Trending for 5000 Years
A Timeline of Aromatherapy in Human Civilisation
Aromatherapy Anthropology
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2025: MOODS Launches
Clinically Proven Aromatherapy for the Modern World
Moods officially launches as the first aromatherapy brand to clinically prove the efficacy of its essential oil blends. Each formula is designed not just for aromatic pleasure but to measurably ease, elevate, or enhance mood and cognitive function. Within weeks, Moods is nominated for Best Wellness Brand by The Sunday Times Style and earns major press attention across the beauty, wellness, and science space. Created for real modern ailments - from focus fatigue to emotional burnout - this is aromatherapy, made relevant.
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2024: The First Clinical Trials of Aromatherapy Blends
The Science Behind the Scent
Following years of stagnation in the category, Moods commissions and co-develops the most comprehensive clinical trial in aromatherapy history - conducted in partnership with Professor Mark Moss, Head of Psychology at the University of Northumbria. Using biomarker analysis, behavioural testing, and neuroimaging techniques, the placebo-controlled study tracks 400 participants to assess the impact of synergistic essential oil blends on stress, anxiety, mood, and cognition. The results mark a breakthrough moment & establish a new clinical benchmark for the category.
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1990s–2000s: Consumer Commercialisation
Mainstream Appeal and Market Dilution
Aromatherapy enters the mass market - appearing in candles, bath products, skincare, and even household cleaners. While awareness grows, the lack of regulation allows widespread dilution and mislabelling. Many products carry the term "aromatherapy" without functional benefits, leading to consumer confusion and scepticism about the category's legitimacy.
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1985: Aromatherapy Associates Founded
The Spa-Luxury Bridge
Founded in London by Sue Beechey and Geraldine Howard, AA pioneers spa integration and bring credibility to the space, bridging efficacy with a luxury sensorial experience. Their work shapes the future of aromatherapy in both wellness and hospitality sectors.
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1950s: Marguerite Maury
The Origin of Personalised Aromatherapy
Austrian biochemist and aesthetician Marguerite Maury develops one of the earliest holistic systems of aromatherapy, applying essential oils in bespoke massage protocols. Her approach, tailored to each individual’s physical and emotional state, influences modern spa therapy and sets a precedent for personalised wellness.
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1937: René-Maurice Gattefossé
The Birth of Modern Aromatherapy
After a laboratory accident, French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé treats his burn with lavender oil and observes rapid healing. He begins formal research into essential oils and publishes Aromathérapie - the first scientific text on their medicinal use. Gattefossé is credited with coining the term “aromatherapy” and initiating its clinical exploration.
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1800s: Colonial Expansion & Botanical Science
The Globalisation of Oils and the Rise of Plant Chemistry
As colonial trade routes expand, essential oils like clove, cinnamon, and ylang-ylang arrive in Europe in greater volume. Advances in distillation and solvent extraction improve oil purity, while phytochemistry begins isolating active plant compounds. The era sees a shift from traditional aromatic use to early scientific analysis of plant efficacy.
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1500s-1700s: Alchemy, Apothecaries & the Early Science of Scent
From Herbal Lore to Botanical Precision
Essential oils appear in medicinal tinctures, balms, and perfumery across Europe. Apothecaries and alchemists such as Paracelsus theorise that every plant contains a vital “essence” - extractable through distillation to restore bodily balance. These early chemists lay the groundwork for pharmacognosy, blending mysticism with emerging science.
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1100-1500: Monastic Preservation
The Keepers of Botanical Knowledge
During the Middle Ages, European monasteries safeguard and cultivate medicinal herbs such as rosemary, sage, and lavender. Oils and infusions are used in healing, sanitation, and religious rituals. Monks copy ancient Greco and Arabic texts, preserving herbal knowledge through centuries of cultural transition.
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900 CE: Avicenna & Levantine Science
Innovation in Distillation and Medical Thought
Persian polymath Avicenna refines the process of steam distillation, revolutionising the extraction of rose oil and other botanicals. His medical encyclopedia, The Canon of Medicine, integrates Greek, Roman, and Middle Eastern botanical knowledge and becomes a foundational medical text in both Eastern and Western traditions for centuries, advancing the use of aromatics in clinical care.
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100 CE: Roman Empire
Public Wellness and Aromatic Culture
Essential oils are widely used in Roman daily life - from perfumes and cosmetics to bathhouse rituals. Professional perfumers (unguentarii) craft blends with oils such as myrtle, chamomile, and cypress. Aromatics are central to personal care, social custom, and public hygiene.
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500 BCE: Hippocrates
The Foundations of Holistic Medicine
Regarded as the father of medicine, Hippocrates advocates for aromatic baths and herbal compresses to maintain health and rebalance the body’s humours. He views scent as essential to holistic wellbeing - a concept that shapes the foundation of Greek and Roman medical systems for generations.
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1000 BCE: Ancient China
Aromatics in Taoist and Herbal Medicine
Essential oils and aromatic herbs are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to regulate Qi (life energy) and harmonise bodily functions. The Huangdi Neijing, one of the most influential medical texts, documents the therapeutic role of scent in restoring internal balance.
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2000 BCE: Vedic India
Ayurveda and the Energetics of Aroma
In India, the Ayurvedic system prescribes aromatic botanicals such as sandalwood, camphor, and tulsi to balance the three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Oils are used in cleansing rituals, meditation, and spiritual ceremonies as tools to elevate both mind and body.
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3000 BCE: Ancient Egypt
Sacred Scents and Medical Rituals
Egyptians are among the first to use essential oils in medicine, mummification, and cosmetics. Blends like kyphi are burned in temples, while frankincense and galbanum are used in healing rites. The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 BCE) lists over 800 medical recipes, many featuring aromatics.
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3500 BCE: Mesopotamia
Origins of Oils and Sacred Smoke
In ancient Mesopotamia, Sumerians and Akkadians record early uses of aromatic resins and oils. Cuneiform tablets describe recipes for incense, salves, and balms using ingredients like myrrh and cypress. Though distillation had not yet emerged, techniques such as infusion and maceration allow oils to be absorbed into fats for topical use - often in spiritual or medicinal contexts.
