational signature left in water. It is completely natural, fragrance-free, and safe to consume.
Essential oils are made just how they sound – from oil. They’re made from steaming or pressing several pounds of certain parts of a flower to harness the aromatic qualities and create an oil. This oil is mixed with carrier oil to diminish the presence of irritants found in the highly concentrated plant-based oil. Essential oils are very fragrant. They are used in body and hair care products and as tools used in the delivery of aromatherapy.
Usage
Another way to spot the difference between flower essences and essential oils is the way they are used. Flower essences can be orally consumed, so many people simply apply a few drops of it under their tongue. You can get creative and add a few drops to each of your meals or beverages throughout the day. Flower essences can also be used topically by directly applying them to the skin, or by adding some drops in beauty products, lotions, massage oils, and even bath water.
Contrarily, and very importantly, essential oils cannot be directly consumed. Essential oils are not extremely diluted like a flower essence is. Actually, it is quite the opposite. Essential oils are extraordinarily potent, even when mixed in carrier oil. The body’s ability to absorb the concentration results in a poisonous reaction.
Instead, essential oils are more commonly used by either direct inhalation or inserting a few drops in a diffuser or oil burner. A creative way that essential oils have been utilized is by adding a few drops to a bottle of room spray. If essential oils are to be used topically, it’s important to always use a carrier oil or other form of dilution like creams or gels. Since essential oils are so rich, they have the potential to irritate the skin.
Medicinal Qualities
Finally, the main difference between flower essences and essential oils is what they can each do for you. Essential oils focus on the aromatic structural and phytochemical parts of a flower to deliver therapeutic qualities to the user. Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment used to aid the mind, body, and spirit in achieving overall wellness from stress relief. Various flowers and plants serve a specific benefit from their properties.
Flower essences focus on the emotional vibrations that heralded an illness. The energetic imprint of the flower from the water is used to reorganize the body’s devastating emotional rhythm. By harnessing the positive vibrations of wildflowers, flower essences rewire the underlying emotional imbalance in the human body.
Conclusion
Both flower essences and essential oils are helpful in their ways. In the case of herbal medicine, they have their similarities and key differences. The fun thing about them is that they can both be used together for optimal herbal healing.