How do essential oils work?

The following is a simplified version of what happens when you inhale the aroma or scent of an essential oil.
1. The essential oil molecules enter your nose and interact with receptors on the olfactory mucous membrane within the nose.
2. These receptors identify the smell and pass the message through the olfactory nerve to the limbic system of the brain.

Learn more from the Aromatherapy 101 Course.