Clove Oil was traditionally used to treat toothaches, and if you’re in a lot of pain, it will definitely help to numb the area naturally. Clove Bud essential oil is a powerful analgesic, it will effectively treat pain all over the body. However, there are risks associated with the use of Clove Oil and precautions that must be taken in the event that you do choose to use it for pain relief.
]]>Clove Oil was traditionally used to treat toothaches, and if you’re in a lot of pain, it will definitely help to numb the area naturally. Clove Bud essential oil is a powerful analgesic, it will effectively treat pain all over the body. However, there are risks associated with the use of Clove Oil and precautions that must be taken in the event that you do choose to use it for pain relief.
Clove Essential Oil is extremely aggressive to tissue…
…and the tissue inside your mouth is the most delicate! Clove Oil has a high aldehyde content, this makes it warming & analgesic, but it also makes it potentially damaging to the skin & other tissue of the body.
If used for an extended period of time, Clove Oil (and Cinnamon) will irritate the tissue of the gums, tongue, inner cheek etc. Many of us are actually trying to rebuild and protect our gums, so Clove Oil would not be a good choice if this is your goal.
We make a tooth swishing oil specifically for protecting and regenerating the gums, it definitely does not include Clove Oil.
Clove is a powerful antimicrobial, but it’s not the only one…
Clove Oil is also a powerful antimicrobial, however there are plenty of antimicrobial essential oils that don’t come with the high aldehyde content of Clove. If it’s antibacterial action you’re looking for, we make a tooth swishing oil full of tooth & gum safe broad-spectrum antimicrobials that will combat bad breath & unwanted bacteria in the mouth.
Clove as a method of pain relief…
Clove is an excellent analgesic with a warming effect on the skin when applied topically. If you’re looking to use Clove Oil for pain relief anywhere on the body, make sure you follow these steps:
In sum, Clove Oil is often not the best choice for reaching your oral health goals and there are superior options that do not put your delicate mouth tissue at risk. If you are in extreme pain for a short period of time, make sure you follow the tips above and always consult a healthcare professional.
We are not dentists, this article does not replace professional medical advice.
]]>
We’re here to uncover the truths and myths within this blanket statement.
There seems to be a lot of information (or, perhaps, ‘misinformation’) circulating these days about seed oils being harmful for our health.
First and foremost, the most important distinction to make is which seed oils we are talking about. While some seed oils are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, others are filled with unhealthy fats.
The list of oils to avoid is generally as follows:
We’re here to uncover the truths and myths within this blanket statement.
There seems to be a lot of information (or, perhaps, ‘misinformation’) circulating these days about seed oils being harmful for our health.
First and foremost, the most important distinction to make is which seed oils we are talking about. While some seed oils are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, others are filled with unhealthy fats.
The list of oils to avoid is generally as follows:
The push to avoid these unhealthy oils is mostly in connection with internal use, however you should also keep your eye out for them on the labels of skincare products, as they are inexpensive ‘filler’ oils.
The other important factor with all hip & seed oils, regardless of the application, is expiration. The shelf life of these types of oils is naturally quite short (2-3 years if stored correctly). However, like with most food products, many factors can shorten this time such as being combined with other oils, exposure to oxygen, being stored or transported in hot conditions etc.
It is important to be provided with the expiration date of the oils you’re using. This is why we recommend purchasing oils in their raw, unmixed forms and carefully blending them yourself should you choose to. Oils sold in combination with each other will not necessarily have the shelf life of each individual oil listed and taken into consideration. Detecting rancidity can also be more challenging when oils are mixed together.
Very often the carriers oils listed as the active ingredients of a manufactured oil serum are a small part of the overall composition. It's important to pay attention to the other ingredients as they likely make up a large percentage of the product.
Adding safe, high quality essential oils to your hip & seed oils will provide a natural preservative. This is why we add Geranium Rose & Ylang Ylang to our Rose Hip Seed Oil. You can select essential oils that will complement or add some of the skincare benefits you’re looking for. Ie; Helichrysum for hyperpigmentation & uneven skin tone, Rosemary Verbenone for blocked pores & breakouts.
We designed our skincare synergies for this specific purpose; to add to hip & seed oils for increased benefits and the bonus of a natural preservative ;)
Find the specific skincare benefits of our favorite Hip & Seed Oils here!
In the essential oil industry, deception is everywhere. Over the years there have been trickles of advice fed to therapists and consumers about how to protect themselves from being duped by adulterated, impure and inferior essential oils.
Back in the boom of MLM essential oils, the trend was“self-certification”; the idea that a company should be controlling their own testing and certification. That notion had pretty obvious flaws. It quickly became apparent that ‘certified pure tested grade’ and similar terms have little to no meaning when it comes to the quality of an oil.
Thus a new trend emerged; these days consumers are being told to demand GC-MS test results from their essential oil suppliers.
]]>In the essential oil industry, deception is everywhere. Over the years there have been trickles of advice fed to therapists and consumers about how to protect themselves from being duped by adulterated, impure and inferior essential oils.
Back in the boom of MLM essential oils, the trend was“self-certification”; the idea that a company should be controlling their own testing and certification. That notion had pretty obvious flaws. It quickly became apparent that ‘certified pure tested grade’ and similar terms have little to no meaning when it comes to the quality of an oil.
Thus a new trend emerged; these days consumers are being told to demand GC-MS test results from their essential oil suppliers.
What is GC-MS?
GC-MS is an extremely complex process of first separating the molecules within an oil (GC) and then analyzing them to reach conclusions (MS). To learn more in-depth about GC-MS testing, read this article by The Tisserand Institute.
GC-MS testing has long been an analytical tool used in the larger trade of essential oils.
A GC-MS report identifies different constituents within a specified essential oil, and also tells us how much of each constituent is present (as a percentage). Because of the limitations of this type of test, it is pretty much always used in conjunction with other types of detection. In order for it to have any value, trained professionals are employed to translate and evaluate the information it provides.
To the average consumer, practitioner and even many essential oil suppliers, the results will merely show as a percentage of biochemicals present in the oil and provide little or no information that is actually relevant to their own decision making process in relation to quality, purity, value etc.. GC-MS cannot tell you if a given compound is natural or synthetic.
Batch Specific or Bust
Consumers believe they’re doing their due diligence by requesting and receiving the GC-MS results from their supplier. Now that consumers are frequently requesting GC-MS results, many suppliers are simply posting the “sheets” on their websites for you to easily download while you shop. How convenient, right?
It’s important to remember that GC-MS results are batch specific, in order for the results to be accurate, they must be for the specific batch of oil you will be receiving. A blanket GCMS posted on a supplier’s website may give an ‘example’ of that oil’s biochemical profile, but it gives no specific indications of the quality or purity of the oil you will be receiving.
The Nose Knows
For companies that trade heavily in essential oils and put stock in their quality & purity, the GCMS results are not the end all and be all of quality & purity. Don’t get us wrong, they’re an extremely powerful tool when interpreted by the correct people. But several other tests will be used, as well, to help determine the essential oils quality. GC-MS can give some help in determining the botanical source but not nearly as much as you would expect. It gives no indication of cultivation methods, whether or not the essential oil is organic and it can’t detect whether or not herbicides or pesticides are present. Most importantly it can’t determine whether all the aroma chemicals present are from a plant source or a synthetic source. GC-MS certification does not fill the same role as third party certification.
In the trade of essential oils the first test of an oil’s quality is by a trained ‘nose’. The oil is then put through a barrage of tests including GC-MS, but the last and final test, should there be any doubt, is once again from the trained ‘nose’. We should never neglect the power of training our own ‘nose’.
Go to your local health food store and spend a few minutes sniffing all the different brands. Can you smell a difference?
]]>It is the response of the whole plant organism to environmental and life cycle challenges. The essential oil is the plant’s defence against things like disease, environmental pests, hazards, UV damage and wounds. It’s also the plant’s way of speaking with the world around it; attracting pollinators, repelling predators and communicating with other plants. It is active and ever changing, much like our own endocrine and immune system constantly changes to bring balance to our bodies.
]]>It is the response of the whole plant organism to environmental and life cycle challenges. The essential oil is the plant’s defence against things like disease, environmental pests, hazards, UV damage and wounds. It’s also the plant’s way of speaking with the world around it; attracting pollinators, repelling predators and communicating with other plants. It is active and ever changing, much like our own endocrine and immune system constantly changes to bring balance to our bodies.
This is one of the many reasons why consumers should work with essential oils that come from an Organic Source and small-scale Artisan Farmers. If a plant has been interfered with, or it's healthy development has not be nurtured, it may not have produced the biochemicals desired. To learn more about the certification and control of essential oils, read this article.
Humans have been extracting essential oils from plants for thousands of years; the human relationship with aromatic and medicinal plants has ancient and universal roots. Today, the essential oil can be extracted in a number of different ways.
Steam Distillation is the most common form of essential oil distillation. In a traditional steam distillation, fresh plant material is placed in a chamber inside a stil. Steam is passed up through the plant material, and the heat gently extracts the essential oil. The steam passes through a coil where it is cooled down into liquid form. The steam distillation of each plant is an art form, many factors must be considered to get the most active essential oil possible; it requires time, care and great expertise. Our Rose Persian Essential Oil is a product of steam distillation.
Co2 Extraction: Co2, at a particular temperature and pressure, becomes a supercritical fluid which is passed through the plant material, providing a highly effective solvent which extracts the essential oil and other compounds from the plant. This method of extraction is relatively new in terms of essential oils and at this time the essential oils available through Co2 extraction are limited. Our Frankincense Co2 Essential Oil is a product of Co2 Extraction.
Cold Pressed Extraction is the mechanical expression of plant material, often used for citrus oils (citrus peels). A mechanism is used to press the essential oil out of the plant material. The main difference between cold press and steam distillation is that cold press is a mechanical process and does not require heat. Our Sweet Orange Essential Oil is a product of Cold Pressed Extraction.
Absolute Extraction: Some plants are too fragile to be put through steam distillation or cold pressed extraction and the aromatic molecules are obtained through absolute extraction. The plant material is immersed in a solvent, and the solvent extracts these molecules, along with other waxy compounds. This concrete extract is then washed in alcohol (to remove the solvent), and the absolute remains. Our Jasmine Sambac is a product of Absolute Extraction.
The essential oil isn’t the only thing that can be extracted from plants; Herbalists have been working with plants for thousands of years, experimenting with different methods of reducing them into active and healing natural medicines.
Seriously, when we run out of our Rose Bulgarian Hydrosol, we have customers lined up waiting for their fix (and we're right there with them).
There is nothing quite like a pure, Certified Organic Hydrosol and once you've experienced one, you're unlikely to be fooled by imitators. However, there are a lot of products out there masquerading as floral waters when they are in fact nothing of the sort. So we're here to debunk any misconceptions about what a Hydrosol is and is not...
]]>Seriously, when we run out of our Rose Bulgarian Hydrosol, we have customers lined up waiting for their fix (and we're right there with them).
There is nothing quite like a pure, Certified Organic Hydrosol and once you've experienced one, you're unlikely to be fooled by imitators. However, there are a lot of products out there masquerading as floral waters when they are in fact nothing of the sort. So we're here to debunk any misconceptions about what a Hydrosol is and is not.
A Hydrosol is a pure product of hydro-distillation or steam distillation. It contains the water soluble compounds of the plant: acids, esters, monoterpenols and other alcohols. These are some of the most gentle components of the plant; anti-inflammatory, healing and especially useful for skincare, infants and small children. They’re beautifully fragrant, with a lighter, softer and sometimes greener fragrance than the essential oil. They can be used on their own, combined together or combined with essential oils to make a beautiful, natural, alcohol-free cologne. For the most part, a Certified Organic Hydrosol is safe for internal use, provided that the plant itself is safe for internal use.
A Hydrosol is not a product made by adding essential oil or fragrance to water in a bottle, although many products labelled as ‘hydrosols’ or ‘floral waters’ are just that. It is also not a water that claims to be 'infused' with plant material. It’s wise to request clear and complete botanical details from your supplier when purchasing a ‘hydrosol’. It should be 100% distilled plant material with no added water, aroma, essential oil or preservative.
Our Favourite Ways to Use Hydrosols
Skincare: On their own or in combination with the best essential oils for your skin type as a beautiful, natural Facial Toner or Body Spritzer
Perfumery: The perfect base for a natural perfume or cologne
Small Children: Gentle treatment for babies, small children and those with sensitive skin
First aid: Gentle and effective treatment of trauma, bruises, burns etc.
Our Hydrosols at a Glance
Find the best hydrosol for you - take our quiz!
Rose Bulgarian: We call this the 'gateway hydrosol'. Our Rose Bulgarian Hydrosol goes straight from the petals of rosa damascena to your face, and the results are to die for! Warning: the addiction is real ;)
Orange Blossom (Neroli): With the intoxicating aroma of Neroli, and the highly regenerative properties of the orange tree, Orange Blossom Hydrosol makes a brightening & rejuvenating facial toner for all skin types. It's also a lovely base for a wide range of natural perfume blends.
Cistus: One of the newest members of our ever-growing hydrosol collection; Cistus is an absolute dream. Its aroma is divinely sweet & juicy, its action on the skin is super healing & regenerative.
Helichrysum: An amazing skincare ingredient for those with dull skin, uneven skin tone, hyper-pigmentation, or dark circles under the eyes. Also an important ingredient for your first aid kit; helpful for treating burns, bruises and swelling.
Roman Chamomile: A wonderful hydrosol for babies and small children; extremely gentle, calming and soothing for rashes and skin irritations, diaper rash, eczema etc.
Frankincense: With its unique aroma and grounding psychological properties, Frankincense Hydrosol is the perfect base for a Yoga & Meditation Spritzer. It also brings highly healing and regenerative properties to skincare, and makes a great toner for dry/mature skin types.
Ylang Ylang: Real, deep hydration for the skin & the hair. Ylang Ylang hydrosol smells juicy & tropical, a lighter version of its essential oil counterpart.
Peppermint: Fresh, cooling and vibrant. This is a beautiful room spray base when energy and mental clarity are the aim. It's also very cooling for the skin, keep it in the fridge and spritz yourself on hot, muggy days = HEAVEN.
Witch Hazel: An effective base for a natural bug repellent or first aid spray. Also a beautiful, cleansing toner for all skin types. Witch Hazel's gently astringent properties make it ideal for those with enlarged pores, acne and breakouts.
Lavender Highland: Much like its essential oil counterpart, Lavender Highland Hydrosol is calming and healing for all skin types and a great choice for balancing oily/combination skin.
Geranium: Balancing for the scalp, the skin and the mind. With a beautiful, neutral aroma Geranium Hydrosol makes a great base for a hair treatment spray (it's a key ingredient in our Strength & Shine Hair Mist).
In our Alchemy Workshop you'll have the chance to experience a Floral Hydrosol Steam Distillation from a traditional copper alembic still - among many many other forms of distillation & extraction. It' going to be pretty awesome. Check out the details here!
]]>Here's the thing:
Oregano is an effective treatment against a range of micro-organisms, but it is also a very aggressive essential oil and can be damaging to tissue. Besides the dilemma about quality and purity in relation to internal use, Oregano may have the potential to damage internal tissue, over time. Taking it internally on a regular basis is not only unnecessary, it could lead to health risks...
]]>Here's the thing:
Oregano Oil is an effective treatment against a range of micro-organisms, but it is also a very aggressive essential oil and can be damaging to tissue. It should not be used on the skin or inhaled in a respiratory treatment.
Besides the dilemma about quality and purity in relation to internal use (click here to read the article), Oregano may have the potential to damage internal tissue, over time. Taking it internally on a regular basis is not only unnecessary, it could lead to health risks.
The other consideration with this application is “what are you using it for?”...
Most cold and flu bugs enter and infect the body through the upper respiratory system. So, it makes sense that using a treatment that enters the respiratory system is more likely to fight the micro-organism than one entering the digestive system.
Thyme Linalol is a chemo-type of Thyme, which has a very similar action to Oregano oil against viral and bacterial infection. However, this type of Thyme contains linalol, which makes it gentle and calming to tissue.
Thyme Linalol is ideal for treating cold and flu; while effectively fighting the bug, it also calms and soothes irritated tissue in the respiratory system.
The soothing nature of Linalol combined with the powerful antimicrobial action of Thyme, make it a much more suitable essential oil for regular use. We still would never recommend taking Thyme Linalol (or any essential oil for that matter) every single day. Click here to learn more about Thyme Linalol, a hidden gem for Cold & Flu Season.
We'll start with the little bit of truth in this statement:
In North America, essential oils are bought and sold under the regulations of perfumery. This means that by law, very little information needs to be disclosed on the label and none of this information needs to be verified. This fact makes it all the more imperative for companies to work with third party certification bodies; to verify and control the quality and purity of their products.
]]>We'll start with the little bit of truth in this statement:
In North America, essential oils are bought and sold under the regulations of perfumery. This means that by law, very little information needs to be disclosed on the label and none of this information needs to be verified.
This fact makes it all the more imperative for companies to work with third party certification bodies; to verify and control the quality and purity of their products.
To suggest that there is no one outside of a company to certify a product's quality and purity is completely false. Is it an indication that the company themselves chooses to do their own verification of the quality of their oil? This begs the question of why?
Many essential oil companies (like us) work under the control of a third party certifying body, who tracks a crop from the farmer growing it, to the facility bottling it, and everywhere in-between. This means that all of the information being provided about the essential oil is accurate, traceable and verifiable. The reason this practice works is because the third party certifier has no vested interest in the sale of the product and can therefore provide unbiased information to the consumer. The supplier, who can’t help but have a vested interest in selling their product, is kept in check by the certifying body.
If you're like us, you expect accountability. Purchase from a company that puts their customers' need for accurate, traceable information into the hands of an internationally recognized, third party certification body.
Terms like 'Certified Pure Tested Grade', 'Therapeutic Grade', '100% Natural', '100% Pure' etc. are an indication that an oil is not under third party control.
This one makes us sad, but it's quite simple really...
In truth, many essential oils in the marketplace are not at all what they could be; intensely vibrant, vital plant forces. So we get it, but don't lose hope.
]]>This one makes us sad, but it's quite simple really...
It all comes down to quality: the quality of the essential oil and the quality of the advice on how to use it.
In truth, many essential oils in the marketplace are not at all what they could be - intensely vibrant, vital plant forces - but don't lose hope. There's a reason plant materials have been used for their healing properties for thousands of years. You just need to be using high quality oils, backed up by sound advice.
Barbara Griggs The Green Pharmacy
We see this type of assumption a lot.
When we tell a customer to be sure to skin test an oil before using it topically, or to be extremely careful around small children; they sometimes seem surprised!
Just because a product is natural, does not mean it isn't strong.
]]>We see this type of assumption a lot.
When we tell a customer to be sure to skin test an oil before using it topically, or to be extremely careful around small children; they sometimes seem surprised!
Just because a product is natural, does not mean it isn't strong.
On the contrary, essential oils are very strong, and can absolutely be used in careless and unsafe ways that could harm you!
Consult with a professional if you are ever unsure about how to safely use a specific essential oil; every essential oil is different.
This is a loaded statement on many levels. Let's unpack it slowly…
As we discussed in the previous article (click here to give it a read), there is a wide range in quality and limited accountability when it comes to essential oils.
In reality, unless an oil is controlled by a third party certification body, a consumer has no idea what is actually in their bottle.
Many essential oils are adulterated, often with toxic solvents, adulteration is never disclosed (click here to learn more about adulteration). You need to know exactly what you’re ingesting!
]]>This is a loaded statement on many levels. Let's unpack it slowly…
As we discussed in the previous article (click here to give it a read), there is a wide range in quality and limited accountability when it comes to essential oils.
In reality, unless an oil is controlled by a third party certification body, a consumer has no idea what is actually in their bottle.
Many essential oils are adulterated, often with toxic solvents, adulteration is never disclosed (click here to learn more about adulteration). You need to know exactly what you’re ingesting!
Even if you are working with high quality organic essential oils free from adulteration with clearly disclosed and verified botanical information, that's only the first hurtle!
Essential oils are highly concentrated organic chemicals, many of them can be harmful if taken internally... you need to know a lot about what you’re ingesting!
The other practical consideration is what you’re using the essential oil for. People often distrust their own common sense when it comes to essential oil use. If you have a rash on your knee a treatment lotion applied topically is the best way to use an essential oil. If you have a cold or congested respiratory system, steam inhalation with essential oils is the intelligent treatment method.
In general, if your needs aren't topical or digestive the best way to reap the benefits of essential oils is to inhale them. Pure, high quality essential oils are volatile; meaning they have a direct effect on the human brain. By inhaling essential oils, you are allowing them to have an impact on your entire physiology, via your limbic system. This can offer benefits such as: boosting immunity, giving energy, promoting relaxation, lifting depression etc.
The truth is, the aroma of the most commonly available Jasmine (grandiflorum) is quite heavy, heady and can cause many people to develop a headache or even a migraine. We’ve heard people go so far as describing it like the ‘smell of rotting garbage’! Yikes. Not something you want to be wearing all day, and certainly not the impression you want to be leaving on those around you.
]]>The truth is, the aroma of the most commonly available Jasmine (grandiflorum) is quite heavy, heady and can cause many people to develop a headache or even a migraine. We’ve heard people go so far as likening it to the ‘smell of rotting fruit’! Yikes. Not something you want to be wearing all day, and certainly not the impression you want to be leaving on those around you. The truth is, even if the smell of Jasmine Grandiflorum doesn’t have this effect on you, it’s quite likely to have this effect on some of the people around you; that’s just the nature of this flower’s aroma.
Luckily for all our kindred Jasmine lovers, there is a beautiful, soft Jasmine out there; Jasmine Sambac. The aroma of Jasmine Sambac is sweet and alluring, yet soft and green. It lends itself beautifully to a number of different scent blends, and is loved by almost everyone (even some of the biggest Jasmine cynics we’ve met!). So, why don’t all perfume companies and essential oil suppliers offer Jasmine Sambac? The short answer: it’s very difficult to source, as it only comes from one specific region in India. This, of course, makes it much more valuable in comparison to grandiflorum (which grows in many countries and regions around the world).
Check out our Jasmine Sambac in Jojoba; a beautiful personal scent, massage oil or body oil!
]]>
We always encourage our customers and students to have fun experimenting with their essential oils; it's the best way to learn! However, there a few major roadblocks that you will more than likely encounter along the way.
#1: Bamboozled by the Options
Obviously we’d love to just say “The Aromatherapist is THE BEST essential oil brand, you should only buy from us”. However, that would make this a pretty short (and meaningless) article.
We are going to go through this in an unbiased manner, because we feel creating properly informed consumers is the best way to encourage brand loyalty.
Here is what you should be looking for as you browse the shelves of an Aromatherapy Aisle:
A. Smell the Difference
Testers are there to be smelled. Your nose knows more than you think when it comes to the integrity of natural aromas. Compare the same oil from a few different brands, see what resonates with you.
B. Be Price Aware
Although many of us enjoy sniffing out a deal (pun intended), when it comes to high quality essential oils; cheap is a deal breaker. We know it’s tempting to believe that the 30 ml bottle selling for $10.00 is just as good as the 10 ml bottle selling for $15.00, but this is not the case. We aren’t saying price is the sole indicator of quality; many ‘cheap’ essential oils are priced like high quality ones. However a lower price point for a higher quantity of essential oil should be a red flag (if the smell wasn’t already).
C. Know How to Read the Label
We cannot stress this point enough, and it applies to many products besides essential oils. Unfortunately, today’s marketplace is flooded with ‘natural’ products that have no business calling themselves such. Labeling is a hot topic and this article explains all the fine details of understanding essential oil labels.
However, the main point is this; in North America, the labeling requirements for essential oils and essential oil products are ‘lax, to say the least. This leads to two main issues for the consumer:
#2: Not Knowing How to Use Them
Okay, so you’ve gone through the trying task of picking out your essential oils, now what? What’s so special about this little bottle of liquid and how on earth do you apply those ‘special’ properties to yourself?
Unlike most products that you pick up in store, essential oils aren’t a ready-to-use type deal. It’s kind of like bringing home a head of garlic, or a jar of spices. You aren’t going to eat those straight, you’re going to add them to your meal at a pretty low dilution but they’re going to give it a lot of the flavour and health benefits.
There are two key points you should keep in mind when using essential oils:
A. They're strong
Assuming you made an informed decision when picking out your oils, you’ve brought home a little bottle of pure, plant action (or as we call it, flower power). The essential oil is a biochemical response the plant created to combat environmental and life cycle challenges. It is the plants defence system and survival technique; in other words, it is legit. This is why essential oils work, but it’s also why they should be used with extreme care. Essential oils should very, very rarely be used undiluted on the skin. When putting essential oils into bases (aka ‘carriers’) you should follow recipes to the drop; they are giving you the safe ratio of essential oil to base. Our Methods of Use page has a TON of recipes with the safe dilution ratio for each specific purpose.
B. Every essential oil is unique
They are not different varieties of the same thing, each essential oil has its own unique biochemical composition and safe use information. The plants that created two essential oils could be from the same botanical family or they could be worlds apart in every possible way! Research and understand each oil before using it; do not assume similarities and be critical of the source of your information. Our owner has been working in this field for over 30 years, she’s trained in both the internal and external use of essential oils, she personally wrote each of our product profiles - use them!
#3: Over-Using a Specific Essential Oil
We know how it is, you’ve found the essential oil that works perfectly for you; you love the smell, you’re happy with the results, you’re set for life right? Wrong.
Unfortunately, you can overuse an essential oil and this can lead to what’s called ‘sensitization’. If you’re using an essential oil topically on a daily basis, you should take intermittent breaks from that specific oil. We recommend rotating between 2 or 3 oils for the same use.
For example, we love using Geranium Rose in our body oils. However, in order for us to continue using Geranium Rose, we have to take it out of our routine every once in a while. We’ll incorporate Cypress, Lemon Petitgrain and maybe our Detox Blend for a few batches before returning to our love, Geranium Rose. This transition may seem hard at first, why break up when you’re in a perfect relationship? However, you may find it refreshing to change up your routine, and it is necessary for your skin to have a break from a specific essential oil.
There you have it friends, now you're prepped and ready to enjoy the flower power journey for yourselves!
]]>If you're looking to ditch the chemicals in your life, you probably want to make sure you aren't just replacing them with more (better hidden) chemicals! Here's what you need to know about essential oil quality and how to find it...
]]>If you're looking to ditch the chemicals in your life, you probably want to make sure you aren't just replacing them with more (better hidden) chemicals! Here's what you need to know about essential oil quality and how to find it...
Most essential oils are bought and sold through a large brokerage system. This trade of essential oils represents a huge market, only roughly 2% of which is for therapeutic purpose. Approximately 50% of the trade is for the food industry, 20% perfume, 20% pharmacy (roughly estimated). There are more essential oils bought and sold through this large brokerage system to flavour pipe tobacco, than for aromatherapy or therapeutic purposes. This large and lucrative market isn’t going to cater to the 2% minority, for the purpose of which a whole unadulterated essential oil is imperative. For the larger trade ie; food, perfume and pharmacy, the whole oil is unnecessary and in many cases undesirable. These essential oils are bought and sold in huge quantities, pass through many hands and stages of distribution, each making their own ‘changes’ to the oil. The oils from this system that end up in the therapeutic or aromatherapy marketplace are of inferior quality. To trace them back to an original plant source would be impossible. To calculate the changes and adulterations they’ve passed through, also impossible. Deception is not only likely, it’s inevitable.
Below is a list of common ‘changes’ that are made to essential oils purchased through the brokerage system, and how they impact the consumer.
*Terms like ‘Therapeutic Grade’, ‘100% Pure’, ‘Natural’ etc. are an indication that an oil is not controlled by a legitimate certification body.
Adulteration and Cutting: ‘Adulteration’ implies that an extraneous or inferior substance has been added to an oil, generally to cheat in regards to its market value. ‘Cutting’ implies changes to increase the volume of an oil, for example adding a solvent or other undetectable substance to increase the seller’s profit margin.
The real danger with this is that you have absolutely no idea what you’re inhaling or putting on your skin, literally, since adulterants are never disclosed. Many people choose to use essential oils to avoid the use of synthetic or toxic ingredients. The undisclosed substances used to adulterate essential oils, in many cases, are much more harmful than those allowed in cosmetics.
Rectification/Removal: These interventions cause changes in the composition of a pure essential oil and generally involve ‘removing’ a constituent from an oil (ie: removing terpenes that may make the oil less desirable to the food or flavour industry, shorten shelf life ect.). The undisclosed rectification of an oil is never an advantage to the consumer.
The risk with undisclosed rectification or removal in essential oils is that the natural balance of the oil is disturbed. For example by removing the terpene content of an oil, you increase the content of other biochemicals, potentially raising them to a degree that’s unsuitable for therapeutic application. The ‘whole’ oil has to be considered, in all its complexity with it’s mixture of potentially hundreds of different biochemicals, their molecular energy and synergy. This complete ‘whole’ is what researchers base ‘safe use’ on, some components ‘quench’ the otherwise potentially hazardous action of others.
Substitution: This is when an inexpensive oil is substituted for and sold as a more expensive oil, either in part or whole. A very common example of this is Lavender. A lot of Lavenders pretend to be the most valued lavender (high altitude lavandula angustifolia) through this process.
Aside from the fact that you’re being ripped of, one problem this presents is that you could unknowingly use an oil in a situation where it should never be used, thinking it was something it isn’t. Lavandula angustifolia is so gentle and soothing anyone can use it (pregnant women, small children), with no adverse side effects. But if it happens to be a less expensive latifolia or, worse, stoechas Lavender instead, safe and appropriate use is an entirely different story.
Synthetics: These chemicals produced in the laboratory from various sources are often added to inferior essential oils to increase their perceived value or improve the aroma. This is a very common practice since aroma chemicals are cheap and often difficult to detect, making them an easy and inexpensive method for a supplier to increase their profit margin.
Synthetic aroma chemicals are considered unsafe due to the variability and lack of transparency of their composition. Over the last decade synthetic fragrance and the petrochemicals that make up this group has come under fire in terms of health problems. Women with a history of cancer are often encouraged by their doctors to avoid fragrance, the awareness of it’s negative impact is common knowledge.
]]>These are all important pieces of information that will help you to be an informed consumer.
The cultivation method tells us what practices were used during the growth of the plant and the extraction of the oil. The different cultivation methods you will see with our oils are...
]]>The label on an essential oil bottle should tell you a lot....
What is the botanical name of the plant? What country was the plant grown in? What was the nature of its cultivation? What part of the plant was it extracted from? What was the number of the batch it came from? The batch number has followed your oil from the farmer that grew it, to the facility that bottled it, and everywhere in between. This number is your guarantee that a governing body (in our case EcoCert EU) can validate the information being given on the label.
These are all important pieces of information that will help you to be an informed consumer. To learn more about essential oil labeling and how to understand it, visit Decoding Labels.
The cultivation method tells us what practices were used during the growth of the plant and the extraction of the essential oil. The different cultivation methods you will see on our labels are:
certified organic + EU-Organic: from certified organic farming - certified with Ecocert (DE-Öko-024) No use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides. Distillation usually under low pressure. No overheating, slow distillation in order to preserve the maximum of active components in the essential oil which contribute to its special aromatic effect and healing power. Each of these ingredients has a different rate of evaporation when exposed to heat. If an oil is distilled too quickly (high pressure, high temperature), many of these precious elements preserved by a slower evaporation rate are lost.
wild certified organic + EU-Organic: wild from certified organic farming - certified with Ecocert (DE-Öko-024) This category applies to oils stemming from wild-grown plants, harvested under certified organic regulations. Their manufacturing does not differ from that of certified organic oils.
conventional - These oils are most often selected from countries where certified organic sources are not available, since control organizations, or independent monitoring agencies either do not exist or are not applicable. Although the farmer is not a member of one of the controlling organizations - planting, harvesting and distillation are performed according to traditional organic methods. The regular use of gas chromatography testing provides a further guarantee of purity and quality. The oils in this category meet our claim for qualitatively pure and excellent olfactory quality.
wildcrafted - These essential oils stem from wild-growing plants. They may be manufactured in larger quantities (e.g. Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Pine sib. etc.) but have not undergone chemical treatment.
The cultivation of essential oils is an art. The farmers we source from have often spent generations perfecting their art - with one specific plant and one specific oil. Since our oils come from every corner of the world (wherever the plant exists naturally) we see oils coming from each of these methods of cultivation. Each type has value and represents the method that the individual farmer has chosen to be best for the plant they are harvesting.