| Go into any new age or health food store or any | | | | amber glass. Oils will react with plastic, so any |
| candle or homewares shop and chances are you will | | | | fragrance sold in plastic will not be a pure essential oil. |
| see little bottles of fragrant oil. Anyone who has had | | | | Clear glass will cause the oil to deteriorate due to |
| any experience of aromatherapy knows how | | | | exposure to light. For the same reason, essential oils |
| powerful these volatile oils can be and the wonderful | | | | should be kept in a cool dark place to preserve them. |
| effects they can have. | | | | 4. Purchase essential oils in bottles with a dripolator |
| But all oils are not the same. How do you know what | | | | plug in the top. These are vastly superior to bottles |
| you are buying? There are an enormous number of | | | | with eyedroppers. A dripolator will regulate the flow of |
| synthetic oils on the market, but true aromatherapy | | | | essential oil and prevent spillage of the whole bottle |
| uses only the best pure plant extracts. These are true | | | | even if the cap is off. However once an eyedropper |
| "essential oils" and are, in my opinion, the only ones to | | | | cap is removed the top of the bottle is open and can |
| purchase. To help you make sure you are getting "the | | | | easily spill. It is also more dangerous around children, |
| real thing", here are my top 6 things to look for when | | | | should they ever get their hands on them. Another |
| buying essential oils - | | | | consideration that I discovered myself, is that some |
| 1. This may be obvious, or maybe not, but look for the | | | | essential oils will react with the rubber on the |
| words "pure essential oil". If the bottle says "fragrance | | | | eyedropper, causing it to deteriorate and contaminate |
| oil", "fragrant oil", "perfume oil", or even "aromatherapy | | | | your oil. |
| oil" the chances are this is a synthetic product. | | | | 5. Look for a botanical name on the bottle. This is the |
| Remember there is no legal definition of | | | | latin name given to each species. For example, true |
| "aromatherapy" so anyone can use the term. | | | | lavender is lavandula angustifolia, mandarin is citrus |
| 2. Look for "100% essential oil". Many more precious | | | | reticulata and grapefruit is citrus paradisi. While |
| oils are diluted at 3-5% in a base oil such as jojoba, to | | | | common names can sometimes be unclear, but the |
| make the price more attractive. But such oils are | | | | botanical name will always be more precise. Several |
| useless in a vaporiser as they are simply not strong | | | | species may be given the same common name and |
| enough. These dilutions do have their uses, but the fact | | | | there can be safety issues with some oils which are |
| they are diluted should be clearly stated. Some | | | | only clear when the correct botanical name is used. |
| producers list these with other pure essential oils, so | | | | There are numerous examples of oils where the |
| you can only know the difference if you look very | | | | common name used does not at all relate to the oil's |
| closely at the label. If you are unsure then an easy | | | | actual botanical classification. |
| way to test for yourself is to place a drop of the oil on | | | | 6. Lastly know your supplier. Try to buy from reputable |
| absorbent paper. A pure essential oil will evaporate | | | | companies and from sources that give the above |
| leaving little or no mark on the paper. A diluted oil will | | | | information or are prepared to answer your questions. |
| leave a greasy oil mark and will not evaporate. | | | | And if in doubt consult a qualified aromatherapist for |
| 3. The essential oil bottle should be dark, preferably | | | | advice. |