What is in a single drop
What essential oils are, and why they touch us so directly
The scent of a flower, fresh herbs just cut, a forest after rain: such impressions reach us faster than any thought.
Behind them are essential oils, the highly concentrated aromatic compounds of a plant. A single drop carries sun, soil and harvest time within it. Anyone who understands where it comes from and how it works smells it with different eyes.
The essence of a plant
Essential oils are obtained from flowers, leaves, bark, roots or fruit peel. Mostly by steam distillation, in the case of citrus fruit by cold pressing the peel.
The quantities are astonishing. One litre of lavender oil takes around a hundred kilograms of flowers. For rose, it is several tonnes of petals.
In nature, these substances have a job to do. They protect the plant from pests and germs and attract pollinators.
Knowledge that has lasted for millennia
Early cultures in Egypt, India and China already used aromatic plants: for cleansing, in ceremonies and for wellbeing.
Today's aromatherapy builds on this knowledge. What is new is the research. It describes ever more precisely how aromatic compounds affect people.
Why a scent goes straight to the feelings
Smells are closely linked to emotions and memories. The reason lies in the structure of our brain.
Scent signals travel from the nose directly to the limbic system. This part of the brain processes feelings and memories. Sight, hearing and touch take a detour through other regions of the brain.
That is why a smell can calm, invigorate or awaken a long-forgotten memory within fractions of a second. And the body responds: breathing, pulse and muscle tension can change measurably. We never experience scent only in the head, but always with the whole body.
Fascinating: olfactory receptors are not found only in the nose. Researchers have also found them in skin cells and other cells of the body. What exactly they do there is currently being studied.
How essential oils are used
In the room. A diffuser disperses the finest droplets into the air. This creates a stimulating or relaxing atmosphere, and unwanted smells fade into the background.
On the skin. Always diluted in a carrier oil, for example in a roll-on. Undiluted, many oils can irritate the skin. Citrus oils also make it sensitive to light.
And taking them internally? Our oils are so pure that some of them could even be ingested. But that always depends on the plant, and not every one is suitable. For our scent blends we therefore do not recommend ingestion.
Purity is decisive
The quality of an oil depends on what is in it, and also on what is not. Even small amounts of solvents or synthetic additives change its composition.
Our supplier tests every batch with eight documented test procedures. These procedures reveal every single component of an oil. This is how it can be proven to be unadulterated. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away.
Quality begins in the field
Location, climate, soil and harvest time determine how an oil is composed and how it smells.
Our supplier works with experienced farmers around the world. The plants grow where they naturally thrive and are harvested at the right moment. Fair pay and long-term partnerships are part of this.
From the field to Casa Cafaro
An essential oil is not a scent from a laboratory. It is the result of sun, soil, manual work and precise craftsmanship.
That is exactly what we want to make tangible. In every blend we compose.
Because a good scent begins where the plant grows.
Frequently asked questions
What distinguishes essential oils from conventional room fragrance? Conventional room fragrances usually consist of synthetic aromatic compounds and are declared only as «parfum». The word «natural» is no more reliable than the words «essential oil». The law offers consumers very little protection here. Genuine essential oils come directly from the plant. They smell more complex, and every single one can be named. Among oils, too, there are massive differences in quality.
Does a natural scent smell the same with every delivery? Natural oils can vary slightly from harvest to harvest, much like wine. Because every batch is analysed in the laboratory, quality and character remain reliable. Guests recognise the scent again.
How should essential oils be stored in a business? Dark, cool and tightly closed, out of the reach of children.