What to look for when purchasing essential oils? Are yours pure or synthetic?

I had a new client this week who although did not believe she had had an aromatherapy massage before, she had several essential oils at home which she liked to diffuse. These included peppermint and lavender.

During her consultation, she mentioned that her 4 year old little boy was suffering from high fever and was waiting to be seen by the doctor in a few days, however in the meantime she was very much concerned with his high temperature. The essential oils she had at home, would have potentially helped cool down his fever and help with a good nights rest. I asked her to send me a picture of the bottles when she got back home as at least I would be able to see if the labels were correct; this wasn’t the case, which indicated that there was a possibility the essential oils were adulterated.

Have you ever wondered why some essential oils work better than others?

The production of essential oils is BIG BUSINESS and more and more chemical synthetics are being used in the pretence of an essential oil. They smell like Lavender, however there may not be any “real” lavender in it or just a small percentage mixed with a synthetic substance, therefore, neither are the properties of the pure plant extract. The life force that makes the essential oil so effective is non-existent in the synthetic version and this is why it is so important to buy from a reputable company. Better still, a company that deals with every process of the making of the essential oil, from the soil it is grown to the seed being used, to the the growing of the plant and extraction of the essential oil.

The supply chain from field to consumer is one of the most important factors and should be as small as possible.

If we consider that producing large quantities of essential oils is labour intensive, costly and requires huge amounts of plant material, we would understand that cheaper is not always better, you get what you pay for. Finding Rose essential oil on the shelf for 10 euros when most suppliers price it at 150 euros and above, you should be suspicious. Take into account that 2,000 kilos of Rose petals make 1 kilo of the essential oil and it takes over 6,000 kilos of Orange Blossom to obtain 1 kilo of Neroli essential oil.

What are the basics that we need to look out for when purchasing essential oils?

1. PROPER LABELLING – The bottle should indicate the common and Latin name of the essential oil and the Latin name starting in capital letters and the second word in lowercase.
2. AROMA – An adulterated oil may have the same aroma as a pure oil, but often it will not ‘linger’ as you would expect.
3. TEXTURE – Does it feel greasy or does it leave greasy stains on fabric. When buying essential oils, do a paper test in the shop as they normally provide paper strips and see if it leaves a greasy residue.
4. CONTACT – The name of the supplier with their contact information should be available to you.
5. CONTAINER – Pure essential oils are normally stored dark in amber glass bottles
6. PRICE CHECK – If the essential oil you are looking to buy is considerably cheaper than other brands, remember it could be mainly synthetic and not give you the benefits would expect.

There is a reason I have been using essential oils from a particular company for the past 4 years for treating my clients and myself. Not only does it come top when searching for best essential oils available, they also have a seed to seal policy, which means they have control of every step of the process of the essential oils.

For more advice on which essential oils are best suited for you, methods of application, and how to order, contact me directly or leave a comment below.

My clients little boy felt considerably better just after the first evening of using the essential oils advised for him and has now recovered from his fever. This brings joy to my heart.