What are essential oils?Know what you are getting from essential oils?

What are essential oils? Know what you are getting  from essential oils?

What are essential oils?Know what you are getting  from essential oils?

Essential oils, a common ingredient in natural products, are commonly used by inhalation or topical application of a diluted oil. Because these oils are so readily available to the public, many people incorrectly assume that no special knowledge or training is required to use them. Unfortunately, there are many who make this mistake. Some have read a little about aromatherapy or been told by a friend or supplier that a particular oil is good for this or that. But essential oils can cause problems if used incorrectly. How much do you really know about these mighty plants?

Some have read a little about aromatherapy or been told by a friend or supplier that a particular oil is good for this or that. But essential oils can cause problems if used incorrectly. How much do you really know about these mighty plants?

what are essential oils?

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are highly concentrated liquids extracted from plant material – bark, berries, flowers, leaves, roots, seeds or twigs – that are produced in several different ways.

The most common is steam distillation, where pressurized steam is passed through the plant material and causes the oils to evaporate. The resulting mixture of oil and vapor is condensed back into a liquid and the oil is collected.

Plants that are too fragile for steam distillation, such as jasmine, orange blossom and rose, can have their oils extracted using solvents. The oils created by this process are called absolutes and are generally used in perfumes or diffusers, as the residual solvent makes most of them unsuitable for topical use.

The third method is carbon dioxide extraction. While these oils are technically absolute, the compressed carbon dioxide used as a solvent leaves no harmful residue and also creates a thicker oil with a rounder aroma.

Finally, cold-pressed essential oils are those that have been extracted from the rind of the fruit by grinding and pressing it.

Most essential oils don't have an indefinite shelf life: citrus oils lose their potency after about six months, while most floral oils last a year or maybe two. A pair of cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver gets better with age. You can refrigerate oils that you don't use often. It is also a good idea to store them out of sunlight, in small bottles with less air space.

Know what you are getting from essential oils?

Know what you are getting from essential oils?

The method of production is only one of the factors influencing the quality and price of these plant extracts. Others include the rarity of the plant, how and where it was grown, how many plants are needed to produce the oil, and the manufacturer's quality standards.

For example, genuine rose oil is extremely expensive. This is simply because it takes 200 pounds of roses (approximately 60,000 flowers) to produce 1 ounce of rose oil. That's equal to 30 roses per drop! If you're paying less than $80 for a 5 milliliter bottle of rose oil, it's either synthetic or has been diluted with a carrier oil like jojoba. Buying diluted oil is perfectly acceptable as long as you know what you are getting. Reputable suppliers will know in advance if their products are sold already diluted. Less reputable suppliers may sell an adulterated blend (such as a small amount of rose oil mixed with cheaper geranium oil) and claim it is 100% rose oil.

It is also important to know that different varieties of the same plant can have different uses. For example, Alpine French lavender is most commonly used in skin care products, while Bulgarian or English lavender is used in bath products, diffusers, or as a sleep aid. A variety called spike lavender has a higher camphor content, which provides respiratory benefits. Lavandin is a hybrid of English lavender and spike lavender, and "40/42" is a blend of several varieties that is laced with synthetic lavender oil and used by many soap manufacturers.

Even the same plant can produce different oils. Many years ago I bought a brand of ginger oil that was very disappointing. It didn't really smell like ginger. It wasn't until years later, when I learned more about essential oils, that I realized I had purchased an oil made from dried ginger root instead of fresh. What difference!

I strongly recommend purchasing essential oils only from reputable distributors who specialize in aromatherapy needs. Unfortunately, there are companies that rely more on extravagant claims than the quality of their products, and others that sell synthetic fragrances under the guise of essential oil. Here are some red flags to watch for when choosing a product.

Guile classification of essential oils

Although essential oils have therapeutic value, there are no regulatory standards for their production, and no organization assigns or recognizes any official oil grades. Manufacturers and distributors who claim their oils are "therapeutic grade" are only using this as a marketing term and are meaningless as an indicator of oil quality.

Synthetic substitution of essential oils

Although we refer to aromatherapy as the therapeutic use of essential oils, the word is not formally defined or regulated by the US government. This makes it legal to sell products labeled as "aromatherapy" that do not contain essential oils, but only synthetic fragrance.

A synthetic fragrance may be described on the label as "fragrance oil", "aromatic oil", "fragrance oil" or "perfume oil". These are all mixed synthetic fragrances that are diluted with mineral oil, propylene glycol, or vegetable oil and may also contain phthalates and other potentially toxic ingredients. Synthetic oils are much cheaper than essential oils and have a much stronger scent. When you walk past a candle store and smell the candles from the outside, it's a synthetic fragrance. There are a number of plants that cannot be used to make essential oils: some examples are gardenia, lilac and lily of the valley. The so-called essential oils marketed under these names are always synthetic.

Essential oils are Nutritional nonsense

Essential oils are Nutritional nonsense

Some distributors claim that their essential oils provide nutrients to the body. That's one thing these oils just can't do. Robert Tisserand, one of the most respected aromatherapists and author of The Art of Aromatherapy (Healing Arts Press, 1978), the first English-language book on the subject, says: “What nutrients? Essential oils do not contain nutrients. vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, or any other type of nutrient.” Claims that these oils can cure disease—even cancer—are also unsupported by science, and you should be wary of any distributors willing to make such claims about to claim their products.

If you're going to use essential oils, it's vital to think of them like any other healing tool: be properly trained in their use, thoroughly research contraindications and interactions. potentially causing harm. Remember that "natural" is not automatic