Rene-Maurice Gattefosse was a French chemist and perfumer who imported essential oils in the early 1900s. It is said that Mr. Gattefosse coined the term "aromatherapy".
He became interested in the therapeutic effects of essential oils after he severely burned his hand in his laboratory and quickly put it in the closest container available which was filled with lavender oil. He was amazed at how the lavender cooled the burn and how quickly the wound healed.
In 1937, he published his book Aromatherapie and Antiseptiques Essentieles (Essential Antiseptics). This publication led to the rapid growth of the beauty, cosmetic and skin care industries.
On a personal note, the day before yesterday I burned my finger on a griddle while making a really yummy panini. I put it under cold running water and then put a drop of lavender oil on it. The burn went away surprisingly quickly (you know how long that can last sometimes). And the next day, there was no sign of the burn! Even I, who love essential oils, was amazed at the speed of the recovery! Really incredible!
