"We know aromatherapy has been used by humans since the beginning of time," says Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder and CEO of Atlanta, Georgia-based Alter Your Life, a company dedicated to bringing the principles of work-life balance to individuals and corporations. "Ancient cultures used aromatherapy for medicinal healing, for worship rituals and for personal use," she tells OrganicAuthority.com. "The ancients knew aromas had a great effect upon the body, mind and soul. Aromatherapy has also been used in worship for ages-evolving into incense and scented sacred oils. The royalty of ancient cultures always believed certain aromas signified power and authority."

Organic essential oils are "pure botanical essences of plants," according to Aura Cacia, a top manufacturer based in Norway, Iowa. Oils are extracted from flowers, leaves, resin, bark, roots, twigs, seeds, berries and rinds by steam distillation, and they are highly concentrated-unlike inferior synthetic oils produced in chemical laboratories.

You can use organic essential oils by:

• Adding a few drops to bath water.
• Mixing a few drops with bath gels, massage oils, body balms and lotions. Note: Never apply oils directly to the skin, as they may cause rashes or burns. Instead, mix a few drops with bath products or "carrier" oils (jojoba or coconut oil, for example).
• Pouring a few drops into a diffuser-spray apparatuses, lamp rings that surround light bulbs and small pots that sit atop tea candles-to make any room smell great.

Tamaras' favorite organic essential oils are lavender, frankincense and lemon-all of which can be used "through inhalation, topically and put into baths," she says.

She offers the following caveat when shopping for organic essential oils: "Consumers need to recognize that not all organic essential oils are therapeutic grade and will not produce therapeutic benefits even when used by inhalation or for aromatherapeutic reasons. Thus, when choosing essential oils, it is very important to note that not all sold in the marketplace are pure. Some manufacturers may market their essential oils as organically grown but, in fact, the oils may be adulterated, synthetically produced or diluted-oftentimes to be sold cheaper."

High-quality organic essential oils have not been adulterated and contain no additives, says Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, a certified aromatherapist and owner of Boulder, Colorado-based DSH Perfumes.

"The full distillation of an essential oil, without any additions, is the superior oil to use for aromatherapy purposes," she says. "It really takes some practice before consumers will develop a nose for determining a quality essential oil, so while they are on the learning curve, I recommend finding a reputable company they trust and sticking with it while they try others."