The Truth About Plant Oils vs Essential Oils - Part 2

Essential oils are the highly concentrated, aromatic extracts of plants. They’re obtained through steam distillation or cold pressing and capture the volatile compounds responsible for a plant’s scent. Examples include lavender, peppermint, tea tree, and bergamot. Unlike plant oils, which are mostly triglycerides and fatty acids, essential oils are composed of small, volatile molecules such as terpenes, alcohols, and phenols — substances that can interact directly with our biology. This makes them therapeutic in small doses but irritating in excess.