7 FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS
1. There is no such official term as “therapeutic grade” essential oils.
There are no grades of oils in aromatherapy.
All essential oils or absolutes are distilled/extracted in the exactly the same way and are naturally therapeutic.
Who sells “therapeutic grade” oils?
Charlatans or the misled, that's who, someone with very little knowledge of essential oils and/or companies using a marketing term to falsely state that their oils are superior. ALL ESSENTIAL OILS ARE THERAPEUTIC.
Either way - beware of buying from anyone who uses this terminology as they probably do not have your best interests at heart and only see dollar signs.
*Nb some oils will be refined to food grade for the food industry but these are never sold as essential oils for aromathereapy purposes anyway
2. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (ole) is not an essential oil. It’s a synthetic created by a pharmaceutical company to reconstitute a chemical compound from the actual essential oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
Pure Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil is NOT recommended by the CDC as an insect repellent – but the synthetic version is. READ THE FACTS HERE http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/pesticides/factsheets/oillemoneucalyptus.pdf
3. There is no such thing as “chemical free” – everything is a chemical even water and salt .
Essential oils contain around 100-150 naturally occurring chemicals!
There is a great deal of chemistry involved with essential oils, it’s not just about a great smell.
They are for the most part safe when used correctly but some oils may not be suitable for topical use (see below)
4. Not all essential oils are safe - birch oil is carcinogenic and wintergreen can cause internal bleeding if used in conjunction with aspirin or blood thinning medication. See a list of hazardous oils here - http://www.essentialoils.co.za/toxic-oils.htm
5. Essential oils should NEVER be taken internally unless under the supervision of a QUALIFIED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.
France is leading the way in medical aromatherapy but only under the direction of MDs, so beware of lay-persons advising you to take oils internally. Read more here - http://www.essentialoils.co.za/medical.htm
6. Essential oils should always be correctly diluted before applying to the skin, neat application can cause irritation.
When blended with a carrier oil such as Sweet Almond the oils are allowed to slowly release into the bloodstream and some will remain on the skins’ surface, which is why essential oils are so popular in skincare as they work magic inside and out!
EASY DILUTION RULE OF THUMB - 1 drop of essential oil per every 1ml of carrier oil (half this dosage for children over 3, pregnant women and facial use).
7. Essential oils really do work from the inside out – the skin acts as a barrier to most things but the molecules in essential oils are so minuscule that they can be absorbed in to the bloodstream and synergistically work in harmony with your body’s natural ability to heal.
On a side note, in France only licensed practitioners such as pharmacists and doctors can openly sell and advise on the use of essentials oils, because they realise the dangers involved when novices share incorrect information.
I wonder if this will catch on in other parts of the world? I wish it would as I am fed up with all the hazardous 'advise' being touted by pyramid scheme companies and their salespeople.
