The science

Essential oils stimulate your sense of smell – a very powerful sense connected to the brain’s limbic system. This system controls emotions, memory and various functions of the body. How we feel is therefore greatly influenced by fragrance and essential oils that have been used therapeutically since ancient times.

The complex blends of natural aromatic components extracted from plant materials, impart various healing properties to our essential oils. In order to benefit from the oils, they have to be made from natural, organic plant material. At Ruah, where quality is highly valued, all products are carefully manufactured with rustically cultivated herbs.

Steam distillation is the most popular method to extract essential oils. The process is applied as follows:

Plant material is firmly pressed into a steam distillation pot.
Steam is generated and forced through the plant material at a certain pressure and temperature. The process takes about 15 to 20 minutes per 4 kg of plant material.
The steam is then cooled down in the cooling element.
Condensation takes place and the liquid is collected in a pipette.
This liquid consists of the oil and scented water or hydrosol.
The oil is then separated from the water.
Approximately 4 kg of plant material produces 25 ml of essential oil.
This oil is stored in airtight containers in a cool and dark place.
Because all the chemical compounds are very new, a ripening process of approximately 15 to 20 days follows. Then the quality of the oil is at its best.

With essential oils in hand and in collaboration with a laboratory in Johannesburg, Trudi and her team developed a body care range that is primarily enriched with our organic, rurally distilled essential oils. The formulas are aluminium free and do not contain parabens.

my fingers writing a lifelong poem with you, about you, in you,
around you
with every scoop there is grace
and it is by grace that YOU are becoming more in me…