The Science Behind The Scent

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are super-concentrated aromatic extracts that come straight from plants. They’re found in all sorts of plant parts — flowers, fruits, grasses, leaves, needles, twigs, resins, roots, seeds, and woods.

They’re called “essential” not because we need them to survive (though our noses might disagree), but because they capture the very essence of a plant — its scent, flavor, and vibe.

Despite the name, essential oils aren’t actually oily. Most are colorless and as thin as water. Through photosynthesis (a.k.a. turning sunshine into plant energy), plants make natural chemicals that help them stay alive and thriving. Some of these chemicals make up essential oils, which plants use to:

• Attract pollinators

• Defend themselves from predators

• Heal from wounds or infections
  

Basically, plants are little chemical geniuses — and essential oils are their greatest hits.

What is aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is the art and science of using essential oils to support your health and wellness — body, mind, and mood. It’s a natural practice that’s been used across cultures for centuries.

In aromatherapy, essential oils are usually inhaled (like with Pop Oils aroma sticks) or applied to the skin with proper dilution. The goal? To tap into the body’s own chemistry and help you feel more balanced, relaxed, energized, or focused — depending on what you need most.

What happens when you smell essential oils?

Smell is the only sense that taps directly into the part of your brain responsible for emotions (the limbic system). That’s what makes inhaling essential oils the fastest, most effective way to experience their emotional benefits.

When you inhale essential oils, you are actually inhaling the tiny molecules that they give off. These pass through your nose and trigger electrical signals to the brain. This happens even before you consciously register a scent.

Each essential oil has a unique composition of different chemicals (more than 200 in certain oils). Depending on what chemical signals the brain receives from the oils, it will react by releasing its own chemical messengers, like the feel-good chemicals dopamine and serotonin, that ultimately affect how we feel. For example, the chemical linalool, found in high amounts in lavender, is well known to have calming and relaxing effects. Other oils contain chemicals that can help perk you up, keep you focused, or simply make you smile

What happens when different essential oils are blended together?

Synergy happens! When essential oils with similar or complementary properties are combined, their chemical compounds interact to create something new — often more effective than any oil on its own. It’s like mixing your favorite 80s tracks into one epic mixtape: the combo just hits differently.

These synergistic blends are the heart of what we do at Pop Oils. Each aroma stick is carefully crafted to create a balanced, mood-boosting experience.