Title: Essential Oils & Aromatherapy - Quality Counts

From: www.massage-energetics.com

By: Paula M. Moerland, LMT

All Rights Reserved. 2004.

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy - Quality Counts

Aromatherapy, properly applied, is nature’s pharmaceuticals. Only Therapeutic Grade essential oils should be used in aromatherapy, massage, and other healing modalities using essential oils. All essential oils are distilled from plants, and they have powerful healing properties.

But did you know that only 2 percent of essential oils sold in the United States are true Therapeutic Grade?

Standards have been developed by the Association French Normalization Organization Regulation and adopted by the International Standards Organization to distinguish true Therapeutic Grade essential oils from inferior oils merely used for fragrance. True Therapeutic essential oils are immune-system stimulating, anti-viral, anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-tumoral, anti-fungal and more.

Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Purity Testing
Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GS/MS) analysis are the scientific method employed to differentiate imposters from the real McCoy. It measures and yields a three-dimensional analysis, allowing direct identification of essential oil constituents and percentages. If only two primary constituents do not meet precise percentages, the oil cannot be AFNOR or ISO certified, although the oil may still qualify as Grade A. GC/MS analysis can also identify oils that have been synthetically manipulated. The best testing uses a 50-meter column during GC testing. Most US labs utilize a 30-meter column, which is adequate for vitamins or minerals, but is certainly not adequate for the chemical complexity of essential oils. An oil's purity can be affected by myriad environmental factors: geographical region, altitude, climate, soil, growing conditions, harvest method and season. Even the time of day the plant is harvested can affect the oil's purity! Producing genuine Therapeutic Grade essential oils is indeed a fine art.

GC/MS Analyzes for:

Non-fragrant solvents
Synthetic fragrance materials and their isomers
Synthetic “nature identical” essential oil components
Synthesis by-products
Expensive oils “cut” with inexpensive oils
Oxidation products
Fractional distillation
Deterpination

Proper Steam Distillation
The distillation method also affects an essential oil's purity, and Therapeutic Grade oils mandate preserving as many of the plant's compounds as possible. Therapeutic Grade essential oils must only be distilled in stainless steel cooking chambers at lowest possible pressure and lowest possible temperature. Extremely high temperature and high pressure, or contact with chemically reactive metals such as copper or aluminum can quickly destroy delicate compounds.

No Additives
The primary components of 98 percent of all essential oils in the market are synthetic. They should not be used for therapeutic applications, and they potentially carry risks. For those with chemical sensitivities or allergies to perfume, you must stay away from impure oils. Only pure essential oils should be used for therapeutic purposes. At best, synthetic oils may not produce desired therapeutic results, at worst, they could be toxic. Many oils labeled “100% pure” are NOT, and even “certified organic” oils may not be pure. Unfortunately, some low quality oils actually hide behind the “organic” badge.

If you are using essential oils for therapeutic purposes, ask the supplier what kind of testing they do to assure the purity and quality of a therapeutic grade essential oil. Find out how often their oils are tested and if you can receive (at a minimum) a GC analysis. If they won't offer you proof, don't buy.

My Guarantee
Every essential oil used in my practice is 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade.

The oils are thoroughly analyzed regularly, batch by batch to assure their purity and quality. They are free of added water, alcohol, carriers or other diluents. No chemical solvents are added during distillation, and nothing is added to the oil after distillation. These oils are wholly suitable for aromatherapy, cosmetics, cooking and body application.

This information was graciously excerpted with permission from www.mountainroseherbs.com and from documentation provided by Elizabeth Van Buren Essential oils at www.elizabethvanburen.com