Essential oils played an important historical role on the front lines of many wars, right up to the Second World War. Indeed, military surgeons who operated on the wounded under difficult conditions and in disadvantaged areas, used a still as a first-aid kit and prevented the risk of superinfection of wounds, as well as treating numerous infectious and parasitic diseases with distilled essences. Military surgeon Jean Valnet, who practiced in Tonkin during the Second World War, experienced this first-hand.
Jean Valnet (1920 - 1995) was a French military doctor and surgeon, who was one of the driving forces behind the development of what came to be known as the French branch of aromatherapy, renamed phyto-aromatherapy. He is also the creator of the " Docteur Valnet " brand of aromatherapy products.
Although René Maurice Gattefossé, a chemical engineer, is undoubtedly the originator of both the name and the principle ofaromatherapy, his research was taken up, developed, systematized and marketed after the Second World War by Doctor Jean Valnet. Jean Valnet 's contribution was unquestionably to the dissemination of knowledge and teaching of phytotherapy and aromatherapy.
As early as 1948, he presented the results of his work on phytotherapy and aromatherapy in a number of medical publications and books that have become famous. Thanks to his tireless work in "defending and illustrating" phytotherapy and aromatherapy, he was instrumental in reviving public and medical interest in these therapies.
Between 1971 and 1981, Dr. Valnet founded organizations designed to enrich scientific research and teach this knowledge to practitioners. He wrote numerous books on the subject to bring aromatherapy to the general public. He created his own aromatic compositions, and stepped up studies into the anti-infectious and antibiotic properties of essential oils. This gave rise to the term " aromatogram " to describe the antibiotic action of an essential oil, a term coined by Dr. Maurice Girault in 1971.
A military doctor, surgeon, convinced humanist and lover of nature, Dr. Jean Valnet devoted his life to what he called "total human medicine".
Convinced of the benefits of medicinal plants, he was the first to clinically study the therapeutic virtues of essential oils and developed an unprecedented knowledge of aromatherapy.
His entire body of work and his teaching, known to specialists the world over, have established him as the "father of modern phyto-aromatherapy".
Twenty years after his death, Doctor Jean Valnet 's discourse, work and legacy have never seemed so current, so modern, so revolutionary. All over the world, after swearing by technical progress, people are becoming aware of the dangers of the chemical industry and the preciousness of our environment, proving the man known as Doctor Nature right.
For over 30 years, Laboratoire Cosbionat, run by Marie-Thé Tiphaigne and based in Vendôme (Loir et Cher), has been developing and making available to the general public the essential oil preparations conceived by Docteur Valnet.
With her late husband Jackie, Marie-Thé Tiphaigne created the Cosbionat laboratory for natural skincare products in 1981, based on simple, essential values: love of nature and respect for people. It was to the woman who had been his pupil for 13 years that Doctor Valnet entrusted the great responsibility of taking over production of his famous preparations and developing the range of 50 rigorously selected essential oils.
Over the past thirty-five years, Laboratoire Cosbionat has forged loyal links with its plant producers, contributing to the establishment of organic and sustainable agriculture in France and Europe, as well as in developing countries such as Madagascar.
All our partner producers are certified organic and are subject to regular visits and strict agreements, guaranteeing perfect harvesting and extraction conditions and total traceability. For example, low-pressure steam distillation is carried out close to the place of harvest, to preserve as much of the fresh plant's qualities as possible. Our citrus essential oils, meanwhile, are cold-extracted using mechanical processes, without the use of solvents.
The AB label found on our packaging guarantees that Docteur Valnet essential oils have been inspected and certified as organic by an independent organization approved by the public authorities.
During the Second World War, military surgeons used essential oils to disinfect wounds, prevent superinfections and treat infectious diseases. Doctor Valnet, deployed in Tonkin, discovered the therapeutic potential of essences distilled in precarious conditions, without access to modern treatments.
This experience marked the beginning of his commitment to medicinal plants, which he saw as indispensable tools for healing in harmony with nature.
After the war, Jean Valnet devoted himself to the systematic study of aromatic plants. As early as 1948, he published his first works on phytotherapy and aromatherapy in medical journals and specialized works. He also developed innovative therapeutic formulations based on essential oils.
In collaboration with Dr Maurice Girault, Valnet introduced the concept of thearomatogram in 1971, a method for testing the antibiotic action of essential oils on specific bacteria. This technique paved the way for a scientific and clinical approach to aromatherapy.
For Jean Valnet, health meant more than the absence of disease. He advocated a holistic approach integrating the patient's physical, mental and emotional dimensions. His research led him to develop targeted treatments for a variety of ailments, taking into account the individual's internal and external ecosystem.
Soin-et-Nature offers a wide range of aromatherapy products to care for your health and well-being through the benefits of aromatic plants. Here are the categories available:
These aromatherapy products, available on Soin-et-Nature, allow you to take full advantage of the benefits of plants and support your health and well-being naturally and effectively.
