Essential Oils are extremely potent, volatile concentrations of liquid derived from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes and seeds. The method by which they are extracted helps determine the grade and potency. Here’s a brief guide to help you determine where to buy quality oils…
First and foremost, when it comes to essential oils, you get what you pay for. If you’re paying $5-15 for a 5-15mil bottle, chances are, it’s not REAL essential oil, it’s adulterated (which means it was cut with a cheaper product such as glycerin, alcohol, diethylphthalate, dipropylene glycol, (or a different product altogether).
Unfortunately for the consumer, the only true way to determine whether an oil is authentic or adulterated is through analytical testing which uses gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy and an optical refractometer.
The key factors in determining an oils purity is its constituents which are affected by a number of factors (where it was grown, the type of soil/condition of the soil, type of fertilizer (organic or chemical),geographical region,climate, altitude, parts of the plant the oil was produced from, harvesting methods (some must be harvested solely at night, for example) as well as the distillation process.
It’s actually less complicated than all of that, because all you need to do is purchase 100% Pure Therapeutic-grade quality oils from Reputable, well known companies such as Young Living Oils.
There are times when you can use lower grade, less expensive oils (which may be adulterated). In the case of pure aromatherapy, such as when you’re placing oils in a diffuser or a couple drops on a light bulb, etc it is generally acceptable to use a lower grade oil.
However, if you intend to Ingest any oils, be sure you are getting high quality, tested oils as they are highly concentrated. For example, it takes 27 square feet of lavender plants to make one 15 ml bottle of essential oil.
Here are the Essential Oil companies we personally trust & Where we purchase from:
Young Living Essential Oils- these can be on the higher side, price wise, but the oils are rigorously tested and extremely high quality.
They are perfect for use Topically, some may be used internally, as well as in diffusers and various aromatherapy or massage oils.
To get them at wholesale cost, you can sign up as a distributor/Member where you instantly save 24% on each oil. Be fully aware, just because you sign up to be a member does NOT mean you have to tell anyone about Young Living, you don’t have to sell their products and you don’t have to make this into a business. It simply means that you get to take advantage of wholesale prices for your own use and if you’d like to do those things, then you are more than welcome to do so. Think of it like a Sam’s Club membership, you’re just part of a club to get a better deal. Learn More about a Wholesale Membership
Aura Cacia–useful for Aromatherapy ONLY. What they’d be good for: use in cleaner recipes (for scent), laundry soap recipes, air fresheners, bug repellent recipes, etc. These oils are not recommended for use topically or internally. They can be purchased online on Amazonor at various whole foods, natural foods and health foods stores worldwide.
Now Essential Oils– again, a decent lower-end product that is perfect for use in cleaners, air fresheners, diffusers, etc. I would not ingest these or use them topically for medicinal properties. They can be purchased online on Amazon or at various whole foods, natural foods and health foods stores worldwide.
Why you Should avoid Cheaper Adulterated oils-
Adulterated or cheap oils are not pure and may not even contain therapeutic properties. Here’s an example- many cheaper Lavender Essential oils actually contain Lavandin rather than pure Lavandula Augustifolia. Lavender essential oil is frequently used for burns, but the cheaper Lavandin contains camphor which actually intensifies burns, rather than relieving it. True Lavender contains almost NO camphor and contains burn-healing agents.
How do essential oils fit into a Financially Concerned Household?
Essential oils may seem relatively expensive when you first purchase them, but take into consideration how much it actually costs per use.
a 5ml Bottle is approximately 85 drops
a 15ml bottle is approximately 250 Drops
To put it in perspective, one of our favorite essential oil blends (for health) is Thieves. It costs us $33.75 (wholesale) for a 15ml bottle. Which is 13¢ per drop, we average 2 drops per use, so it costs about a quarter for instant relief. A bottle of tylenol at walmart is $3.95 for 24 count which is .16¢ each. Thieves is cheaper per dose than tylenol. Also, essential oils made into a rub, ointment or salve lasts considerably longer and more uses than many store counterparts.
Image Credit: Young Living Essential Oils
