Vietnam, a country blessed by nature with a diverse ecosystem with countless precious herbs, is distilled and condensed into drops of natural essential oils with wonderful uses in human health care that are popular worldwide. Let's learn about some of the most popular essential oils derived from Vietnamese herbs with Sanh Nhien.

The difference between natural essential oils and artificial essential oils

About the origin of essential oils

• Natural essential oils: Extracted from plant parts such as flowers, leaves, bark, roots, etc. through distillation or cold pressing. This process preserves the molecular structure and valuable compounds inherent in the plant, creating pure essential oils with delicate aromas and diverse therapeutic effects.
• Synthetic essential oils: Synthesized in the laboratory from chemical compounds. Although they can closely mimic the scent of natural essential oils, synthetic essential oils do not contain the health-beneficial ingredients of natural essential oils.

About essential oil properties

Characteristic	Natural essential oils	Artificial essential oils
Source	Extracted from flowers, leaves, roots, bark,... of plants through distillation and cold pressing methods, preserving natural compounds.	Synthesized in the laboratory from chemical compounds. For example: Benzyl acetate (jasmine scent); Citral (citrus scent); Linalool (lavender scent);...
Scent	Gentle, delicate, changing over time.	Strong, harsh, often natural but lacking depth, stable and unchanging.
Uses	Health support: respiratory, digestive, dermatological, mental,... Beauty: skin care, anti-aging, acne treatment, hair growth stimulation,...	Little therapeutic & health care effects, mainly creates stable scent, deodorizes.
Evaporation rate	Evaporates slowly due to the presence of various complex compounds & tighter molecular bonds.	Evaporates quickly due to simpler composition.
Solubility	Soluble in oil, insoluble in water.	Soluble in both water & oil.
Safety level	Safe when used properly: dilute in carrier oil before applying directly to skin; dilute in water when using an essential oil diffuser,...	Some chemical compounds can cause skin irritation, mainly used to create scents in the air.
Price	Higher due to use of fresh ingredients and complex production.	Cheaper due to simple production process, saving time.

Popular natural essential oils from Vietnamese herbs

Cinnamon

Cinnamon essential oil, with its warm, spicy aroma, is one of the most popular essential oils.

1. Features: Extracted from cinnamon bark, grown widely in Northern Vietnam.
2. Ingredients: Eugenol, Linalool, Cinnamaldehyde,... have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: Aids digestion, reduces pain, treats colds, and strengthens the immune system.
• Beauty: Smooth skin care, anti-aging, stimulates hair growth.
• Mental: Reduce stress, anxiety, increase concentration.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus essential oil, with its cool, refreshing scent, is a "miracle drug" for the respiratory system.

1. Features: Extracted from eucalyptus leaves, grown in many southern provinces of Vietnam.
2. Ingredients: Cineole, Eucalyptol, Alpha-pinene,... have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and pain-relieving effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: Supports treatment of cough, runny nose, sore throat, sinusitis, reduces muscle and joint pain.
• Beauty: Skin care, acne treatment, skin cleansing.
• Mental: Reduce stress, anxiety, increase concentration.

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil, with its cool, refreshing aroma, is one of the most popular essential oils.

1. Features: Extracted from mint leaves, commonly grown throughout the country.
2. Ingredients: Menthol, Eucalyptol, Carvone,... have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anti-itching, and skin-cooling effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: Aids digestion, reduces nausea, motion sickness, headaches, coughs, runny noses, sore throats.
• Beauty: Skin care, tighten pores, treat acne, reduce dark circles.
• Mental: Reduce stress, anxiety, increase concentration and alertness.

Java Lemongrass (Citronella)

Java citronella essential oil, with its cool, refreshing aroma, is a popular essential oil.

1. Features: Extracted from Java lemongrass, grown widely in Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam.
2. Ingredients: Citral, Geraniol, Linalool, Myrcene,... have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antiseptic effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: Supports treatment of flu, cough, runny nose; reduces pain; aids digestion; disinfects, repels mosquitoes.
• Beauty: Skin care, skin cleansing, pore tightening; anti-aging, wrinkle reduction; hair growth stimulation.
• Mental: Reduces stress, anxiety; increases concentration.

Cajuput

Cajeput essential oil, with its warm, characteristic aroma, is a popular and favorite essential oil in Vietnam.

1. Characteristics: Extracted from leaves and branches of cajuput tree, which grows in many southern provinces of Vietnam.
2. Ingredients: Cineole, Eucalyptol, Alpha-terpineol,... have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and body-warming effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: Supports treatment of cough, runny nose, flu, sore throat; reduces muscle and joint pain; warms the body; disinfects wounds; treats insects.
• Beauty: Skin care, acne treatment, skin cleansing; hair growth stimulation.
• Mental: Reduces stress, anxiety, helps sleep well.

Litsea

Tangerine essential oil, with its aroma similar to lemongrass with a hint of warm spice, is a unique essential oil with many benefits.

1. Characteristics: Extracted from the fruit and leaves of the mulberry tree, which grows abundantly in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, the tree is mainly distributed in the Northern mountainous provinces such as Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang...
2. Ingredients: Limonene, Linalool, Methyl chavicol,... have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, and digestive support effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: Supports digestion, reduces nausea, bloating, indigestion; reduces muscle and joint pain; supports treatment of colds, coughs, runny nose; reduces sore throat.
• Beauty: Skin care, tighten pores, treat acne, brighten skin; stimulate hair growth, treat dandruff.
• Mental: Reduces stress, anxiety, helps relax and calm the mind.

Ylang Ylang

Ylang ylang essential oil has a passionate, sweet and seductive aroma, often likened to a combination of lily, orchid and jasmine.

1. Characteristics: Extracted from the flowers of the magnolia tree (Cananga odorata), native to Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, it is mainly found in the Hanoi area.
2. Ingredients: Linalool, geraniol, benzyl acetate, methyl chavicol ,... have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, and digestive support effects.
3. Uses:

• Health: supports flu, cough, runny nose, muscle and joint pain, good for the digestive system, reduces stress, anxiety, and strengthens the immune system.
• Beauty: skin care, acne treatment, skin lightening, hair growth stimulation.
• Mental: increased concentration, memory, creativity.

Application of natural essential oils in handmade soap production

Enhance skin nutrients

Essential oils contain many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are beneficial for the skin such as vitamin E, vitamin A, fatty acids, etc., which help nourish the skin from deep within, soften the skin, and improve skin elasticity.

Essential oils can also help treat acne, reduce inflammation, and tighten pores such as turmeric essential oil, chamomile essential oil, lavender essential oil,...

Create a unique scent

Each essential oil has a distinct scent, from gentle, delicate to passionate, seductive. The scent of essential oils helps to relax, reduce stress, and create a pleasant feeling when used.

Disinfectant, antibacterial

Some essential oils have effective antiseptic and antibacterial effects such as peppermint essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, etc., helping handmade soaps clean the skin more effectively.

Soap storage

Essential oils have antioxidant properties, helping to preserve handmade soaps longer.

With outstanding advantages in terms of raw materials, quality, price and development potential, natural essential oils derived from Vietnamese herbs have been widely used in the international market. The use of essential oils not only brings benefits to health and beauty but also contributes to environmental protection and sustainable economic development.

See more

• Handmade Soap: The Secret to Radiant Skin
• Natural Fragrances of Vietnam

• The Truth About Skin Absorption