Hello Ladies! I want to share some important information regarding the use of essential oils.
Let me clarify…Essential Oils are amazing, effective, and versatile, IF you are well informed and have a good understanding of safety considerations.
My intention of this post is to inform and educate those of you who have an interest in DIY blends, with essential oils. For those of you who are already familiar with safety guidelines, power to you! Otherwise, please read.
Essential Oils have become very popular over the past 10 years and I’ve noticed a fair amount of misleading marketing on the internet. Therefore, I feel compelled to share some of the most basic safety guidelines, when using essential oils.
Buy from a company that backs their oils with testing. It is not safe to assume that all essential oils are the same. Because the FDA does not regulate aromatherapy and essential oil products, labels such as “Therapeutic Grade” or “All natural” are not a guarantee that the oil is authentic. You need to be an educated consumer and the only way to ensure that you are buying top quality oil, is to make sure the company and/or supplier performs GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) testing. This is a testing method used to analyze complex organic and biochemical mixtures. All chemicals in the oil are separated, identified and quantified. Any reputable company will allow you to obtain these reports upon request, to authenticate their products.
Check the label. Most top-quality companies include the following information: - Common Name (i.e. Chamomile, German) - Latin Name (i.e. Matricaria recutita) - Country of Origin (i.e. England, Europe, N. Asia) - Safety Considerations - Date of Distillation (this may be on the company website, not on the bottle)
Check the shelf life! Some oils, like Patchouli, can last up to 20 years, but other oils like citruses (lemon, lime & orange), only last up to 2 years.
Store oils in a dark, cool place. Prolonged exposure to heat, sunlight, or air, can change the chemical composition of the oil, which can alter its therapeutic benefits and shelf life. Some oils that are derived from wood and root plant parts, such as, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Ginger, Vetiver, can be stored at room temperature.
Dilution! Always refer to a dilution chart when applying essential oils to your skin! The vast majority of essential oils need to be diluted in a carrier oil, for safe application to skin.
I hope you found this information helpful!! Please let me know if you have any questions or would like more information on this topic.