The term “aromatherapy” first originated with the French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse in 1937 after he suffered a burn on his hand and plunged it into a container of Lavender essential oil. He noticed how quickly the burn healed and this spurred his interest about the healing power of essential oils, inspiring him to coin the term “aromatherapy”.  French surgeon Jean Valnet used essential oils to help heal soldier’s wounds during World War II and became an advocate for their use. Today, the term is used to describe how essential oils assist in balancing the mind, body, and spirit holistically through inhalation or topical application.