Aromatherapy students visit world’s perfume capital

 

The focus of the event was “From Biodiversity to Therapeutic Practice” and speakers included international experts in pharmacology, medicine and botany, as well as traditional therapies.

 

The students were able to attend lectures covering a wide range of topics from the clinical application of aromatherapy in wound care, to traditional shamanic practices. It was also a great opportunity for the students to network with experts in the field and to gain knowledge which complemented their studies.

 

Staying in the centre of Grasse, which has been the centre of perfume production since the sixteenth century, also allowed the students to soak up the atmosphere.

 

Grasse contains more than 30 perfumeries, the most famous of which offer free tours that provide the chance to see how perfume is made, from the gathering of the flowers to the finished product. This enabled the students to enhance their understanding of the origins of essential oils and their alternative uses, as well as develop skills in blending aromas.

 

The trip was a great success for the students and staff, professionally and personally, and it is envisaged that offering this kind of learning experience to students in the future with help to expand upon what is offered in the university degree course.

 

Comments received from enthusiastic students included:

 

“Our visit to the symposium in Grasse was very informative for aromatherapy and also for our interpersonal skills, as we had to share accommodation and live together.”

 

“The trip to Grasse was a good opportunity to gain further knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine and was a very positive learning experience.”

 

“The Grasse trip really enhanced what I had learnt during my university modules and gave me a better understanding of my therapy in a wider context.”