Although there is no place or person that can be credited for the development of aromatherapy, it is apractice that is known to go back at least 3, 500 years in history. This is the reason aromatherapy is not only one of the services that most Thai spa centres take pride in and an essential part of your spa days in London, but a part of avast cultural heritage as well.

Early History

Aromatherapy started with the distillation of plants that included cinnamon, cedar wood and clove to name bu a few. The first recorded use of this practice was in Egypt where the obtained from the plants' oils were used in traditional embalming practices. However,the practice of aromatherapy as a mood enhancer is believed to have originated in China.

While the Chinese were developing aromatherapy as a mood enhancing method for religious ceremonies mainly, the Greeks also played an essential role in its development. Megallus,a Greek perfumer, developed a fragrance called “Megaleion” after himself. The fragrance was created from myrrh and was used for medical practices as well as a perfume.

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, performed aromatherapy as part of his healing services too, although it was not regarded as aromatherapy at the time. In Greek mythology, it was believed that the gods granted humans the knowledge of fragrances and perfumes from which the healing properties of aromatherapy originated.

Modern History

Over the centuries, although the practices of aromatherapy rose and faded in civilisations all around the world,they remained an essential part of the cultural heritage of China and Europe in particular. It was not until the 20th century that the practice received deeper attention - In 1937 Rene-Maurice Gattefosse invented the term “aromatherapy”after an incident in which a burn was treated with essential oils. This sparked his curiosity which led him to further develop his research.

Gattefosse used essential oilfrom lavender to treat his burn when he noticed that it accelerated the healing process while reducing the pain. His research was, later on, picked up by Jean Valnet, a French surgeon, who used essential oils to help heal the wounds of soldiers during World War II. The use of essential oils along with their aromatherapy qualities led to its official recognition as a healing practice.

Over the next few decades, theuse of essential oils from different plants became a common practice in homes and facilities all around the world. The scent from the oils was noted to have been beneficial for the health qualities and treatments continued to be developed.

One of the reasons aromatherapy is highly effective is the fact that the sense of smell is the only human sense, directly connected to the brain. Taking pride in offering the best massage in London, Thai Square Spa introduced a range of aromatherapy treatments. If you find yourself in need of a weekend getaway, this is the perfect destination to relax and enjoy the rejuvenating qualities of excellent Thai spa treatments.

Last but not least, why not treat yourself with Imantara massage oils by Thai Square Spa. We offer a range of beautifully-blended massage and body oils, such as Royal Rachawadee Body Oil and Andaman Aromasoul Body Oil, etc. Don’t forget to check them out on our online shop.