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"QUALITY - IS IT IMPORTANT?"
"HOW TO IDENTIFY GOOD QUALITY ESSENTIAL
OILS?
HERE'S WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:
The following are excerpts
are from Aromatherapy An A-Z, by Patricia Davis, 1988, reprinted 1994,
Saffron Walden, The C.W. Daniel Company Ltd., England, pp. 278-280.
"THE QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WHICH ARE TO BE USED THERAPEUTICALLY IS OF
PRIME IMPORTANCE It is, obviously, very important to be sure that the oil you
are using is indeed obtained from the plant whose therapeutic properties you
had in mind when using that oil, and the only way to be certain of this is to
use the Latin botanical names for the plants."
"Even an oil which is quite truthfully described as pure may be of poor
quality, and therefore of less value therapeutically. IF AN ESSENTIAL OIL
COSTS MUCH LESS THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT TO PAY FOR IT, the oil may
well be a third or fourth distillate from a batch of plant material which has
already yielded the greater part of its properties to the first or second
distillation."
"AS A ROUGH AND READY GUIDE... look for simple but informative labeling
(botanical name, part of plant) And avoid any oils that are not packed in
opaque glass. ...and DO NOT BUY ANYTHING THAT IS VERY MUCH CHEAPER."
"THE BEST QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS WILL, NOT SURPRISINGLY, COST MORE... "
Our essential oils are labeled with the part of the plant used, where this is
relevant, as well as with the common name and Latin botanical name any
customer can call for any additional information needed, such as extraction
methods, specific gravity, optical rotation, etc.
The following excerpts are
from Aromatherapy Workbook, by Marcel Lavabre, 1990, Healing Arts
Press, Rochester, Vermont, pp. 20-21.
"Most essential oils available on the market are of very poor quality for two
main reasons. The first is that the chemical composition of the essential
oils of a given plant can vary greatly, depending on the variety, the time,
the soil, and the methods of cultivation and distillation."
"The second reason is that recent advances in chemistry have flooded the
market with synthetic essential oils."
"FOR AROMATHERAPY... ONE SHOULD USE ONLY THE BEST QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS."
The following excerpts are
from The Healing Power of Aromatherapy by Hasnain Walji, Ph.D., 1996,
Prima Publishing, Rocklin, Calif., p. 28).
"BE GUIDED BY PRICE" (low price = low quality; jp)
"Because the oils are susceptible to heat, light, and air, they must be kept
in dark glass containers. Clear plastic bottles are definitely not
recommended."
"AROMATHERAPY IS NOT MERELY ABOUT SMELLING NICE... It is a therapy and should
be respected as such. Just as you would not expect your medical practitioner
to prescribe medication that was substandard, so you should not be prepared
to accept anything less than the best that is available..".
The following excerpts are
from The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie
Ann Worwood, 1991, New World Library, San Rafael, California, pp. 90.
"For effective therapeutic use it is crucial
that only undiluted, unadulterated essential oils be
used ...reconstituted products or chemical copies of natural essences simply
do not work..."
"... a large variety of so-called essential oil products have been devised...
In law, all of these products come under the heading "essential oils", which
can be confusing to the inexperienced buyer: "reconstitutions"; "nature
identicals"; "isolates"; "perfume compounds"; and "aromas", such as "lavender
aroma". Apart from the range of products that have been devised to take the
place of essential oils in perfumery, there are other essential oils which,
when mixed with others, mimic the aroma of the essential oil whose name they
carry... This is all very well if perfumery is your concern, BUT NO GOOD AT
ALL if the ... oil is required for a therapeutic Purpose."
"NO REPUTABLE ESSENTIAL OIL SUPPLIER SELLS ESSENTIAL OILS ALL AT THE
SAME PRICE."
"... it is often the case that a synthetic aroma will smell more pungently of
the raw material than the real thing. Do not influenced by strength, but
rather by price, supplier reputation, and, in time, your own experience and
instinct".
The following excerpts are
from Holistic Aromatherapy, A. Berwick, 1994, Llewellyn Pub., St. Paul,
MN pp. 168.
"It is important to work with high quality
essential oils whenever you can. Many of the oils on the market are of poor
quality."
"LOW PRICES MAY ALSO MEAN THE OIL IS A SECOND OR THIRD DISTILLATION OF THE
PLANT MATERIAL, in which case it will have far less therapeutic value.
Sometimes oils are diluted with another plant that has a similar aroma, but
costs less... Obtaining the specific oil you want is more likely if you know
the correct botanical name..."
"The oils should be
sold in dark glass bottles, definitely not in plastic".
Common Methods of Adulteration:
- A certain quantity of the main chemical
constituent may be added to the essential oil to "stretch" it.
- Oil from a cheaper plant may be added. Citronella may be added to melissa &
spearmint to birch.
- Synthetic aromatic substances may be added. This can cause irritation,
allergies, nausea, headaches, and reduced therapeutic value.
- Some of the chemical constituents may be removed. Since an essential oil is
an extremely complex cocktail of hundreds of chemical constituents, some of
them in very small amounts, this will alter the therapeutic value of the oil.
Menthol is often removed from peppermint oil and used by the pharmaceutical
industry. As a general rule, the more an essential oil is interfered with
physically or chemically, the less clinical value it will have".
Some helpful hints for buyers
are noted in the excerpts above. In summary these are:
-
Look for proper
packaging ; Our Essential Oils are packaged in dark glass, the proper
method).
-
Look for full
labeling, with common name and Latin botanical name, and the part of the
plant used, when relevant. The essential oils we sell are labeled with
common and botanical names and relevant information concerning the part of
the plant used.
-
Remember that
price DOES reflect quality in the essential oil market. Although an
inferior oil can sell for a high price, a good oil is not going to sell at a
low price.
The above excerpts should make this clear, as it
is a point that is repeatedly made in publications on the subject.
The seriousness of our essential oil suppliers’ commitment to providing high
quality essential oils is reflected in our packaging and labeling; in the
information cards provided with each product , which provides extensive
information on the oils as well as on appropriate use and proper storage; and
in our willingness and availability to discuss our oils or aromatherapy with
our customers by phone. You can call or email me with any questions you may
have, and if I don’t have the information you need, I will get the
information and call you back. Our supplier of essential oils is not just a
company marketing the cheapest product available. They work hard to make
professional quality, aromatherapy grade essential oils available in
America!!!! If necessary, I will provide follow-up and support services to
insure satisfaction and to educate the consumer. J.P.
I believe in our suppliers' commitment
and will provide any information I can to assure you of the quality of the
products sold at Black Hills Herbs & Aromatherapy. Karen Lee Hegre
Joie Power, Ph.D. practices as a
Wellness Consultant, Healer, Reiki Master, and Personal Development
coach. She is a retired neurobehavioral specialist with training in
the neurological aspects of olfaction (smell) and emotional
functioning, as well as psychoneuroimmunology, mind/body approaches,
dreamwork, and aromatherapy. She provides consultation to individuals,
physicians and holistic practitioners.
For information on contacting Dr.
Power,
click here.
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