Aromatherapy is an idea first used by the French chemist René Gattefossé in his 1937 book: Aromatherapy, Essential Oils.
Essential oils have been a therapy aid for thousands of years, but Gattefossé was the pioneer of their modern usage. Appropriately enough, he was born into an entrepreneurial family in the business of manufacturing oils and perfumes. He pursued his interest in the field by studying chemistry and became the publisher of the journal Parfumerie Moderne. Like many scientific innovators, he was led in the right direction by a laboratory accident. Having burnt his hand in an explosion, he used lavender oil as a cure. This remedy was used for large numbers of burns injuries suffered in World War I and after the war Gattefossé founded a company manufacturing essential oils, continuing his research at the same time.
Common aromatherapy applications use lavender, thyme, jasmine and lemon oils. Despite its benefits, the practice only became widespread in the 1950s. More recently it has surfed the popularity of the wellness industry (see our previous word of the day). Marketing trends have suggested that the aromatherapy industry will soon generate global product sales in excess of USD 850 million per annum.
