Essential oils are hydrophobic liquids with a complex composition, they are obtained from plants and include volatile organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, esters, ethers, and terpenes in varying proportions.
Essential oils can contain up to several hundred components, which can vary significantly depending on many factors (eg genus, species, growing conditions, time of harvest, and processes used).
Many essential oils are classified as dangerous, so it is important to find out the essential oil properties and risks to the environment and human health before using them, as well as the necessary precautions during use.
how to know essential oils are pure?
1. First of all - the price
A high-quality essential oil will never come cheap. It is important to understand how essential oils are made. For example, 20 thousand rose petals are needed to produce one small bottle of rose essential oil. Just think, can 10ml of pure high quality rose essential oil cost ten dollars on the store shelf? Of course, rose essential oil is one of the most expensive oils in the World.
Oils that are easier to obtain will be cheaper (compared to the price of rose essential oils), but will still require a huge number of plants to produce a small amount of essential oil.
For marketing purposes, a white lie can be not only unclear instructions on the label but also an inflated price. Don't fall for sales offers from warehouse-type stores or merchants who sell essential oils at very low prices or all oils for the same price.
2. Purity of the essential oil
The purity of the essential oil is an important aspect – there are unscrupulous manufacturers who will dilute the essence for profit. Therefore, it is important to find a reliable manufacturer that specializes in essential oils and thus minimize the risk of buying a diluted product.
Surely you know that essential oils are not oils at all. Possibly the only similarity is that they do not dissolve in water. When rubbed between the fingers, pure essential oils will not leave an oily feeling. Also, it won't leave any stains on white paper, except for citrus essential oils, which will leave a slight yellow stain.
3. The label
The label should include the botanical name of the plant, parts of the plant used, country of origin, distillation date and/or expiration date, chemical type (if applicable), and warning information (regarding irritation, allergies, keep out of reach of children, etc.).
4. Organic, unsprayed and wild-harvested
Organic essential oils are definitely preferable because all the chemical pollutants that get on the plants will also be in the essential oil in a concentrated version. This aspect is especially important in citrus essential oils, the cultivation of which uses a lot of pesticides.
The term "organic" means different things in different countries, but it is definitely an additional indicator of the quality of the oil. Some dealers sell their oils with the label “NO pesticides”, which means that the plants come from farms that are not certified organic but do not use pesticides in their plantings. Raw materials for many oils are also collected in the wild.
5. Essential oil tests
Any serious essential oil manufacturer will have performed at least two tests, Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC/MC). Responsible producers perform these tests on each product batch received after distillation. Many also publish the results of these tests on their websites, while others provide information upon request. Some very high-quality essential oil manufacturers do not publish test results, but those that do are more popular among experienced aromatherapy professionals.
Some dealers offer the results of other tests in addition to the information. Any high-quality essential oil manufacturer will certainly provide extensive information and will not hide anything regarding the origin and production of the oil.
Also, pay attention to whether there is a reference to any internationally or nationally recognized official organizations on the packaging. This immediately means that the manufacturer meets certain ethical standards of the association. The list of members found on the association's website can certainly be a help in choosing a reliable essential oil producer.
The best 5 essential oil brands
Taking into account all the above recommendations that should be followed, a top 5 has been created. Some of them can be found on Amazon. And no matter what and where you buy, do your own research.
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