Buying essential oils
About the author
Catherine Doyle is the founder of natural bloom. Catherine uses complementary therapies regularly, and has been interested in an holistic approach to health for many years.
She is a qualified meditation facilitator and Bowen therapist working on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
www.soothed.com.au
Essential oils are extracted from specific parts of distinct species of plants. It is nearly always possible to mimic the aroma of an essential oil synthetically but these synthetic copies do not have the therapeutic effect of the pure essential oils used in aromatherapy. Oils labelled as fragance oils, perfume oils, pot-pourri oils, aromatherapy oils, or nature identical oils, are all either 100% synthetic or partially synthetic, and should not be used therapeutically. Instead look for pure, undiluted, or 100% essential oils.
The way an essential oil has been stored is important - heat, light, and age can all reduce the therapeutic value of an essential oil. Dark coloured glass bottles (for example, blue or brown glass) will protect the contents from light damage. You should also find out how long ago the oil was bottled - look for an expiry date on the label, or ask the retailer, and beware of dusty bottles in a shop. Ask whether the oils have been stored in a cool, dark place, and avoid those that haven't. It's also worth looking for bottles with a plastic dropper hole fixed in the top of the neck. This will help prevent children from accidentally drinking the contents (see Using Essential Oils Safely for more information on safety), and also helps with measuring drops.
While we all want to save money, you should be wary of retailers who sell all their essential oils at the same price. Some plants don't yield much oil (for example, jasmine and rose) and so these oils should cost more. Look for retailers who are knowledgeable about the oils that they sell. They should know the botanical (or latin) name of the plant an oil comes from, which part is was extracted from, how it was extracted, and which country the plant grew in. Some retailers go as far as chemically testing each batch of oils that they sell to assure their purity and quality.
It's also a good idea to look for a retailer who specialises in supplying essential oils for aromatherapy, as the food and perfume industries have different requirements, and oils produced for these industries do not have the best therapeutic effect. Finally, don't be afraid to ask questions - it's the best way to assess whether a retailer is knowledgeable, helpful, and reputable before you buy from them.
Further reading
©2002 Catherine Doyle. All rights reserved. Published with permission on 02-Dec-02.
