Good
day to each of you. Thank you for
joining me. Today I would like to
discuss the difference between types of oils in the Essential Oils world.
We
all know that essential oils are different in the aroma & the reactions
each has on the body. But there’s
another difference in the oils you can purchase. I hope my break down will be of service to
you, my friends.
Basically,
there are two kinds of Oils. You have
the Essential Oils, made from plants, the oil that is the essence of the
plant. This oil is known for its healing
or rejuvenating or cleansing effects on our body & our minds.
There
is also the Synthetic variety. This is
made in a laboratory. It is made
completely of man-made chemicals. It has
no physiological effects on the body.
However, the aroma does last longer than the plant-based oils.
Now,
you may be asking yourself “Why would I want to use synthetic oils?” Well, to be honest, I don’t know why. But what I do know is that you must educate
yourself so when you are purchasing your Oils, you know what to look for before
making that purchase. One way to know you’re purchasing a synthetic essential
oil is if it comes in a clear bottle.
Since it’s man-made it does not break down very quickly. One of the reasons the fragrance lasts
longer.
Also,
with Synthetic Oils you’re more likely to purchase a larger bottle for less
cost than a smaller bottle of an Essential Oil.
You may think you’re getting a good deal, but you may not be obtaining
what you thought & end up very disappointed.
Part
of being educated about the Synthetic & Essential Oil, is also knowing the
differences in your Essential Oils. No,
not all plant based Essential Oils are created equally. It couldn’t be that simple, now could
it? Of course not! Lol
An
Essential Oil is either distilled or cold pressed from part or parts of a plant
(stems, leaves, roots, etc.). Essential
Oils are fragrant, but where the plant was grown, how it was grown, the growing
conditions & how it was harvested will all affect the scent.
There
are a few different grades of oils. In
this discussion, we’re only interested in the Absolutes: Organics &
Pures. These are the Essential Oils
we’re talking about when we discuss uses & blends.
PLEASE USE CAUTION WHEN USING ANY ESSENTIAL OIL!!
That
being stated, let us start with Absolutes.
While most Essential Oils are extracted from the plant by the cold press
or distilling process, there are some oils that are too delicate or do not respond
as well. So, solvents & chemicals
are employed for the extraction. Most of
the chemicals & solvents are removed in the final process, but trace
amounts are left behind.
Absolute
Oils are highly concentrated. You must
use extreme caution when using. A very
small amount of the Absolute Essential Oil goes a very long way. This is one of the reason Holistic
Aromatherapy prefers the Absolute.
Organic
Essential Oils are from plants that are grown without pesticides, herbicides or
chemical fertilizers. The plant’s Oil is extracted by being either distilled or
cold pressed. No chemicals or solvents
are ever introduced to the plant at any part of its growth, or to the extracted
oil.
Next
is Pure Essential Oils. The most common
definition of a Pure Essential Oil is an oil that has been extracted from
plants that may have been exposed to pesticides. They can use the title of “Pure” because they
are extracted for the plant.
I
have seen the term “Pure” used as the same as “Organic”, so be sure to do your research
on the company where you’re purchasing your oils.
Other
things to look for before purchasing are the differences in the cost of the
different oils. Some Essential Oils are
very rare & you should expect to pay more for them. If Rose oil is the same price as Lavender,
you may not be purchasing the best quality of Rose.
One
more grade we’ll give an honorable mention here, is Wild Grown. It can be presumed that if it is growing in
the wild, it’s organic. But as I
mentioned earlier, where the plant is grown, & how long it’s been growing,
will have an impact on the potency of the oil.
Before
committing to a brand, do your research on the company. You may want to make some purchases &
compare the oils. How do the aromas
compare? Which ones have the effect you
desire?
What works for you?
Friends,
I hope, as always, that this has been helpful in your journey. I look forward to our next meeting. Until then, Be Blessed.
LB
